The New Student's Reference Work/Newton, John

Newton, John, American engineer and soldier, was born at Norfolk, Va., Aug. 24, 1823, and graduated at West Point in 1842.  At the outbreak of the Civil War he was engaged in the construction of fortifications along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts.  Having served throughout the Peninsular campaign as brigadier, at Fredericksburg he commanded a division and rose to the rank of major-general.  He rendered conspicuous services at Chancellorsville and further distinguished himself at Gettysburg.  At the close of the war he returned to the engineer corps of the regular army.  His greatest work of engineering was the removal of the obstruction called Hell Gate (q. v.) in East River, New York.  See Blasting and New York City.  After this he was given the position of chief of the engineering department with the rank of brigadier in the regular army.  He retired from the service in August, 1886, and was elected president of the Panama Railroad Company in 1888.  He died at New York, May 1, 1895.