Romeyn Beck Ayres

Romeyn Beck Ayres; born East Creek, NY 12/20/25; fluent in Latin; first wife Emily Louis Gerry Dearborn; second wife was Juliet Opie Hopkins Butcher, the daughter of Juliet Opie Hopkins; West Point Class of 1847 (22 of 35); Bvt 2nd Lt 4th US Arty 7/1/47; 2nd Lt 3rd Arty 9/22/47; served in garrison in Puebla and Mexico City, Mexico; 1st Lt 3/16/52; Capt 5th Arty 5/14/61; Artillery, W. F. Smith’s Div., 4th Corps, Army of the Potomac (AotP), 10/3/61 to 3/13/62; Artillery, 2nd Div., 4th Corps, AotP, 3/13/62 to 5/18/62; Artillery, 2nd Div., 6th Corps, AotP, 5/18/62 to 11/16/62; Artillery, 6th Corps, AotP, 11/16/62 to 4/4/63; BGUSV 11/29/62 (n 3/4/63 c 3/9/63); 1st Brig., 2nd Div, 5th Corps, AotP 4/21/64 to 6/28/63; 2nd Div, 5th Corps, AotP 6/28/63 to 3/24/64; Bvt Maj 7/2/63 for gallant and meritorious service in the Battle of Gettysburg; 4th Brig, 1st Div, 5th Corps, AotP 3/24/64 to 4/64; 1st Brig, 1st Div, 5th Corps, AotP 4/64 to 6/5/64; Bvt Lt Col 5/5/64 for gallant and meritorious service in the Battle of the Wilderness; 2nd Div, 5th Corps, AotP 6/6/64 to 12/22/64 and 1/8/65 to 6/28/65; wounded at Petersburg, VA 6/20/64; Bvt MGUSV 8/1/64 (n 7/17/66 c 7/23/66) for conspicuous gallantry in Battles of Wilderness, Spotsylvania CH, Jericho Mills, Bethesda Church, Petersburg, Weldon RR (Globe Tavern), and for faithful service in the campaign; Bvt Col 8/18/64 for gallant and meritorious service in the Battle of Weldon RR; Bvt BGUSA 3/13/65 (n 4/10/66 c 5/4/66) for gallant and meritorious service in the Battle of Five Forks; Bvt MGUSA 3/13/65 (n 7/17/66 c 7/23/66) for gallant and meritorious service in the field during the war; 3rd Div, Provisional Corps, 6/28/65 to 7/65; Dist of the Shenandoah Valley, Middle Dept, 8/23/65 to 4/30/66; mustered out of volunteers 4/30/66; Lt Col 28th US Inf 7/28/66; 19th US Inf 3/15/69; 3rd Arty 12/15/70; served in garrison in various posts including Little Rock, AK, Jackson Barracks, LA, and Key West, FL; Col 2nd Arty 7/18/79; supervised various posts in FL; died Fort Hamilton, NY 12/4/88; buried Arlington National Cemetery, VA, Sec 1, site 12.   

Sources: Eicher & Eicher, Civil War High Commands, pp 110-111, 706, 710, 718 732; Heitman, Historical Register and Dictionary of the U. S. Army, Vol. I p 177; Sifakis, Who was Who in the American Civil War, pp 23-24; Warner, Generals in Blue, pp 387-388. 

  

  Photo credits: a, b, c; www.generalsandbrevets.com d; findagrave.com

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