John I. Curtin

John Irwin Curtin was a cousin of Pennsylvania governor Andrew Gregg Curtin. He led a regiment and then a brigade in the American Civil War.

Pre war

John I. Curtin was born at Eagle Forge, Pennsylvania on June 17, 1837. He was educated at Dickinson Seminary, later Lycoming College and became a civil engineer.

Civil War Service

In 1861, John I. Curtin served as a private in the 2nd Pennsylvania Infantry. On September 9, 1861, he was commissioned a captain in the 45th Pennsylvania Infantry. Curtin was promoted to the rank of major on July 30, 1862 and lieutenant colonel on September 4 of the same year. Curtin became the regiment’s colonel on April 13, 1863. In the Army of the Potomac, , Curtin served in IX Corps. He led the regiment at the Battle of South Mountain and the Battle of Antietam in the place of Col Thomas Welsh, who was holding brigade command.[1] Welsh return to command of the regiment for the Battle of Fredericksburg. When Welsh was promoted to the rank of brigadier general, Curtin became the regiment’s commander. After IX Corps was transferred West, Curtin led the 45th Pennsylvania in the Siege of Vicksburg. He was absent, however, from the Battle of Knoxville.

When IX Corps returned to the Army of the Potomac in 1864, leading his regiment at the Battle of the Wilderness. Curtin took command of first brigade second division on May 11, 1864 after Col Zenas Bliss was injured at the Battle of Spotsylvania. He led the brigade at the Battle of Cold Harbor and continued in command until June 18, when he was wounded in the Siege of Petersburg . Curtin led the brigade again from August 21 to January 13, 1865. (Col [[Sumner Carruth led the brigade during Curtin’s absence.) After an absence, Curtin resumed brigade command on February 11, serving until April 24. After the Confederate surrender, in the Department of Washington, Curtin led the third division IX Corps in place of BG John Hartranft from May 4 to July 8 and then his old brigade from July 8 to July 17, 1865. Curtin became a brevet brigadier general on October 12, 1864. He was mustered out of the volunteer service on July 17, 1865.

Post war

Col Curtin died on January 1, 1911 in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania. He was buried at the Union Cemetery in Bellefonte.

References

Battles and leaders of the Civil War ..., 4 vols. (New York, The Century co., 1887-88).

Eicher, John H., and Eicher, David J., Civil War High Commands, Stanford University Press, 2001, ISBN 0-8047-3641-3.