Joseph Warren Revere (general)

General Joseph Warren, Joseph Warren Revere's namesake

Joseph Warren Revere was born 17 May 1812[1] and was a grandson of Paul Revere. His parents were Dr. John Revere and Lydia LeBaron Goodwin.[2] He was named after General Joseph Warren, the famous doctor and general in the American Revolution who was a close friend of his grandfather.

In 1828, at age sixteen, Revere joined the United States Navy. His tours of duty took him to Europe, the Pacific, and the Baltic States. Revere traveled the globe and eventually reached the rank of lieutenant.[3]

Some time in the 1830s, Revere served in the Second Seminole War but saw little action.[4]

In 1846, Revere was deeply involved in the American Conquest of California, part of the Mexican-American War. In June 1846, the Californios declared their independence from America, creating the California Republic and raising Bear Flags across California.[5] On the morning of July 9, 1846, Revere and 70 naval troops arrived at Yerba Buena, lowered the Bear Flag, and raised the American flag in its place - thereby claiming San Francisco as American territory. Later that day, Revere and troops repeated the flag replacement at Sonoma Plaza in Sonoma, California. Revere's actions assisted American forces in bringing the California Republic to an end after 25 days of independence.[5][6]

Circa 1847, Revere continued to fight for Mexican territory in the Mexican–American War and was commended for his bravery in battle.

In 1849, Revere published his first autobiographical book, titled A Tour of Duty in California: Including a Description of the Gold Region: and an Account of the Voyage Around Cape Horn; with Notices of Lower California, the Gulf and Pacific Coasts, and the Principal Events Attending the Conquest of the Californias. It was edited by Joseph N. Balestier, a U.S. consul of Southeast Asia, who was his uncle by marriage, though Balestier refers to Revere as "my friend" in the foreword.[7] Revere dedicated the book to John Y. Mason, secretary of the Navy 1844-1849, stating "[his] able and upright discharge of his public duties has won for him the respect and applause of his countrymen."[7]

In 1850, Revere resigned from the navy after almost twenty years of service. He settled down first in California and later in Morristown, New Jersey. Revere then joined the Mexican Army with the rank of colonel. He was ordered to reorganize the Mexican Artillery Corps and was honored by the Spanish and Mexican Governments. For his rescuing of 13 Spanish citizens, Queen Isabella II knighted Revere in the Order of Isabella the Catholic in 1851.[8]

Joseph W. Revere House, Fosterfields Living Historical Farm, Morris Township, New Jersey[9]

In 1852, Revere retired to Morristown, New Jersey; he purchased the Ogden farmhouse and the 88 acres of farmland surrounding it. Once the land was his, he contracted local master carpenter Ashbel Bruen of Chatham to construct a unique mansion on the hill, which Revere helped design.[10][11] He ensured that his custom mansion, titled The Willows, was designed in the Gothic Revival style (specifically, Carpenter Gothic).[12] Revere and Bruen likely based their design on the 1849 Olmstead House, designed by British architect Gervase Wheeler, the pattern of which appeared in the book Rural Homes of 1851.[13]

Construction was complete in 1854, when Revere moved in.[12] In the dining room, Revere likely painted the elaborate murals of still lives, the Revere family crest, and a bouquet of baguettes.[12][14] The home was historically preserved by Caroline Foster and later bequeathed to the Morris County Park System, who offers tours of the home.

The years 1857 and 58 found Revere touring Europe with his friend, Phil Kearny. He also went to India. The United Kingdom awarded him the Indian Mutiny Medal for helping suppress the Indian Rebellion of 1857–58. In 1859, he was present at the Battle of Sulferino during the Second Italian War of Independence.[15]

When the Civil War began in 1861, Revere tried to join the Union Navy but was informed that there were no officer slots available for him. Having been appointed as head of the New Jersey Militia during the governorship of Rodman Price, he decided to enlist in the Union Army.[16]

Revere was appointed Colonel of the 7th New Jersey Volunteer Infantry and led it into the Peninsula Campaign and the Seven Days Battle.[3] Revere then fought at the Second Battle of Bull Run where he was commended for bravery.[16] In October 1862 Joseph Revere was promoted to brigadier general of U.S. Volunteers.[3] At the Battle of Fredericksburg he led a brigade but saw little action. He was later named to command the Excelsior Brigade.

Revere's most personally challenging moment of his Civil War career came after the Battle of Chancellorsville when 'blame' was being assigned for the Union Army's loss.[Notes 3] After charging the Confederate line, division commander Maj. Gen. Hiram Berry was mortally wounded and the command devolved on Revere. In the chaos of a battle with no clear front line, Revere's decision to regroup his men, commanding them to reform at a point set by compass led to controversy.[16] This three-mile march, described by Revere as a "regrouping effort" and not a retreat, led to his being court-martialed as ordered by General Joseph Hooker.[17] President Abraham Lincoln overturned the court's ruling and reinstated Revere but accepted Revere's resignation at the same time. As a lifelong member of the Democratic Party, that was probably the best deal Revere could expect from a Republican administration. In response to this situation, Revere was voted the honor of the rank of Brevet Major General by the United States Congress in 1866.[15]

After his resignation Revere began traveling the globe and writing books, but his health had been affected by his Civil War service. He had suffered from a severe case of rheumatic fever during the Peninsula Campaign and had been severely wounded at the Second Battle of Manassas.[15] He wrote two books, the autobiographical Keel and Saddle: A Retrospect of 40 years of Military and Naval Service and A Tour of Duty in California, including a description of the Gold Region.[6]

In 1872, Revere's second book was published; the autobiographical Keel and Saddle: A Retrospect of 40 years of Military and Naval Service. It was published by James R. Osgood & Co. The chapters detail his military-related travels and acquaintances in countries including (chronologically) Mexico, Cuba, Liberia, France, Germany, Greece, Egypt, Portugal, Spain, Algeria, and Italy.[18] The book is dedicated "to the memories" of Colonel Paul Joseph Revere and assistant surgeon Edward H. R. Revere, both of whom died on battlefields.

After detailing his experience on a ship of enslaved people in Keel and Saddle, Revere expresses, "None of us could understand a word the slaves uttered: indeed, they appeared hardly to possess the organ of speech, so deeply guttural and barbarous was their uncouth dialect, - more like the chattering of baboons than any human jargon...In my opinion, extensive colonization is the only practical mode of benefiting 'benighted Africa.'"[19]

In 1875 while touring near Vienne in southeast France by chance he visited the ruined chateau of his De Rivoire ancestors. He made a drawing of the coat of arms, Argent three fesses Gules, overall on a bend Azure three fleur-de-lis Or, from which he derived his differenced arms, displayed on his grave marker as Argent 'two' fesses Gules, overall on a bend Azure three flour-de-lis 'palewise' Or.

• List of American Civil War generals (Union)

• Joseph Warren Revere at Find a Grave
• General Joseph Warren Revere's ancestry