Harvey Brown (officer)

Harvey E. Brown was born in Bridgetown (part of present-day Rahway, New Jersey). He was disciplined and studious, graduating from the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York on July 24, 1818, as a second lieutenant of light artillery. He spent the first years of his military career on garrison duty in Boston, Massachusetts and New London, Connecticut as well as commissary duty in St. Augustine, Florida. Upon the reorganization of the U.S. Army in 1821, Brown was assigned to the 1st United States Artillery and was officially promoted to first lieutenant on August 28, 1821. From 1824 to 1825, he served as an aide-de-camp to Major General Jacob Brown, then commanding general of the U.S. Army, and was assigned to quartermaster duty for three years. In 1831, Brown was made a captain and participated in the Black Hawk War the following year. ==Civil War==

In January 1861, Brown was appointed military commander of Washington, D.C., and Fort McHenry and remained in this capacity until war broke out four months later. He was initially assigned to the 4th United States Artillery but, declining promotion to brigadier general, he was appointed commanding officer of the new 5th United States Artillery on May 14, 1861. Placed in command of the expedition to hold Fort Pickens in Confederate held Florida, he successfully defended Santa Rosa Island on October 9 On April 25, 1862, President Abraham Lincoln nominated Brown for appointment to the grade of brevet brigadier general in the regular army, to rank from November 23, 1861, for "gallantry and good conduct during the engagement of November 22 and 23, 1861 between Fort Pickens and the rebel batteries", and the United States Senate confirmed the appointment on March May 12, 1862. Brown was appointed commander of New York Harbor in April 1862 and full military commander in January 1863. He remained in New York for over a year and, during the New York Draft Riots, Brown oversaw military operations against the rioters and was especially involved in the final suppression of the rioters. He retired from active duty on August 1, 1863. On December 11, 1866, President Andrew Johnson nominated Brown for appointment to the grade of brevet major general in the regular army, to rank from August 2, 1866, and the United States Senate confirmed the appointment on February 23, 1867 (recalled February 25 and reconfirmed March 2, 1867). ==Postbellum life==

Brown was awaiting orders from June 29, 1864, to November 9, 1866, then served as superintendent of the Army recruiting service until April 5, 1867. He died at Clifton, New York, ==See also==