Early life Joseph Stewart was born in
Columbia, Kentucky on January 29, 1822, and graduated from the
U.S. Military Academy at West Point in 1842. He served as a 2nd Lieutenant in the 1st U.S. Artillery and later the 3rd U.S. Artillery during the
Mexican War. On January 3, 1856, he was promoted to
captain of Company H in the 3rd Artillery. In December 1859 Captain Stewart took command of
Fort Alcatraz. In the years immediately preceding the
Civil War, Stewart transformed the fort into the most powerful coastal defense in the west. It was also during Stewart's time on Alcatraz that it took on the role of a prison for the first time. 11 soldiers under Stewart's command were imprisoned there and soon other nearby forts were sending prisoners there too. Stewart was, however, subordinated to Col.
John C. Hays who was in command of a regiment of U.S. Volunteers. Hays and Stewart defeated the Paiutes in the
second Battle of Pyramid Lake.
Fort Churchill While Hays' volunteers disbanded shortly after the battle, Stewart's regulars remained in the area for some time. Stewart was ordered to construct a permanent army post in the area. Eventually, he chose a site along the
Carson River which he suggested should be named in honor of General
Sylvester Churchill. The U.S. Army confirmed the site and name in August and construction of
Fort Churchill began. Construction was completed in 1861 with Stewart as the post's first commander.
Civil War During the
American Civil War Stewart briefly returned to command Fort Alcatraz. In 1861 he was transferred to the defenses of Washington, DC and commanded the artillery in
George A. McCall's division of the
Army of the Potomac from December 1861 to February 1862. From April to October 1862 he served as recruiting officer for San Francisco and was the Inspector General of the
Humboldt Military District during the Winter of 1862/1863. He was chief of artillery for the
Department of the Pacific from April to July 1863 and ended the war as recruiting officer for Salem MA from November to December 1865. On December 11, 1865, Stewart was promoted
Major in the 4th U.S. Artillery.
Post Civil War Following the Civil War, Stewart commanded various forts along the eastern United States including
Fort McHenry and
Fort Macon. He served as the fifth commander of the
Department of Alaska, from January 4, 1873, to April 20, 1874, then returned to California in command of the
Presidio of San Francisco from May 8 to June 17, 1875. From 1876 to 1879 Stewart was in command of
Fort Canby engaged against Native Americans during the
Bannock War. On July 18, 1879, Stewart was promoted Lieutenant Colonel of the 3rd U.S. Artillery. He retired on August 25, 1879, and died in Berkeley, CA on April 23, 1904. He is buried at
San Francisco National Cemetery in the Presidio. ==See also==