He entered the United States Military Academy at West Point at the age of eighteen and was graduated with the class of 1883.
He was then assigned to duty as professor of military science and tactics at East Florida Seminary at Gainesville, Fla. , and at the Florida State Agricultural College, Lake City, Fla.
The year 1904-05 he spent at the Army War College.
He served on frontier duty at Fort Douglas, Utah, from 1883 to 1888, and at Fort Lewis, Colo. , until Feb. 11, 1889.
After the war he was sent to the Philippines and was engaged actively against the insurgents until 1902, when he returned to the United States.
He served in the Canal Zone during the early years of the First World War, before the entry of the United States, and commanded the 10th Division of the regular army on border duty at El Paso, Tex. , from Aug. 22, 1916, to Mar. 21, 1917.
When the 29th (National Guard) Division was organized at Camp McClellan, Ala. , July 6, 1917, Morton was placed in command.
He remarked at that time, "I'll give them discipline such as the National Guard has never heard of before. "
This division was made up of national guardsmen of New Jersey, Maryland, and Virginia.
Morton first went to France as a military observer, but later, on June 15, 1918, he took over active command of the division.
He retained command of the 29th Division until its demobilization and returned to the United States on May 6, 1919.
His remaining years in the army were spent successively as commander of the Hawaiian Department, on duty at the War Department, and in command of the IX Corps Area at San Francisco.
He was retired for age on Jan. 15, 1925.
For his service in France he was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal with the citation: "For exceptionally meritorious and distinguished services.
He commanded the Twenty-Ninth Division from the date of its organization until the end of hostilities, and led his division with skill and ability in the successful operations east and northeast of Verdun, which forced the enemy to maintain this front with strong forces, thus preventing an increase of hostile strength between the Argonne and the Meuse. "
In addition he was awarded the croix de guerre with two palms and was made a commander in the French Legion of Honor.
He built up a reputation for unremitting severity and was given the nickname "Nosey" because of his diligence in seeking for any breach of military discipline or etiquette.
After his retirement he lived near Los Gatos, Cal.
[Who's Who in America, 1932-33; Army and Navy Jour. , July 22, 1933; Army and Navy Reg. , July 22, 1933; G. W. Cullum, Biog.
Reg.
Officers and Grads.
U. S. Mil.
Acad.
(3rd ed. , 1891); Sixty-sixth Ann.
Report Asso.
Grads.
U. S. Mil.
Acad. , 1935; ann.
registers of the War Dept. , 1883-1925; N. Y. Times, July 19, Aug. 5, 1933; San Francisco Chronicle, July 19, 1933. ]
He was deeply devoted to the military service and left a major part of his estate to the Army Relief Society and to the United States Military Academy.
He was married twice.
His first wife, Ida Hastings, whom he married on Oct. 15, 1885, died in March 1921.
His second wife, Mrs. Eleanor Moorhead Huff, of Greensburgh, Pa., whom he married on June 14, 1922, survived him.
His first wife, Ida Hastings, whom he married on Oct. 15, 1885, died in March 1921.
His second wife, Mrs. Eleanor Moorhead Huff, of Greensburgh, Pa., whom he married on June 14, 1922, survived him.
