Background
Henry Ware Lawton was born at Manhattan, near Toledo, Ohio, United States, the son of George and Catherine (Daley) Lawton. His parents died when he was nine years old, and thereafter he lived with an uncle.
Henry Ware Lawton was born at Manhattan, near Toledo, Ohio, United States, the son of George and Catherine (Daley) Lawton. His parents died when he was nine years old, and thereafter he lived with an uncle.
He received his education in the Fort Wayne Methodist Episcopal College at Fort Wayne, Indiana. After the Civil War he studied at Harvard Law School, graduating in 1866, before returning to the army.
At the opening of the Civil War Lawton enlisted in the 9th Indiana Infantry, and on August 20, 1861, was made first lieutenant in the newly raised 30th Indiana Infantry, with which regiment he served in the western armies throughout the war, rising to the rank of lieutenant-colonel. In the later campaigns of 1864, he commanded his regiment.
On November 25, 1865, he was mustered out with the brevet rank of colonel.
In 1867 he accepted a commission as second lieutenant in the 41st Infantry (colored), with rank from July 28, 1866. His promotion to first lieutenant came almost immediately, July 31, 1867. In 1869 his regiment was consolidated with another colored regiment and renumbered as the 24th. In 1871 he was transferred to the 4th Cavalry, and served under Gen. Ranald S. Mackenzie in the Indian wars, becoming captain March 20, 1879.
In 1886, under the orders of General Miles, he led the column that pursued Geronimo for thirteen hundred miles through the mountains of Arizona and Mexico, and received his surrender. On September 17, 1888, he entered the Inspector-General's Department as major, was promoted lieutenant-colonel February 18, 1889, and colonel July 7, 1898.
During the Spanish-American War he served in Cuba as brigadier-general and major-general of volunteers, commanding the 2nd Division, V Army Corps, in the actions before Santiago. He was one of the commissioners to receive the surrender of that place, and became military governor of the city and province. Returning to the mainland, he accompanied the president in his tour of the states, and then took command of the IV Army Corps at Huntsville, Alabama.
Ordered to the Philippines, he reached Manila March 18, 1899, and was placed in command of the 1st Division, VIII Army Corps. On April 9 he made an expedition up the Pasig River and across the Laguna de Bay to Santa Cruz. Immediately upon his return he moved upon San Isidro, on the Rio Grande de Pampanga, to break up insurgent forces which were threatening the communications of General MacArthur's division operating north of Malolos. Next, on June 1, he made a brief expedition into the district of Morong, north of the Laguna; then, on June 10, commenced his Cavite campaign, which opened with a spirited engagement at Zapote Bridge, and which pushed the "south line" far back from Manila. In October began the decisive campaign against Aguinaldo's main force in the north. General MacArthur advanced west of Mount Arayat, to Tarlac; Lawton east of it, through San Isidro into the mountain country. Turning over his command to General Wheaton on December 16, Lawton returned to Manila, and on the 18th started for the Mariquina Valley, east of the city, where the insurgents had a fortified line to keep open their communications between their northern and southern forces. On December 19, while disposing his troops opposite San Mateo to force a crossing of the river, he was shot through the heart and died almost instantly.
Lawton was a striking and soldierly figure--six feet four inches tall, erect and well built. He was quick and energetic in manner and speech, a fine organizer, a thoroughly practical field soldier, and a highly competent commander, respected and loved by superiors and subordinates alike.
Lawton was married December 12, 1881, to Mary Craig, daughter of Alexander and Annie (McCown) Craig of Louisville, Kentucky. He had seven children, three of whom died in infancy. His wife and the surviving children accompanied him to the Philippines and were in Manila at the time of his death.