Background
John Grubb Parke was born on September 22, 1827 in Coatesville, Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States. He was the son of Francis and Sarah (Gardner) Parke. In 1835 his family moved to Philadelphia.
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John Grubb Parke
Edit ProfileEducation
In Philadelphia, John grubb Parke attended Samuel Crawford's preparatory academy and the University of Pennsylvania. He entered West Point in 1845 and graduated in 1849, second in a class of forty-three.
Career
Brevetted second lieutenant, corps of topographical engineers, John Grubb Parke was sent to determine the boundary between Iowa and Minnesota. In 1852 - 1853 he was secretary of the board for improvement of lake harbors, and Western rivers and surveyed for the Pacific Railroad route. On April 18, 1854, he was promoted second lieutenant, and on July 1, 1856, first lieutenant. In 1857-61 he was chief astronomer and surveyor for the determination of the northwest boundary between the United States and Canada. The outbreak of the Civil War interrupted this work. Parke was promoted captain of engineers, September 9, 1861, and moved from the Pacific Coast to Washington early in October. He was made brigadier-general of volunteers, November 23, 1861, and assigned to command the 3rd Brigade in Burnside's North Carolina expedition, which sailed from Annapolis on January 9, 1862. Roanoke Island and Fort Forest were captured, February 8, and Parke's brigade next helped to capture New Bern, North Carolina. It then invested Fort Macon, which, by skilful use of his batteries, Parke forced to surrender. For this achievement he was brevetted lieutenant-colonel, United States Army, April 26, 1862, and major-general of volunteers, July 18, 1862.
When the order came from Burnside to join McClellan in Virginia, Parke became Burnside's chief of staff.
He fought at South Mountain, at Antietam, at Fredericksburg, and, when Burnside took command of the Ohio Department, March 25, 1863, Parke became commander of the IX Corps at Cincinnati. Early in June he went to reinforce Grant at Vicksburg, his corps holding the extreme right flank until Vicksburg surrendered. The corps next participated in Sherman's capture of Jackson City with its subsequent railway destruction. For meritorious conduct, Parke was brevetted colonel in the Regular Army. Ill health now incapacitated him until September 15, when the IX Corps marched to reinforce Burnside at Knoxville and operated against General Longstreet until December 4. The Confederates withdrew northward and Parke's command, IX and XXIII Corps, followed. Longstreet turned and forced Parke back to Blain's Crossroads, whereupon both sides went into winter quarters. On January 26, 1864, Parke again took station at Knoxville and was ordered, March 16, 1864, to report to Burnside, who was reorganizing and recruiting the IX Corps at Annapolis. The corps was ordered, April 23, in support of the Army of the Potomac, being constituted a separate unit responsible to Grant until May 24, when it was assigned to Meade. As chief of staff of the IX Corps, Parke fought in the battle of the Wilderness, in battles around Spotsylvania, in the James River campaign, and in the advance against Petersburg.
On June 17, 1864, he was promoted major in the engineer corps. From July 4 to August 13, he was prostrated by malaria. Rejoining his command, he engaged in all subsequent operations against Petersburg, fought at Peeble's Farm, October 2, 1864, Hatcher's Run, October 27, 1864, and Fort Steadman, March 25, 1865. For this latter action he was brevetted brigadier-general, United States Army. The IX Corps fought and won its last action at Fort Sedgwick, April 2, 1865, Parke receiving his brevet as major-general. When Meade was absent, Parke commanded the Army of the Potomac. After hostilities, he commanded the District of Alexandria and, on July 1865, the Southern District of New York. He was mustered out of the volunteers, January 15, 1866, and resumed his duties as major in the engineer corps. From September 28, 1866, to October 1869, he was again with the Northwest Boundary Commission. On June 1, 1868, he was detailed as assistant chief of engineers, serving until his appointment as superintendent of the United States Military Academy in August 1887. He was promoted lieutenant-colonel in the engineer corps March 4, 1879, and colonel, March 17, 1884. Having served forty years, he was retired at his own request on July 2, 1889. Thereafter he engaged in business in Washington, D. C. , as director of the Washington & Georgetown Street Railway Company, and of the National Safe Deposit Company. He was secretary of the Protestant Episcopal Cathedral Foundation, manager of the Columbia Hospital. Parke died at Washington on December 16, 1900, and was buried in the cemetery of the Church of St. James the Less in Philadelphia.
Achievements
Membership
John Grubb Parke was a president of the Society of the Army of the Potomac.
Connections
On June 5, 1867, John Grubb Parke married Ellen Blight of Philadelphia. They had one child, a daughter.
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Born
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Died
February 16, 1900 (aged 72) -
Nationality
American