Background
Rufus King was born on January 26, 1814 in New York City, New York, United States, the son of Charles and Eliza (Gracie) King, and grandson of Rufus King.
Diplomat editor military Soldier
Rufus King was born on January 26, 1814 in New York City, New York, United States, the son of Charles and Eliza (Gracie) King, and grandson of Rufus King.
Rufus attended the preparatory department of Columbia College, entered the United States Military Academy, West Point on July 1, 1829 and graduated in 1833.
In 1833 King was commissioned in the corps of engineers and resigned on September 30, 1836, because he felt that the army in peace time offered little opportunity for a career. He became assistant engineer in surveying for the New York & Erie Railroad, of which his uncle, James Gore King, was president. In 1839 he went to Albany and was editor of the Albany Daily Advertiser until 1841, after which year till 1845 he was associated with Thurlow Weed in editing the Albany Evening Journal.
From 1839 to 1843 he was adjutant-general of New York under Governor William H. Seward and commanded the troops called out to suppress the anti-rent disturbances. Removing to Milwaukee in 1845, he became part owner and editor of the Milwaukee Sentinel and Gazette (later the Milwaukee Sentinel). In 1857 he sold his share but remained as editor until 1861.
He himself engaged actively in many public affairs. Especially interested in education, he served for years as superintendent of schools of Milwaukee without the title or compensation, and was formally superintendent, 1859-1860. He was an earnest proponent of "free instruction in all the institutions of the state, from the primary schools to the university, " and was one of the first regents of the University of Wisconsin (1848 - 1854). His old friend, Secretary Seward, secured his appointment, March 22, 1861, as minister to the Papal States, but as he was about to sail for Rome, Fort Sumter was fired upon.
He returned to Washington and on May 17, 1861, was commissioned a brigadier-general, organized the famous "Iron Brigade, " and served in the defenses of Washington until March 1862, when he was given a division. On August 28, 1862, near Gainesville, his division, a part of Pope's army, was unexpectedly attacked by Stonewall Jackson with a large force. King held his ground until nightfall, then retreated. Next day Jackson and Lee united and defeated Pope in the battle of Manassas. After this disastrous engagement the false impression got abroad that King, when he retreated, disobeyed Pope's orders, and that he was therefore responsible for the junction of Jackson with Lee. "For long years he had to bear the stigma, " says his son, General Charles King, "and it ruined his health and broke his heart. " He continued in the army until October 20, 1863, when ill health--he was a victim of epilepsy--forced him to resign.
He had, on October 7, been reappointed minister to Rome. While there he apprehended John H. Surratt, implicated in the conspiracy to assassinate Lincoln and Seward, who had fled to Italy. In 1867 Congress failed to appropriate funds for continuing the mission at the Papal Court on what King called "the alleged but erroneous grounds that the Pope refuses to permit Protestant worship within the walls of Rome". King protested, but Congress at its next session having again made no appropriation for the continuance of the mission, he resigned January 1, 1868. He served as deputy collector of customs for the port of New York until 1869, when ill health compelled his retirement from public life.
In 1836 King married Ellen Eliot, who died in 1838; in 1843 he married her sister Susan, by whom he had a son and a daughter.