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| John A. Quitman 1798 - 1858 |
John Anthony Quitman is buried in the Case Addition of the Natchez City Cemetery. He died from a severe case of food poisoning contracted at President Buchanan’s inaugural banquet in Washington, D.C.
Quitman’s house in Natchez is called Monmouth, which is a bed and breakfast owned by Ron and Lani Riches, where some Quitman family items are on display.
Quitman was born in Rhinebeck, New York, on September 1, 1798, the fifth child of Rev. Frederick Henry and Anna Elizabeth (Hueck) Quitman. He was educated for the Lutheran ministry by his father and private tutors and attended Hartwick Academy in Otsego County, New York.
Moved To Natchez
After finding that he had no vocation to the ministry, Quitman moved to Mississippi and established a law practice in Natchez. On December 24, 1824, he married Eliza Turner, and the couple had four children, two of whom survived to adulthood.
Quitman was grand master of the Mississippi Masons from 1826 to 1838 and again from 1840 to 1845. His devotion to Masonic work helped him establish a firm network of political connections, and in 1827 he was elected to the Mississippi House of Representatives.
Later he was elected to the Mississippi State Senate and on December 3, 1835 he became president of the Senate, and, by a quirk in Mississippi law, served as de facto governor until January 7, 1836. He was, however, defeated in his race for United States Congress in 1836 and at about the same time declined an appointment to the high court of errors and appeals.
Texas Revolution
At the outbreak of the Texas Revolution, Quitman was determined to go with a "few friends" to the "wild woods of Texas, where at least Honor & honesty may be appreciated."
When he sent a Polish dagger to Sam Houston with a note encouraging him in his fight for freedom, Houston responded by urging him to come to Texas with "auxiliary aid."
Quitman's "presence" and "force of . . . character and example," Houston wrote, would contribute much to the Texas cause.
Natchez Fencibles
Quitman joined Thomas J. Green in recruiting volunteers for Texas and on April 5, 1836, led the "Natchez Fencibles" company on board the steamer Swiss Boy bound for the war.
Quitman and his seventeen volunteers steamed up the Red River as far as Natchitoches, Louisiana, crossed the Sabine and marched to Nacogdoches Texas, where he found only panic resulting from rumors of an impending Mexican and Indian attack
His offer of aid to the citizens was gratefully accepted, and he and his men took defensive positions in the town with the assurance that "Each of my Natchez boys swears he is good for ten Mexicans; the Texans say they will not be out done. If I must die early, let me die with these brave fellows and for such a cause."
Missed Battle
Once convinced that the Mexican-Indian threat to Nacogdoches was just a rumor, Quitman and the Mississippi volunteers marched for days across Southeast Texas seeking Houston only to unite with the Texas troops two days after the battle that defeated the Mexican army at San Jacinto.
Houston offered Quitman the position of second in command of his forces, which Quitman declined. He also declined Houston's offer of an appointment as judge advocate in a court-martial of Santa Anna. Rather, Quitman argued, Santa Anna, whom he regarded as "a man of genius, fertile in his resources, and of great energy," should be allowed to return to Mexico, and Houston soon came around to his way of thinking.
Returned To Natchez
After spending two weeks in the camp of the Texas army, Quitman returned to Natchez, where he was appointed brigadier general of the Mississippi militia. His campaign to Texas and the aid he had given East Texas refugees had cost him $10,000; his attention to Texas was renewed in 1844, when he made several speeches in favor of annexation of the republic to the United States.
After a visit to England in 1839, Quitman practiced law in Natchez until July 1, 1846, when he was commissioned as a brigadier general of volunteers in the Mexican War.
Mexico City
He served with General Zachary Taylor in the northern Mexico campaign of 1846 and with General Winfield Scott in the campaign against Mexico City in 1847. His command was the first to enter the Mexican capital after its surrender, and Quitman was appointed civil and military governor of the city.
He was assigned duties of major general on September 23, 1846, "for gallant and meritorious conduct in the battle of Monterrey," and was promoted to major general on April 14, 1847.
One Of Fourteen Congressional Recognitions
On March 2, 1847, Quitman received one of only fourteen swords ever awarded by resolution of Congress, "in testimony of the high sense entertained by Congress of his gallantry and good conduct in storming Monterrey." Quitman was honorably discharged on July 20, 1848, and returned to Washington, where he urged President James K. Polk to occupy Mexico on a permanent basis.
Vice Presidential Consideration
In Baltimore in 1848 Quitman was a strong candidate for the national Democratic vice presidential nomination, which he did not receive. In 1849, however, he was elected governor of Mississippi and from the beginning of his term favored secession as a means of guaranteeing the continuation of slavery.
As an advocate of Cuban liberation from Spain, Quitman entertained revolutionary leader Narciso López in Jackson, but declined his offer of command of the revolutionary army in Cuba. He was indicted by a federal court, however, for violating United States neutrality laws in favor of the insurrectionists, and resigned as governor. When the charge was dropped, Quitman ran for Congress and was elected on March 4, 1855.
Quitman, the county seat of Wood County, Texas, is named for him.
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