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“What are we made of? Our fathers came across the prairie, fought Indians, fought drought, fought locusts, fought Dix - remember when Richard Dix came in here and tried to take over this town? Well, we didn’t give up then, and by gum, we’re not gonna give up now.” Olson Johnson, “Blazing Saddles”

Maj. Gen. John A. Dix (b. 1798, d. 1879) Considered too old for field duty during the Civil War, John Adams Dix was the ranking volunteer during most of the conflict as a major general. His chief contribution was in suppressing the 1863 New York draft riots. Dix was born in Boscawen, New Hampshire, July 24, 1798. His father was Lt. Col. Timothy Dix, Jr., who died during the War of 1812. Dix entered the military as a cadet during the War of 1812. As a 14-year-old, the young Dix fought in the Battle of Lundy’s Lane during the War of 1812 as an ensign. His father helped to secure that commission. Dix stayed in the army after that conflict, leaving at the rank of major in 1828. During that time, he had studied law and had been admitted to the District of Columbia bar. After leaving the army, Dix moved to Cooperstown, New York, and managed the properties of his father-in-law. Dix entered politics at the county level as a Jackson Democrat and ascended through the government. He served as state adjutant general, secretary of state and state school superintendent. He was a member of the Albany Regency, the state’s “machine” which controlled most state-level politics. In 1845, Dix was elected to fill an unexpired U.S. Senate term. He was a supporter of free-soil politics, which eventually led to him leaving the Democrat Party. After his term ended, he was president of two railroads and practiced law in New York City. Dix was appointed New York City postmaster by Pres. James Buchanan to clean up a defalcation scandal and was promoted to Secretary of the Treasury during the final months of Buchanan’s administration. With the Civil War coming, he sent a telegram to the treasury office in New Orleans. “If anyone attempts to haul down the American Flag, shoot him on the spot.” Pres. Lincoln commissioned Dix as a major general of New York State troops and U.S. Volunteers May 16, 1861, and he was the top-ranked volunteer officer through the war. During July and August of 1861, Dix commanded the Department of Annapolis and then the Department of Pennsylvania. In 1862, he was named to command the Middle Department from May into June. He commanded the Department of Virginia from June 17, 1862, until July 15, 1863. As commander of the Department of the East, he suppressed the New York draft riots. After the war, Dix resigned his commission in November 1865. He was minister to France from 1866-69. In 1872, Dix was elected governor of New York. He was defeated for reelection in 1874 by Samuel J. Tilden. Dix died in New York City April 21, 1879, and was buried in Trinity Cemetery. Today, Dix is still remembered as the New Jersey U.S. Army base, Fort Dix, is named after him.

A more interesting character than I had realized.

That Dix was the ranking volunteer is mentioned twice, at the beginning and when Lincoln commissions him.

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Okay, Dix is now done. The main changes I made involved the dates he commanded the different departments, which I got from Heidler’s entry on “Departments, Military, U.S.A.” Not much else in the way of changes, though I did refer to the “defalcation” scandal as a “financial” scandal, since no one – myself included – knows what defalcation is.


Maj. Gen. John Adams Dix (b. 1798, d. 1879). Considered too old for field duty during the Civil War, Dix’s service was limited to commanding military districts well away from the fighting, and it was in this capacity that he made his chief contribution by suppressing the 1863 New York draft riots. Dix was born in Boscawen, New Hampshire, on July 24, 1798. His father, who ensured that his son received a top-notch education that was the foundation for much of his later success, was Lt. Col. Timothy Dix, Jr., who died during the War of 1812. Helped to secure a commission by his father, Dix entered the military as a cadet during the War of 1812, fighting in the Battle of Lundy’s Lane as an ensign while still just fourteen years old. Dix stayed in the army for more than a decade after the conflict ended, leaving at the rank of major in 1828. During that time, he had studied law and had been admitted to the District of Columbia bar. After leaving the army, Dix moved to Cooperstown, New York, and managed the properties of his father-in-law. Dix entered politics at the county level as a Jackson Democrat and ascended through the government. He served as state adjutant general, secretary of state and state schools superintendent. He was a member of the Albany Regency, the state’s “machine” that controlled most state-level politics, and in 1845 was elected to fill an unexpired U.S. Senate term. As a senator, Dix was a supporter of free-soil politics, which eventually led to his leaving the Democratic Party. After his term ended, he served as the president of two railroads and practiced law in New York City. Dix was appointed New York City postmaster by Pres. James Buchanan and tasked with cleaning up a financial scandal, and later was promoted to be Secretary of the Treasury during the final months of Buchanan’s administration. With the Civil War looming, Dix sent a telegram to the Treasury Department’s office in New Orleans with the instruction, “If anyone attempts to haul down the American Flag, shoot him on the spot.” Pres. Abraham Lincoln commissioned Dix as a major general of New York State troops and U.S. Volunteers on May 16, 1861, and he remained the top-ranked volunteer officer through the war. Dix was initially considered for command of the Department of Alexandria and Arlington, a potentially frontline post, but the administration soon reversed its decision out of concern over his age. Instead, he was given a series of commands in less active areas. During July-August 1861, Dix commanded the Department of Annapolis (July 19-July 25) and then the Department of Pennsylvania (July 25-August 24). In 1862, Dix was named to command the Middle Department, which included New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and the Delaware/Maryland/Virginia peninsula (March 22-June 9) and then the Department of Virginia (June 17, 1862-July 15, 1863. He finished the war commanding the Department of the East, from July 18, 1863 – the day after the New York Draft Riots were suppressed – until June 27, 1865. After the war, Dix resigned his commission in November 1865. Returning to public service, he was minister to France from 1866-69, and in 1872 was elected governor of New York. Dix served as governor for only two years, being defeated for reelection in 1874 by Samuel J. Tilden. Dix died in New York City on April 21, 1879, and was buried in Trinity Cemetery. Today, Dix’s military and political careers are still commemorated by the U.S. Army, which named in his honor Fort Dix, an important base in New Jersey. (Bio by Bill Battle)

Leadership: 3
Tactics: 1
Initiative: 1
Command: 1
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Start date: 9