Newton Martin Curtis Newton Martin Curtis ( May 21 , 1835 – January 8 , 1910 ) was a Union brigadier general during the American Civil War and a member of the United States House of Representatives from New York . Early life . Curtis was born in De Peyster , New York . Upon graduating from the Gouverneur Wesleyan Seminary , Curtis became a teacher , lawyer , and postmaster of De Peyster . In the year prior to the Civil War , he was working as a farmer . Curtis stood an impressive 6 ' 7 " tall and weighed 225 pounds . His enormous size for the time period prompted even Abraham Lincoln to quip , " Mr . Curtis , how do you know when your feet are cold ? " His stature became an issue of concern to his family when he Civil War began as they felt he would surely be an easy target for enemy bullets . Civil War . On May 15 , 1861 , Curtis volunteered in the Union Army as a captain in Company G of the 16th New York Infantry . He fought in the Peninsula Campaign and was wounded in a minor engagement at West Point , Virginia . On October 23 , 1862 , he transferred to the 142nd New York Infantry , serving as a lieutenant colonel until his promotion to colonel on January 21 of the next year . As commander of the 142nd , he fought in the Bermuda Hundred Campaign of May 1864 . He took command of the 1st Brigade , 2nd Division , X Corps , during the Siege of Petersburg . Curtis received a brevet promotion to brigadier general on October 28 , 1864 , for his actions at the Battle of New Market Heights . His brigade became part of the expedition against Fort Fisher in December 1864 . Curtis ' brigade was among the few troops to go ashore yet the first attack against Fort Fisher was defeated . He took part in the second attack in January 1865 , in which his brigade played a key role in the Union victory . During the fighting a suggestion of entrenching reached Curtis . He angrily grabbed a handful of shovels and threw them over the traverse shouting " Dig Johnnies ! I ' m coming for you ! " Curtis made good on his promise and continued the attack . He was wounded at the head of his brigade and received a full promotion to brigadier general of volunteers and was also received the Medal of Honor . He remained in the army for less than a year after the fighting had ended , receiving a brevet to major general of volunteers on March 13 , 1865 . Political career . After the war , Curtis was a collector of customs in the district of Oswegatchie , New York , in 1866 and then a Special Agent for the United States Treasury Department from 1867 until 1880 . He was in the Department of Justice from 1880 until 1882 . He was a member of the New York State Assembly ( St . Lawrence Co . , 1st D . ) in 1884 , 1885 , 1886 , 1887 , 1888 , 1889 and 1890 . Curtis was elected as a Republican to the 52nd Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Leslie W . Russell . He was re - elected to the 53rd and 54th Congresses , holding office from November 3 , 1891 , to March 3 , 1897 . He was Chairman of the House Committee on the Election of the President , Vice President and Representatives in Congress ( 54th Congress ) . Later life and legacy . He wrote a book titled " From Bull Run to Chancellorsville " , published in 1906 . In 1910 , he was the assistant inspector general of the National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers . He died in New York City and is buried at Ogdensburg Cemetery in Ogdensburg , New York , where a statue stands in his honor . The General Newton Martin Curtis Camp # 142 of the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War was named for Curtis . Medal of Honor citation . At the Second Battle of Fort Fisher : the first man to pass through the stockade , he personally led each assault on the traverses and was 4 times wounded .