Alexander Cummings McWhorter Pennington , Jr . Alexander Cummings McWhorter Pennington , Jr . ( January 8 , 1838 – November 30 , 1917 ) , was an artillery officer and brigadier general in the United States Army and a veteran of both the American Civil War and Spanish - American War . Early life and career . Pennington was born in Newark , New Jersey , the son of Congressman Alexander Cummings McWhorter Pennington ( 1810 – 1867 ) , the second cousin of New Jersey Governor and Speaker of the U . S . House of Representatives William Pennington ( 1796 – 1862 ) , and the grandnephew of New Jersey Governor William Sandford Pennington ( 1757 – 1826 ) . He attended the United States Military Academy at West Point , during the brief period in the 1850s when the curriculum was expanded to five years . He graduated 18th in the Class of 1860 . Appointed as a brevet second lieutenant on graduation day , July 1 , 1860 , he received his commission February 1 , 1861 , and was permanently assigned to the 2nd U . S . Artillery . There , he gained experience under the tutelage of Captain John C . Tidball , serving under him in Battery A . Civil War . Battery A , 2nd U . S . Artillery , was the first unit assigned and equipped as horse artillery , and served throughout the war with the U . S . Horse Artillery Brigade , in the Army of the Potomac . Pennington began the war as the lead ( right ) section chief in Battery A , and was cited for gallantry in the Peninsula Campaign . He was awarded brevet promotions to captain ( June 9 , 1863 ) for actions at Beverly Ford , Virginia , and major ( July 3 , 1863 ) for actions at Gettysburg . He commanded Battery M , 2nd U . S . Artillery in 1863 and 1864 , also with the Horse Artillery . Promoted to captain in the regular army , Pennington took a volunteer commission as the colonel of the 3rd New Jersey Cavalry on October 1 , 1864 . Cited again for gallantry at Cedar Creek ( October 19 , 1864 ) , he was awarded a brevet promotion to lieutenant colonel . He commanded the 3rd New Jersey Cavalry through the end of the war , and mustered out of the volunteer service on August 1 , 1865 . For his distinguished service throughout the war , he was awarded brevet promotions to colonel in the regular army and brigadier general of volunteers . Postbellum career . After the war , Pennington returned to service in the regular army , serving as a captain in the 1st U . S . Artillery . He transferred to the 4th U . S . Artillery with his promotion to major ( November 8 , 1882 ) , and remained there as lieutenant colonel ( November 28 , 1892 ) until October 1896 . He returned to his original regiment , the 2nd U . S . Artillery , where he served as its colonel and commander , from October 29 , 1896 , to the outbreak of hostilities between the United States and Spain . Along with his responsibilities as commander of the 2nd Artillery , Pennington served as the commanding officer of Fort Adams in Newport , Rhode Island from December 1 , 1896 to May 24 , 1898 . In this position Pennington was the senior Army officer in New England and commanded all coastal fortifications from Maine to Connecticut . During the Spanish - American War , Colonel Pennington served as a brigadier general of volunteers from May 4 , 1898 to April 12 , 1899 , and earned his final promotion , to brigadier general in the Regular Army , one day before his retirement , on October 17 , 1899 . Pennington retired to New Jersey , where he lived through the beginning of the First World War . Pennington died in New York City and is buried in West Point Cemetery . His wife , Clara M . French Pennington , died in 1915 .