Joseph Warren Revere ( general ) Joseph Warren Revere ( May 17 , 1812 – April 20 , 1880 ) was a career United States Army officer . He is known for being a Union brigadier general during the Civil War , his embarrassment at the Battle of Chancellorsville and for his notable family . Early life and career . Joseph Warren Revere was born in 1812 and was a grandson of Paul Revere . He was named after General Joseph Warren , the famous doctor and general in the American Revolution who was a close friend of his grandfather . In 1828 at age sixteen Revere joined the United States Navy . His tours of duty took him to Europe , the Pacific , and the Baltic States . traveled the globe and eventually reached the rank of lieutenant . Revere served in the Second Seminole War but saw little action . He fought in the Mexican - American War and was commended for his bravery in battle . He was the one who pulled down the Bear Flag and raised the American Flag over Sonoma for the first time . He then resigned from the navy in 1850 after almost twenty years of service , and settled down first in California and later in Morristown , New Jersey . Revere then joined the Mexican Army with the rank of colonel and was honored by the Spanish and Mexican Government s . For his rescuing of 13 Spanish citizens Queen Isabella II knighted Revere in the Order of Isabella the Catholic in 1851 . In 1852 Revere retired and moved to Morristown , New Jersey . The home that he built there , The Willows at Fosterfields , contains several examples of Revere ' s paintings and is now part of the Morris County Park System . The years 1857 and 58 found Revere touring Europe with his friend , Phil Kearny . He also went to India . He was awarded a British medal for Service in the Indian Mutiny Campaign of 1857 - 58 . He was also present at the Battle of Sulferino during the Italian Campaigns of 1858 - 59 . Civil War service . When the Civil War started in 1861 Revere tried to join the Union Navy but was informed that there were no officer slots available for him . Having been appointed as head of the New Jersey Militia during the governorship of Rodman Price , he decided to enlist in the Union Army . Revere was appointed colonel of the 7th New Jersey Volunteer Infantry . He fought in the Peninsula Campaign , and led the 3rd Corps during the Seven Days Battle . Revere then fought at the Second Battle of Bull Run where he was commended for his bravery . In October 1862 Joseph Revere was appointed a brigadier general . At the Battle of Fredericksburg he led a brigade but saw little action . He was later named to command the Excelsior Brigade . Revere ' s most personally challenging moment of his Civil War career came after the Battle of Chancellorsville when ' blame ' was being assigned for the Union Army ' s loss . After charging the Confederate line , Maj . Gen . Hiram Berry was mortally wounded and the command was left to Revere . In the chaos of a battle with no clear front line , Revere ' s decision to regroup his men , commanding them to reform at a point set by compass led to controversy . This three - mile march , described by Revere as a " regrouping effort " and not a retreat , led to his being court - martial ed . Abraham Lincoln overturned the court ' s ruling and reinstated Revere but accepted Revere ' s resignation at the same time . As a lifelong member of the Democratic Party , that was probably the best deal Revere could expect from a Republican administration . In response to this situation , Revere was voted the honor of the rank of Brevet Major General by the United States Congress in 1866 . Postbellum career and death . After his resignation Revere began traveling the globe and writing books but his health had been affected by his Civil War service . He had suffered from a severe case of rheumatic fever during the Peninsular Campaign and had been severely wounded at the Second Battle of Mannasas . He wrote two books , the autobiographical " Keel and Saddle : A Retrospect of 40 years of Military and Naval Service " and " A Tour of Duty in California , including a description of the Gold Region " . After having bad health for some time Joseph Revere died on April 21 , 1880 in Hoboken , New Jersey at the age of 67 .