Colonel Robert Watkinson Huntington, son of Hon. Samuel H. Huntington, was born December 3, 1840. On the breaking out of the civil war he was a freshman in Trinity College. He enlisted in General Hawley's company, Company B, First Connecticut Volunteer Infantry. While a member of the 1st Connecticut Volunteer Regiment, he applied for a commission in the United States Marine Corps and upon passing the required examination was commissioned second lieutenant of Marines on June 5, 1861. His first duty station was the Marine Barracks, Navy Yard, Washington, District of Columbia. Just prior to the first land battle of the Civil War at Bull Run, Manassas, Virginia, a battalion of four companies of Marines was organized at the Marine Barracks, Navy Yard, under the command of Major John G. Reynolds, U.S.M.C. The battalion would be attached to the U.S. Army's First Brigade, led by Colonel Andrew Porter, Second Division, Brigadier General David Hunter, commanding. Second Lieutenant Robert W. Huntington was assigned to Company B, Captain James H. Jones, commanding. Lieutenant Huntington survived the Battle of Bull Run, and subsequently served in the North Atlantic Blockading Fleet being commissioned first lieutenant on September 30, 1861.
He was in the service continuously until the fall of 1899. On June 21, 1864, he was promoted to the rank of captain. He was senior Marine Corps officer at Samoa, and was on board the "Trenton." After the destruction of the ships in the hurricane there of 1887, he was in command of the marine forces on shore which laid out the encampment, etc. On October 24, 1889, he was promoted to major, and February 2, 1897, to lieutenant-colonel. During the Spanish war he was in charge of a battalion about six hundred and fifty strong. They sailed on the "Panther," and were encamped in Florida for some time. On reaching Guantanamo Bay, they were landed on Friday, June 10, under cover of a war-ship, and all day Saturday and until Sunday forenoon the Spanish forces on land kept up a bushwhacking fight, killing four men and wounding several. Entrenchments were thrown up in spite of the opposition of the enemy, their attack lasting a week, being made chiefly at night. The landing was of great value, and "Camp McCalla," as it was named, became famous in American history. One of the results of the landing was to secure for the blockading squadron a safe anchorage and a smoother sheet of water for coaling. It was an important move, executed with judgment and skill. For meritorious service, Col. Huntington was promoted to the rank of colonel. He was retired from active service January 10, 1900.
He married (first), November, 1865, Jane Lathrop Trumbull, great-granddaughter of Jonathan Trumbull. She died March 3, 1868. He married (second) in 1879, Elizabeth S., daughter of General Amiel Whipple, who was killed at the battle of Antietam. Children of first wife: Robert Watkinson and Rev. Daniel Trumbull. Child of second wife: Eleanor Sherburne, married William Randall Sayles.
He was in the service continuously until the fall of 1899. On June 21, 1864, he was promoted to the rank of captain. He was senior Marine Corps officer at Samoa, and was on board the "Trenton." After the destruction of the ships in the hurricane there of 1887, he was in command of the marine forces on shore which laid out the encampment, etc. On October 24, 1889, he was promoted to major, and February 2, 1897, to lieutenant-colonel. During the Spanish war he was in charge of a battalion about six hundred and fifty strong. They sailed on the "Panther," and were encamped in Florida for some time. On reaching Guantanamo Bay, they were landed on Friday, June 10, under cover of a war-ship, and all day Saturday and until Sunday forenoon the Spanish forces on land kept up a bushwhacking fight, killing four men and wounding several. Entrenchments were thrown up in spite of the opposition of the enemy, their attack lasting a week, being made chiefly at night. The landing was of great value, and "Camp McCalla," as it was named, became famous in American history. One of the results of the landing was to secure for the blockading squadron a safe anchorage and a smoother sheet of water for coaling. It was an important move, executed with judgment and skill. For meritorious service, Col. Huntington was promoted to the rank of colonel. He was retired from active service January 10, 1900.
He married (first), November, 1865, Jane Lathrop Trumbull, great-granddaughter of Jonathan Trumbull. She died March 3, 1868. He married (second) in 1879, Elizabeth S., daughter of General Amiel Whipple, who was killed at the battle of Antietam. Children of first wife: Robert Watkinson and Rev. Daniel Trumbull. Child of second wife: Eleanor Sherburne, married William Randall Sayles.
Colonel Robert Watkinson Huntington, son of Hon. Samuel H. Huntington, was born December 3, 1840. On the breaking out of the civil war he was a freshman in Trinity College. He enlisted in General Hawley's company, Company B, First Connecticut Volunteer Infantry. While a member of the 1st Connecticut Volunteer Regiment, he applied for a commission in the United States Marine Corps and upon passing the required examination was commissioned second lieutenant of Marines on June 5, 1861. His first duty station was the Marine Barracks, Navy Yard, Washington, District of Columbia. Just prior to the first land battle of the Civil War at Bull Run, Manassas, Virginia, a battalion of four companies of Marines was organized at the Marine Barracks, Navy Yard, under the command of Major John G. Reynolds, U.S.M.C. The battalion would be attached to the U.S. Army's First Brigade, led by Colonel Andrew Porter, Second Division, Brigadier General David Hunter, commanding. Second Lieutenant Robert W. Huntington was assigned to Company B, Captain James H. Jones, commanding. Lieutenant Huntington survived the Battle of Bull Run, and subsequently served in the North Atlantic Blockading Fleet being commissioned first lieutenant on September 30, 1861.
He was in the service continuously until the fall of 1899. On June 21, 1864, he was promoted to the rank of captain. He was senior Marine Corps officer at Samoa, and was on board the "Trenton." After the destruction of the ships in the hurricane there of 1887, he was in command of the marine forces on shore which laid out the encampment, etc. On October 24, 1889, he was promoted to major, and February 2, 1897, to lieutenant-colonel. During the Spanish war he was in charge of a battalion about six hundred and fifty strong. They sailed on the "Panther," and were encamped in Florida for some time. On reaching Guantanamo Bay, they were landed on Friday, June 10, under cover of a war-ship, and all day Saturday and until Sunday forenoon the Spanish forces on land kept up a bushwhacking fight, killing four men and wounding several. Entrenchments were thrown up in spite of the opposition of the enemy, their attack lasting a week, being made chiefly at night. The landing was of great value, and "Camp McCalla," as it was named, became famous in American history. One of the results of the landing was to secure for the blockading squadron a safe anchorage and a smoother sheet of water for coaling. It was an important move, executed with judgment and skill. For meritorious service, Col. Huntington was promoted to the rank of colonel. He was retired from active service January 10, 1900.
He married (first), November, 1865, Jane Lathrop Trumbull, great-granddaughter of Jonathan Trumbull. She died March 3, 1868. He married (second) in 1879, Elizabeth S., daughter of General Amiel Whipple, who was killed at the battle of Antietam. Children of first wife: Robert Watkinson and Rev. Daniel Trumbull. Child of second wife: Eleanor Sherburne, married William Randall Sayles.
He was in the service continuously until the fall of 1899. On June 21, 1864, he was promoted to the rank of captain. He was senior Marine Corps officer at Samoa, and was on board the "Trenton." After the destruction of the ships in the hurricane there of 1887, he was in command of the marine forces on shore which laid out the encampment, etc. On October 24, 1889, he was promoted to major, and February 2, 1897, to lieutenant-colonel. During the Spanish war he was in charge of a battalion about six hundred and fifty strong. They sailed on the "Panther," and were encamped in Florida for some time. On reaching Guantanamo Bay, they were landed on Friday, June 10, under cover of a war-ship, and all day Saturday and until Sunday forenoon the Spanish forces on land kept up a bushwhacking fight, killing four men and wounding several. Entrenchments were thrown up in spite of the opposition of the enemy, their attack lasting a week, being made chiefly at night. The landing was of great value, and "Camp McCalla," as it was named, became famous in American history. One of the results of the landing was to secure for the blockading squadron a safe anchorage and a smoother sheet of water for coaling. It was an important move, executed with judgment and skill. For meritorious service, Col. Huntington was promoted to the rank of colonel. He was retired from active service January 10, 1900.
He married (first), November, 1865, Jane Lathrop Trumbull, great-granddaughter of Jonathan Trumbull. She died March 3, 1868. He married (second) in 1879, Elizabeth S., daughter of General Amiel Whipple, who was killed at the battle of Antietam. Children of first wife: Robert Watkinson and Rev. Daniel Trumbull. Child of second wife: Eleanor Sherburne, married William Randall Sayles.
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