July in Military History

July 1

Charles Cornwallis

Major General

British general whose surrender at Yorktown in 1781 effectively ended the American Revolutionary War. Despite this famous defeat, he later served as Governor-General of India and Viceroy of Ireland.

1738–1805

July 1

William Barton

Colonel

Continental Army officer who captured British Major General Richard Prescott in a daring nighttime raid in 1777, earning a promotion and a sword from Congress.

1748–1831

July 2

Thurgood Marshall

Civilian

First African American Supreme Court Justice. As chief counsel for the NAACP, he argued cases that desegregated military installations and paved the way for racial integration of the armed forces.

1908–1993

July 2

Patton Oswalt

Civilian

While not a military figure himself, this date also marks the birth of numerous military personnel throughout history who served their nations.

1969–present

July 3

John Barry

Commodore

Often called the "Father of the American Navy," Barry commanded the first Continental Navy ship to capture a British warship and later became the first commissioned officer of the United States Navy under the Constitution.

1745–1803

July 3

George M. Dallas

Vice President / Commander-in-Chief (acting)

Vice President under James K. Polk during the Mexican-American War. The city of Dallas, Texas, is believed to be named in his honor.

1792–1864

July 4

Nathaniel Hawthorne

American novelist and author of The Scarlet Letter and The House of the Seven Gables. A close friend of President Franklin Pierce, Hawthorne wrote Pierce's campaign biography and served as U.S. Consul to Liverpool. His writings explored themes of guilt, sin, and moral ambiguity that resonated with the deepening crisis over slavery that led to the Civil War.

1804–1864

July 4

Calvin Coolidge

Commander in Chief

The 30th President of the United States (1923-1929), the only president born on Independence Day. Coolidge oversaw a period of relative peace and prosperity between the world wars, signed the Kellogg-Briand Pact outlawing war in 1928, and maintained a policy of military restraint, though the underfunding of defense during his administration left the U.S. unprepared for the conflicts to come.

1872–1933

July 5

David Farragut

Admiral

First admiral in U.S. Navy history, famous for his command at the Battle of Mobile Bay where he issued the legendary order "Damn the torpedoes! Full speed ahead!" Also captured New Orleans in 1862.

1801–1870

July 5

P.T. Barnum

Civilian

While known as a showman, Barnum served in the Connecticut legislature during the Civil War and was a vocal Union supporter. His Bridgeport factories supplied military equipment.

1810–1891