Colonel Walter Stewart

Stewart, Walter. 1756-1796.

Walter Stewart joined the American army very early in the war. In January 1776, he was appointed captain of Company F, 3d Pennsylvania Battalion. Stewart distinguished himself and became an aide to General Horatio Gates in 1776. In this position he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel.

Stewart was eventually given his own field command. He became commander of the 13th Pennsylvania Regiment and fought at Brandywine, Germantown and Monmouth. Stewart was wounded at Monmouth and when he returned to duty he was given command of a new regiment. His 13th Pennsylvania Regiment had been combined with the 2d Pennsylvania. Stewart, as senior officer, was given the command.

In 1780, conditions in the American army caused the Pennsylvania troops to mutiny. The mutiny was put down and a reorganization of the Pennsylvania troops followed. Stewart was given command of a battalion of Pennsylvania troops and assigned to Anthony Wayne's command. His brigade fought with Wayne's command throughout the Yorktown campaign.

Stewart temporarily retired from the army on January 1, 1783. However, upon the insistence of George Washington, he soon rejoined the army and became Inspector General of the Northern Department. In 1783, Stewart was breveted a brigadier general and then left the army for a second time. He retired to Philadelphia and became a civic leader and a major general in the Pennsylvania militia.