~ Union Veteran of the Civil War ~
Major, 3rd Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery Regiment

—EARLY LIFE—
John Augustus Darling was born on June 7, 1835, in Bucksport, Hancock County, Maine, to Amos Buck Darling {12/20/1812-9/7/1884} and Caroline Hooper {11/20/1810-1/3/1879}. Darling's ancestors had settled in the region of New England in 1632. In the years that followed, Darling's ancestors "were ever quick to respond to all calls for support from the colonies and republic, rendering distinguished services." They also "became prominent in public life" under both the Thirteen Colonies and the United States. John A. Darling "received a liberal education," and graduated from the State Military Academy of Pennsylvania in 1849. He was baptized as a Christian on December 11, 1859, at the age of 24, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

—BEGINNING OF THE CIVIL WAR—
After the outbreak of the Civil War, Darling was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the 2nd U.S. Artillery Regiment on August 5, 1861, and was stationed at Fort McHenry in Maryland. In December 1861, Lieutenant Darling was ordered to Sedalia, Missouri, to command Light Battery F of the 2nd U.S. Artillery, which was well known as "Totten's Battery."

—SERVICE IN MISSOURI—
During the severe winter of 1862, Darling marched with his command to the St. Louis Arsenal, arriving in February after covering approximately 300 miles in a month's march. From there, he proceeded to New Madrid, Missouri. In New Madrid, Lt. Darling and Battery F "engaged in active operations" and also fought in the Battle of Island Number Ten, which occurred from February 28, 1862, through April 8, 1862, and resulted in a Union victory. During the engagement, 2nd Lieutenant Darling was also "detailed in charge of two companies of volunteer engineer troops, to make gabions and fascines and to construct a field work." After the Battle of Island Number Ten, "the behavior of his [Darling's] battery, while under fire, called forth special mention in Gen. Pope's report." General John Pope said in his report, "'Lieutenant Darling's battery, Second Artillery, U.S.A., was frequently under the enemy's fire, and behaved in a very gallant and creditable manner.'"

—SERVICE IN VIRGINIA—
On May 31, 1862, Darling was promoted to the rank of 1st Lieutenant and received an appointment as aide-de-camp to Major General John Adams Dix. While serving with General Dix, Darling "was engaged in actual field-service before Suffolk, Virginia, and on the Peninsula." In August of 1862, Darling, who was still serving as Dix's aide-de-camp, "conducted the first exchange of prisoners of the war" in Virginia, during which, Darling was "associated with" Colonel Robert Ould, Commissioner of Exchange for the Confederate States. This exchange was the first prisoner exchange after the Dix–Hill Cartel was signed and agreed upon.

—3RD PENNSYLVANIA HEAVY ARTILLERY—
In November of 1862, 1st Lt. Darling "was granted a leave of absence, with permission to accept a commission as major of the Third Pennsylvania Artillery." On March 31, 1863, John A. Darling received an appointment as Major of the 3rd Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery Regiment {Active from February 17, 1863, to November 9, 1865} from the Governor of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Andrew Gregg Curtin, and was "commissioned into Field & Staff" of the regiment. Major Darling commanded the 3rd Pennsylvania Artillery during its organization at Camp Hamilton in Hampton, Virginia, until June 1863. That same month, Darling and his regiment were transferred to Fort Monroe, also located in Hampton, Virginia. Major Darling remained at Fort Monroe with the 3rd Pennsylvania until October 1864, when he was detailed as the Acting Assistant Inspector-General for the Eastern District of Virginia. Darling served in this position until June of 1865 when he returned to Fort Monroe. After being reassigned to Fort Monroe, Major John A. Darling commanded the 3rd Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery while it served as confinement guard for prominent Confederate prisoners such as former President of the Conference States of America Jefferson Davis, Alabama Senator Clement Claiborne Clay, and pro-Confederate journalist John Mitchel (Irish: Seán Mistéal). Major Darling continued to serve at Fort Monroe until September 1865. Before the conclusion of the Civil War, on March 13, 1865, for his services in both Missouri and Virginia with the 2nd U.S. Artillery, Darling was "brevetted captain and major in the regular Army for 'gallant and meritorious conduct.'" On September 1, 1865, Major Darling was discharged from the 3rd Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery Regiment by special order of the United States Department of War, honorably mustered "out of the volunteer service" after the war.

—POST-WAR SERVICE IN THE FAR WEST—
Although John A. Darling was mustered out as Major in the 3rd Pennsylvania Artillery, he was still a 1st Lieutenant with the 2nd U.S. Artillery Regiment, having been on an extended leave of absence from this regiment during his time serving with the 3rd Pennsylvania. Darling was then ordered to join the 2nd U.S. Artillery at Alcatraz Island offshore from San Francisco, California, where he commanded that post from July 1866 until December 1867. Sometime in 1867, during his time of service in the San Francisco Bay Area, Darling, as per the orders of the Department of War, "took military possession" of Yerba Buena Island, also known as Goat Island, in the San Francisco Bay. John Darling was promoted to the rank of Captain in the 2nd U.S. Artillery on December 9, 1867. After this, he was "placed in command of the post and his battery" at Fort Mason (then known as Point San José). Darling held this command until February 1868. In February 1868, Captain Darling was transferred to Fort Stevens in Oregon, a military installation that guarded the mouth of the Columbia River. Darling "commanded the post and battery" at Fort Stevens for almost 3 years, serving there from February of 1868 until January 1, 1871.

—ERRONEOUS DISCHARGE—
Darling was honorably mustered out on January 1, 1871, due to the strength and size of the United States Army being reduced and re-organized. Specific reductions and discharges, Darling's discharge included, were individually done "upon the recommendation and report of Lieutenant-Colonel George Crook," who was then the head of the Military Division of the Pacific and Department of the Columbia. It is unknown why Crook specifically recommended that John A. Darling be mustered out of the Army; it is only known that Crook saw Darling as an officer "whose discharge would benefit the service." Brigadier General Edward Canby, who Darling served under, was opposed to his discharge, having "made a most favorable report of him as an officer" just months before in October 1870. However, on April 3, 1871, some of Crook's decisions and recommendations, including the mustering out of Capt. Darling, were deemed improper by William Tecumseh Sherman, Commanding General of the United States Army. Due to the discharge of Darling from his position and rank in the U.S. Army being unmerited, John Augustus Darling was nominated by the President of the United States, Rutherford B. Hayes, to be reinstated in the Army "with former rank and date of commission."

—CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS—
After Darling was nominated by President Hayes to be re-commissioned, his case was brought before the U.S. Senate and House Committees on Military Affairs. Following special congressional proceedings on Darling's case, during which his military career was carefully reviewed, the Senate and House Committees on Military Affairs unanimously concluded that "That the President of the United States be, and he is hereby, authorized to nominate and, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, appoint John A. Darling, late captain Second Artillery, a captain of artillery in the Army of the United States... and that he, the said John A. Darling, shall be assigned to the first vacancy of his grade occurring in the artillery arm of the service... His record during the war is that of a gallant, faithful, and efficient officer."
The following excerpts are from the Senate Committee on Military Affairs and their evaluation of Captain Darling's military service, reputation, and improper dismissal from the United States Army: "On an examination of the special list prepared by General Canby of the officers in his department 'deemed unit for the proper discharge of their duties,' the name of Captain Darling does not appear; but on the contrary it appears that in a separate report made by that distinguished officer [Canby] at the same time in which he gives the standing of all field and company officers of his command in their respective grades the petitioner [Darling] is commended as a good officer and rated fourth on the list of captains. There were but three captains in the department that the department commander [Canby] preferred before Captain Darling. There was then no charge made against this officer... quoted authority to pass upon the standing of Captain Darling and recommend his muster-out." "It is further shown that Captain Darling was... entirely ignorant of any proceedings against him at Washington, and resting securely upon his good record at the War Department and the high approval he had received from his department commander, he had no thought of personal injury, until he received the order announcing to the Army his summary discharge from the service. On this state of facts, the law did not authorize the transfer and muster-out of this officer." The committee also ruled that Lt. Col. Crook's decision to have Darling "immediately mustered out of the service" was "erroneous" and cannot possibly be maintained as legally correct or just in the slightest particular." The members of the Senate Committee on Military Affairs all agreed that "the conclusion is unavoidable that he [Darling] has been made to suffer great wrong and injustice both in his personal and official character [as a result of his being mustered out due to Crook's actions]." Upon the closing of the proceedings, the committee stated, "Captain Darling has been commended from the highest sources by numerous letters and official reports on file with the record. He has been regarded as a faithful, zealous, and efficient officer of artillery and a gentleman without reproach in the service or in private life. His is an extreme and exceptional case. It is an instance of a gallant and most excellent officer being summarily discharged the service without his knowledge of proceedings pending for such purpose without the opportunity or privilege of being heard in his defense. This case specially appeals to Congress for favorable action, and your committee recommends the passage of the bill for the restoration to the rank and place held by this officer in the service, from which through error and misrepresentation, he has been unjustly removed."

—SERVICE AFTER REINSTATEMENT—
John A. Darling was officially re-commissioned as a Captain in the Army and assigned to the 1st U.S. Regiment of Artillery on April 24, 1878. From May 1878 until July 1879, Capt. Darling was on duty at the Artillery School of Fort Monroe, returning to his previous post, where he had formerly served with the 3rd Pennsylvania. In July 1879, Darling and the 1st U.S. Artillery were sent northward to Fort Trumbull, a fort near the mouth of the Thames River on Long Island Sound in New London, Connecticut. Captain Darling was stationed at Fort Trumbull until November 1881. While at Fort Trumbull, Darling Battery M of the 1st Regiment of Artillery. In November 1881, the 1st U.S. Artillery Regiment was transferred to Fort Mason in San Francisco, where Captain Darling would serve at yet another of his past posts. Darling would command "battery and post" at Fort Mason until February (or April) 1889. Capt. Darling was then given "short terms of duty" at both Alcatraz Island and the Presidio of San Francisco until May 1890. In May of 1890, Darling's "regiment was ordered East, and he took post at Governor's Island, New York harbor. Here he [Darling] remained on duty in command of his battery until promoted major." On July 1, 1892, John A. Darling was promoted to the rank of Major and re-assigned to the 5th U.S. Regiment of Artillery. Shortly after his reassignment, the 5th U.S. Artillery was sent to the Presidio of San Francisco, where Major Darling "commanded for four years, the light and heavy artillery battalions at that important post." Darling remained with the 5th U.S. Artillery Regiment for several years until he was transferred to the 3rd U.S. Artillery Regiment on October 7, 1896.

—RETIREMENT—
On June 7, 1897, "after a long and faithful service, he [Darling] was, at his own request, retired from the active list of the army," at the age of 62 years old. Several years after his retirement from the U.S. Army, on April 23, 1904, John Darling was "advanced" to the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel in the United States Army "by act of Congress." Overall, throughout a military career spanning 43 years, Lieutenant-Colonel John Augustus Darling had served with the 1st U.S. Artillery Regiment, the 2nd U.S. Artillery Regiment, the 3rd U.S. Artillery Regiment, the 3rd Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery Regiment, and the 5th U.S. Artillery Regiment.

—MUSICAL CAREER AS A COMPOSER—
Aside from being well-known in general due to his military career, John A. Darling was quite famous in the musical world as a successful composer. Under the pen-name of "August Mignon," Darling had "published both in this country [the United States] and in Europe, many vocal and instrumental compositions of high merit and great originality. Among his best-known works are the 'Etudes Melodiques, Echos d'uni Casemati' ; 'Village Remiuiscences, Songs Without Words' ; 'In Memoriam, Marcia Funebre' ; 'Gavotte Militaire,' for the piano, and the songs, 'Recompense,' 'Adrift,' 'Together,' 'In the Old Church Tower,' and 'Blessed Dreams.'"

—NOTABLE COMPOSITIONS—
One of Darling's more popular vocal and piano pieces was "20 Bold Marines," which was first published in 1882. Darling dedicated the piece to USMA-graduate 1st Lieutenant Gilbert P. Cotton, who Darling served with at Fort Monroe, Fort Trumbull, Fort Mason, and the Presidio of San Francisco. Another musical work of John Darling was "The Old Fair Story," which, after its completion, "appeared in 'Frank Leslie's Sunday Magazine' in its October 1881 issue (Vol. X No.4) and in 'Folio' Volume 19, no.2, February 1880)." However, the most noteworthy moment in Darling's career as "August Mignon" came after the death of President James A. Garfield, who succumbed to an assassin's bullet on September 19, 1881. "Mignon" [Darling] composed an original funeral March, "IN MEMORIAM," for the funeral of President Garfield. Commentary on "IN MEMORIAM" following Garfield's funeral stated, "This most beautiful and appropriate composition was played in Cleveland by the Marine Band of Washington, during the funeral procession to the cemetery." "In social circles generally, and in musical circles particularly, the colonel [Darling] was always a great favorite."

—PERSONAL LIFE—
John A. Darling was married twice in his life. His first wife was Encarnacion Yniguez {Birth: 1848, Death: 2/28/1893 or 3/1/1893}, who he married on January 28, 1866, when he was 31, and she was 18. The two had no known children but had been married for 27 years when Encarnacion died in 1893, aged 45, at the National Homeopathic Hospital in the District of Columbia. John Darling would later marry Clara Louise Hastings {Birth: 3/23/1845 in Muscatine County, Iowa - Death: 9/14/1929 in San Francisco County, California} on October 22, 1895, when he was 60 and Hastings was 50. The two would remain married until John Darling's death in 1912, a total of 17 years. The pair had no children. After retiring from the U.S. Army, Darling resided at Madrone Villa near Rutherford, California, "in the beautiful Napa Valley." He and his wife would later live in New London, Connecticut, where they had family, but still owned Madrone Villa in California's Napa Valley.

—DEATH—
Lieutenant-Colonel John A. Darling died on December 4, 1912, at the age of 77 in New London, Connecticut. He and his wife had "returned to America last September, after nearly two years abroad. Owing to the Colonel's very poor health, he [Darling] decided to remain in the East with relatives while his wife came to California, where extensive interests claimed her attention." Darling was, according to one of his obituaries, "stricken with apoplexy in a hotel" in New London on the night of December 4, 1912, and "died before the arrival of a physician." Another obituary states, "a stroke of apoplexy is said to the cause of this popular soldier's death." Apoplexy is defined as "unconsciousness or incapacity resulting from a cerebral hemorrhage or stroke." Darling was originally meant to be buried in Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, D.C., but for an unknown reason, was instead buried in Oak Hill Cemetery in his hometown of Bucksport, Hancock County, Maine. "Music of his [Darling's] own composition was rendered" at his funeral.

—A WELL-DESERVED HEADSTONE—
Unfortunately, John Augustus Darling was initially buried without a grave marker. Lieutenant-Colonel Darling did not receive a headstone until 1942, 30 years after his death and burial. A "flat granite marker" was privately bought by Ivor Grindle, a member of Bucksport Post 93 of the American Legion, who refused to let the grave of Darling remain unmarked and unknown.