Thornton, Seth

Born: 1818-XX-XX Virginia

Died: 1847-08-20 Mexico

In 1836, Thornton received a U.S. Army commission as a second lieutenant. After service in the Second Seminole War, he was promoted to captain. In the late winter of 1846, Thornton's regiment of dragoons joined General Zachary Taylor's army in Texas, where they were involved in a quick skirmish that marked the beginning of hostilities of the Mexican War. Thornton was killed when an artillery shell accidentally exploded during an inspection of the fortifications near Churubusco.

Paul G. Pierpaoli Jr., “Thornton, Seth Barton,” The Encyclopedia of the Mexican-American War, ed. by Spencer C. Tucker (Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO, 2013), 1:653.