John Watts De Peyster Jr. (December 2, 1841 – April 12, 1873) was a Union Army officer during the American Civil War and a member of the famous de Peyster family of New York.
His father was Brevet Major General John Watts De Peyster of the New York Militia.
[1] In March 1862, while attending the Columbia Law School, he decided to join the staff of his father's first cousin, Union Army Major General Philip Kearny as volunteer aide.
After Kearny's death at the Battle of Chantilly, he then joined the 11th New York Cavalry Regiment in June 1862 as a lieutenant, but was mustered out the same month, and assigned to the 1st New York Light Artillery as a major and served until 1863 when he joined the staff of General John J.
[3] He was buried at Saint Paul's Episcopal Church Cemetery in Tivoli, New York.