Charles L. Matthies
Encyclopedia
Charles Leopold Matthies (or Karl Leopold Matthies) was a Prussian soldier, revolutionary and Union Army
officer during the American Civil War
, rising to the rank of brigadier general.
. Matthies emigrated to the United States in 1849 and settled in Iowa where he became a successful liquor merchant.
Once the Civil War began, Matthies immediately volunteered for the Union Army. On May 14, 1861 he became a captain in the 1st Iowa Volunteer Infantry
. Soon after on July 23, 1861 he was appointed lieutenant colonel of the 5th Iowa Volunteer Infantry
. Matthies first saw action at the battle of Island Number Ten
. He was appointed colonel on May 23, 1862 and fought at the battles of Iuka
and Corinth
. During the winter of 1862-63 he was in command of a brigade in the Army of the Tennessee
.
On April 4, 1864 he was promoted to brigadier general of U.S. Volunteers, to rank from November 29, 1862. He was placed in command of the 3rd Brigade, 3rd Division in William T. Sherman’s XV Corps
. General Matthies led this brigade during the Vicksburg Campaign
, fighting at the Battle of Jackson and in the assaults on Vicksburg. During the following siege, Matthies’ brigade was transferred to the 7th Division of the XVII Corps
.
In September 1863 Matthies’ brigade became the 3rd Brigade, 2nd Division, XVII Corps and was sent to the aid of the besieged Union forces at Chattanooga. During the battle of Missionary Ridge
, he participated in Sherman’s attack against the Patrick Cleburne
’s division near Tunnel Hill. During the attack Matthies was wounded in the head and had to relinquish field command. His head injury prevented him from returning to command until March 1864 when he resumed command of his brigade, now the 3rd Brigade, 3rd Division, XV Corps. He held this command only briefly as his injury forced him to resign from the army on May 16, 1864.
He returned to Iowa where he was elected to the Iowa State Legislature.
He died shortly after the end of the war on October 16, 1868 in Burlington, Iowa
.
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
officer during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, rising to the rank of brigadier general.
Biography
Matthies was born in Bromberg, Prussia and worked as a farmer early in life. He served in the Prussian Army during the Revolutions of 1848 in the German statesRevolutions of 1848 in the German states
The Revolutions of 1848 in the German states, also called the March Revolution – part of the Revolutions of 1848 that broke out in many countries of Europe – were a series of loosely coordinated protests and rebellions in the states of the German Confederation, including the Austrian Empire...
. Matthies emigrated to the United States in 1849 and settled in Iowa where he became a successful liquor merchant.
Once the Civil War began, Matthies immediately volunteered for the Union Army. On May 14, 1861 he became a captain in the 1st Iowa Volunteer Infantry
1st Iowa Volunteer Infantry Regiment
The 1st Regiment Iowa Volunteer Infantry was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War.-Service:The 1st Iowa Infantry was organized at Keokuk, Iowa and mustered into Federal forces on May 14, 1861 for ninety days' service under Abraham Lincoln's first call for...
. Soon after on July 23, 1861 he was appointed lieutenant colonel of the 5th Iowa Volunteer Infantry
5th Iowa Volunteer Infantry Regiment
The 5th Regiment Iowa Volunteer Infantry was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War.-Service:The 5th Iowa Infantry was organized at Burlington, Iowa and mustered into Federal forces on July 15, 1861....
. Matthies first saw action at the battle of Island Number Ten
Battle of Island Number Ten
The Battle of Island Number Ten was an engagement at the New Madrid or Kentucky Bend on the Mississippi River during the American Civil War, lasting from February 28 to April 8, 1862. The position, an island at the base of a tight double turn in the course of the river, was held by the Confederates...
. He was appointed colonel on May 23, 1862 and fought at the battles of Iuka
Battle of Iuka
The Battle of Iuka was fought on September 19, 1862, in Iuka, Mississippi, during the American Civil War. In the opening battle of the Iuka-Corinth Campaign, Union Maj. Gen. William S. Rosecrans stopped the advance of the army of Confederate Maj. Gen. Sterling Price.Maj. Gen. Ulysses S...
and Corinth
Second Battle of Corinth
The Second Battle of Corinth was fought October 3–4, 1862, in Corinth, Mississippi. For the second time in the Iuka-Corinth Campaign, Union Maj. Gen. William S...
. During the winter of 1862-63 he was in command of a brigade in the Army of the Tennessee
Army of the Tennessee
The Army of the Tennessee was a Union army in the Western Theater of the American Civil War, named for the Tennessee River. It should not be confused with the similarly named Army of Tennessee, a Confederate army named after the State of Tennessee....
.
On April 4, 1864 he was promoted to brigadier general of U.S. Volunteers, to rank from November 29, 1862. He was placed in command of the 3rd Brigade, 3rd Division in William T. Sherman’s XV Corps
XV Corps (ACW)
The XV Army Corps was a corps of the Union Army during the American Civil War. It served in the Army of the Tennessee under Maj. Gens. Ulysses S. Grant and William T. Sherman. It was commanded by Sherman in the Siege of Vicksburg and then by Maj. Gen. John A. Logan in Sherman's Atlanta Campaign. ...
. General Matthies led this brigade during the Vicksburg Campaign
Vicksburg Campaign
The Vicksburg Campaign was a series of maneuvers and battles in the Western Theater of the American Civil War directed against Vicksburg, Mississippi, a fortress city that dominated the last Confederate-controlled section of the Mississippi River. The Union Army of the Tennessee under Maj. Gen....
, fighting at the Battle of Jackson and in the assaults on Vicksburg. During the following siege, Matthies’ brigade was transferred to the 7th Division of the XVII Corps
XVII Corps (ACW)
XVII Corps was a corps of the Union Army during the American Civil War. It was organized December 18, 1862 as part of Ulysses S. Grant's Army of the Tennessee. It was most notably commanded by Maj. Gen. James B. McPherson and Maj. Gen. Francis P. Blair II, and served in the Western...
.
In September 1863 Matthies’ brigade became the 3rd Brigade, 2nd Division, XVII Corps and was sent to the aid of the besieged Union forces at Chattanooga. During the battle of Missionary Ridge
Battle of Missionary Ridge
The Battle of Missionary Ridge was fought November 25, 1863, as part of the Chattanooga Campaign of the American Civil War. Following the Union victory in the Battle of Lookout Mountain on November 24, Union forces under Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant assaulted Missionary Ridge and defeated the...
, he participated in Sherman’s attack against the Patrick Cleburne
Patrick Cleburne
Patrick Ronayne Cleburne was an Irish American soldier, best known for his service in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War, where he rose to the rank of major general....
’s division near Tunnel Hill. During the attack Matthies was wounded in the head and had to relinquish field command. His head injury prevented him from returning to command until March 1864 when he resumed command of his brigade, now the 3rd Brigade, 3rd Division, XV Corps. He held this command only briefly as his injury forced him to resign from the army on May 16, 1864.
He returned to Iowa where he was elected to the Iowa State Legislature.
He died shortly after the end of the war on October 16, 1868 in Burlington, Iowa
Burlington, Iowa
Burlington is a city in, and the county seat of Des Moines County, Iowa, United States. The population was 25,663 in the 2010 census, a decline from the 26,839 population in the 2000 census. Burlington is the center of a micropolitan area including West Burlington, Iowa and Middletown, Iowa and...
.
See also
- List of American Civil War generals