Henry M. Cist
Encyclopedia
Henry Martyn Cist was an American
soldier, lawyer, and author who became a brevet
brigadier general
in the Union Army
during the American Civil War
. He is most noted for his classic and oft-referenced 1882 book The Army of the Cumberland
. In addition, Cist led pioneering efforts to preserve and interpret the sites of the battles of Chickamauga
and Chattanooga.
, the younger of two sons of Philadelphia-born
author Charles Cist and his wife Janet. His paternal grandfather Charles Cist was an immigrant from St. Petersburg, Russia, who was a printer and publisher in Philadelphia.
Cist graduated from Farmers College in 1858, and then studied law. He passed his bar exam and became a practicing attorney.
in the three-month 6th Ohio Infantry
. When his term of enlistment expired, he was promoted to second lieutenant in the 52nd Ohio Infantry
. He later served as post adjutant of Camp Chase
in Columbus, Ohio
, after the prisoners of war captured at Fort Donelson
were transported there following Ulysses S. Grant
's victory in February 1862.
In April 1862, Cist joined the 74th Ohio Infantry
as a first lieutenant and became its regimental adjutant, serving under Colonel Granville Moody. He later served as the assistant adjutant general
with the rank of captain on the staff of Major General
William S. Rosecrans in the Army of the Cumberland. Later he was on the staff of Major General George H. Thomas.
In the omnibus promotions issued by the War Department
following the end of the Civil War, Cist received three brevet promotions dating from March 13, 1865, to the ranks of major, colonel, and brigadier general of U. S. Volunteers.
In 1882, Cist wrote The Army of the Cumberland (New York: Charles Scribner's Sons), what was considered one of the best first-person accounts of that army. He wrote one of the earliest biographies of Union leader "Pap" Thomas, The Life of Gen. George H. Thomas. He also wrote several magazine articles related to Cincinnati during wartime.
Cist turned his interest in history to working to have battlefield sites preserved. He served as director of the Chickamauga Memorial Association
in 1889, helping gain Congressional authorization in 1890 for the first military park, the Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park
. In 1892 Cist served as president of the Ohio Society, Sons of the American Revolution
. It is a heritage organization devoted to celebrating the history of the US and especially the meaning of the American Revolution
.
After contracting pneumonia
while touring Italy
, Cist died at the age of 63. He died at Rome, Italy. His body was returned to Ohio and buried in Cincinnati's Spring Grove Cemetery
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
soldier, lawyer, and author who became a brevet
Brevet (military)
In many of the world's military establishments, brevet referred to a warrant authorizing a commissioned officer to hold a higher rank temporarily, but usually without receiving the pay of that higher rank except when actually serving in that role. An officer so promoted may be referred to as being...
brigadier general
Brigadier general (United States)
A brigadier general in the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, is a one-star general officer, with the pay grade of O-7. Brigadier general ranks above a colonel and below major general. Brigadier general is equivalent to the rank of rear admiral in the other uniformed...
in the Union Army
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...
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...
. He is most noted for his classic and oft-referenced 1882 book The Army of the Cumberland
Army of the Cumberland
The Army of the Cumberland was one of the principal Union armies in the Western Theater during the American Civil War. It was originally known as the Army of the Ohio.-History:...
. In addition, Cist led pioneering efforts to preserve and interpret the sites of the battles of Chickamauga
Battle of Chickamauga
The Battle of Chickamauga, fought September 19–20, 1863, marked the end of a Union offensive in southeastern Tennessee and northwestern Georgia called the Chickamauga Campaign...
and Chattanooga.
Early life and career
Henry Cist was born in Cincinnati, OhioCincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
, the younger of two sons of Philadelphia-born
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
author Charles Cist and his wife Janet. His paternal grandfather Charles Cist was an immigrant from St. Petersburg, Russia, who was a printer and publisher in Philadelphia.
Cist graduated from Farmers College in 1858, and then studied law. He passed his bar exam and became a practicing attorney.
Civil War service
With the outbreak of the Civil War, Cist enlisted as a privatePrivate (rank)
A Private is a soldier of the lowest military rank .In modern military parlance, 'Private' is shortened to 'Pte' in the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth countries and to 'Pvt.' in the United States.Notably both Sir Fitzroy MacLean and Enoch Powell are examples of, rare, rapid career...
in the three-month 6th Ohio Infantry
6th Ohio Infantry
The 6th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry was a regiment in the Union Army during the American Civil War, primarily serving in the Western Theater in a series of campaigns and battles.-Organization and service:...
. When his term of enlistment expired, he was promoted to second lieutenant in the 52nd Ohio Infantry
52nd Ohio Infantry
The 52nd Ohio Volunteer Infantry was an infantry regiment in the Union Army during the American Civil War.-Service:The 52nd Ohio Infantry was organized at Camp Dennison near Cincinnati, Ohio in August 1862 and mustered in for three years service under the command of Colonel Daniel McCook, Jr..The...
. He later served as post adjutant of Camp Chase
Camp Chase
Camp Chase was a military staging, training and prison camp in Columbus, Ohio, during the American Civil War. All that remains of the camp today is a Confederate cemetery containing 2,260 graves. The cemetery is located in what is now the Hilltop neighborhood of Columbus, Ohio.- History :Camp Chase...
in Columbus, Ohio
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
, after the prisoners of war captured at Fort Donelson
Fort Donelson
Fort Donelson was a fortress built by the Confederacy during the American Civil War to control the Cumberland River leading to the heart of Tennessee, and the heart of the Confederacy.-History:...
were transported there following Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant was the 18th President of the United States as well as military commander during the Civil War and post-war Reconstruction periods. Under Grant's command, the Union Army defeated the Confederate military and ended the Confederate States of America...
's victory in February 1862.
In April 1862, Cist joined the 74th Ohio Infantry
74th Ohio Infantry
The 74th Ohio Volunteer Infantry was an infantry regiment in the Union Army during the American Civil War.-Service:The 74th Ohio Infantry was organized in Xenia, Ohio beginning October 5, 1861...
as a first lieutenant and became its regimental adjutant, serving under Colonel Granville Moody. He later served as the assistant adjutant general
Adjutant general
An Adjutant General is a military chief administrative officer.-Imperial Russia:In Imperial Russia, the General-Adjutant was a Court officer, who was usually an army general. He served as a personal aide to the Tsar and hence was a member of the H. I. M. Retinue...
with the rank of captain on the staff of Major General
Major general (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Marine Corps, and United States Air Force, major general is a two-star general-officer rank, with the pay grade of O-8. Major general ranks above brigadier general and below lieutenant general...
William S. Rosecrans in the Army of the Cumberland. Later he was on the staff of Major General George H. Thomas.
In the omnibus promotions issued by the War Department
United States Department of War
The United States Department of War, also called the War Department , was the United States Cabinet department originally responsible for the operation and maintenance of the United States Army...
following the end of the Civil War, Cist received three brevet promotions dating from March 13, 1865, to the ranks of major, colonel, and brigadier general of U. S. Volunteers.
Postbellum career
After mustering out of the army in January 1866, Cist returned to Cincinnati. He established a successful legal practice in that city. He briefly entered politics and lost a hotly contested election for mayor of College Hill, Ohio, that required court action to declare a winner.In 1882, Cist wrote The Army of the Cumberland (New York: Charles Scribner's Sons), what was considered one of the best first-person accounts of that army. He wrote one of the earliest biographies of Union leader "Pap" Thomas, The Life of Gen. George H. Thomas. He also wrote several magazine articles related to Cincinnati during wartime.
Cist turned his interest in history to working to have battlefield sites preserved. He served as director of the Chickamauga Memorial Association
Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park
Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park, located in northern Georgia and eastern Tennessee, preserves the sites of two major battles of the American Civil War: the Battle of Chickamauga and the Chattanooga Campaign.-History:...
in 1889, helping gain Congressional authorization in 1890 for the first military park, the Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park
Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park
Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park, located in northern Georgia and eastern Tennessee, preserves the sites of two major battles of the American Civil War: the Battle of Chickamauga and the Chattanooga Campaign.-History:...
. In 1892 Cist served as president of the Ohio Society, Sons of the American Revolution
Sons of the American Revolution
The National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution is a Louisville, Kentucky-based fraternal organization in the United States...
. It is a heritage organization devoted to celebrating the history of the US and especially the meaning of the American Revolution
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
.
After contracting pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
while touring Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, Cist died at the age of 63. He died at Rome, Italy. His body was returned to Ohio and buried in Cincinnati's Spring Grove Cemetery
Spring Grove Cemetery
Spring Grove Cemetery and Arboretum is a nonprofit garden cemetery and arboretum located at 4521 Spring Grove Avenue, Cincinnati, Ohio. It is the second largest cemetery in the United States and is recognized as a U.S. National Historic Landmark....
.
See also
- List of American Civil War generals