HECKMAN, Charles Adam USA

[Mark Wadsworth]

HECKMAN, Charles Adam
Born December 3 1822, EastonPA
Died January 14 1896, GermantownPA
Pre-War Profession Hardware clerk, Mexican war, railroad conductor.
War Service October 1861 Lt. Col. of 9th New Jersey, Burnside's North Carolina expedition, February 1862 Col., November 1862 appointed Brig. Gen. of Volunteers, defences of Norfolk and Portsmouth, Drewry's Bluff (c), exchanged September 1864, commanded 2nd Divn/XVIII Corps at Ft Harrison, relieved of duty March 1865.
Post War Career Railroad dispatcher.

 

[John Hartwell]

I want to bump this up. Does anybody know abything about Heckman? According to Generals in Blue, he was the only brigadier who at some time commanded a Division or Corps, who was not discharged as a Major General. The above description is incomplete. After Butler dismissed him from XVIII Corps, he was given a brigade in the new XXV Corps -- and later held temporary command of that Corps.
He seems to have been popular with his men -- long after he was replaced in his command in the Army of the James, they still identified as members of "Heckman's Star Brigade."

jno

 

[East Tennessee Roots]

I want to bump this up. Does anybody know abything about Heckman? According to Generals in Blue, he was the only brigadier who at some time commanded a Division or Corps, who was not discharged as a Major General. The above description is incomplete. After Butler dismissed hom from XVIII Corps, he was given a brigade in the new XXV Corps -- and later held temporary command of that Corps.
He seems to have been popular with his men -- long after he was replaced in his command in the Army of the James, they still identified as members of "Heckman's Star Brigadejno

Heckman, Charles A., brigadier-general, was born in
Easton, Pa., Dec. 3, 1822, and was graduated at Minerva
seminary in his Native town in 1837. He served in the Mexican
war as sergeant in the 1st U. S. voltigeurs, and at the
beginning of the Civil War, on April 20, 1861, was
commissioned captain in the 1st Penn. regiment. He became
major of the 9th N. J. volunteers, Oct. 3, 1861; lieutenant-
colonel Dec. 3, colonel Feb. 10, 1862, and on Nov. 29, 1862,
was commissioned brigadier-general of volunteers. He served
in Burnside's expedition to North Carolina and afterward in
the army of the James, was wounded at New Berne and again at
Young's cross-roads, N. C., and at Port Walthall, Va., and
commanded the defenses of Norfolk and Portsmouth in the winter
of 1863-64. He was captured at Drewry's bluff, Va., May 16,
1864, after his brigade had five times repelled a superior
force of Confederates, and was taken first to Libby prison and
afterward to Macon, Ga., and Charleston, S. C., where he was
one of the fifty-one officers that were placed under fire of
the national guns. Being exchanged on Aug. 25, he commanded
the 18th army corps at the capture of Fort Harrison or
Chaffin's farm, and was in command of the 25th corps in Jan.
and Feb., 1865. Resigning at the close of the war, May 25,
1865, he retired to civil life and became member of the board
of education in Phillipsburg, N. J. Gen. Heckman died Jan. 14,
1896.

Source: The Union Army, vol. 8

 

[East Tennessee Roots]

CHARLES ADAM HECKMAN

Heckman, Charles A., brigadier-general, was born in
Easton, Pa., Dec. 3, 1822, and was graduated at Minerva
seminary in his Native town in 1837. He served in the Mexican
war as sergeant in the 1st U. S. voltigeurs, and at the
beginning of the Civil War, on April 20, 1861, was
commissioned captain in the 1st Penn. regiment. He became
major of the 9th N. J. volunteers, Oct. 3, 1861; lieutenant-
colonel Dec. 3, colonel Feb. 10, 1862, and on Nov. 29, 1862,
was commissioned brigadier-general of volunteers. He served
in Burnside's expedition to North Carolina and afterward in
the army of the James, was wounded at New Berne and again at
Young's cross-roads, N. C., and at Port Walthall, Va., and
commanded the defenses of Norfolk and Portsmouth in the winter
of 1863-64. He was captured at Drewry's bluff, Va., May 16,
1864, after his brigade had five times repelled a superior
force of Confederates, and was taken first to Libby prison and
afterward to Macon, Ga., and Charleston, S. C., where he was
one of the fifty-one officers that were placed under fire of
the national guns. Being exchanged on Aug. 25, he commanded
the 18th army corps at the capture of Fort Harrison or
Chaffin's farm, and was in command of the 25th corps in Jan.
and Feb., 1865. Resigning at the close of the war, May 25,
1865, he retired to civil life and became member of the board
of education in Phillipsburg, N. J. Gen. Heckman died Jan. 14,
1896.

Source: The Union Army, vol. 8

 

[Monte11]

My collateral relative, Sgt. Smith Gaines Blakey, was the person who captured Brig. Gen. Charles Heckman at the second battle of Drewry's Bluff (also called Proctor's Creek) on the morning of May 16, 1864. The dense fog caused confusion among all the troops and Heckman tried to pass himself off as a Confederate officer when he realized he was in the thick of Confederates. My relative was not fooled however, and marched Heckman to a Confederate Col. Floweree so the Union officer could properly surrender his sword. Gen. Heckman was later exchanged in September, 1864 and resumed command at the Petersburg, VA siege.
Sgt. Blakey died during the battle of Cold Harbor on June 3, 1864. He is buried in Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond, along with some 18,000 Confederate soldiers and others such as Jefferson Davis, J.E.B. Stuart and George Pickett. I am in the process of having a grave marker installed at Hollywood Cemetery for him, with the assistance of the staff there.