ColorizedPast
Corporal
- Joined
- Aug 27, 2016
- Location
- Hangzhou, China (Wisconsin, USA)
Major General August Valentine Kautz (USA)
Kautz was born in Ispringen, Baden, Germany on 5 January 1828. His family immigrated to Brown County, Ohio in 1832. He served as a Private in the 1st Ohio Infantry during the Mexican-American War.
Following the war, he entered the United States Military Academy and graduated in the class of 1852. He served at Fort Steilacoom in the Pacific Northwest, where he was wounded twice during the Rogue River Wars along the Snake River in 1855. He also served in the Puget Sound War in 1856. On 16 July 1857, Kautz made what is sometimes credited as the first ascent of Mount Rainier, though he only climbed to the edge of the crater rim and not to Columbia Crest, so the ascent has often been described as incomplete. He returned east in April 1861 when war broke out.
During the Peninsula Campaign, Kautz was a captain with the 6th U.S. Cavalry. Transferred to the Western Theater, Kautz served as a colonel with the 2nd Ohio Cavalry against John Hunt Morgan's highly successful raid behind Union lines in Indiana and Ohio during the summer of 1863. He served under Ambrose Burnside at the Battle of Knoxville from September - December 1863.
Kautz was promoted to brigadier general of volunteers 16 April 1864 and led cavalry operations under the command of Maj. Gen. Benjamin Butler. On 12 December 1864, President Abraham Lincoln nominated Kautz for appointment to the brevet grade of major general of volunteers and the Senate confirmed the appointment 14 February 1865. The following year, Kautz was made brevet major general in the regular army.
In early April 1865, Kautz marched into Richmond commanding a division of colored troops from Maj. Gen. Godfrey Weitzel's XXV Corps. He was active during the pursuit of Robert E. Lee.
Kautz served on the trial board investigating the conspirators involved in the plot to assassinate Lincoln, Vice President Andrew Johnson, and Secretary of State William H. Seward. He then served extensively in the southwest frontier, commanding the Department of Arizona and Fort McDowell. He was appointed commander of the Department of the Columbia in July 1891 with the rank of brigadier general. He retired in 1892 and lived in Seattle, Washington until his death 4 September 1895.
Kautz was born in Ispringen, Baden, Germany on 5 January 1828. His family immigrated to Brown County, Ohio in 1832. He served as a Private in the 1st Ohio Infantry during the Mexican-American War.
Following the war, he entered the United States Military Academy and graduated in the class of 1852. He served at Fort Steilacoom in the Pacific Northwest, where he was wounded twice during the Rogue River Wars along the Snake River in 1855. He also served in the Puget Sound War in 1856. On 16 July 1857, Kautz made what is sometimes credited as the first ascent of Mount Rainier, though he only climbed to the edge of the crater rim and not to Columbia Crest, so the ascent has often been described as incomplete. He returned east in April 1861 when war broke out.
During the Peninsula Campaign, Kautz was a captain with the 6th U.S. Cavalry. Transferred to the Western Theater, Kautz served as a colonel with the 2nd Ohio Cavalry against John Hunt Morgan's highly successful raid behind Union lines in Indiana and Ohio during the summer of 1863. He served under Ambrose Burnside at the Battle of Knoxville from September - December 1863.
Kautz was promoted to brigadier general of volunteers 16 April 1864 and led cavalry operations under the command of Maj. Gen. Benjamin Butler. On 12 December 1864, President Abraham Lincoln nominated Kautz for appointment to the brevet grade of major general of volunteers and the Senate confirmed the appointment 14 February 1865. The following year, Kautz was made brevet major general in the regular army.
In early April 1865, Kautz marched into Richmond commanding a division of colored troops from Maj. Gen. Godfrey Weitzel's XXV Corps. He was active during the pursuit of Robert E. Lee.
Kautz served on the trial board investigating the conspirators involved in the plot to assassinate Lincoln, Vice President Andrew Johnson, and Secretary of State William H. Seward. He then served extensively in the southwest frontier, commanding the Department of Arizona and Fort McDowell. He was appointed commander of the Department of the Columbia in July 1891 with the rank of brigadier general. He retired in 1892 and lived in Seattle, Washington until his death 4 September 1895.