★ Osterhaus, Peter J.

Peter Joseph Osterhaus​

Born: January 4, 1823

Birthplace: Koblenz Rhenish, Prussia

Father: Josef Adolf Oisterhusz

Mother: Eleanora Kraemer

Wife: Matilda Born 1825 – 1863

(Buried: Bellefontaine Cemetery, Saint Louis, Missouri)​

Wife: Amelia_________________

Children:

Rear Admiral Hugo Osterhaus 1851 – 1927​

(Buried: Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia)​

​

Louis R. Osterhaus 1866 – 1929​

(Buried: Walnut Hill Cemetery, Belleville, Illinois)​

Education:

Attended Berlin Military Academy​

Occupation before War:

Served in the Prussian Army fulfilling his military obligations​

​

Served in the revolution in Germany​

​

1849: Immigrated to the United States Settling in Illinois​

​

Merchant in Belleville, Illinois​

​

1856: Supporter of John C. Fremont for President​

​

Member of the Union Club in Saint Louis, Missouri​

Civil War Career:

1861: Private in the United States Army​

​

1861: Captain, Company B, Second Missouri Infantry Regiment​

​

1861: Major of Second Missouri Volunteers Infantry Regiment​

​

1861: Served in the Battle of Wilson's Creek, Missouri​

​

1861: Participated in the capture of Jefferson City, Missouri​

​

1861 – 1862: Colonel of 12th​ Missouri Volunteers Infantry Regiment​

​

1862: Participated in the Battle of Pea Ridge, Arkansas​

​

1862 – 1864: Brigadier General of Union Army Volunteers Infantry​

​

1863: Commanded a division during Vicksburg, Mississippi Campaign​

​

1863: Served in the Battle of Port Gibson, Mississippi​

​

1863: Participated in the Battle of Champion Hill, Mississippi​

​

1863: Wounded during Battle of Big Black River Bridge, Mississippi​

​

1863: Aide in the capture of Lookout Mountain, Tennessee​

​

1864: Participated in the early battle of the Atlanta, Georgia Campaign​

​

1864: Participated in the Battle of Jonesborough, Georgia​

​

1864 – 1866: Major General of the Union Army Volunteers​

​

1864: Temporary Commander of Union Army 15th​ Army Corps​

​

1864: Commander of Union Army 15th​ Army Corps​

​

1865: Chief of Staff to Major General Edward Canby​

​

1865 – 1866: Commander of Union Army District of Mississippi​

​

1866: Mustered out of the Union Army on January 15th​​

Occupation after War:

1866 – 1877: United States Counsel in Lyon France​

​

1877 – 1917: Citizen of Duisberg, Germany​

Died: January 2, 1917

Place of Death: Duisberg, Germany

Cause of Death: Inflammation of the lungs

Age at time of Death: 93 years old

Burial Place: Koblenz Jewish Cemetery, Koblenz, Germany (no longer exist)

 

[rbasin]

Peter Joseph Osterhaus​

View attachment 340139 Born: January 4, 1823

Birthplace: Koblenz Rhenish, Prussia

Father: Josef Adolf Oisterhusz

Mother: Eleanora Kraemer

Wife: Matilda Born 1825 – 1863

(Buried: Bellefontaine Cemetery, Saint Louis, Missouri)​

Wife: Amelia_________________

Children:

Rear Admiral Hugo Osterhaus 1851 – 1927​

(Buried: Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia)​

​

Louis R. Osterhaus 1866 – 1929​

(Buried: Walnut Hill Cemetery, Belleville, Illinois)​

Education:

Attended Berlin Military Academy​

Occupation before War:

Served in the Prussian Army fulfilling his military obligations​

​

Served in the revolution in Germany​

​

1849: Immigrated to the United States Settling in Illinois​

​

Merchant in Belleville, Illinois​

​

1856: Supporter of John C. Fremont for President​

​

Member of the Union Club in Saint Louis, Missouri​

Civil War Career:

1861: Private in the United States Army​

​

1861: Captain, Company B, Second Missouri Infantry Regiment​

View attachment 340140​

​

1861: Major of Second Missouri Volunteers Infantry Regiment​

​

1861: Served in the Battle of Wilson's Creek, Missouri​

​

1861: Participated in the capture of Jefferson City, Missouri​

​

1861 – 1862: Colonel of 12th​ Missouri Volunteers Infantry Regiment​

​

1862: Participated in the Battle of Pea Ridge, Arkansas​

​

1862 – 1864: Brigadier General of Union Army Volunteers Infantry​

​

1863: Commanded a division during Vicksburg, Mississippi Campaign​

​

1863: Served in the Battle of Port Gibson, Mississippi​

​

1863: Participated in the Battle of Champion Hill, Mississippi​

​

1863: Wounded during Battle of Big Black River Bridge, Mississippi​

​

1863: Aide in the capture of Lookout Mountain, Tennessee​

​

1864: Participated in the early battle of the Atlanta, Georgia Campaign​

​

1864: Participated in the Battle of Jonesborough, Georgia​

​

1864 – 1866: Major General of the Union Army Volunteers​

​

1864: Temporary Commander of Union Army 15th​ Army Corps​

​

1864: Commander of Union Army 15th​ Army Corps​

​

1865: Chief of Staff to Major General Edward Canby​

​

1865 – 1866: Commander of Union Army District of Mississippi​

​

1866: Mustered out of the Union Army on January 15th​​

Occupation after War:

1866 – 1877: United States Counsel in Lyon France​

​

1877 – 1917: Citizen of Duisberg, Germany​

Died: January 2, 1917

Place of Death: Duisberg, Germany

Cause of Death: Inflammation of the lungs

Age at time of Death: 93 years old

Burial Place: Koblenz Jewish Cemetery, Koblenz, Germany (no longer exist)

Defin

 

[Seduzal]

Thanks for sharing this interesting story of a soldier's life career of military service. Also that his burial place in Germany no later exists!

 

[gentlemanrob]

 

[Nathan Stuart]

Osterhaus was a steady and reliable Division commander.

 

[Pollaco]

In addition to his being a diplomat at Lyon, France, Osterhaus was also a counsel at Mannheim , Germany.

Took general Canby's place and acted as his representative when Gen. Edmund Kirby Smith surrendered his forces in the Trans-Mississippi Theater. He personally signed the documents on behalf of the Union Army.

One source states it was the surrender of Gen. Kirby Smith and another states it was the forces of Gen. Simon Buckner.Either way it was the Confederate forces in the TransMiss Department.

 

[TnFed]

Great bio.

 

[Luke Freet]

Osterhaus was one of the better German-American generals of the conflict. He would command 15th Corps when Black Jack Logan was unavailable, and thus lead the command through the March to the Sea.

 

[rbasin]

Underrated

 

[PJO]

Today is Osterhaus's 203rd birthday.

Osterhaus did not attend a military academy nor was he an officer in the Prussian Army. His name does not appear in the Prussian Army Register or in other officer lists of the time.

Osterhaus completed his compulsory military service as a "one-year volunteer" in 1845. What he acquired through a practical and written examination was the qualification to become a "Landwehroffizier", i. e an officer in the militialike reserve force called "Landwehr".

The qualification certificate entitled him to be elected as a reserve officer by the officers of the Landwehr battalion to which he had been assigned in his home district. However, Osterhaus repeatedly applied for exemption from reserve duty and migrated to the Grand Duchy of Baden in 1845.

 

[Stryker65]

Shouldn't Osterhaus get a Two-Star prefix, being a MG? The last-surviving MG, at that...

 

[PJO]

Shouldn't Osterhaus get a Two-Star prefix, being a MG? The last-surviving MG, at that...

Osterhaus was not the last surviving "full" major general. James H. Wilson and Nelson A. Miles survived him..

On 17 March 1905, President Roosevelt signed his commission as brigadier general on the Retired List, US Army. Ten years later he was advanced to major general...

 

[Stryker65]

Osterhaus was not the last surviving "full" major general. James H. Wilson and Nelson A. Miles survived him..

On 17 March 1905, President Roosevelt signed his commission as brigadier general on the Retired List, US Army. Ten years later he was advanced to major general...

My mistake. I was reading off of the newspaper clipping.