George H. Covode: Difference between revisions

George Hay Covode
George Hay Covode
	Col. George H. Covode
Born	August 19, 1835; Covodesville, Pennsylvania
Died	June 24, 1864 (aged 28); Virginia
Buried	West Fairfield Cemetery, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania
Allegiance	United States of America; Union
Service / branch	Union Army
Years of service	1861 - 1864
Rank	Colonel
Unit	4th Pennsylvania Cavalry
Wars	American Civil War Battle of Malvern Hill; Second Battle of Bull Run; Battle of Antietam; Battle of Fredericksburg; Battle of Chancellorsville; Battle of Gettysburg;
Relations	John Covode (father)

Browse history interactively

← Previous edit

Content deleted Content added

VisualWikitext

Inline

Latest revision as of 21:24, 31 October 2024

George Hay Covode (August 19, 1835 – June 25, 1864) was a Pennsylvania merchant and a colonel of cavalry in the Union Army during the American Civil War.^[1]

Early life

Born in Covodesville, Pennsylvania, Covode was the oldest son of John Covode, a U.S. congressman and staunch abolitionist. In his youth, George Covode was noted for his athletic proportions, being tall and well built and peculiarly fitted for the hardships of military life. He was educated in Ligonier Academy and Elders Ridge. After he left school, he engaged in mercantile pursuits for some years, but not with much success. In 1858, he married Annie Earl of Somerset County, Pennsylvania, who died a few months after their marriage. He remarried a few years afterwards to Bettie St. Clair Robb, a granddaughter of Arthur St. Clair, a major general in the Continental Army and the ninth President of the Continental Congress. The two had one child, Sarah.

Civil War

At the start of the Civil War in 1861, Covode enlisted as a private in Company D of the 4th Pennsylvania Volunteer Cavalry, raised in Ligonier Valley, Pennsylvania. During the election of officers, he was chosen as first lieutenant. The company was soon transferred to Camp Campbell near Soldiers' Home in Washington, D.C. Covode was later promoted to captain of the company, and on March 12, 1862, to major as the 4th Pennsylvania was moved rapidly to the front.

Covode and his men marched to Yorktown, Virginia, and soon saw action in the battles of Malvern Hill and the Second Bull Run. During the fall of 1862, the regiment was encamped on the north bank of the Potomac River near Hancock, Maryland, but soon participated in the fighting at Antietam, and later at Fredericksburg.

In 1863, Covode fought at Chancellorsville, Gettysburg and others. On one occasion in Falls Church, Virginia, Covode and his troops were entirely surrounded by the Confederate troops, but dashing against them he used his sword so skillfully that he opened a way for his men to follow and all escaped. His strength made him a power in hand-to-hand contests of this kind, but in addition he was almost without any personal fear. In camp life, he was described as jovial and was always unusually good natured.

He was promoted to lieutenant colonel on December 8, 1863, and was made a full colonel on May 28, 1864.

Death

Covode was known to be very near-sighted, which caused trouble for him in identifying people at a far distance. On June 24, 1864, while in command of a brigade in Virginia, he mistook some Confederate skirmishers for his own troops and rode toward them. He discovered his mistake too late and, as he was turning to ride away, he was shot in the arm and stomach by an enemy volley. In the retreat, he was left within the enemy lines and died a few hours later.

He was interred in West Fairfield Cemetery in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania.^[3]

References

^ "4th Cavalry/64th Pennsylvania Volunteers, Field and Staff Muster Roll".
^ Downey, Brian (November 16, 2008). "Command of the 4th Pennsylvania Cavalry at Antietam". behind Antietam on the Web. Retrieved January 10, 2020.
^ Colonels in Blue

External links

[1] "4th Cavalry/64th Pennsylvania Volunteers, Field and Staff Muster Roll".

[2] Downey, Brian (November 16, 2008). "Command of the 4th Pennsylvania Cavalry at Antietam". behind Antietam on the Web. Retrieved January 10, 2020.

[3] Colonels in Blue

[1]

[2]

[3]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+{{More footnotes needed|date=January 2024}}
-[[Image:GHCovode.jpg|thumb|right|260px|Col. George H. Covode]]
+{{Infobox military person
-'''George H. Covode''' ([[August 19]], [[1835]] &ndash; [[June 25]], [[1864]]) was a [[colonel]] in the [[Union Army]] during the [[American Civil War|Civil War]].
+| name          = George Hay Covode
+| image         = GHCovode.jpg
+| caption       =  Col. George H. Covode
+| birth_date    = {{Birth date|1835|08|19}}
+| death_date    = {{Death date and age|1864|06|24|1835|08|19}}
+| birth_place   = [[Covodesville, Pennsylvania]]
+| death_place   = [[Virginia]]
+| placeofburial = West Fairfield Cemetery, [[Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania]]
+| placeofburial_label =
+| placeofburial_coordinates = <!-- {{Coord|LAT|LONG|display=inline,title}} -->
+| nickname      =
+| birth_name    =
+| allegiance    = {{flagicon|USA|1861}} [[United States|United States of America]]<br>[[Union (American Civil War)|Union]]
+| branch        = [[Union Army]]
+| serviceyears  = 1861 - 1864
+| rank          = [[File:Union Army colonel rank insignia.png|35px]] [[Colonel]]
+| servicenumber =
+| unit          = {{flagicon|Pennsylvania}} 4th Pennsylvania Cavalry
+| commands      =
+| battles       = [[American Civil War]]
+* [[Battle of Malvern Hill]]
+* [[Second Battle of Bull Run]]
+* [[Battle of Antietam]]
+* [[Battle of Fredericksburg]]
+* [[Battle of Chancellorsville]]
+* [[Battle of Gettysburg]]
+| battles_label = Wars
+| awards        =
+| relations     = [[John Covode]] (father)
+| laterwork     =
+| signature     =
+}}
+'''George Hay Covode''' (August 19, 1835 &ndash; June 25, 1864) was a [[Pennsylvania]] merchant and a [[Colonel (United States)|colonel]] of [[cavalry]] in the [[Union Army]] during the [[American Civil War]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.pa-roots.com/pacw/cavalry/4thcav/4thcavofficers.html|title=4th Cavalry/64th Pennsylvania Volunteers, Field and Staff Muster Roll}}</ref>
 ==Early life==
-Born in [[Covodesville, Pennsylvania]], Covode was the oldest son of [[John Covode]], a congressman and abolishionist. In his youth, he was noted for his athletic proportions, being tall and well built and peculiarly fitted for the hardships of a military life. He was educated in Ligonier Academy and Elders Ridge. After he left school, he engaged in [[Mercantilism|mercantile]] pursuits for some years but not with much success. He married in [[1858]] to Annie Earl of [[Somerset County, Pennsylvania]] who died a few months after their marriage. He remarried a few years afterwards to Bettie St. Clair Robb, a granddaughter of [[Arthur St. Clair]], a [[major general]] in the [[Continental Army]] and the ninth [[President of the Continental Congress]]. The two had one child, Sarah.
+Born in Covodesville, Pennsylvania, Covode was the oldest son of [[John Covode]], a [[United States House of Representatives|U.S. congressman]] and staunch [[Abolitionism in the United States|abolitionist]]. In his youth, George Covode was noted for his athletic proportions, being tall and well built and peculiarly fitted for the hardships of military life. He was educated in Ligonier Academy and Elders Ridge. After he left school, he engaged in [[Mercantilism|mercantile]] pursuits for some years, but not with much success. In 1858, he married Annie Earl of [[Somerset County, Pennsylvania]], who died a few months after their marriage. He remarried a few years afterwards to Bettie St. Clair Robb, a granddaughter of [[Arthur St. Clair]], a [[Major general (United States)|major general]] in the [[Continental Army]] and the ninth [[President of the Continental Congress]]. The two had one child, Sarah.
 ==Civil War==
+[[File:Westover Landing, Va. Col. James H. Childs (standing) with other officers of the 4th Pennsylvania Cavalry LOC cwpb.03852.jpg|thumb|left|Col. James H. Childs and officers of the [[4th Pennsylvania Cavalry]] at [[Battle of Antietam|Antietam]], with Covode at left (1862)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://behind.aotw.org/2008/11/16/command-of-the-4th-pennsylvania-cavalry-at-antietam/ |title=Command of the 4th Pennsylvania Cavalry at Antietam|last=Downey |first=Brian |date=November 16, 2008 |website=behind Antietam on the Web |publisher= |access-date=January 10, 2020}}</ref>]]
-At the start of the [[American Civil War|Civil War]] in [[1861]], Covode enlisted as a [[Private (rank)|private]] in the [[Union Army]] in Company D of the [[4th Pennsylvania Volunteer Cavalry|4th Pennsylvania Cavalry]], raised in [[Ligonier Valley, Pennsylvania]]. At the election of officers, he was chosen to be [[First Lieutenant|first lieutenant]]. The company was soon transferred to Camp Campbell near [[Old soldiers' home|Soldiers' Home]] in [[Washington, D.C.]]. He was later promoted to [[captain]] of the company and on [[March 12]], [[1862]] to [[major]] as the 4th Pennsylvania was moved rapidly to the front. They marched to [[Yorktown, Virginia]] and soon saw action in the Battles of [[Battle of Malvern Hill|Malvern Hill]] and the [[Second Battle of Bull Run|Second Bull Run]]. During the fall of [[1862]], the regiment was encamped on the north bank of the [[Potomac River]] near [[Hancock, Maryland]], but soon took place in the Battles of [[Battle of Antietam|Antietam]], [[Battle of Chancellorsville|Chancellorsville]], [[Battle of Fredericksburg|Fredericksburg]], [[Battle of Gettysburg|Gettysburg]] and others. On one occasion in [[Falls Church, Virginia]], Covode and his troops were entirely surrounded by the [[Confederate States Army|Confederate]] troops, but dashing against them he used his sword so skillfully that he opened a way for his men to follow and all escaped. His strength made him a power in hand-to-hand contests of this kind, but in addition he was almost without any personal fear. In camp life he was described as jovial and was always unusually good natured. He was promoted to [[Lieutenant Colonel|lieutenant colonel]] on [[December 8]], [[1863]] and was made a full [[colonel]] on [[May 28]], [[1864]].
+At the start of the Civil War in 1861, Covode enlisted as a [[Private (rank)|private]] in Company D of the 4th Pennsylvania Volunteer Cavalry, raised in [[Ligonier Valley, Pennsylvania]]. During the election of officers, he was chosen as [[First Lieutenant#United States|first lieutenant]]. The company was soon transferred to Camp Campbell near [[Old soldiers' home|Soldiers' Home]] in [[Washington, D.C.]] Covode was later promoted to [[Captain (United States)|captain]] of the company, and on March 12, 1862, to [[Major (United States)|major]] as the 4th Pennsylvania was moved rapidly to the front.
+Covode and his men marched to [[Yorktown, Virginia]], and soon saw action in the battles of [[Battle of Malvern Hill|Malvern Hill]] and the [[Second Battle of Bull Run|Second Bull Run]]. During the fall of 1862, the regiment was encamped on the north bank of the [[Potomac River]] near [[Hancock, Maryland]], but soon participated in the fighting at [[Battle of Antietam|Antietam]], and later at [[Battle of Fredericksburg|Fredericksburg]].
+In 1863, Covode fought at [[Battle of Chancellorsville|Chancellorsville]], [[Battle of Gettysburg|Gettysburg]] and others. On one occasion in [[Falls Church, Virginia]], Covode and his troops were entirely surrounded by the [[Confederate States Army|Confederate]] troops, but dashing against them he used his sword so skillfully that he opened a way for his men to follow and all escaped. His strength made him a power in hand-to-hand contests of this kind, but in addition he was almost without any personal fear. In camp life, he was described as jovial and was always unusually good natured.
+He was promoted to [[Lieutenant colonel (United States)|lieutenant colonel]] on December 8, 1863, and was made a full [[Colonel (United States)|colonel]] on May 28, 1864.
 ===Death===
-Covode was known to be very [[Myopia|near sighted]] which caused trouble for him in identifying people at a far distance. On [[June 24]], [[1863]], while in command of a brigade in [[Virginia]], he mistook some [[Confederate States Army|Confederate]] [[Skirmisher|skirmishers]] for his own troops and rode toward them. He was shot in the arm and through the stomach by a volley which came when he had discovered his mistake and turned to ride away. In the retreat his body was left within the enemy lines and he died a few hours later. He was interned in West Fairfield Cemetery in [[Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania]].
+Covode was known to be very [[Myopia|near-sighted]], which caused trouble for him in identifying people at a far distance. On June 24, 1864, while in command of a brigade in [[Virginia]], he mistook some Confederate [[skirmisher]]s for his own troops and rode toward them. He discovered his mistake too late and, as he was turning to ride away, he was shot in the arm and stomach by an enemy volley. In the retreat, he was left within the enemy lines and died a few hours later.
+He was interred in West Fairfield Cemetery in [[Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania]].<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=7X97CKjWKLcC&dq=West+Fairfield+Cemetery+george+covode&pg=PA49 ''Colonels in Blue'']</ref>
 ==References==
+{{Reflist}}
-*[http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=12477092 George H. Covode] at [[Find A Grave]]
+==External links==
-*[http://www.pa-roots.com/~pacw/cavalry/4thcav/4thcavofficers.html 4th Cavalry Pennsylvania Volunteers: Field and Staff Officers]
+{{commons category|George H. Covode}}
+{{Authority control}}
 {{DEFAULTSORT:Covode, George H.}}
 [[Category:1835 births]]
 [[Category:1864 deaths]]
-[[Category:Union Army officers]]
+[[Category:Union army colonels]]
 [[Category:People of Pennsylvania in the American Civil War]]
-[[Category:American military personnel killed in the American Civil War]]
+[[Category:Union military personnel killed in the American Civil War]]

Authority control databases
International	ISNI VIAF WorldCat
National	United States