Charles E. Phelps

For other people named Charles Phelps, see Charles Phelps (disambiguation).

Charles Edward Phelps
Allegiance	United States of America Union
Service / branch	United States Army Union Army
Rank	Brigadier General
Unit	7th Maryland Infantry
Battles / wars	American Civil War *Battle of Spotsylvania
Awards	Medal of Honor

Charles Edward Phelps (May 1, 1833 – December 27, 1908) rose to the rank of Brigadier General in the U.S. Army in the Civil War, served as a city councilman, a U.S. Congressman from the third district of Maryland, and received the Medal of Honor.

Biography

Phelps was born in Guilford, Vermont, on May 1, 1833. At the age of 5, he moved with his parents to Pennsylvania, and at the age of 8 to Maryland. He matriculated at Princeton University, where he was admitted to the Zeta Psi fraternity, graduating in 1853. He subsequently sought a career in law, and joined the Maryland bar in 1855. He admitted to practice in the Supreme Court of the United States in 1859. In 1860, he was elected to the Baltimore city council.

In 1861, he was commissioned a major of the Maryland Guard, and, in 1862, he was raised to lieutenant colonel of the Seventh Maryland Volunteers, fighting for the Union. He was honorably discharged on account of wounds in 1864, and was shortly thereafter elected as congressman from the 3rd district of Maryland to the Thirty-Ninth Congress. He was subsequently given commission as brevet Brigadier General, and received the Medal of Honor for valor at the Battle of Spotsylvania.

Medal of Honor citation

Rank and Organization:

Colonel, 7th Maryland Infantry. Place and date: At Laurel Hill, Va., May 8, 1864. Entered service at: Baltimore, Md. Born: May 1, 1833, Guilford, Vt. Date of issue: March 30, 1898.

Citation:

Rode to the head of the assaulting column, then much broken by severe losses and faltering under the close fire of artillery, placed himself conspicuously in front of the troops, and gallantly rallied and led them to within a few feet of the enemy's works, where he was severely wounded and captured.

See also

• List of Medal of Honor recipients
• List of American Civil War Medal of Honor recipients: M-Z
• List of American Civil War generals

References

• "Charles E. Phelps, Medal of Honor recipient". Civil War M-Z. July 16, 2007. Retrieved 2007-10-07. {{cite web}}: Text "publisher Army Medal of Honor website" ignored (help)

• Charles E. Phelps at Find a Grave Retrieved on 2007-11-08
• Vermont Civil War center - Minibio of Phelps's life and military record
• United States Congress. "Charles E. Phelps (id: P000292)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved on 2007-11-27