Charles William Field
(April 6, 1828 – April 9, 1892) was a career military officer, serving in the
United States Army
and then, during the
American Civil War
, in the
Confederate States Army
. His
division
was considered one of the finest in the
Army of Northern Virginia
. Field was one of a handful of American officers who advised the
army of Egypt
following the Civil War.
Early life
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Field was born at the family
plantation
, "Airy Mount," in
Woodford County, Kentucky
. His parents had immigrated from
Virginia
, and his father was a personal friend of
Henry Clay
. Through Clay's and
Andrew Jackson
's influence, President
James K. Polk
appointed Field as an "at large" cadet to the
United States Military Academy
. Field graduated 27th of 43 cadets in the Class of 1849 and accepted a commission as a
brevet
second lieutenant
in the 2nd U.S.
Dragoons
. He was assigned to
frontier
duty for five years at various posts in
New Mexico
,
Texas
, and the
Great Plains
. In 1855, he was promoted to
first lieutenant
and assigned to the newly organized
2nd U.S. Cavalry
, a regiment under
Col.
Albert Sidney Johnston
that also included
Robert E. Lee
and numerous other future Civil War generals. In 1856, Field returned to West Point as Assistant Instructor of Cavalry Tactics. He was promoted to
captain
in January 1861.
Civil War
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With the outbreak of the Civil War, Field resigned his commission on May 30, 1861, and left West Point for
Richmond
, where he offered his services to the
Confederacy
. His first assignment was to organize a school for cavalry instruction in
Ashland, Virginia
. In July, he became
major
of the
6th Virginia Cavalry
, becoming its colonel in November. In March 1862, he was promoted to
brigadier general
of a
brigade
of Virginia infantry. He served in what became famed as
A.P. Hill
's "Light Division" of the
Army of Northern Virginia
during
Stonewall Jackson
's
Valley Campaign
in the spring of 1862. Field performed competently during the
Peninsula Campaign
, but was severely wounded in the leg at the
Second Battle of Bull Run
in August. At first, it was feared that the mangled leg would require
amputation
, but doctors managed to save it. However, it took nearly a year for Field to recuperate, although he never fully recovered. During his convalescence,
John M. Brockenbrough
and
Henry Heth
commanded Field's Brigade, which officially retained his name until the
Chancellorsville Campaign
. In May 1863, using crutches to move, Field was able to resume limited military duties, serving as Chief of the Bureau of
Conscription
in the War Department until July. He continued as a conscription and recruiting officer for nine more months.
Finally cleared for field duty, Field rejoined the army in
Tennessee
in February 1864, serving on the board of generals appointed to
court-martial
Lafayette McLaws
. Promoted to
major general
, he commanded the veteran division formerly led by
John Bell Hood
. In the confused fighting in the
Wilderness
, Field suffered two minor wounds, but stayed in action throughout the
Overland Campaign
, including the
Battle of Spotsylvania Court House
. When
Lt. Gen.
James Longstreet
was wounded during a
friendly-fire
incident in the Wilderness, Field briefly assumed command of the First Corps, but he was later replaced by Maj. Gen.
Richard H. Anderson
, who had more seniority and combat experience. Field's division continued to perform well during the fighting at
Battle of Cold Harbor
and
Siege of Petersburg
. On the afternoon of August 16, 1864, at the
Battle of Deep Bottom
, 5,000
Union
soldiers under Brig. Gen.
Alfred H. Terry
broke through the Confederate lines and briefly threatened to rout the defenders. The tide finally turned when Field orchestrated a hard-hitting
counterattack
that forced the Federals to retreat. In April 1865, he surrendered with his division at
Appomattox Court House
. Numbering nearly 5,000 men, it was one of the few units still in fighting condition.
Postwar career
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After the war, Field pursued business interests in
Maryland
and
Georgia
. He traveled abroad in 1875 and served
Isma'il Pasha
, the
khedive
of
Egypt
, as a colonel of engineers, helping train native officers and supervising several construction projects. He later served as
Inspector General
. Returning to the United States in 1877, he was nominated for the position of doorkeeper of the
U.S. House of Representatives
. His service under a foreign
head of state
technically resulted in the loss of U.S.
citizenship
, rendering him ineligible for the post. However, former fellow Confederate general
Eppa Hunton
argued that Field's service was under a private contract and that he had never sworn an
oath of allegiance
to the khedive. Field was elected to the post.
Field was a member of the
Maryland Club
in Baltimore.
[1]
He became a
civil engineer
from 1881 through 1888 and then served for a time as superintendent of Hot Springs Reservation (later renamed
Hot Springs National Park
). He died in
Washington, D.C.
, and was buried in
Baltimore, Maryland
, in
Loudon Park Cemetery
.
[2]
His son
Charles W. Field
was a Maryland state delegate.
[3]
In the 20th century, the commonwealth of
Kentucky
erected a roadside marker on
U.S. Route 62
near
Versailles
commemorating Woodford County's Civil War generals, including Field.
See also
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References
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