Henry E. Tremain facts for kids
Henry Edwin Tremain (1840–1910) was an American soldier. He fought bravely in the American Civil War. He is famous for receiving the Medal of Honor, which is the highest award for military bravery in the United States.
Tremain earned this special medal for an amazing act of courage. During the Battle of Resaca, two groups of Union soldiers were accidentally shooting at each other. Henry Tremain bravely rode his horse between them to stop the confusion and firing.
After the war, he became a successful lawyer. He also wrote several books about the Civil War. Henry Tremain was born in New York City on November 14, 1840. He passed away in New York City on December 9, 1910. He is buried at Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx, New York.
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Henry Tremain's Early Life
Henry E. Tremain was born in New York City. His birthday was November 14, 1840. His parents were Edwin Ruthven Tremain and Mary Briggs Tremain.
He went to the College of the City of New York. He graduated from there in 1860. After college, he started studying law. He attended Columbia College Law School in 1860.
Military Service in the Civil War
Henry Tremain volunteered to serve in the American Civil War. He fought throughout the entire war. He left the military in April 1866. By then, he had reached the special rank of brevet brigadier general.
He was part of many important battles and campaigns. These included:
In the later part of the war, he worked as an aide-de-camp. This meant he was a special assistant to several generals.
Joining the Army
Tremain first joined the army as a private. This was on April 17, 1861. He served with the New York Seventh Regiment. He served for three months.
Later, he and his brother, Walter R. Tremain, recruited a company of soldiers. Walter sadly died from typhoid during the war. Their company joined the 73rd New York Infantry. This group was also known as the Fire Zouaves.
As a first lieutenant, Tremain worked for General Nelson Taylor. He also worked for General John Pope.
Captured and Promoted
Henry Tremain was captured during the Second Battle of Bull Run. This happened on August 29, 1862. He was held for a short time at Libby Prison in Richmond. He was then released on September 21, 1862.
In November 1862, he was promoted to captain. In April 1863, he became a major and an aide-de-camp. He then served on the staffs of several other generals. These included General Daniel Sickles, General Daniel Butterfield, General David Gregg, and General George Crook.
By the end of the war, he had received several special promotions. He became a lieutenant colonel, then a colonel, and finally a brigadier general. After the war, he helped with rebuilding efforts in North and South Carolina. He officially retired from the military in April 1866.
Life After the War
After the war, Henry Tremain returned to New York in 1866. He finished his law studies at Columbia in 1867. In 1869, he started his own law firm. It was called Tremain & Tyler. His partner was another Union officer, Colonel Mason Whiting Tyler. Their firm also started a newspaper called the Daily Law Journal.
Tremain worked as a lawyer until he passed away in 1910. He was also active in politics. He was a member of the Republican Party. He also belonged to the Grand Army of the Republic, a group for Civil War veterans.
Family Life and Writings
In 1869, Henry Tremain married Sarah Goodrich. She was from Mississippi. They had a home in New York City. They also had another home called Hillview. This home was in Bolton, New York, near Lake George.
Henry Tremain wrote several books. His books were mostly about the Civil War. Some of his famous works include The Last Hours of Sheridan's Cavalry and Two Days of War: a Gettysburg Narrative, and Other Excursions.
In his will, he left money to his old college. He gave $5000 to the College of the City of New York. This money was used to create an annual essay contest about the Civil War. This contest is called the General Tremain Prize. It is still awarded today at CCNY.
Henry Edwin Tremain died on December 9, 1910, in New York City. He is buried at Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx, New York.
