Peter Joseph Osterhaus facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Peter Joseph Osterhaus
|
|
|---|---|
Peter J. Osterhaus
|
|
| Born | January 4, 1823 Koblenz, Rhenish Prussia |
| Died | January 2, 1917 (aged 93) Duisburg, German Empire |
| Place of burial |
Koblenz Jewish Cemetery, Koblenz, Germany
|
| Allegiance | United States of America Union |
| Service/ |
United States Army Union Army |
| Years of service | 1861–1866 |
| Rank |  Major General |
| Commands held | 12th Missouri Volunteer Infantry XV Corps |
| Battles/wars | American Civil War |
Peter Joseph Osterhaus (born January 4, 1823, died January 2, 1917) was a brave general in the Union Army during the American Civil War. He was a German-American who also worked as a diplomat later in his life.
Contents
Early Life of Peter Osterhaus
Peter Osterhaus was born in Koblenz, which was then part of Rhenish Prussia. His parents were Eleanora Kraemer and Josef Adolf Oisterhusz. He went to the Berlin Military Academy and became an officer in the Prussian Army.
After some time, he found himself on the losing side of the Revolutions of 1848. Because of this, he moved to the United States in 1858. He settled in St. Louis, Missouri.
Osterhaus in the Civil War
When the American Civil War began, Peter Osterhaus joined the Union Army. He was made a major in the 2nd Missouri Volunteer Infantry.
Early Battles and Promotions
In the first year of the war, Osterhaus fought in Missouri and Arkansas. He played an important part in the Battle of Wilson's Creek and the Battle of Pea Ridge. At Pea Ridge, his troops were the first to meet the Confederate forces. He was promoted to brigadier general on June 9, 1862.
In 1863, he led a division in the Battle of Port Gibson. Here, he showed great skill in moving Confederate defenders out of a strong position.
Vicksburg Campaign and Beyond
Osterhaus continued to lead his division during the important Vicksburg Campaign. He fought in the Battle of Champion Hill and at the Battle of Big Black River Bridge, where he was slightly hurt.
His division made the first attack on the defenses of Vicksburg. This was the start of the Siege of Vicksburg. His division also helped protect the siege from Confederate forces led by General Joseph E. Johnston. Osterhaus also took part in Major General William T. Sherman's advance on Jackson, Mississippi. This move was to protect the rear of the Army of the Tennessee during the siege.
Fighting in Tennessee and Atlanta
After Vicksburg fell, Osterhaus's division moved to Tennessee. In the Chattanooga Campaign, he helped Major General Joseph Hooker capture Lookout Mountain.
Osterhaus then joined the Atlanta Campaign. He missed the important Battle of Atlanta because he was sick for a month. However, he returned to command and played a big role in the Battle of Jonesborough.
Leading the XV Corps
After Atlanta was captured, Osterhaus was given command of the XV Corps. This was one of the four main groups in the army. He led this corps during Sherman's March to the Sea.
In March 1865, Osterhaus became the chief of staff for the Army of West Mississippi. This army was led by Major General Edward Canby, who did not have much experience leading large battles. Osterhaus helped Canby through the battles of Spanish Fort and Fort Blakely.
When Edmund Kirby Smith surrendered the Confederate forces in the Trans-Mississippi Theater, Osterhaus was chosen to sign the documents for the Union army.
Life After the War
Peter Osterhaus left the army on January 15, 1866. In the same year, he became the United States Consul in Lyons, France. Later, he moved to Germany and lived in Duisburg. He retired in 1905 and, in 1915, was the oldest person receiving a pension from the Army.
Osterhaus passed away in Duisburg. He was buried in Koblenz, Germany, at the Koblenz Jewish Cemetery. His grave no longer exists today.
Remembering Peter Osterhaus
Peter Osterhaus is mentioned on the Turkey Town Monument near Gadsden, Alabama. This monument notes a battle he lost against Confederate cavalry led by Joseph Wheeler.
Images for kids
-
A statue (bust) of Osterhaus by T.A.R. Kitson at Vicksburg National Military Park
