Andrew Henry Embler (June 29, 1834 – July 28, 1918) was an officer in the Union Army during the American Civil War. He received the country's highest award for bravery during combat, the Medal of Honor, for his action during the Battle of Boydton Plank Road in Virginia on October 27, 1864. He would later serve as the

Connecticut Adjutant General The Adjutant General of Connecticut is the highest-ranking military officer in the Armed Forces of the State of Connecticut which includes the Connecticut National Guard, the four units of the Governor's Guards, the Connecticut State Guard, the ...

for two years.

Military career

Andrew H. Embler was born in

Montgomery, New York Montgomery is a town in Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 23,322 at the 2020 census. It was named in honor of Richard Montgomery, a Revolutionary War general killed in 1775 at the Battle of Quebec. The northern town ...

, on June 29, 1834. He enlisted into the 71st New York State Militia eight days after the

Battle of Fort Sumter The Battle of Fort Sumter (April 12–13, 1861) was the bombardment of Fort Sumter near Charleston, South Carolina by the South Carolina militia. It ended with the surrender by the United States Army, beginning the American Civil War. Follo ...

. He was commissioned as a first lieutenant into Company H. He was wounded in the hip during the

Battle of First Bull Run The First Battle of Bull Run (the name used by Union forces), also known as the Battle of First Manassas

on July 21, 1861. After recovering from his injury, he was appointed as captain and commander of Company E, 82nd New York Volunteer Infantry on December 5, 1861. As the unit commander, he led the unit at the

Battle of Antietam The Battle of Antietam (), or Battle of Sharpsburg particularly in the Southern United States, was a battle of the American Civil War fought on September 17, 1862, between Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia and Union G ...

, being wounded again on September 17, 1862.

Battle of Boydton Plank Road

During the Siege of Petersburg, Virginia, in October 1864, the Union Army sought to seize a critical supply line for the

Confederate Army The Confederate States Army, also called the Confederate Army or the Southern Army, was the military land force of the Confederate States of America (commonly referred to as the Confederacy) during the American Civil War (1861–1865), fighting ...

– Boydton Plank Road. Captain Embler was now commander of Company D of the 59th New York Volunteer Infantry which was a key unit during the battle. Captain Embler led his unit as the spearhead of two regiments that attacked the Confederate's main body and allowed the Union to establish a barricade on the road. The Union Army, under Major General Winfield S. Hancock, would achieve a tactical victory of the Confederate Army before both sides would settle down for the winter. For these actions, Captain Embler would be awarded the Medal of Honor.CWSAC Report Update
/ref> Captain Embler would continue to serve in the Union Army throughout the duration of the war and was present at

Appomattox Court House Appomattox Court House could refer to: * The village of Appomattox Court House, now the Appomattox Court House National Historical Park, in central Virginia (U.S.), where Confederate army commander Robert E. Lee surrendered to Union commander Ulyss ...

in April 1865 to witness the surrender of the Confederate Army. For his service, he was brevetted to the rank of

lieutenant colonel Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colone ...

Medal of Honor citation

After the War

Andrew returned to Montgomery, New York, after the war but would soon move to Connecticut to seek business opportunities. In 1878 he was one of the founders of the District Telephone Company of New Haven, which would become Southern New England Telephone. In 1877 he joined the First Company Governor's Foot Guard to which he served as the Major Commandant from February 28, 1881, to January 30, 1882. Now a respected businessman and war hero, Governor Morgan Bulkeley appointed him to the position of adjutant general on January 10, 1890, and the rank of major general.

Personal life

Andrew married Maria Elanora Dickerson (July 11, 1839 – August 8, 1927) of

Minisink Ford, New York Minisink Ford is a hamlet on the Delaware River, fifteen miles northwest of Port Jervis. It is in the town of Highland, Sullivan County, New York, United States. History "Minisink" once referred to a vast area stretching all the way from Minisi ...

. Around June 1918, General Embler attended a memorial service for members of the Old New Haven Blues who had fallen in France during World War I. It is suspected that he contracted pneumonia during this event and combined with weakening health, he died on July 28 at the age of 84. His wife remained in New Haven and would live another nine years, living to the age of 88. Both are interred at the Evergreen Cemetery in New Haven.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Embler, Andrew H. 1834 births 1918 deaths Union Army officers Adjutants General of Connecticut Military personnel from Connecticut People of New York (state) in the American Civil War United States Army Medal of Honor recipients American Civil War recipients of the Medal of Honor People from Montgomery, New York