Charles Henry Tucker "Tucky" Collis (February 4, 1838 – May 11, 1902) was an Irish-American US Army officer who received the Medal of Honor for his actions in the American Civil War.

Life

Collis was born in County Cork, Ireland, and immigrated with his father to the United States in 1853. He was a keen cricketer, playing the first English cricket team to tour overseas in 1859. After studying law, he was admitted to the bar in 1859. At the start of the Civil War, he enlisted in the 18th Pennsylvania Infantry, and within three months was promoted to sergeant major. Following his first enlistment, he was commissioned a

captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...

and in August 1861 he raised a company from amongst European immigrants, called Collis' Independent Company "

Zouave The Zouaves were a class of light infantry regiments of the French Army serving between 1830 and 1962 and linked to French North Africa; as well as some units of other countries modelled upon them. The zouaves were among the most decorated unit ...

s d'Afrique" (African Zouaves). On September 1, 1862, after his unit performed well in the

Shenandoah Valley The Shenandoah Valley () is a geographic valley and cultural region of western Virginia and the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia. The valley is bounded to the east by the Blue Ridge Mountains, to the west by the eastern front of the Ridge- ...

, Collis was promoted to colonel and instructed to recruit a regiment, which would become the

114th Pennsylvania Infantry The 114th Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. They were notable for their colorful Americanized version of the Zouave uniform worn in emulation of certai ...

. He commanded the regiment during the

Battle of Fredericksburg The Battle of Fredericksburg was fought December 11–15, 1862, in and around Fredericksburg, Virginia, in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War. The combat, between the Union Army of the Potomac commanded by Maj. Gen. Ambrose Burnsi ...

, for which he later received the Medal of Honor. He was later wounded at the Battle of Chancellorsville and contracted typhoid fever, but recovered by August 1863, becoming a brigade commander under Major General David B. Birney. On December 12, 1864, President Abraham Lincoln nominated Collis for appointment to the

brevet Brevet may refer to: Military * Brevet (military), higher rank that rewards merit or gallantry, but without higher pay * Brevet d'état-major, a military distinction in France and Belgium awarded to officers passing military staff college * Aircre ...

grade of brigadier general of volunteers to rank from October 28, 1864, and the U.S. Senate confirmed the appointment on February 14, 1865. Collis was given command of an independent brigade, commanding this unit the Siege of Petersburg. Collis was mustered out of the volunteers on May 29, 1865. On January 13, 1866, President

Andrew Johnson Andrew Johnson (December 29, 1808July 31, 1875) was the 17th president of the United States, serving from 1865 to 1869. He assumed the presidency as he was vice president at the time of the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. Johnson was a Dem ...

nominated Collis for appointment to the brevet grade of major general of volunteers to rank from March 13, 1865, and the U.S. Senate confirmed the appointment on March 12, 1866.Eicher, 2001, p. 711 Following the war, Collis returned to practicing law, becoming an assistant city solicitor in Philadelphia. Collis died at Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, on May 11, 1902. He was buried at Gettysburg National Cemetery.

Medal of Honor citation

Rank and organization: Colonel, 114th Pennsylvania Infantry. Place and date: Fredericksburg, Va., 13 December 1862. Entered service at: Philadelphia, Pa. Born: 4 February 1838, Ireland. Date of issue: 10 March 1893.

Gallantly led his regiment in battle at a critical moment.

Notes

References

* Eicher, John H., and David J. Eicher, ''Civil War High Commands.'' Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2001. . *

External links

Biography
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Collis, Charles H. T. 1838 births 1902 deaths American Civil War recipients of the Medal of Honor Irish-born Medal of Honor recipients Irish soldiers in the United States Army People of Pennsylvania in the American Civil War Union Army colonels Union Army generals United States Army Medal of Honor recipients Burials at Gettysburg National Cemetery People from County Cork American cricketers