Charles Henry Howard (August 28, 1838 – January 27, 1908) was an officer in the

Union Army During the American Civil War, the Union Army, also known as the Federal Army and the Northern Army, referring to the United States Army, was the land force that fought to preserve the Union (American Civil War), Union of the collective U.S. st ...

during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...

, and a newspaper editor and publisher. He was the younger brother of Union general

Oliver O. Howard Oliver Otis Howard (November 8, 1830 – October 26, 1909) was a career United States Army officer and a Union general in the Civil War. As a brigade commander in the Army of the Potomac, Howard lost his right arm while leading his men against ...

Early life

Howard was born in

Leeds, Maine Leeds is a town in Androscoggin County, Maine, United States. The population was 2,262 at the 2020 census. It is included in both the Lewiston-Auburn, Maine Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Lewiston-Auburn, Maine Metropolitan New England ...

. He attended Kent's Hill School and the Yarmouth Academy. He graduated from

Bowdoin College Bowdoin College ( ) is a private liberal arts college in Brunswick, Maine. When Bowdoin was chartered in 1794, Maine was still a part of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The college offers 34 majors and 36 minors, as well as several joint eng ...

in Brunswick, Maine in 1859 and then attended the

Bangor Theological Seminary Bangor Theological Seminary was an ecumenical seminary, founded in 1814, in the Congregational tradition of the United Church of Christ. Located in Bangor, Maine, and Portland, Maine, it was the only accredited graduate school of religion in Nor ...

for one year before enlisting for the Civil War.

Civil War

Howard enlisted as a private and musician in the 3rd Maine Infantry in June 1861, upon the request of his brother

, and saw action at the

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

. He was commissioned a

second lieutenant Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces, comparable to NATO OF-1 rank. Australia The rank of second lieutenant existed in the military forces of the Australian colonies and Australian Army until ...

in the 61st New York Infantry on January 24, 1862, and served during the Peninsula Campaign, where he was wounded during the

Battle of Seven Pines The Battle of Seven Pines, also known as the Battle of Fair Oaks or Fair Oaks Station, took place on May 31 and June 1, 1862, in Henrico County, Virginia, nearby Sandston, as part of the Peninsula Campaign of the American Civil War. It was t ...

at Fair Oaks, Virginia. He fought 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 ...

and was wounded again in 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 ...

. In 1863, he was promoted to

major Major (commandant in certain jurisdictions) is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicators ...

and aide-de-camp to his older brother Oliver and served with him at the battles of Chancellorsville and Gettysburg. He and his brother's corps were transferred to Tennessee and fought in the Battles for Chattanooga. He was promoted to

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 ...

and assistant inspector general in May 1864, and to

colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of ...

in March 1865. Howard also commanded the

United States Colored Troops The United States Colored Troops (USCT) were regiments in the United States Army composed primarily of African-American (colored) soldiers, although members of other minority groups also served within the units. They were first recruited during ...

training camp at

Beaufort, South Carolina Beaufort ( , a different pronunciation from that used by the city with the same name in North Carolina) is a city in and the county seat of Beaufort County, South Carolina, United States. Chartered in 1711, it is the second-oldest city in South ...

; as well as the 128th U.S.C.T. Infantry Regiment. He was promoted to

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 ...

brigadier general Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...

on August 15, 1865.

Postbellum career

Following the war, Howard served in the

Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen and Abandoned Lands The Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands, usually referred to as simply the Freedmen's Bureau, was an agency of early Reconstruction, assisting freedmen in the South. It was established on March 3, 1865, and operated briefly as a ...

(the "Freedmen's Bureau"). He also became Inspector of Schools for South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida, and Assistant Commissioner for the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia. Brigadier General Howard as an inspector in the Freedmen’s Bureau testified on January 31, 1866, before the U.S. Congress’ Joint Committee on Reconstruction on the condition of and prognosis for the freedmen in South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida, and about the attitudes and intentions of the people toward the United States and toward the freedmen. His remarks were published in the Report of the Joint Committee on Reconstruction dated January 1, 1866. His remarks at the hearing were printed in the March 12, 1866, issue of the New York Tribune. Howard was for five years the Western Secretary of the

American Missionary Association The American Missionary Association (AMA) was a Protestant-based abolitionist group founded on in Albany, New York. The main purpose of the organization was abolition of slavery, education of African Americans, promotion of racial equality, and ...

. He also served as editor-in-chief of the ''Advance'', a Congregational journal (1871–1881) and controlling editor of '' Farm, Field, and Stockman'', later '' Farm, Field, and Fireside'' (1885–1905). He was briefly Western Editor and Business Manager of the ''National Tribune'' (1885). Howard continued to hold special government appointments in his later life including Government Inspector of Indian Agencies under Presidents

James A. Garfield James Abram Garfield (November 19, 1831 – September 19, 1881) was the 20th president of the United States, serving from March 4, 1881 until his death six months latertwo months after he was shot by an assassin. A lawyer and Civil War gene ...

and

Chester A. Arthur Chester Alan Arthur (October 5, 1829 – November 18, 1886) was an American lawyer and politician who served as the 21st president of the United States from 1881 to 1885. He previously served as the 20th vice president under President James A ...

. Howard married Mary Catherine Foster of

Bangor, Maine Bangor ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Maine and the county seat of Penobscot County. The city proper has a population of 31,753, making it the state's 3rd-largest settlement, behind Portland (68,408) and Lewiston (37,121). Modern Bangor ...

, in 1867, and had five sons and two daughters.

References

* Eicher, John H., and Eicher, David J., ''Civil War High Commands'', Stanford University Press, 2001, .
Charles Henry Howard Collection
Bowdoin College, website accessed May 16, 2009. {{DEFAULTSORT:Howard, Charles Henry 1838 births 1908 deaths Bowdoin College alumni People from Leeds, Maine Union Army colonels People of Maine in the American Civil War Bangor Theological Seminary alumni

Early life

Civil War

Postbellum career

See Also

References