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Charles Henry Tompkins (September 12, 1830 – January 18, 1915) was an American officer who served as a Union Army
colonel Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), 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 colon ...
, who received an appointment to the brevet grade of Brigadier General of volunteers during the
American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...
. He was a recipient of the
Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest Awards and decorations of the United States Armed Forces, military decoration and is awarded to recognize American United States Army, soldiers, United States Navy, sailors, Un ...
for valor in action on June 1, 1861, in the
Battle of Fairfax Court House (June 1861) The Battle of Fairfax Court House was the first land engagement of the American Civil War with fatal casualties. On June 1, 1861, a Union scouting party clashed with the local militia in Fairfax, Virginia, resulting in the war's first deaths ...
. This was the first action in the Civil War for which a Union Army officer would receive the Medal of Honor, although it was not awarded until 1893. He is not to be confused with another Union officer, Brevet Brigadier General Charles H. Tompkins (1834 – 1895) who commanded the 1st Rhode Island Light Artillery Regiment.


Early life and career

Tompkins was born in
Fort Monroe Fort Monroe is a former military installation in Hampton, Virginia, at Old Point Comfort, the southern tip of the Virginia Peninsula, United States. It is currently managed by partnership between the Fort Monroe Authority for the Commonwealth o ...
, Virginia, on September 12, 1830. He was the son of Colonel Daniel D. Tompkins, a career Army officer, and was the grand nephew of Vice President Daniel D. Tompkins. He received an appointment to
West Point The United States Military Academy (USMA), commonly known as West Point, is a United States service academies, United States service academy in West Point, New York that educates cadets for service as Officer_(armed_forces)#United_States, comm ...
from
Brooklyn, New York Brooklyn is a Boroughs of New York City, borough of New York City located at the westernmost end of Long Island in the New York (state), State of New York. Formerly an independent city, the borough is coextensive with Kings County, one of twelv ...
, as a member of the class of 1851, though he did not graduate with his class. He resigned in 1849 for unspecified reasons. Tompkins pursued private business interests until enlisting as a
Private Private or privates may refer to: Music * "In Private", by Dusty Springfield from the 1990 album ''Reputation'' * Private (band), a Denmark-based band * "Private" (Ryōko Hirosue song), from the 1999 album ''Private'', written and also recorded ...
in the First Dragoons in January 1856, rising to the rank of
sergeant Sergeant (Sgt) is a Military rank, rank in use by the armed forces of many countries. It is also a police rank in some police services. The alternative spelling, ''serjeant'', is used in The Rifles and in other units that draw their heritage f ...
before his enlistment ended in January 1861. He served on the western frontier and was recognized for his performance at the Second Battle of Pyramid Lake near Pyramid Lake, Nevada, in June 1860. Tompkins received his commission as a 2nd lieutenant in the 2nd U.S. Cavalry Regiment in March 1861. It was in this unit that he gained fame for his heroism in action at the
Battle of Fairfax Court House (June 1861) The Battle of Fairfax Court House was the first land engagement of the American Civil War with fatal casualties. On June 1, 1861, a Union scouting party clashed with the local militia in Fairfax, Virginia, resulting in the war's first deaths ...
while a 1st lieutenant, to which he was promoted on April 30, 1861. Tompkins was reassigned to the 5th U.S. Cavalry Regiment on August 3, 1861, and served as the regimental quartermaster. On April 24, 1862, he received a volunteer commission as colonel of the 1st Vermont Cavalry. He resigned his volunteer commission on September 9, 1862. During the war, he received brevets (honorary promotions) to major, lieutenant colonel, colonel and brigadier general.


Medal of Honor citation

"Twice charged through the enemy's lines and, taking a carbine from an enlisted man, shot the enemy's captain." Captain
John Quincy Marr John Quincy Marr (May 27, 1825 – June 1, 1861) was a Virginia militia company captain and the first Confederate soldier killed by a Union soldier in combat during the American Civil War. Marr was killed at the Battle of Fairfax Court Ho ...
was the first Confederate soldier killed in combat during the Civil War.


Tompkins Stretcher

In 1866, Tompkins patented a stretcher he invented very late in the war. He then set off a major advertising campaign to promote wider adoption of his model. His marketing included his excerpt in
Scientific American ''Scientific American'', informally abbreviated ''SciAm'' or sometimes ''SA'', is an American popular science magazine. Many scientists, including Albert Einstein and Nikola Tesla, have contributed articles to it, with more than 150 Nobel Pri ...
. It was featured in ''The Medical and Surgical History of the War of the Rebellion’''s treatment of medical evacuation. The National Museum of Civil War Medicine has the only surviving copy of the stretcher.


Postbellum

Tompkins was appointed as one of the nine officers assigned to the military commission investigating the conspirators involved in
President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Film and television *'' Præsident ...
Lincoln's assassination. Because of a dispute with General Grant, between 1866 and 1881 he was posted to numerous remote and austere western posts. He served the remainder of his career in the
Quartermaster Corps Following is a list of quartermaster corps, military units, active and defunct, with logistics duties: * Egyptian Army Quartermaster Corps - see Structure of the Egyptian Army * Hellenic Army Quartermaster Corps (''Σώμα Φροντιστών ...
, rising to Assistant Quartermaster General on January 24, 1881. The position of Assistant Quartermaster General, carried a rank of colonel in the Regular Army, to which Tompkins was promoted the same day. He finished his career serving on the east coast, voluntarily retiring on September 12, 1894. Tompkins suffered a broken leg in September 1914 and the wound never healed properly. He died of sepsis in
Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...
, on January 18, 1915. He is buried at Oak Hill Cemetery in Washington, D.C.


Personal life

Tompkins married Ms. Augusta Root Hobbie of New York on December 17, 1862. They had seven children, four of whom reached adulthood. His eldest son, Selah Reeve Hobbie (“Tommy”) Tompkins, was an Army officer who became Colonel of the
7th Cavalry Regiment The 7th Cavalry Regiment is a United States Army cavalry regiment formed in 1866. Its official nickname is "Garryowen", after the Irish air " Garryowen" that was adopted as its march tune. The regiment participated in some of the largest ba ...
. His second son, Colonel Frank Tompkins, also served as a career army officer including notable participation as a major in the 13th Cavalry in both the raid on Columbus, New Mexico by Pancho Villa and the
Punitive Expedition A punitive expedition is a military journey undertaken to punish a political entity or any group of people outside the borders of the punishing state or union. It is usually undertaken in response to perceived disobedient or morally wrong beha ...
that followed for which he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross.


See also

*
List of Medal of Honor recipients The Medal of Honor was created during the American Civil War and is the highest military decoration presented by the United States government to a member of its armed forces. Recipients must have distinguished themselves at the risk of their own ...


External links


Scientific American


References

: {{DEFAULTSORT:Tompkins, Charles Henry 1830 births 1915 deaths Union army colonels United States Army colonels United States Army Medal of Honor recipients United States Military Academy alumni American Civil War recipients of the Medal of Honor Burials at Oak Hill Cemetery (Washington, D.C.)