Henry Boynton Clitz (July 4, 1824 – October 30, 1888) was a career

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the primary Land warfare, land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of th ...

officer who served with distinction during the Mexican–American and

Civil Civil may refer to: *Civility, orderly behavior and politeness *Civic virtue, the cultivation of habits important for the success of a society *Civil (journalism) ''The Colorado Sun'' is an online news outlet based in Denver, Colorado. It lau ...

wars, for which he received brevet appointments. After his release as a prisoner of war from the

Confederate A confederation (also known as a confederacy or league) is a political union of sovereign states united for purposes of common action. Usually created by a treaty, confederations of states tend to be established for dealing with critical issu ...

Libby Prison Libby Prison was a Confederate States of America, Confederate prison at Richmond, Virginia, during the American Civil War. In 1862 it was designated to hold officer prisoners from the Union Army, taking in numbers from the nearby Seven Days battl ...

Richmond, Virginia Richmond ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the Commonwealth (U.S. state), U.S. commonwealth of Virginia. Incorporated in 1742, Richmond has been an independent city (United States), independent city since 1871. ...

, on July 17, 1862, Clitz was Commandant of Cadets at the

United States Military Academy 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 ...

West Point, New York West Point is the oldest continuously occupied military post in the United States. Located on the Hudson River in New York (state), New York, General George Washington stationed his headquarters in West Point in the summer and fall of 1779 durin ...

, from October 23, 1862, to July 4, 1864.Eicher, John H., and David J. Eicher, ''Civil War High Commands''. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2001. . p. 177. He was nominated and confirmed for appointment as a brevet brigadier general in the

Regular Army A regular army is the official army of a state or country (the official armed forces), contrasting with irregular forces, such as volunteer irregular militias, private armies, mercenaries, etc. A regular army usually has the following: * a ...

on March 2, 1867, to rank from March 13, 1865.Eicher, John H., and David J. Eicher, ''Civil War High Commands''. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2001. . p. 733. He retired from the Regular Army as a

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 ...

of the 10th Infantry Regiment on July 1, 1885. Clitz, whose deteriorating mental state had been noticed by relatives for several months, disappeared at

Niagara Falls, New York Niagara Falls is a City (New York), city in Niagara County, New York, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the city had a total population of 48,671. It is adjacent to the Niagara River, across from the city of Niagar ...

, and was presumed drowned on October 30, 1888.

Early life

Henry Boynton Clitz was born at

Sackets Harbor, New York Sackets Harbor (earlier spelled Sackett (surname), Sacketts Harbor) is a village in Jefferson County, New York, United States, on Lake Ontario. The population was 1,450 at the 2010 census. The village was named after land developer and owner Augus ...

, on July 4, 1824.Cullum, George W
''George W. Cullum's Register of Officers and Graduates of the United States Military Academy''
Vol. 2. 1879. . Retrieved January 12, 2011. His parents were Lieutenant John Clitz and Mary Gale Mellen Clitz, who were married in

Plattsburgh, New York Plattsburgh is a city in and the county seat of Clinton County, New York, United States, situated on the north-western shore of Lake Champlain. The population was 19,841 at the United States Census, 2020, 2020 census. The population of the sur ...

, in 1819. John Clitz was a captain and commander of

Fort Mackinac Fort Mackinac ( ) is a former British and American military outpost garrisoned from the late 18th century to the late 19th century in the city of Mackinac Island, Michigan, on Mackinac Island. The Kingdom of Great Britain, British built the f ...

Michigan Michigan ( ) is a peninsular U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest, Upper Midwestern United States. It shares water and land boundaries with Minnesota to the northwest, Wisconsin to the west, ...

, when he died in 1836. His widow was left with four sons and four daughters. His older brother John M. B. Clitz joined the

U.S. Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest displacement, at 4.5 million tons in 2021. It has the world's largest aircraft ...

in 1837.Palmer, Friend
''Early Days in Detroit''
Detroit: Hunt & June 1906. p. 775. Mary Clitz moved to

Detroit Detroit ( , ) is the List of municipalities in Michigan, most populous city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is situated on the bank of the Detroit River across from Windsor, Ontario. It had a population of 639,111 at the 2020 United State ...

, Michigan, where she lived for the rest of her life. Williams, Alpheus S. ''From The Cannon's Mouth: The Civil War Letters Of General Alpheus S. Williams.'' Reprinted Pickle Partners Publishing, 2015. . Footnote 146. Clitz was appointed to the

at large and was a cadet from July 1, 1841, to July 1, 1845. He graduated July 1, 1845, ranked 36 in a class of 41.Sifakis, Stewart. ''Who Was Who in the Civil War.'' New York: Facts On File, 1988. . p. 129. Upon graduation, Clitz was appointed a brevet second lieutenant in the 7th Infantry Regiment. He served in the military occupation of Texas in 1845–46.

Mexican–American War

In 1846–1848, Clitz served in the

Mexican–American War The Mexican–American War (Spanish language, Spanish: ''guerra de Estados Unidos-México, guerra mexicano-estadounidense''), also known in the United States as the Mexican War, and in Mexico as the United States intervention in Mexico, ...

. He was engaged with his regiment in the defense of

Fort Brown Fort Brown (originally Fort Texas) was a military post of the United States Army in Cameron County, Texas, during the latter half of the 19th century and the early part of the 20th century. Established in 1846, it was the first US Army military ...

Texas Texas ( , ; or ) is the most populous U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the we ...

, May 3–9, 1846. Clitz was promoted to second lieutenant, 3rd Infantry Regiment, September 21, 1846. He was engaged with his new regiment at the

Battle of Monterrey In the Battle of Monterrey (September 21–24, 1846) during the Mexican–American War, General Pedro de Ampudia and the Mexican Army of the North was defeated by the Army of Occupation, a force of United States Regulars, Volunteers, an ...

, September 21–23, 1846, the

Siege of Veracruz On 9 March 1847, during the Mexican–American War, the United States military made an amphibious landing and besieged the key Mexican seaport of Veracruz. The port surrendered twenty days later. The U.S. forces then marched inland to Mexico ...

, March 9–29, and the

Battle of Cerro Gordo The Battle of Cerro Gordo, or Battle of Sierra Gordo, was an engagement in the Mexican–American War on April 18, 1847. The battle saw Winfield Scott's United States troops outflank Antonio López de Santa Anna's larger Mexican army, driving ...

, April 17–18, 1847. Clitz received a brevet appointment as

first lieutenant First lieutenant is a commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces; in some forces, it is an appointment. The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations, but in most forces it is sub-divided into a se ...

in the Regular Army on April 18, 1847, for gallant and meritorious conduct at the Battle of Cerro Gordo. Clitz was further engaged with his regiment at the Skirmish of Ocalaca, August 16, 1847, the

Battle of Contreras The Battle of Contreras, also known as the Battle of Padierna, took place on 19–20 August 1847, in one of the final encounters of the Mexican–American War, as invading U.S. forces under Winfield Scott approached the Mexican capital. Ameri ...

, August 19–20, 1847, the

Battle of Churubusco The Battle of Churubusco took place on August 20, 1847, while Santa Anna's army was in retreat from the Battle of Contreras or Battle of Padierna during the Mexican–American War. It was the battle where the San Patricio Battalion, made u ...

, August 20, 1847, the

Battle of Chapultepec The Battle of Chapultepec took place between U.S. troops and Mexican forces holding the strategically located Chapultepec Castle on the outskirts of Mexico City on the 13th of September, 1847 during the Mexican–American War. The castle was buil ...

, September 13, 1847, and

Battle for Mexico City The Battle for Mexico City refers to the series of engagements from September 8 to September 15, 1847, in the general vicinity of Mexico City during the Mexican–American War. Included are major actions at the battles of Molino del Rey and ...

, including the assault and capture of the city on September 13–14, 1847. Clitz was an original member of the

Aztec Club of 1847 The Aztec Club of 1847 is a military society founded in 1847 by United States Army officers of the Mexican–American War. It is a male-only hereditary organization with membership of those who can trace a direct ancestral connection "based on ma ...

, which was founded as a military society of officers who served with the United States Army in the Mexican–American War.

Assignments: 1848–1861

After the Mexican–American War, Clitz served at the US Military Academy, as Assistant Instructor of Infantry Tactics, from September 15, 1848, to September 27, 1855. He was promoted to first lieutenant in the

3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard) The 3rd Infantry Regiment is an infantry regiment of the United States Army. It currently has three active battalions, and is readily identified by its nickname, The Old Guard, as well as Escort to the President. The regimental motto is (from ...

on March 5, 1851. Upon leaving West Point, Clitz was assigned to frontier duty at

Santa Fe, New Mexico Santa Fe ( ; , literal translation, lit. "Holy Faith") is the capital city, capital of the U.S. state of New Mexico, and the county seat of Santa Fe County. With over 89,000 residents, Santa Fe is the List of municipalities in New Mexico, fourt ...

, in 1856. Then he served in turn at Fort Union, New Mexico, 1856; Santa Fe, New Mexico, 1856–1857; Cantonment Burgwin, New Mexico, 1857; Fort Defiance, New Mexico, later Arizona, 1857; and

Albuquerque, New Mexico Albuquerque ( ; ), also known as ABQ, Burque, the Duke City, and in the past 'the Q', is the List of municipalities in New Mexico, most populous city in the U.S. state of New Mexico, and the county seat of Bernalillo County, New Mexico, Bernal ...

, 1857–1858.Cullum, 1879, p. 243. Clitz was promoted to

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

in the 3rd Infantry Regiment on December 6, 1858.Hunt, Roger D. and Jack R. Brown, ''Brevet Brigadier Generals in Blue.'' Gaithersburg, MD: Olde Soldier Books, Inc., 1990. . p. 116. He was on recruiting service, 1858–1859, followed by a leave of absence spent in Europe, 1859–1860. Upon his return he was on frontier duty with his regiment at Ringgold Barracks, Texas, 1860–1861, and

, Texas, 1861.

American Civil War: combat

Clitz served in the defense of

Fort Pickens Fort Pickens is a historic pentagonal United States military fort on Santa Rosa Island in the Pensacola, Florida, area. It is named after American Revolutionary War hero Andrew Pickens. It is the largest of four forts built to defend Pensacol ...

, Florida from

Confederate States Army The Confederate States Army (CSA), also called the Confederate army or the Southern army, was the Military forces of the Confederate States, military land force of the Confederate States of America (commonly referred to as the Confederacy) duri ...

assault between April 19, 1861, and June 27, 1861. He was promoted to

major Major most commonly refers to: * Major (rank), a military rank * Academic major, an academic discipline to which an undergraduate student formally commits * People named Major, including given names, surnames, nicknames * Major and minor in musi ...

12th Infantry Regiment (United States) The 12th Infantry Regiment is a unit of the United States Army. The 12th Infantry has fought in seven wars from the American Civil War, Civil War to the War in Afghanistan (2001-2021) and has been awarded four Presidential Unit Citation (Unite ...

, a Regular Army formation, on May 14, 1861. He was on recruiting duty for the 12th Infantry, and stationed at

Fort Hamilton Fort Hamilton is a United States Army installation in the southwestern corner of the New York City borough of Brooklyn, surrounded by the communities of Bay Ridge and Dyker Heights. It is one of several posts that are part of the region which ...

, New York, between July 7, 1861, and March 10, 1862. Clitz commanded the 1st Battalion of the 12th US Infantry Regiment, the only battalion ready for combat duty, in the

Peninsula Campaign The Peninsula campaign (also known as the Peninsular campaign) of the American Civil War was a major Union operation launched in southeastern Virginia from March to July 1862, the first large-scale offensive in the Eastern Theater. The oper ...

from March through June 1862. Clitz was engaged in the

Siege of Yorktown The siege of Yorktown, also known as the Battle of Yorktown and the surrender at Yorktown, was the final battle of the American Revolutionary War. It was won decisively by the Continental Army, led by George Washington, with support from the Ma ...

, from April 5, 1862, to May 4, 1862. Clitz was wounded at Yorktown but continued in command.Adams, Charles Kendall, ed
''Clitz, Henry Boynton''
in Johnson's Universal Cyclopedia: A New Edition, Volume 2. New York: D. Appleton, A.J. Johnson, 1893. . p. 340. At the

Battle of Gaines's Mill The Battle of Gaines' Mill, sometimes known as the Battle of Chickahominy River, took place on June 27, 1862, in Hanover County, Virginia, as the third of the Seven Days Battles which together decided the outcome of the Union (American Civil War) ...

on June 27, 1862, Clitz was severely wounded in both legs and captured by the Confederate forces. The Union Army had begun a retreat to the

James River The James River is a river in Virginia that begins in the Appalachian Mountains and flows from the confluence of the Cowpasture and Jackson Rivers in Botetourt County U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowli ...

Harrison's Landing Berkeley Plantation, one of the first plantations in America, comprises about on the banks of the James River on State Route 5 in Charles City County, Virginia. Berkeley Plantation was originally called Berkeley Hundred, named after the Berkele ...

.Abbot, Jr., Charles W., Lieut
The Twelfth Regiment of Infantry
p. 557 in Rodenbough, Theophilus F., and William L. Haskin

New York: Maynard, Merrill, and Co., 1896. . Retrieved April 28, 2018. p. 557. The 12th and 14th US Infantry Regiments were attacked by a much larger Confederate force as they tried to hold the line while Union Army wagons and other units withdrew. The 12th US Infantry Regiment lost 54 killed, 102 wounded and 56 missing out of 470 who went into action. Clitz was reported dead, although he actually was severely wounded and captured. Clitz was taken to the McGehee House, a prominent battlefield landmark, where his Mexican–American War colleague, Confederate Major General D. H. Hill called for a surgeon to dress his old friend's wounds. Clitz was appointed brevet lieutenant colonel in the Regular Army to rank from June 27, 1862, for gallant and meritorious conduct at the Battle of Gaines's Mill, Virginia. Clitz was held as a prisoner of war in Libby Prison, at Richmond, Virginia, from June 28, 1862, to July 17, 1862, when he was paroled for exchange.

Commandant of Cadets at West Point and garrison duty

Clitz served at the US Military Academy, as Commandant of Cadets and Instructor of Artillery, Infantry, and Cavalry Tactics, from October 23, 1862, to July 4, 1864. During this time, he was promoted to lieutenant colonel of the 6th United States Infantry Regiment on November 4, 1863. Following his service at West Point, Clitz served on garrison duty at

Bedloe's Island Liberty Island is a federally owned island in Upper New York Bay in the northeastern United States. Its most notable feature is the Statue of Liberty (''Liberty Enlightening the World''), a large statue by Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi that was ...

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

, from July 1864 to May 1865. For his "gallant and meritorious services during the Rebellion" he received a brevet appointment as

in the Regular Army.

Later life

Clitz served at

Savannah, Georgia Savannah ( ) is the oldest city in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia and the county seat of Chatham County, Georgia, Chatham County. Established in 1733 on the Savannah River, the city of Savannah became the Kingdom of Great Brita ...

from May 22, 1865, to July 3, 1865, at

Hilton Head, South Carolina Hilton Head Island, often referred to as simply Hilton Head, is a Lowcountry resort town and barrier island in Beaufort County, South Carolina, United States. It is northeast of Savannah, Georgia (as the crow flies), and southwest of Charles ...

from July 3, 1865, to December 9, 1865, and at

Charleston, South Carolina Charleston is the List of municipalities in South Carolina, most populous city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The city lies just south of the geographical midpoint of South Carolina's coastline on Charleston Harbor, an inlet of the Atla ...

from December 9, 1865, to June 21, 1866. Clitz then served as a member of Tactics Board from June 25, 1866, to February 4, 1867. To cope with the increase in firepower of artillery,

repeating rifle A repeating rifle is a single-barreled rifle capable of repeated discharges between each ammunition reload. This is typically achieved by having multiple cartridges stored in a magazine (within or attached to the rifle) and then fed individually ...

s and

Gatling guns The Gatling gun is a rapid-firing multiple-barrel firearm invented in 1861 by Richard Jordan Gatling of North Carolina. It is an early machine gun and a forerunner of the modern electric motor-driven rotary cannon. The Gatling gun's operat ...

, the Tactics Board recommended that the US Army adopt the more modern tactics described by Union Army Brigadier General (Brevet Major General)

Emory Upton Emory Upton (August 27, 1839 – March 15, 1881) was a United States Army general and military strategist, prominent for his role in leading infantry to attack entrenched positions successfully at the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House during th ...

in his 1867 work, published in 1872: ''A New System of Infantry Tactics, Double and Single Rank, Adapted to American Topography and Improved Fire-Arms.'' Upton stressed light column formations instead of the close order formations that led to many casualties at battles such as the

Battle of Cold Harbor The Battle of Cold Harbor was fought during the American Civil War near Mechanicsville, Virginia, from May 31 to June 12, 1864, with the most significant fighting occurring on June 3. It was one of the final battles of Union Lt. Gen. Ulysses ...

in 1864. Commanding General

William T. Sherman William is a masculine given name of Germanic origin. It became popular in England after the Norman conquest in 1066,All Things William"Meaning & Origin of the Name"/ref> and remained so throughout the Middle Ages and into the modern era. It is ...

supported these recommendations but they failed to gain adherence from many older officers and the US Army bureaucracy. On March 2, 1867, President

Andrew Johnson Andrew Johnson (December 29, 1808July 31, 1875) was the 17th president of the United States, serving from 1865 to 1869. The 16th vice president, he assumed the presidency following the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. Johnson was a South ...

nominated Clitz for appointment to the grade of brevet brigadier general in the Regular Army for "gallant and distinguished services in the field," to rank from March 13, 1865, and the

United States Senate The United States Senate is a chamber of the Bicameralism, bicameral United States Congress; it is the upper house, with the United States House of Representatives, U.S. House of Representatives being the lower house. Together, the Senate and ...

confirmed the appointment on the same day, March 2, 1867. Clitz was in command of the 6th US Infantry Regiment from March 21, 1867, to June 16, 1867; in command of the post at Charleston, South Carolina, from March 21, 1867, to June 15, 1868; on leave of absence from June 15, 1868, to October 24, 1868; and again in command at Charleston, South Carolina from October 24, 1868, to April 6, 1869. Clitz was promoted to colonel, 10th United States Infantry Regiment on February 22, 1869. He was in command of the regiment and of Fort Brown, Texas from April 24, 1869, to May 14, 1871; on leave of absence from May 14, 1871, to September 1872; on duty as a member of Board for Revising Army Regulations from September 1872 to May 26, 1873; awaiting orders from May 26, 1873, to July 1873; in command of his regiment and

Fort McKavett The Fort McKavett State Historic Site is a former United States Army installation located in Menard County, Texas. The fort was first established in 1852 as part of a line of forts in Texas intended to protect migrants traveling to California. T ...

, Texas, from July 14, 1873, to June 10, 1876; on leave of absence, June 10, 1876, to October 10, 1876; and again in command at Fort McKavett from October 23, 1876, to August 29, 1877. Clitz was on sick leave of absence from August 29, 1877, to December 31, 1877, and in command of his regiment at Fort McKavett, Texas, and of the District of North Texas from January 22, 1878, to May 11, 1879. Clitz completed his service in command at

Fort Wayne (Detroit) Fort Wayne is located in the city of Detroit, Michigan, at the foot of Livernois Avenue in the Delray, Michigan, Delray neighborhood. The fort is situated on the Detroit River at a point where it is under half a mile to the Ontario shore. The or ...

from May 1879 to September 19, 1879; on

court martial A court-martial (plural ''courts-martial'' or ''courts martial'', as "martial" is a postpositive adjective) is a military court or a trial conducted in such a court. A court-martial is empowered to determine the guilt of members of the mili ...

duty to November 27, 1879; again in command of his regiment at Fort Wayne, Detroit, Michigan, from November 1879 to June 2, 1884; on leave of absence and on delay, from June 2, 1884, to July 1, 1884; and on sick leave of absence from July 1, 1884, to July 1, 1885. Clitz retired from active service in the US Army, upon his own application, July 1, 1885. He then lived in Detroit, Michigan "where he was a universal favorite among his fellows, and the devoted son of an aged mother".Cullum, 1879, p. 244. He was also described in the biographical sketch in ''General Cullum's Biographical Register of the Officers and Graduates of the United States Military Academy'' as having "personal magnetism" and a "genial nature."

Disappearance

A story in ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'' on October 30, 1888, described Clitz's last days before his disappearance."Gen. H. B. Clitz Missing: He Disappeared from His Home in Detroit Last Tuesday."
''

'', October 30, 1888. Retrieved April 27, 2018. The story noted that Clitz had never married. It stated that "members of his household, including his aged mother, a widowed mother, and a niece," had noticed "his mind was clouded" over the past two months. About three weeks before he left home, he was suffering from "acute nervous dyspepsia, and his mental aberrations became more marked." The story said that a dispatch from General G. A. DeRussey had arrived from London, Ontario saying that Clitz had arrived there on Friday and left on Saturday afternoon saying only he was going "for the East." The police in New York were making inquiries about Clitz upon the request of the Chief of Police of Washington, D.C. Clitz was last seen at Niagara Falls, New York, on October 30, 1888.Cullum, 1879, p. 244. On this date he "disappeared and assupposed to have drowned."Tidball, Eugene. ''No Disgrace to My Country: The Life of John C. Tidball''. Kent, Ohio: Kent State University Press, 2002. . p. 255. A memorial cenotaph was erected in his honor at Elmwood Cemetery.

Notes

References

* Abbot, Jr., Charles W., Lieut
The Twelfth Regiment of Infantry
p. 557 in Rodenbough, Theophilus F., and William L. Haskin

New York: Maynard, Merrill, and Co., 1896. . Retrieved April 28, 2018. * Adams, Charles Kendall, ed
''Clitz, Henry Boynton''
in Johnson's Universal Cyclopedia: A New Edition, Volume 2. New York: D. Appleton, A.J. Johnson, 1893. . * Burton, Brian K. ''Extraordinary Circumstances: The Seven Days Battles''. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 2001. . * Cullum, George W
''George W. Cullum's Register of Officers and Graduates of the United States Military Academy''
Vol. 2. 1879. . Retrieved January 12, 2011. Also retrieved April 21, 2018 at http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Gazetteer/Places/America/United_States/Army/USMA/Cullums_Register/1266*.html * * Dix, John A. Report to Secretary of War

Edwin Stanton Edwin McMasters Stanton (December 19, 1814December 24, 1869) was an American lawyer and politician who served as U.S. Secretary of War, U.S. secretary of war under the Lincoln Administration during most of the American Civil War. Stanton's manag ...

, July 23, 1862, ''

Official Records The ''Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies in the War of the Rebellion'', commonly known as the ''Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies'' or Official Records (OR or ORs), is the most extensive collection of Americ ...

,'' Series II, vol. 4, pp. 265–68. * Eicher, John H., and David J. Eicher, ''Civil War High Commands''. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2001. . * Fleming, George Thornton, ed., and Gilbert Adams Hays, ''Life and Letters of Alexander Hays''. Pittsburgh: ublisher not identified 1919. . * Hunt, Roger D. and Jack R. Brown, ''Brevet Brigadier Generals in Blue''. Gaithersburg, MD: Olde Soldier Books, Inc., 1990. . p. 116. * Jamieson, Perry D. ''Crossing the Deadly Ground: United States Army Tactics, 1865–1899''. Tuscaloosa, AL: University of Alabama Press, 2004. .
"Gen. H. B. Clitz Missing: He Disappeared from His Home in Detroit Last Tuesday".
''

'', October 30, 1888. Retrieved April 27, 2018. * Palmer, Friend
''Early Days in Detroit''.
Detroit: Hunt & June 1906. . * Sifakis, Stewart. ''Who Was Who in the Civil War''. New York: Facts On File, 1988. . * Tidball, Eugene. ''No Disgrace to My Country: The Life of John C. Tidball''. Kent, Ohio: Kent State University Press, 2002. . * Upton, Emory. ''A New System of Infantry Tactics, Double and Single Rank, Adapted to American Topography and Improved Fire-Arms''. New York, D. Appleton. 1872. . * Williams, Alpheus S. ''From The Cannon's Mouth: The Civil War Letters Of General Alpheus S. Williams''. Reprinted Pickle Partners Publishing, 2015. {{DEFAULTSORT:Clitz, Henry Boynton 1824 births 1888 deaths People from Sackets Harbor, New York Commandants of the Corps of Cadets of the United States Military Academy People of Michigan in the American Civil War People of New York (state) in the American Civil War United States Military Academy alumni American military personnel of the Mexican–American War Union army officers Deaths by drowning in New York (state)