Julius Raith (March 29, 1819 – April 11, 1862) was a German-American military officer who served in 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 state ...

and the

Mexican–American War The Mexican–American War, also known in the United States as the Mexican War and in Mexico as the (''United States intervention in Mexico''), was an armed conflict between the United States and Second Federal Republic of Mexico, Mexico f ...

. He was mortally wounded at the Battle of Shiloh. Raith came in the United States in 1836 with his family, settling in St. Clair County, Illinois. During the Mexican–American War, he led a company of 2nd Illinois Volunteers. When the Civil War broke out, he helped Gustave Koerner organize a German regiment. During the Battle of Shiloh, he led a brigade in General McClernand's division composed of his own regiment, the 43rd Illinois along with the 17th Illinois, the 29th Illinois, and the 49th Illinois. The actual commanding officer was Colonel Leonard Fulton Ross, who was absent, leaving Colonel James S. Reardon in charge; however, Reardon was ill. Raith was wounded by a minie ball in the leg above the knee and laid on the battlefield for 24 hours. He died of tetanus from his injuries.

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