Charles Henry Tompkins Sr.

Charles Henry Tompkins Sr.
Born(1834-05-15)May 15, 1834
New Windsor, New York, U.S.
DiedApril 9, 1895(1895-04-09) (aged 60)
Somerville, New Jersey, U.S.
Place of burial
New Somerville CemeterySomerville, New Jersey
AllegianceUnited States of AmericaUnion
BranchUnited States ArmyUnion Army
Service years1861-1865
RankColonelBrevetBrigadier General
CommandsRhode Island 1st Marine Light Volunteer ArtilleryArtillery Division of the Sixth Army Corps
Conflicts

Charles Henry Tompkins Sr. (May 15, 1834 – Aug 9, 1895) was an American officer who served as a Union ArmyColonel, who received an appointment to the brevet grade of Brigadier General of volunteers during the American Civil War.[1]

He is not to be confused with another Union officer, Brevet Brigadier General Charles H. Tompkins (1830-1915) from Virginia who was a Medal of Honor recipient during the Civil War.[2]

Early life

Charles Tompkins was born on May 15, 1834 in New Windsor, New York.

Prior to the outbreak of the U.S. Civil War, Tompkins was a merchant in Providence, Rhode Island.

Military career

Prior to the war he was in the Providence Marine Corps of Artillery and had been serving as its Colonel since 1858.

Tompkins enlisted in the Union Army as a Captain in Providence, Rhode Island, on April 17, 1861.[3] On May 2, 1861, he was mustered into and organized the Rhode Island 1st Marine Light Volunteer Artillery for three months, which unit was nicknamed "Tompkins' Marine Artillery."[4] He was commander of the Battery unit, which was part of the Providence Marine Corps of Artillery, a detached unit of the Rhode Island militia. He mustered out of service from the First Rhode Island Light Volunteer Artillery on August 6, 1861. The unit was jokingly referred to as the "Geography Class" as it served in a lot of places.[5]

On August 1, 1861, Governor William Sprague IV was authorized by the Secretary of War to establish a new artillery battalion and Tompkins was promoted to Major to head the new battalion, the First Rhode Island Light Volunteer Artillery Regiment.[6] The Regiment oversaw Batteries A, B, C, D, E, F, G, and H.[7] Under his command, the Regiment became known as one of the finest regiments in the Union Army.[8] Nine soldiers from his Regiment were awarded the Medal of Honor and served in every battle of the Army of the Potomac.

He was put in command of the Artillery Division of the Sixth army Corps on May 12, 1863.[9]

On September 13, 1861, was promoted to Colonel of the First Rhode Island Light Volunteer Artillery Regiment and became Chief of Artillery in a brigade of the 6th Corps in the Army of the Potomac, which role he held for the remainder of his time in the war.[10] As Chief of Artillery in the Sixth Army Corps, he had at least eight units under him.[11] The Second Division was commanded by his brother, John A. Tompkins.

As part of the First Rhode Island Light Artillery Regiment, he was actively involved in the Battle of Shenandoah Valley; the Battle of Second Bull Run; and the Battle of Cedar Creek. He served in more of a leadership role for many other battles, including the Battle of Gettysburg.[12]

He was wounded in the Battle of Cedar Creek attempting to help withdraw Battery G. In praising Battery G, he wrote, “The conduct of officers and men was gallant in the extreme and it merits the hearty commendation of all who witnessed it. Rhode Island has just cause to be proud of such soldiers.[13]

On December 12, 1865 he was nominated by President Abraham Lincoln and on August 1, 1864, he was brevetted brigadier general of U.S. volunteers for "For Gallant Service at Richmond and Shenandoah." He was mustered out of service from the army on April 21, 1865.

He was a member of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States (MOLLUS), a United States military order organized on April 15, 1865, in the wake of the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln amidst rumors that there was a plot to overthrow the U.S. government.[14]

Personal life

Tompkins was married to Jane Eliza Carr. They had five children: Hannah; Charles Henry Tompkins Jr.; Vincent; Eliza Rodman Tompkins; and John Almy Tompkins II, an architect in New York. His brother was Union army Lieutenant Colonel John Almy Tompkins.

He moved to Baltimore in 1870 and then Staten Island n 1880.

He died on August 9, 1895, in Somerville, New Jersey.[9]

See also

References

Public Domain This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Army Center of Military History.
  1. ^Hunt, Roger D. (1990). Brevet Brigadier Generals in Blue. Old Soldier Books. ISBN 1560130024. Retrieved May 17, 2025.
  2. ^"Charles Henry Tompkins". HomeofHeros.com. Archived from the original on November 4, 2016. Retrieved April 5, 2009.
  3. ^Eichner, John H. (June 1, 2002). Civil War High Commands. Stanford University Press. ISBN 978-0-8047-3641-1. Retrieved May 17, 2025.
  4. ^"1st Rhode Island Artillery "Tompkin's Marine Artillery"". The Civil War in the East. Retrieved May 17, 2025.
  5. ^Grandchamp, Robert (March 14, 2020). "Writing Rhode Island Civil War History and a Critique of the Sesquicentennial". Online Review of Rhode Island History. Retrieved May 17, 2025.
  6. ^Lewis, George (1892). The History of Battery E, First Regiment Rhode Island Light Artillery, in the War of 1861 and 1866 to Preserve the Union(PDF). Snow and Farnham Printers.
  7. ^Grandchamp, Robert (June 4, 2021). "The Numbers Game: The Curious Numbering of Rhode Island's Civil War Units". Online Review of Rhode Island History. Retrieved May 18, 2025.
  8. ^Grandchamp, Robert (November 17, 2017). "The 103rd Field Artillery on the Western Front in World War I". Online Review of Rhode Island History. Retrieved May 18, 2025.
  9. ^ ab"House of Representatives Report No. 927 from the Committee on Invalid Persons regarding Jane E. Tompkins"(PDF). March 13, 1902.
  10. ^"Organization of the United States Army at Cedar Creek". Stone Sentinels. Retrieved May 17, 2025.
  11. ^Gettysburg, Mailing Address: 1195 Baltimore Pike; Us, PA 17325 Contact. "The Army of the Potomac at Gettysburg - Gettysburg National Military Park (U.S. National Park Service)". www.nps.gov. Retrieved May 17, 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  12. ^"6th Corps Army of the Potomac Organization at Gettysburg". The Battle of Gettysburg. Retrieved May 18, 2025.
  13. ^Grandchamp, Robert (November 10, 2018). ""With regret I am called to inform you:" Civil War Notification to a Rhode Island Family". Online Review of Rhode Island History. Retrieved May 17, 2025.
  14. ^"Original Companions of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States"(PDF).
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