Regis de Trobriand
Philippe Régis Denis de Keredern de Trobriand (born June 4, 1816 in Concourson-sur-Layon , near Tours in France , † July 15, 1897 in Bayport , New York ) was a poet, publisher and editor of a magazine, General of the Union Army during the American Civil War and Writer.
Early life
Trobriand was the son of a baron who had served as a general in Napoleon Bonaparte's army. In his youth he studied law and wrote poetry and prose. He published his first novel in 1840. Trobriand was an excellent fencer and involved in several duels . In 1841, at the age of 25, he emigrated to the United States , where he made himself popular with New York's upper class as a bon vivant . He married a wealthy heiress named Mary Jones. Although the wedding took place in Paris , the couple lived for some time in Venice afterwards , where he moved in the circles of the local nobility. When the couple returned to the United States, they settled in New York City. In the 1850s, Trobriand made a living writing articles for French-language publications. He was also the publisher of the Revue du Nouveau Monde and editor of Le Courrier des Etats-Unis .
In the Civil War
After the outbreak of the Civil War, Trobriand took on the US citizenship. On August 28, 1861, he was transferred to regimental commander of the 55th New York Infantry Regiment. In this regiment , which became known as the Gardes Lafayette , mainly French immigrants served. It was assigned in September 1861 to the brigade commanded by John J. Peck in the division commanded by Darius N. Couch in the IV Corps of the Potomac Army . In 1862 Trobriand took part in the peninsula campaign with the regiment . Trobriand experienced his first combat mission on May 5, 1862 in the Battle of Williamsburg . A little later he became seriously ill and was unable to work for some time. He was therefore unable to take part in the further course of the campaign and did not return to the regiment until July 1862 after he had overcome the disease diagnosed as mala fever. Trobriand's regiment was part of the brigade commanded by JH Hobart Ward in III. Corps subordinated to the Potomac Army. In the Battle of Fredericksburg , the regiment was in reserve, so that despite the defeat of the Union, it suffered no losses.
In December 1862, the 55th and 38th New York were merged and Trobriand became the commander of the resulting new 38th New York Infantry Regiment. The new regiment led Trobriand at the Battle of Chancellorsville in May 1863 , but it did not become involved in heavy fighting. Due to the heavy losses of the Union in this battle, the III. Corps reorganized. In the course of the reorganization, Trobriand was given command of a new brigade.
At the Battle of Gettysburg , the first battle in which Trobriand was embroiled in serious engagement, the brigade he commanded distinguished itself. She arrived at the scene of the incident on July 2, 1863, the second day of the battle, and took up position at the section known as the wheat field . There the brigade was able to repel several heavy attacks by two Confederate brigades under George T. Anderson and Joseph B. Kershaw until it was reinforced by the division of John C. Caldwells. Trobriands Brigade suffered the heaviest losses during this operation, which amounted to a third of the crew strength.
Although Trobriand was suggested by his division commander after the battle for his excellent service for promotion to brigadier general , he did not receive this rank until January 5, 1864. He then took over the brigade previously commanded by JH Hobart Ward after Ward was removed from command for drunkenness had been. During the Petersburg campaign and the Appomattox campaign , Trobriand occasionally commanded a division; especially after Gershom Mott failed after being wounded in the latter campaign. On 9 April 1865, the day of the surrender of the Confederate Northern Virginia Army received Trobriand a Brevet -transport to major general of volunteers. In 1867 he was finally promoted to Brevet Brigadier General in the regular army .
After the end of the Civil War
After the end of the Civil War, Trobriand served in the west and with the occupying forces in the defeated southern states. In particular, he was used in the course of the Reconstruction called reintegration phase of the defeated states of the south into the Union in New Orleans . From 1875 he then took up residence in New Orleans and retired on March 20, 1879 from the army.
Trobriand wrote several books after the war and in retirement, some of which were published posthumously, including Quatre ans de campagnes à l'Armée du Potomac , Vie militaire dans le Dakota and Our Noble Blood .
Trobriand died in Bayport on July 15, 1897. He was buried in St. Anne's Cemetery in Sayville .
literature
- John H. Eicher and David J. Eicher: Civil War High Commands. Stanford University Press, 2001, ISBN 0-8047-3641-3 .
- Larry Tagg: The Generals of Gettysburg. Savas Publishing, 1998, ISBN 1-882810-30-9 .
- Ezra J. Warner: Generals in Blue: Lives of the Union Commanders. Louisiana State University Press, 1964, ISBN 0-8071-0822-7 .
See also
Web links
- Régis de Trobriand in the database of Find a Grave (English)
notes
- ↑ therein as the author: La Rebelle. 1841, about the 1837 rebellions
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Trobriand, Regis de |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Trobriand, Philippe Régis Denis de Keredern de (full name) |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | American general in the Civil War |
| DATE OF BIRTH | June 4, 1816 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Concourson-sur-Layon at Tours |
| DATE OF DEATH | July 15, 1897 |
| Place of death | Bayport |