Theophilus Bhyrd von Michalowski

On 16 April 1860, a 21 year old clerk, he enlisted in St Louis, MO as a Private in Company C, 2nd United States Infantry, transferred to Company G of the 11th US, then was promoted to Sergeant Major of the 11th by 28 October 1861. He was appointed 2nd Lieutenant, 1st US Artillery on 1 May 1861.

He served with his Battery on the Maryland Campaign, and was cited by Captain Graham in his after-action Report:

Lieutenant Michalowski for a long time served one of his pieces with but one cannoneer, alternating with this man in loading and firing.

He was promoted to First Lieutenant on 28 May 1863. General Buford complimented him in his after-action report on the Gettysburg Campaign. He was honored by brevets to First Lieutenant (17 September 1862) for "gallant and meritorious service" at Antietam, and to Captain (4 June 1864) for action near St. Mary's Church, VA.

He resigned his commission on 28 August 1867.

By 1880 he was a married civil engineer and surveyor, and in June of that year was a prisoner in the Ramsay County Jail in St Paul, MN.

His service from Heitman,1 who spells his name Theophie, and the Registers,2 as Von Theophilus Michalowski. Most US Army records have him as Theophilus, with some as Teofil or Theophil. Personal details from family genealogists and the US Census of 1880. His picture from a photograph in the Scott D. Hann Collection, as published in Military Images (September/October 2002).

He married Mary Louise Smith (1843-) in June 1866 and they had a daughter Clara Maria (b. 1868, CT). He married Alice (?) and they had a son Birthald (c. 1878, IA).

For much more about von Michalowski, most particularly about his sad post-war life, see a fine post by Bob O’Neill at Small but Important Riots.

c. 1839; Posen, POLAND (PRUSSIA)