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Federal (USV)

Captain

Ernest F. M. Faehtz

(1823 - 1882)

Home State: Maryland

Command Billet: Commanding Company

Branch of Service: Infantry

Unit: 5th Maryland Infantry

Before Antietam

He had studied law at the University of Vienna, but fled after the suppression of the Revolution there in 1848. He travelled through Switzeralnd, France, and England before arriving in the US. He was a teacher in Pennsylvania before the War. He organized and mustered in as Captain, Company I, 5th Maryland Infantry in November 1861.

On the Campaign

The Order of Battle carried in the Army Official Records (OR) shows Capt Faehtz assumed command after Major Blumenberg was seriously wounded in the attack on the sunken road at midday. However, the Maryland Archives account says it was Capt Bamberger (Co. B), himself wounded and relieved in turn by Capt. Salome Marsh, of Company F, who commanded the regiment during the remainder of the day. I believe the local record is likely to be more accurate.

The rest of the War

Capt Faehtz resigned from the 5th Maryland in November 1862, and mustered into the 8th Maryland Regiment as Major on February 18, 1863.

At Laurel Hill, near Spottsylvania Courthouse, on 8 May, 1864, Colonel Denison, commanding the 8th Regiment, was wounded and stricken down at the head of his command, losing his right arm. The command of the Regiment then devolved upon Faehtz, temporarily, until the recovery of Colonel Denison.

He was promoted Lieutenant-Colonel, March 13, 1864; and cited Brevet- Colonel, April 1, 1865, for gallant and meritorious services at the battle of Five Forks, Va. He mustered out of service in May 1865.

After the War

Post war activities unknown, but there is a Map of the City of Washington (1873) by E.F.M. Faehtz & Fred W. Pratt, of Washington, D.C., on file at the Geography and Map Division, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C, and he and Mr Pratt published Real Estate Directory of the City of Washington, D.C of 1874.

References & notes

Service information from the Roster1. His death and burial from his gravesite on Findagrave. Details from Kevin Conley Ruffner's Maryland's Blue and Gray (1997). A photograph of him is in the collection (RG98s Civil War Photos 213.37) of the US Army Heritage and Education Center, Carlisle, PA.

Birth

1823; Linz, AUSTRIA

Death

04/23/1882; burial in Glenwood Cemetery, Washington, DC

Notes

1   Wilmer, L. Allison, and J.H. Jarrett, George H. Vernon, State Commissioners, History and Roster of Maryland Volunteers, War of 1861-5, Baltimore: Press of Guggenheimer, Weil & Co., 1898, Vol. 1, pp. 181, 214  [AotW citation 14238]