Frederick Knefler
Encyclopedia
Frederick Knefler served in the Union Army
in the U.S. Civil War
, joining as a first lieutenant in May 1861 and mustering out as a Brevet
Brigadier General
on June 11, 1865.
. After the revolutionary forces were defeated, the entire Knoepfler family fled to the United States, first to New York, then to Indianapolis, Indiana
. As one of the earliest Jewish families settling in Indianapolis, Dr. Knoepfler was one of the original founders of the Indianapolis Hebrew Congregation
.http://www.jewish-history.com/civilwar/knefler.html
Knefler trained as a carpenter in New York, a trade he continued in Indianapolis as he studied law. He became assistant to the clerk of Marion County, Indiana
, in which position he became acquainted with Lew Wallace
.
, Governor Oliver Morton appointed Lew Wallace Adjutant-General with the task of raising Indiana’s quota. Wallace, in turn, appointed Knefler as his principal assistant. After raising five regiments, Wallace requested and received command of the 11th Indiana Infantry, commissioning Knefler as a first lieutenant in it; he was promoted to captain on June 5, 1861.
The 11th Indiana Infantry was sent to the Washington, D.C.
area, participated in several skirmishes, but missed the first battle of Bull Run
. Their 3-month term of enlistment expired, the regiment was shipped back to Indianapolis and mustered out. When Wallace then formed a new 11th Indiana Infantry in August 1861, Knefler was commissioned a captain in it. Soon after, however, Wallace became a brigadier general and Knefler went with him as his assistant adjutant general.
and Fort Donelson
, playing a key part in preventing the Confederate forces from forcing an escape from Fort Donelson through the Union lines. Wallace's report of the battle stated that Knefler’s “prompt and efficient service in the field” and his “courage and fidelity have earned my lasting gratitude.”
Knefler was also with Wallace in the Battle of Shiloh
, and his loss of the messenger's written transcription of Grant’s oral order during the battle probably prevented resolution of the dispute between the two generals over whether the ambiguity of the order or Wallace’s actions caused his failure to reach the battle on the first day.
in August 1862. Sent to join Buell’s Army of the Ohio, his regiment, as part of the brigade led by Brigadier General Samuel Beatty
, became involved in the battles of Stones River
, Chickamauga
, and Missionary Ridge
. At Stones River, Knefler reported his regiment lost one-third of its 341 men, including one-half of its commissioned officers. The 79th Indiana captured a key battery during the first day of Chickamauga, but was cut in half in the Confederate breakthrough on the second day, Knefler’s half attempting to regroup Beatty’s brigade until withdrawn, the other half helping hold Snodgrass Hill until the Confederate charge was finally repulsed. In the battle of Missionary Ridge, Knefler was in command of the combined 79th Indiana and 86th Indiana
infantry regiments that led the unexpected charge up the center of the ridge. General Beatty’s report after the battle complimented Knefler for the charging of Missionary Ridge, and fellow colonel George Dick wrote that he “richly merits a commission as brigadier-general for his gallantry displayed in the charging and taking of Missionary Ridge.”
, Peach Tree Creek
, Jonesboro, and Lovejoy’s Station, and marching into Atlanta.
, Knefler’s brigade on December 16, 1864 formed the reserve behind which the two charging brigades reformed after being repulsed. He then ordered his brigade to charge the confused enemy, forcing them into retreat and capturing much of their arms. On March 13, 1865 Knefler was brevetted brigadier general.
Knefler’s brigade was part of the army preparing to move from east Tennessee into Virginia when the war ended. Following the final review of Thomas’s army in Nashville on May 9, 1865, he returned with the 79th Indiana Infantry to Indianapolis where he was mustered out.
. After his partner was elected in Congress in 1876, Knefler was appointed head of the pension office in Indianapolis by President Rutherford B. Hayes
, where he served eight years. As president of the board of regents of Indiana’s Soldiers and Sailors Monument
, he oversaw the laying of the cornerstone in the center of Indianapolis on August 22, 1889, but died before its completion in 1902.
He died June 14, 1901 in Indianapolis, Indiana and is buried Crown Hill Cemetery
; his grave can be found in Section 8, Lot 22.
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
in the U.S. Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, joining as a first lieutenant in May 1861 and mustering out as a Brevet
Brevet (military)
In many of the world's military establishments, brevet referred to a warrant authorizing a commissioned officer to hold a higher rank temporarily, but usually without receiving the pay of that higher rank except when actually serving in that role. An officer so promoted may be referred to as being...
Brigadier General
Brigadier general (United States)
A brigadier general in the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, is a one-star general officer, with the pay grade of O-7. Brigadier general ranks above a colonel and below major general. Brigadier general is equivalent to the rank of rear admiral in the other uniformed...
on June 11, 1865.
Early life
Frederick Knefler (Knoepfler Frigyes) was born in Arad, Hungary, son of Nathan Knoepfler, a Hungarian Jew and a physician. He enlisted with his father in the revolutionary forces during the 1848-49 Hungarian War of LiberationHungarian Revolution of 1848
The Hungarian Revolution of 1848 was one of many of the European Revolutions of 1848 and closely linked to other revolutions of 1848 in the Habsburg areas...
. After the revolutionary forces were defeated, the entire Knoepfler family fled to the United States, first to New York, then to Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
. As one of the earliest Jewish families settling in Indianapolis, Dr. Knoepfler was one of the original founders of the Indianapolis Hebrew Congregation
Indianapolis Hebrew Congregation
The Indianapolis Hebrew Congregation is a Reform Jewish synagogue in Indianapolis, Indiana. It is the oldest synagogue in Indianapolis. -History:...
.http://www.jewish-history.com/civilwar/knefler.html
Knefler trained as a carpenter in New York, a trade he continued in Indianapolis as he studied law. He became assistant to the clerk of Marion County, Indiana
Marion County, Indiana
Marion County is a county located in the U.S. state of Indiana. Census 2010 recorded a population of 903,393, making it the largest county in the state and 55th most populated county in the country, greater than the population of six states. The county seat is Indianapolis, the state capital and...
, in which position he became acquainted with Lew Wallace
Lew Wallace
Lewis "Lew" Wallace was an American lawyer, Union general in the American Civil War, territorial governor and statesman, politician and author...
.
11th Indiana Infantry
Upon President Lincoln’s proclamation calling for the raising of 75,000 troops after the firing on Fort SumterFort Sumter
Fort Sumter is a Third System masonry coastal fortification located in Charleston Harbor, South Carolina. The fort is best known as the site upon which the shots initiating the American Civil War were fired, at the Battle of Fort Sumter.- Construction :...
, Governor Oliver Morton appointed Lew Wallace Adjutant-General with the task of raising Indiana’s quota. Wallace, in turn, appointed Knefler as his principal assistant. After raising five regiments, Wallace requested and received command of the 11th Indiana Infantry, commissioning Knefler as a first lieutenant in it; he was promoted to captain on June 5, 1861.
The 11th Indiana Infantry was sent to the Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
area, participated in several skirmishes, but missed the first battle of Bull Run
First Battle of Bull Run
First Battle of Bull Run, also known as First Manassas , was fought on July 21, 1861, in Prince William County, Virginia, near the City of Manassas...
. Their 3-month term of enlistment expired, the regiment was shipped back to Indianapolis and mustered out. When Wallace then formed a new 11th Indiana Infantry in August 1861, Knefler was commissioned a captain in it. Soon after, however, Wallace became a brigadier general and Knefler went with him as his assistant adjutant general.
Aide to General Lew Wallace
Wallace’s brigade was part of Grant’s force in the capture of Fort HenryBattle of Fort Henry
The Battle of Fort Henry was fought on February 6, 1862, in western Tennessee, during the American Civil War. It was the first important victory for the Union and Brig. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant in the Western Theater....
and Fort Donelson
Battle of Fort Donelson
The Battle of Fort Donelson was fought from February 11 to February 16, 1862, in the Western Theater of the American Civil War. The capture of the fort by Union forces opened the Cumberland River as an avenue for the invasion of the South. The success elevated Brig. Gen. Ulysses S...
, playing a key part in preventing the Confederate forces from forcing an escape from Fort Donelson through the Union lines. Wallace's report of the battle stated that Knefler’s “prompt and efficient service in the field” and his “courage and fidelity have earned my lasting gratitude.”
Knefler was also with Wallace in the Battle of Shiloh
Battle of Shiloh
The Battle of Shiloh, also known as the Battle of Pittsburg Landing, was a major battle in the Western Theater of the American Civil War, fought April 6–7, 1862, in southwestern Tennessee. A Union army under Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant had moved via the Tennessee River deep into Tennessee and...
, and his loss of the messenger's written transcription of Grant’s oral order during the battle probably prevented resolution of the dispute between the two generals over whether the ambiguity of the order or Wallace’s actions caused his failure to reach the battle on the first day.
Colonel of 79th Indiana Infantry
After Wallace’s removal from active service, Indiana governor Oliver Morton appointed Knefler the commanding colonel of the newly formed 79th Indiana Infantry79th Regiment Indiana Infantry
The 79th Regiment Indiana Infantry was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War.-Service:The 79th Indiana Infantry was organized at Indianapolis, Indiana from August 20 through September 2, 1862 and mustered in for a three year enlistment on September 2, 1862...
in August 1862. Sent to join Buell’s Army of the Ohio, his regiment, as part of the brigade led by Brigadier General Samuel Beatty
Samuel Beatty (general)
Samuel Beatty was an American soldier, sheriff, and farmer from Ohio. He was a brigadier general in the Union Army during the American Civil War. In 1866, he was awarded the brevet grade of major general of volunteers....
, became involved in the battles of Stones River
Battle of Stones River
The Battle of Stones River or Second Battle of Murfreesboro , was fought from December 31, 1862, to January 2, 1863, in Middle Tennessee, as the culmination of the Stones River Campaign in the Western Theater of the American Civil War...
, Chickamauga
Battle of Chickamauga
The Battle of Chickamauga, fought September 19–20, 1863, marked the end of a Union offensive in southeastern Tennessee and northwestern Georgia called the Chickamauga Campaign...
, and Missionary Ridge
Battle of Missionary Ridge
The Battle of Missionary Ridge was fought November 25, 1863, as part of the Chattanooga Campaign of the American Civil War. Following the Union victory in the Battle of Lookout Mountain on November 24, Union forces under Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant assaulted Missionary Ridge and defeated the...
. At Stones River, Knefler reported his regiment lost one-third of its 341 men, including one-half of its commissioned officers. The 79th Indiana captured a key battery during the first day of Chickamauga, but was cut in half in the Confederate breakthrough on the second day, Knefler’s half attempting to regroup Beatty’s brigade until withdrawn, the other half helping hold Snodgrass Hill until the Confederate charge was finally repulsed. In the battle of Missionary Ridge, Knefler was in command of the combined 79th Indiana and 86th Indiana
86th Regiment Indiana Infantry
The 86th Regiment Indiana Infantry was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War.-Service:The 86th Indiana Infantry was organized at Lafayette, Indiana and mustered in for a three year enlistment on September 4, 1862 under the command of Colonel Orville S...
infantry regiments that led the unexpected charge up the center of the ridge. General Beatty’s report after the battle complimented Knefler for the charging of Missionary Ridge, and fellow colonel George Dick wrote that he “richly merits a commission as brigadier-general for his gallantry displayed in the charging and taking of Missionary Ridge.”
Atlanta Campaign
Following Missionary Ridge, the 79th Indiana moved toward Knoxville and participated in the east Tennessee winter campaign until transferred to join General Sherman’s Atlanta Campaign. During this campaign, because of General Beatty’s illness, Knefler was given command of the entire brigade, although remaining a colonel. Knefler’s brigade participated in the entire campaign, playing a major role in the battles of Pickett’s MillBattle of Pickett's Mill
The Battle of Pickett's Mill was fought on May 27, 1864, in Paulding County, Georgia during the American Civil War between Union and Confederate forces. Union Maj. Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman attempted an attack on the right flank of Confederate Gen. Joseph E. Johnston.After the Union defeat at...
, Peach Tree Creek
Battle of Peachtree Creek
The Battle of Peachtree Creek was fought in Georgia on July 20, 1864, as part of the Atlanta Campaign in the American Civil War. It was the first major attack by Lt. Gen. John B. Hood since taking command of the Confederate Army of Tennessee. The attack was against Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman's...
, Jonesboro, and Lovejoy’s Station, and marching into Atlanta.
Promotion to brigadier general
When Confederate general Hood decided to cut Sherman’s supply line by invading Tennessee, Knefler’s brigade was one of those sent to join General Thomas to counter Hood. In the battle of Franklin, Knefler’s brigade guarded one flank as Hood put all his effort into a massive charge on the Union center, and thus suffered few casualties. In the battle of NashvilleBattle of Nashville
The Battle of Nashville was a two-day battle in the Franklin-Nashville Campaign that represented the end of large-scale fighting in the Western Theater of the American Civil War. It was fought at Nashville, Tennessee, on December 15–16, 1864, between the Confederate Army of Tennessee under...
, Knefler’s brigade on December 16, 1864 formed the reserve behind which the two charging brigades reformed after being repulsed. He then ordered his brigade to charge the confused enemy, forcing them into retreat and capturing much of their arms. On March 13, 1865 Knefler was brevetted brigadier general.
Knefler’s brigade was part of the army preparing to move from east Tennessee into Virginia when the war ended. Following the final review of Thomas’s army in Nashville on May 9, 1865, he returned with the 79th Indiana Infantry to Indianapolis where he was mustered out.
Post-war activities
Following the war, Knefler became a lawyer in Indianapolis, joining in partnership with former U. S. Attorney John HannaJohn Hanna (Indiana)
John Hanna was a United States Representative and United States Attorney from Indiana.-Early years: Born near Indianapolis, he pursued classical studies and graduated from the Indiana Asbury University in 1850. He studied law, was admitted to the bar, and commenced practice in Greencastle...
. After his partner was elected in Congress in 1876, Knefler was appointed head of the pension office in Indianapolis by President Rutherford B. Hayes
Rutherford B. Hayes
Rutherford Birchard Hayes was the 19th President of the United States . As president, he oversaw the end of Reconstruction and the United States' entry into the Second Industrial Revolution...
, where he served eight years. As president of the board of regents of Indiana’s Soldiers and Sailors Monument
Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument (Indianapolis)
The Indiana Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument is a tall neoclassical monument in the center of Indianapolis, Indiana that was designed by German architect Bruno Schmitz and completed in 1901....
, he oversaw the laying of the cornerstone in the center of Indianapolis on August 22, 1889, but died before its completion in 1902.
He died June 14, 1901 in Indianapolis, Indiana and is buried Crown Hill Cemetery
Crown Hill Cemetery
Crown Hill Cemetery, located at 700 West 38th Street in Indianapolis, is the third largest non-governmental cemetery in the United States at . It contains of paved road, over 150 species of trees and plants, over 185,000 graves, and services roughly 1,500 burials per year. It sits on the highest...
; his grave can be found in Section 8, Lot 22.
See also
- List of American Civil War generals