George Pomutz
Encyclopedia
George Pomutz was an ethnic Romanian
officer during the Hungarian Revolution of 1848. He was a general in the Union Army
in the American Civil War
, and a diplomat
.
, Hun. Gyula, Békés county; he was of Romanian descent in a town with a strong ethnic Romanian population at that time. After the 1848 revolution, in which Pomutz took an active part, he migrated to America
.
. He was wounded at the Battle of Shiloh
. In May 1864 Pomutz was appointed Provost Marshal of the 17th Iowa Infantry
. In August 1864, he returned to the 15th Iowa Infantry, which he commanded in the Battle of Atlanta
. He was appointed a brevet
brigadier general
on March 13, 1865.
Trivia: During the Washington Parade, marking the end of the Civil War, the handsome General George Pomutz was awarded the special honour to open the Parade on a nice white horse.
. On February 16, 1866, he was appointed Consul of the United States
in Saint Petersburg
, Imperial Russia, serving in that capacity until September 30, 1870. During that period, he was involved in the negotiations for the Alaska Purchase
. Later he became the American consul general in Saint Petersburg
, serving from June 17, 1874, until his death there, in 1882. He was buried in Smolensk
, Russia
.
The Liberty ship
SS George Pomutz was named after him. Launched August 3, 1944, the ship served till 1970.
On August 14, 2004, a statue of Pomutz was unveiled at the Dormition of the Theotokos
Cathedral in Cleveland, Ohio
.
From the address by Emil Constantinescu
, President of Romania
, at a Joint Meeting of the United States Congress
, July 15, 1998:
Romanians
The Romanians are an ethnic group native to Romania, who speak Romanian; they are the majority inhabitants of Romania....
officer during the Hungarian Revolution of 1848. He was a general in the Union Army
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 American 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...
, and a diplomat
Diplomacy
Diplomacy is the art and practice of conducting negotiations between representatives of groups or states...
.
Early life
George Pomutz was born in the Habsburg Empire in JulaJula
Jula refers to:* Dioula language spoken in western Africa* Jula people of western Africa* Jula AB, mail order and store*Jula, Afghanistan...
, Hun. Gyula, Békés county; he was of Romanian descent in a town with a strong ethnic Romanian population at that time. After the 1848 revolution, in which Pomutz took an active part, he migrated to America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Civil War
At the beginning of the Civil War, Pomutz enrolled in the Union Army as a first lieutenant in the 15th Iowa Infantry15th Iowa Volunteer Infantry Regiment
The 15th Regiment Iowa Volunteer Infantry was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War.-Service:The 15th Iowa Infantry was organized at Keokuk, Iowa and mustered in for three years of Federal service on February 22, 1862.The regiment was mustered out on July...
. He was wounded at 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...
. In May 1864 Pomutz was appointed Provost Marshal of the 17th Iowa Infantry
17th Iowa Volunteer Infantry Regiment
The 17th Regiment Iowa Volunteer Infantry was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War.-Service:The 17th Iowa Infantry was organized at Keokuk, Iowa and mustered in for three years of Federal service on April 16, 1862....
. In August 1864, he returned to the 15th Iowa Infantry, which he commanded in the Battle of Atlanta
Battle of Atlanta
The Battle of Atlanta was a battle of the Atlanta Campaign fought during the American Civil War on July 22, 1864, just southeast of Atlanta, Georgia. Continuing their summer campaign to seize the important rail and supply center of Atlanta, Union forces commanded by William T. Sherman overwhelmed...
. He was appointed 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 March 13, 1865.
Trivia: During the Washington Parade, marking the end of the Civil War, the handsome General George Pomutz was awarded the special honour to open the Parade on a nice white horse.
Postbellum career
After the end of the Civil War, Pomutz returned to KeokukKeokuk, Iowa
Keokuk is a city in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Iowa and one of the county seats of Lee County. The other county seat is Fort Madison. The population was 11,427 at the 2000 census. The city is named after the Sauk Chief Keokuk, who is thought to be buried in Rand Park...
. On February 16, 1866, he was appointed Consul of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
, Imperial Russia, serving in that capacity until September 30, 1870. During that period, he was involved in the negotiations for the Alaska Purchase
Alaska purchase
The Alaska Purchase was the acquisition of the Alaska territory by the United States from Russia in 1867 by a treaty ratified by the Senate. The purchase, made at the initiative of United States Secretary of State William H. Seward, gained of new United States territory...
. Later he became the American consul general in Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
, serving from June 17, 1874, until his death there, in 1882. He was buried in Smolensk
Smolensk
Smolensk is a city and the administrative center of Smolensk Oblast, Russia, located on the Dnieper River. Situated west-southwest of Moscow, this walled city was destroyed several times throughout its long history since it was on the invasion routes of both Napoleon and Hitler. Today, Smolensk...
, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
.
The Liberty ship
Liberty ship
Liberty ships were cargo ships built in the United States during World War II. Though British in conception, they were adapted by the U.S. as they were cheap and quick to build, and came to symbolize U.S. wartime industrial output. Based on vessels ordered by Britain to replace ships torpedoed by...
SS George Pomutz was named after him. Launched August 3, 1944, the ship served till 1970.
On August 14, 2004, a statue of Pomutz was unveiled at the Dormition of the Theotokos
Dormition of the Theotokos
The Dormition of the Theotokos is a Great Feast of the Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox and Eastern Catholic Churches which commemorates the "falling asleep" or death of the Theotokos , and her bodily resurrection before being taken up into heaven. It is celebrated on August 15 The Dormition...
Cathedral in Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
.
Quotation
Emil Constantinescu
Emil Constantinescu was President of Romania from 1996 to 2000.He graduated from the law school of the University of Bucharest, and subsequently started a career as a geologist...
, President of Romania
President of Romania
The President of Romania is the head of state of Romania. The President is directly elected by a two-round system for a five-year term . An individual may serve two terms...
, at a Joint Meeting of the United States Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
, July 15, 1998:
See also
- List of American Civil War generals
External links
- Biography
- History of Iowa's 15th Volunteer Regiment
- [ftp://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/ia/state/military/civilwar/15rost-b.txt 15th Iowa Infantry Roster - Civil War]
- Demetrius Dvoichenko-Markov, A Rumanian Priest in Colonial America, American Slavic and East European Review, Vol. 14, No. 3. (October, 1955), pp. 383–389.
- Oldest Romanian Orthodox Parish in US Marks 100 Years of Ministry, Orthodox News, Vol. 6, No. 34, August 24, 2004