| Alexander Asboth | |
|---|---|
 Alexander Asboth | |
| Born | December 18, 1811 |
| Died | January 21, 1868 (aged 56) |
| Place of birth | Keszthely, Hungary |
| Place of death | Buenos Aires |
| Place of burial |
initially Argentina later Arlington National Cemetery, Washington, D.C. |
| Allegiance |
 Kingdom of Hungary United States of America |
| Service/branch |
Hungarian Army Union Army |
| Years of service |
1836 - 1849 (Hungary) 1861 - 1865 (USA) |
| Rank |
|
| Battles/wars | |
Alexander (Sandor) Asboth (Hungarian: Asbóth Sándor, December 18, 1811 – January 21, 1868) was a Hungarian military leader best known for his victories as a Union general during the American Civil War. He also served as United States Ambassador to Argentina and as United States Ambassador to Uruguay.
Early life[]
Asboth was born in Keszthely, Hungary.[1] When Asboth was 8, his family moved to Zombor (now Sombor in Serbia). Asboth wanted to be a soldier, like his elder brother Lajos, but instead his parents decided he should be an engineer. He studied at the Mining Academy of Selmecbánya and the Institutum Geometricum in Pest.[2] He then trained at the Hungarian military academy. In 1836, Asboth enlisted to the newly formed Hungarian Army.[2] He worked as both a soldier and an engineer for the army. He joined with freedom-fighter Lajos Kossuth in the 1848 revolutionary movement.[2] In December 1848 he was promoted to captain.[1] During his time as captain, he took part in the battles of Kápolna and Nagysalló. Asboth traveled with Kossuth to the Ottoman Empire and then to the United States in 1851, after the revolution failed.[3]
United States and Civil War[]
Asboth remained in the United States and joined the Union. Starting in July 1861, he served as chief of staff for General John C. Frémont. Asboth originally was nominated brigadier general to rank from September 3, 1861 by President Abraham Lincoln on December 26, 1861, but the U.S. Senate confirmed the promotion on March 24, 1862 to rank from March 21, 1862 as the President did not formally make the appointment until March 22, 1862.[4] Asboth was assigned commanded of the 4th Division in Frémont's western campaign.[5] Asboth later led a division under Samuel Curtis, and during the Arkansas campaign he occupied Bentonville and Fayetteville. He participated in the Battle of Pea Ridge, leading troops at the Little Sugar Creek position.[6] His arm was seriously wounded while bringing reinforcements to support Colonel Eugene A. Carr. Reinforcements were transferred to Henry Halleck from the Army of the Southwest and during the Siege of Corinth, Asboth commanded a brigade in the Army of the Mississippi.[2]
Asboth later commanded garrisons in Kentucky and Ohio. In August 1863, Asboth was assigned to the District of West Florida, with his headquarters at Fort Pickens. He was badly wounded in the Battle of Marianna on September 27, 1864, his left cheek-bone being broken and his left arm fractured in two places.[7] Asboth was mustered out of the volunteer service on August 24, 1865.[8] On January 13, 1866, President Andrew Johnson nominated Asboth for the award of the brevet grade of major general to rank from March 13, 1865 and the U.S. Senate confirmed the award on March 12, 1866.[9]
Later life and death[]
In 1866 he was appointed U.S. Minister to Argentina and Uruguay, and died in Buenos Aires in 1868, likely due to his wounds received in Florida.[2] Though he was buried in Argentina,[2] his remains were returned to the United States in 1990 for burial in Arlington National Cemetery.[7]
See also[]
Notes[]
References[]
- Cox, Dale; "The Battle of Marianna, Florida", Dale Cox, (2007)
- Eicher, John H., and Eicher, David J., Civil War High Commands, Stanford University Press, 2001, ISBN 0-8047-3641-3.
- Grant, Ulysses S., Simon, John Y.; "The papers of Ulysses S. Grant: 1837-1861, Volume 1", SIU Press, (1967)
- Gracza, Rezsoe, Gracza, Margaret Young; "The Hungarians in America"
- Warner, Ezra J.; "Generals in Blue: Lives of the Union Commanders", LSU Press, (1964)
- Watson, Davis; "The Civil War and Reconstruction in Florida", BiblioBazaar, LLC, (2009)
- Welsh, Jack D.; "Medical Histories of Union Generals", Kent State University Press, (2005)
- "Alexander Asboth". Find a Grave. http://www.findagrave.com/memorial/12843. Retrieved 2008-01-06.
- Beszedits, Stephen (December 2003). "Hungarians with General John C. Fremont in the American Civil War". OCLC 29402831. Archived from the original on 2007-09-28. http://web.archive.org/web/20070928000035/http://www.sk-szeged.hu/szolgaltatas/vasvary/newsletter/03dec/beszedits.html. Retrieved 2007-08-21.
- Attribution
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- "Asboth, Sándor". New International Encyclopedia. 1905.
The original article can be found at Alexander Asboth and the edit history here.