Kautz, August V. (August Valentine), 1828-1895

August Valentine Kautz was a United States (U.S.) Army officer. He was a private, 1st Ohio Infantry Regiment (Mexican War); lieutenant, 4th U.S. Infantry Regiment; captain, 6th (3rd) U.S. Cavalry Regiment; colonel, 2nd Ohio Cavalry Regiment; commander, Camp Chase; 1st Cavalry Brigade, District of Central Kentucky; 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, XXIII (23rd) Corps; Chief of Cavalry and temporary Chief of Staff, XXIII Corps; Assistant Chief, Cavalry Bureau; brigadier general, Cavalry Division, Department of Virginia and North Carolina; 1st Division, XXV (25th) Corps; captain, Judge Advocate General (JAG), Military Division of the Gulf; lieutenant colonel, 34th and 15th U.S. Infantry Regiments; colonel, 8th U.S. Infantry Regiment; commander, Department of Arizona; and brigadier general, commander, Department of the Columbia.

From the description of The August Valentine Kautz papers, 1828-1895. (US Army, Mil Hist Institute). WorldCat record id: 50598522

American army officer.

From the description of Autograph letter signed : Fort Stanton, N.M., to President Grant, 1870 Dec. 19. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 270487215

U.S Army officer.

From the description of Papers of August V. Kautz, 1846-1945. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 71131179

Brigadier General, born in Germany, who started with the 2nd Ohio Infantry in the Civil War as a Captain, was in command of Negro troops near the end of the war, wrote several books relating to the military of which some are still in print and served on the court that tried Lincoln's assassins.

From the description of Papers, 1864-1865. (Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library). WorldCat record id: 52112388

Biographical Note

• 1828, Jan. 5: Born, Ispringen, Baden, Germany
• 1828: Immigrated with his parents to Baltimore, Md
• 1832: Relocated with his parents to Brown County, Ohio
• 1846: Enlisted in 1st Infantry Regiment of Ohio Volunteers and participated in the Mexican War
• 1848 - 1852 : Attended United States Military Academy, West Point, N.Y.
• 1852: Commissioned a second lieutenant and assigned to 4th Infantry Regiment, Vancouver Barracks, Washington Territory
• 1855: Wounded twice in campaigns against Puget Sound Indians
• 1861 - 1862 : Promoted to captain and assigned to 6th United States Cavalry in which he served through the Peninsular Campaign Promoted to colonel and given command of 2nd Ohio Cavalry Regiment Commanded Camp Chase in Ohio
• 1863: Commanded First Cavalry Brigade and assisted in the capture of Confederate cavalry raider John Hunt Morgan Published The Company Clerk. Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott
• 1864: Breveted successively to brigadier-general and major-general Served as chief of cavalry for XXIII Corp, Army of the Ohio, and in this position participated in the East Tennessee campaign, including the battle of Knoxville Published Custom of Service for Non-Commissioned Officers and Soldiers. Philadelphia: J. P. Lippincott Commanded cavalry division of the Army of the James and in that position participated in intense action directed at Petersburg, Va.
• 1865: Entered Richmond, Va. at the head of the XXV Corp, United States Colored Troops Served as a commissioner on military court that convicted the accused conspirators in the assassination of Abraham Lincoln Married Charlotte Tod
• 1866: Reverted to regular army rank of lieutenant-colonel Published Customs of Service for Officers. Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott
• 1869: Served with 15th Infantry Regiment in campaigns against the Mescalero Apaches
• 1872: Married Fannie Markbreit
• 1874: Promoted to colonel and given command of 8th Infantry Regiment
• 1891: Promoted to brigadier-general and assigned command of the Department of the Columbia
• 1892: Retired from the army
• 1895, Sept. 4: Died, Seattle, Wash.

From the guide to the August V. Kautz Papers, 1846-1939, (bulk 1860-1890), (Manuscript Division Library of Congress)