Henry Alexander Cole (July 25, 1838 – May 26, 1909) was an American colonel who commanded the 1st Maryland Cavalry Battalion, Potomac Home Brigade across the operations at his home state of Maryland and Virginia during the American Civil War.
Henry A. Cole | |
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| Born | July 25, 1838 Frederick, Maryland, U.S. |
| Died | May 26, 1909 (aged 70) Baltimore, Maryland, U.S. |
| Buried | Mount Olivet Cemetery Frederick, Maryland, U.S. |
| Allegiance | United States (Union) |
| Branch | United States Army (Union Army) |
| Years of service | 1861 – 1865 |
| Rank | Colonel |
| Commands held | 1st Maryland Cavalry Battalion, Potomac Home Brigade |
| Battles/wars | American Civil War
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Biography edit
Henry was born on July 25, 1838, at Frederick, Maryland. He enlisted in the Union Army on August 10, 1861, and was appointed captain of Company A of the 1st Maryland Cavalry Battalion, Potomac Home Brigade on November 27, 1861, which would later go on to be known as "Cole's Cavalry".[1][2][3] He was promoted to major on August 1, 1862, after Companies A, B, C, and D merged within the 1st Maryland.[4][5] He would begin active combat by participating in the First Battle of Kernstown and the Battle of Mile Hill. Cole would go on to participate at the Battle of Harpers Ferry of the Maryland campaign during a cavalry breakout at the final stages of the battle.[1][6] He also delivered the dispatch from a beleaguered garrison to George B. McClellan, receiving a personal thanks for the retrieval.[6] After the Battle of Harpers Ferry, Cole would remain at Northern Virginia as they were facing John S. Mosby's Operations in Northern Virginia and would go on to participate at the Battle of Loudoun Heights and was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel for his victory at the battle on March 15, 1864.[1][7] He was then fully promoted to colonel April 20, 1864.[1] Cole was then mustered out along with his men on June 28, 1865, at Harpers Ferry, West Virginia.[1][6] He died on May 26, 1909, in Baltimore. He is buried at Mount Olivet Cemetery.[1]
References edit
- ^ a b c d e f "Antietam: Maj Henry A. Cole". Antietam on the Web. Retrieved March 28, 2022.
- ^ "behind AotW » Blog Archive » Exodus from Harpers Ferry". Behind AotW. Retrieved March 28, 2022.
- ^ Webb, Sarah. "Coles Cavalry". Frederick News-Post. Retrieved March 28, 2022.
- ^ ""COLE'S CAVALRY,"FIRST REGIMENT POTOMAC HOME BRIGADE CAVALRY". Archives of Maryland Online. Retrieved March 28, 2022.
- ^ Christopher Armour Newcomer (1895). Cole's Cavalry, Or, Three Years in the Saddle in the Shenandoah Valley. Cushing. p. 114. Retrieved March 28, 2022.
- ^ a b c "Colonel Henry Cole". Emmitsburg Area Historical Society. March 3, 2013. Retrieved March 28, 2022.
- ^ "Battle in the Snow: Cole's Cavalry and Mosby's Men at Loudoun Heights", Gettysburg Star and Sentinel, November 16, 1881.