Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 09.djvu/477

 STAHEL

STAHR

treat, he had the advance regiment and repulsed the last attack of the Confederate cavalry, and remained on the battlefield, until ordered to fall back. The official report of General Johns- ton says: "The apparent firmness of the U.S. troops at Centre ville checked our pursuit." He was commissioned colonel, Aug. 27, 1861, and sent to New York, to organize a regiment of heavy artillery, and on his return was made a member of a military board to examine into the qualifications and efficiency of volunteer officers. He was assigned to the command of the 1st bri- gade, in General Blenker's division, Oct. 12, 1861, and on Nov. 12, 1861, was made a brigadier-gen- eral. When the Army of the Potomac moved to the Peninsula in April, 1862, he was transferred with his brigade to General Fremont's command ill the Shenandoah valley, where, during General Fremont's valley campaign he was in command of the advance column. In the second battle of Bull Run, he was in command of the 1st brigade, 1st division, 1st corps, Army of Virginia, under General Pope, and in the official reports of this bat- tle, Generals Pope and Schenck referred in high terms to his bravery and conduct. He was, by or- ders from General Burnside, commanded to make a reconnoissance in force, Nov. 27, 1862, to find out the movements of the enemy under General Jackson. On his return from this reconnoissance he brought with him two of the enemy's flags, many prisoners, horses, cattle and commissary stores. On reaching his headquarters, Ge neral Si- gel handed him a telegram from General Burnside thanking him, liis officers and men for the bril- liant success they had achieved. While at winter quarters at Stafford court house, he was, on Jan. 15, 1863, placed in command of the 11th corps, and when, on March 13, 1863, General Stoughton was captured at Fairfax court house, General Stahel was summoned by President Lincoln, with the object of taking command in front of Wash- ington. He was commissioned major-geneial, March 14, 1863; was relieved from duty with the Army of the Potomac, March 17, and on the 21st was assigned to the command in front of Wash- ington. On June 24, he forded the Potomac with his cavalry division under orders to report to General Reynolds, who ordered him to advance toward Gettysburg. He encountered the enemy's cavalry under General Young, and after a brief engagement repulsed them, and thereby pre- vented the corps of Generals Longstreet and Hill from joining on that day. When General Hooker was relieved from command of the army. General Stahel was ordered to report to General Coucli in the Department of the Susquehanna, where he organized the 20th, 21st and 22d regi- ments of Pennsylvania cavalry. He was trans- ferred to the Department of West Virginia, March

13, 1864, and assigned to the command of the 1st cavalry division under General Sigel, who sub- sequently placed him in command of the forces i;i the field. In the battle of Piedmont, June 5, 1864. he was wounded, but remained with his command until relieved from duty in the field on account of his wound, and sent to Martinsburg on June 9, 1864. General Hunter in his official letter to General Halleck dated June 9, 1864, said: " It is but justice to Major-Gejieral Stahel to state, that in the recent engagement he displayed excellent qualities of coolness and gallantry, and that for the final happy result the country is mvicli in- debted to his services." He was awarded the congressional medal of honor, which bears the inscription, " The Congress, to Major-General Julius Stahel, U.S. Volunteers, for distinguished gallantry at the battle of Piedmont. West Va., June 5, 1864." After partial recovery he rejoined General Hunter's command as chief of cavalry and when General Hunter was relieved of his command by General Sheridan, he was transferred, owing to ill health, to the middle department, and assigned to duty as president of a court-martial at Balti- more. He resigned his commission, Feb. 8. 1865. He was U.S. consul at Yokohama, Japan, 1868-69. From 1870 to 1877, he was engaged in various enterprises and surveyed a ship canal to connect Baltimore with the Atlantic across the Peninsula. He was returned as consul to Japan in 1877, re- maining there till March, 1884, when he was ap- pointed U.S. consul-general at Shanghai, China. In 1885 he resigned on account of ill health, and returned to New York, where he was engaged in insurance business, and in 1895 retired from active business.

STAHR, John Summers, educator, was born in Bucks county. Pa., Dec. 2, 1841; son of John and Sarah (Summers) Stahr; grandson of John and Mary (Beitler) Stahr and of Lewis and Magdalene (Emory) Summers, and a descendant of John Stahr, who came from Rotterdam to Germantown, Pa., in 1737. He attended the public schools, becoming a teacher before he was sixteen years old; subsequently attended Bucks county normal and classical school at Quakertown, serving as assistant principal of the same. 1864. and in 1865 entered the junior class of Franklin and Marshall college, Lancaster, Pa., from which he was graduated with the highest honors. A.B.. 1867. He continued his connection with the college as tutor in German and history, 1867-68: as adjunct professor of the same. 1868-71, and as professor of natural science and chemistry. 1871-89. Hav- ing privately pursued a theological course under the Rev. J. W. Nevin, D.D.. president of the college, he was ordained to the ministry at Read- ing, Pa., in 1872, where, in addition to his labors at Lancaster, he served as assistant pastor of the