Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 09.djvu/154

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RODENBOUGII


RODES


siege of Atlanta, on July 29. 1864. his cavalry brigatle heM in check at Newnau a conimaml of rai<leis under CJcneral McCook. sent gut by Gen- eral Slierinan to destroy the one reniaininp; line of communication open to the Confederates and to release at Andersonville 34.U00 Federal prisoners. These raiders were finally routed by the conjbined forces of Generals Jackson and Wheeler umler the latter's command. In AVil- Kon's raid tlirough Alabama to Georgia, March, 22- April 20. 18r>r). Roddey s brigade was driven back on the road to Randolph. March 31, by Gen. Emory Upton, and the following day. afterGen- eral Long's successful charge on Ebenezer Church, Generals Forrest, Armstrong, Roddey and Adams escaped with a number of men under cover of darkness either by tiie Burnside and River roads or by swimming the Alabama river. General Roddey returned home in 18G5, and in 1870 went to England, making his permanent home in Lon- don, where he died in August. 1897.

RODENBOUGH, Theophilus Francis, soldier, was born at Easton, Pa., Nov. 5, 1838; son of Cliarles and Emily (Cauffman) Rodenbough ; grandson of Henry and Margaret (Brown) Roden- bough and of Lawrence and Sarah (Shewell) Cauffman, and a de- scendant of Joseph Theophilus Cauffman of Strasburg, Ger- many, who arrived in Philadelphia, 1749. He studied at private schools and under tutors, and attended Lafayette college, 1850-51. Reengaged in mercantile busi- ness at Easton, Pa., 1856-61, and on March 23, 1861, was commis- sioned 2d lieutenant, 2d U.S. dragoons ; promoted 1st lieutenant, 2d cavalry, May 14, 1862, and served in the Peninsular campaign (1862) under General McClellan. He was promoted cap- tain, July 17. 1862 ; captured at the second Bull Run, but was soon exchanged and took part in Stoneman's raid in the Chancellorsville campaign and in all cav.ilry engagements of the Gettysburg campaign. At Getty.sburg he commanded the 2d U.S. cavalry, Merritt's brigade, Buford's division, which later, under Sheridan, was commanded by General Torbort. Captain Rodenbough w.as present in engagements before Richmond (1864), and participated in the Richmond and Trevilian raids, being wounded, June 11. He also served, commanding his regiment, in Sheridan's Army of the Shenandoah, and was .severely wounded,


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losing his right arm while leading a charge at AVinchester, Sept. 19, 1SG4. He was brevetted major " for gallant and meritorious services " in that engagement and at Trevilian Station, Va., lieutenant-colonel. March 12, 1865, " for gallant and meritorious services during the war ; " colonel " for gallant and meritorious services in the battle of Todd's Tavern, Va.," and brigadier- general for similar conduct in the battle of Cold Harbor, Va. He was commissioned colonel. U.S.V., April 29, 1865, commanding the 18tU Pennsylvania cavalry and district of Clarksburg, W.Va., being by direction of the President assigned to duty, with raiik of brigadier-general, in July, and was honorably mustered out of the volunteer service, Oct. 31, 1865. He was com- missioned major, 42d U.S. infantry, July 18, 1866, and Dec. 15, 1870, was retired with the full rank of colonel, the command held when wounded, receiving the congressional medal of honor for distinguished gallantry in action at Trevilian Station. He served at Forts Leavenworth and Ellsworth, Kan., 1865-66 ; and at Madison Bar- racks, N.Y., 1867-68; was deputy governor of the Soldiers' Home, Washington, D.C., 1869-70; assistant inspector-general of the state of New York, 1879-82 ; and chief of the bureau of elec- tions, city of New York, 1890-1901. He was married Sept. 1, 1868, to Elinor Frances, daugh- ter of Passed Midshipman (U.S.N.) James and Delia (Montgomery) Foster of Boston, Mass. He was one of the founders (1879) and secretary of the Military Service institution, and author of : From Everglade to Canon with the Second Dragoons (1875) ; Afghanistan and the Anglo- Russian Dispute (1885) ; Uncle Sam's JMedal of Honor (1886) ; Autumn Leaves from Family Trees (1892) ; Sahre and Bayonet (1897). He edited Tlie Army of the United States (1896) ; and the Journal of the Military Service Institution (1880-89 and after 1901), and made a number of contributions to leading periodicals.

RODES, Robert Emmett, soldier, was born in Lynchburg, Va., .March 29, 1829. He was graduated from the Virginia Military institute, 1848. remaining there as professor until his com- mission as captain of the Mobile cadets in 1861. He was subsequently promoted colonel and com- manded the 5th Alabama infantrj', Ewell's 2nd brigade, Army of the Potomac, in the first battle of Bull Run, July 21, 1861, leading the advance. He was promoted brigadier-general, Oct. 21, 1861; and commanded a brigade in Hill's division, at Williamsburg, Va., May 5, 1862. At Seven Pines, when the signal for attack was given. Rodes's brigade was stationed on the south of the road in dense, marshy woods, and was engaged at the second abatis, where it met a fearful fire : a portion of his command being disastrously re-