Charles Edward Phelps

He Led a Broken Assault Through Deadly Artillery Fire

Charles Edward Phelps was an American Union Army officer, Medal of Honor recipient, attorney, congressman, and judge whose life combined military courage with decades of public service. During the American Civil War, he served as colonel of the 7th Maryland Infantry and distinguished himself at Laurel Hill, Virginia, on May 8, 1864. When a Union assault faltered under intense artillery fire and heavy casualties, Phelps rode to the front of the attacking column, rallied the soldiers, and led them toward Confederate fortifications. He was severely wounded and captured during the attack. His extraordinary leadership earned him the Medal of Honor more than three decades later.

Born on May 1, 1833, in Guilford, Vermont, Phelps was the son of John Phelps, a lawyer and Vermont state senator, and Almira Hart Lincoln Phelps, an educator and author. His family moved to New Jersey in 1837 and later settled in Maryland in 1841. His mother became principal of the Patapsco Female Seminary in Ellicott City, establishing the family's connection to Maryland.

Phelps received his early education at St. Timothy's Hall near Catonsville, Maryland, before attending Princeton College, where he graduated in 1852. He subsequently pursued legal studies at Harvard University and was admitted to the Maryland bar in 1855. He began practicing law in Baltimore and was admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of the United States in 1859.

His involvement in public affairs began before the Civil War. In 1860, Phelps was elected to the Baltimore City Council, beginning a career in public service that would later include military leadership, congressional office, and judicial responsibilities.

When the Civil War divided the nation, Phelps entered Union military service. In 1861, he received a commission as a major in the Maryland Guard. On August 20, 1862, he entered federal service as lieutenant colonel of the 7th Maryland Volunteer Infantry. He later advanced to colonel, with his promotion dated April 13, 1864.

The 7th Maryland Infantry served in the Union Army's campaigns in Virginia, where Phelps developed his experience as a field officer. By the spring of 1864, the regiment was participating in the Overland Campaign, the series of battles conducted by Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant against General Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia.

During the Battle of the Wilderness in early May 1864, Phelps experienced the dangers of combat when his horse was killed beneath him. The intense fighting in the wooded Virginia countryside preceded the engagement at Laurel Hill that would become the defining action of his military career.

On May 8, 1864, Union forces launched an assault against Confederate positions at Laurel Hill during the opening phase of the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House. Confederate troops held strongly defended positions, and the attacking Union formations suffered heavy casualties under concentrated fire.

As the assault progressed, the Union column began to lose momentum. Artillery fire inflicted serious losses, and the advancing soldiers faltered before reaching the Confederate defenses.

Recognizing the critical situation, Colonel Phelps rode to the head of the attacking column. He deliberately placed himself in front of the troops, exposing himself to enemy fire as he attempted to restore their momentum and lead them forward.

His actions rallied the soldiers, allowing the assaulting force to advance to within a few feet of the Confederate works. Phelps continued leading the attack until he was severely wounded and taken prisoner.

His official Medal of Honor citation recognizes his decision to move to the front of a faltering column, rally the troops under artillery fire, and lead them toward the enemy's fortifications despite the danger. The citation also records the wounds and capture he suffered during the engagement.

Phelps's conduct demonstrated personal courage and battlefield leadership at a moment when his troops had sustained severe losses. Rather than directing the attack from a safer position, he placed himself at the front of the formation and continued the advance until he was incapacitated.

Following his capture, Phelps was eventually recovered by Union cavalry forces. His wounds brought his active military career to an end, and he received an honorable discharge on September 9, 1864.

His wartime service was subsequently recognized through a brevet appointment as brigadier general of volunteers, with rank dating from March 13, 1865. President Andrew Johnson nominated him for the brevet grade on May 4, 1866, and the United States Senate confirmed the appointment on May 18, 1866.

While recovering from the consequences of his wartime service, Phelps entered national politics. He was elected to represent Maryland's Third Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives, serving from March 4, 1865, to March 3, 1869. He served in the Thirty-ninth and Fortieth Congresses during the challenging years of national Reconstruction.

Following his congressional service, Phelps resumed his legal career in Baltimore. He continued participating in public affairs and served as a commissioner of the Baltimore public schools. His professional activities increasingly centered on law, education, and judicial service.

In 1882, Phelps was appointed to the Circuit Court of Baltimore, beginning a judicial career that continued until his death. He also served as a professor of equity at the University of Maryland Law School from 1884 to 1907, contributing to the education of future attorneys and legal scholars.

His professional interests extended to legal writing and literature. In 1901, he published Falstaff and Equity, a work connecting questions of law with Shakespeare's writing. Princeton University recognized his professional achievements by awarding him an honorary Doctor of Laws degree in 1907.

On March 30, 1898, Charles Edward Phelps received the Medal of Honor for his actions at Laurel Hill on May 8, 1864. The award came nearly thirty-four years after the battle and formally recognized the courage he displayed while leading Union soldiers through devastating enemy fire.

Phelps married Martha Woodward of Baltimore in 1868. He remained connected to Maryland throughout his later life, balancing professional, educational, and judicial responsibilities long after his military service had ended.

Charles Edward Phelps died on December 27, 1908, in the Walbrook area of Baltimore, Maryland, at the age of 75. He was buried at Woodlawn Cemetery in Baltimore.

His legacy encompasses both his wartime bravery and his extensive contributions to American public life. As a Union Army officer, he demonstrated extraordinary courage at Laurel Hill, where he placed himself at the head of a faltering assault and continued leading his soldiers until he was wounded and captured.

As a congressman, attorney, educator, and judge, he dedicated much of his later life to public institutions and the law. His Medal of Honor remains a lasting recognition of the leadership and personal sacrifice he demonstrated on May 8, 1864, preserving his place among the distinguished military figures of the American Civil War.