Charles Mortimer Rockefeller

Alone Under Fire: The Reconnaissance That Changed a Battle

Charles Mortimer Rockefeller was a United States Army officer and Medal of Honor recipient whose military career extended from the American Civil War to the closing years of the nineteenth century. He earned the nation's highest military decoration for extraordinary bravery during the assault on Fort Blakely, Alabama, on April 9, 1865. Serving as a First Lieutenant in Company A of the 178th New York Infantry, Rockefeller voluntarily entered dangerous ground alone under heavy Confederate fire to obtain information that an earlier reconnaissance party had failed to secure. His actions helped guide the Union assault and contributed to the capture of hundreds of Confederate soldiers.

Rockefeller was born on September 18, 1844, in Gallatin, Columbia County, New York. He was still a teenager when the American Civil War began in April 1861. Within weeks of the outbreak of hostilities, he entered Union military service.

On April 26, 1861, Rockefeller enlisted as a private in Company E of the 7th New York Militia. The regiment was called into federal service during the early mobilization of Union forces. Although it was held in reserve during the First Battle of Bull Run, the unit did not participate directly in the fighting. Rockefeller was mustered out on August 2, 1861.

He returned to military service on October 17, 1863, when he received a commission as First Lieutenant in Company A of the 178th New York Infantry. This appointment placed him in an officer's position during a period of continued Union operations against Confederate forces.

By the spring of 1865, Rockefeller's regiment was participating in the Mobile Campaign in Alabama. Union forces were advancing against Confederate defenses near Mobile, one of the remaining strategic positions along the Gulf Coast.

Fort Blakely, situated northeast of Mobile, formed part of a fortified Confederate defensive system. Its earthworks, artillery positions, and surrounding obstacles presented significant challenges to the attacking Union troops.

The Union campaign culminated in a major assault on April 9, 1865. Before the attack, commanders needed reliable information about the Confederate positions to organize the advance.

A reconnaissance party of twenty-five soldiers had previously attempted to obtain this intelligence. The mission failed, and the party suffered severe losses under enemy fire.

Rockefeller volunteered to undertake the dangerous assignment alone.

Moving forward under heavy Confederate fire, he approached the enemy defenses and gathered the information that the earlier party had been unable to secure. His mission required him to expose himself to the same dangerous conditions that had prevented a much larger group from completing the task.

Despite the danger, Rockefeller succeeded.

The intelligence he brought back was considered important enough to form the basis of the orders issued for the Union assault. His reconnaissance therefore contributed directly to the planning of the attack on the Confederate fortifications.

Rockefeller's bravery continued during the subsequent fighting.

As Union troops advanced, he moved forward with a small group of followers under fire from both opposing forces. Despite the danger of operating between the advancing Union soldiers and Confederate defenders, he led the group in capturing approximately 300 Confederate troops who might otherwise have escaped.

This achievement became the second major element of his Medal of Honor citation.

His actions combined two distinct demonstrations of courage. First, he undertook a solitary reconnaissance mission under intense enemy fire and returned with essential military intelligence. He then advanced into another dangerous position with a small group of men and participated in the capture of a substantial number of Confederate soldiers.

The assault on Fort Blakely ended in a Union victory. Confederate defenses were overwhelmed, and the capture of the fort helped bring the Mobile Campaign to a successful conclusion.

The battle took place on April 9, 1865, the same day General Robert E. Lee surrendered the Army of Northern Virginia at Appomattox Court House. Although organized Confederate resistance continued elsewhere, the events marked a decisive period in the closing stages of the American Civil War.

Rockefeller's military service did not end immediately with the Confederate surrender. He remained in the volunteer Army until April 20, 1866, when he was mustered out.

On September 3, 1867, Rockefeller received a commission as Second Lieutenant in the regular United States Army's 9th Infantry Regiment. He continued his military career through the decades following the Civil War.

His advancement in the regular Army included promotion to First Lieutenant on March 11, 1878, and Captain on August 15, 1889. These appointments reflected his continued service long after the battle that had established his reputation for bravery.

On August 2, 1897, more than thirty-two years after the assault on Fort Blakely, Rockefeller was awarded the Medal of Honor. The recognition formally acknowledged his extraordinary conduct during the April 1865 engagement.

His official citation emphasized the remarkable circumstances of his reconnaissance mission, particularly the fact that a previous party of twenty-five men had failed to obtain the information despite suffering severe losses. It also recognized his subsequent advance with a small group and the capture of 300 Confederate soldiers.

Rockefeller continued serving in the United States Army after receiving the decoration.

During the Spanish-American War in 1898, he was assigned to mustering duties at Columbus Barracks in Ohio. In July of that year, he was sent to Puerto Rico, where he served on the staff of Major General Frederick D. Grant. He returned to the United States in November 1898.

His final military assignment took him to the Philippines during the Philippine-American War.

On March 28, 1899, Rockefeller departed San Francisco with the 9th Infantry, bound for the Philippine Islands. He arrived on April 26, 1899.

Two days later, on April 28, Rockefeller disappeared while inspecting military outposts near Caloocan on Luzon. Contemporary accounts reported that he had been captured by Filipino insurgents. Personal papers belonging to him were subsequently discovered some distance from his last known location.

His disappearance prompted concern and efforts to determine his whereabouts. However, his ultimate fate was never conclusively established.

A later report from a Spanish officer who had been held captive indicated that Rockefeller had been seen alive in December 1899. Despite this account, he was never recovered, and no definitive evidence established the circumstances of his death.

Rockefeller's promotion to Major in the 6th Infantry carried a date of rank of March 16, 1899. Major became the highest rank recorded in his military career, distinct from the First Lieutenant rank he held during his Medal of Honor action at Fort Blakely.

On May 12, 1900, Rockefeller was dropped from the rolls of the United States Army. His official Medal of Honor record lists April 28, 1899, as his death date, although the circumstances of his disappearance left his final fate uncertain.

Charles Mortimer Rockefeller's military career spanned nearly four decades and included service during the American Civil War, the Spanish-American War, and the opening period of the Philippine-American War.

His most distinguished achievement occurred on April 9, 1865, when he volunteered to undertake a reconnaissance mission that a larger force had failed to complete. By advancing alone under heavy fire, securing essential intelligence, and subsequently helping capture 300 Confederate soldiers, he demonstrated extraordinary courage and initiative.

Awarded the Medal of Honor on August 2, 1897, Charles Mortimer Rockefeller remains remembered for his bravery at Fort Blakely and his long service in the United States Army.