Charles Titus

The Cavalry Sergeant Who Stopped an Enemy Countercharge

Charles Titus was an American Union Army cavalryman who received the United States Medal of Honor for extraordinary bravery during the American Civil War. Serving as a sergeant in Company H of the 1st New Jersey Cavalry, Titus distinguished himself at the Battle of Sailor's Creek, Virginia, on April 6, 1865. During the fighting, he was among the first Union soldiers to check an enemy countercharge, an act of courage that earned him the nation's highest military decoration on July 3, 1865.

Born on January 1, 1838, in Millstone, Somerset County, New Jersey, Titus grew up in the years preceding the American Civil War. Limited verified information survives concerning his childhood, education, family background, and early civilian occupation. His documented military history begins during the first year of the conflict, when he entered Union service with the 1st New Jersey Cavalry.

Titus joined the regiment in August 1861. The 1st New Jersey Cavalry was organized to serve the Union during the Civil War and subsequently participated in mounted operations in the eastern theater. Its responsibilities included reconnaissance, raids, screening military movements, and engaging Confederate cavalry.

As the war continued, the regiment took part in campaigns involving the Army of the Potomac and other Union forces operating in Virginia. Titus served in Company H and held the rank of sergeant at the time of the action that would bring him national recognition.

By the spring of 1865, the military situation in Virginia had changed dramatically. After months of fighting around Petersburg, Confederate forces under General Robert E. Lee abandoned their defensive positions and began retreating westward. Union infantry and cavalry pursued the withdrawing Confederate columns, attempting to prevent them from reorganizing or escaping.

On April 6, 1865, Union and Confederate forces clashed during the Battle of Sailor's Creek, also known as Sayler's Creek, near Deatonsville, Virginia. The engagement occurred during the final stages of the Appomattox Campaign, only three days before Lee surrendered the Army of Northern Virginia.

The battle involved several separate encounters as Union forces attacked Confederate formations attempting to continue their retreat. Cavalry units played an important role in pursuing the Confederate columns and engaging troops protecting their withdrawal.

Titus participated in the fighting as a sergeant in Company H of the 1st New Jersey Cavalry. During the engagement, Confederate forces launched a countercharge against the advancing Union troops.

It was during this confrontation that Titus performed the action for which he would receive the Medal of Honor.

The official Medal of Honor citation recognizes that Titus was among the first soldiers to check the enemy's countercharge.

His action demonstrated courage at a moment when Confederate troops were attempting to resist the Union advance. By participating in the early effort to halt the counterattack, Titus distinguished himself during a dangerous phase of the engagement.

The surviving citation is brief and does not describe the exact movements, weapons, or individual maneuvers involved in his action. It does, however, clearly identify his bravery in confronting the Confederate countercharge and helping check its advance.

The Battle of Sailor's Creek resulted in a major Confederate defeat. Thousands of Confederate soldiers were captured, and the losses further weakened Lee's retreating army. The engagement became one of the decisive military events preceding the surrender at Appomattox Court House on April 9, 1865.

Titus's recognized achievement formed part of this larger Union operation. His Medal of Honor was awarded for his individual conduct during the countercharge rather than for the overall outcome of the battle.

On July 3, 1865, Charles Titus received the Medal of Honor for his actions at Deatonsville on April 6. The presentation occurred less than three months after the engagement and formally recognized his bravery during the closing days of the Civil War.

His official Medal of Honor record identifies his action rank as Sergeant and his highest military rank as Quartermaster Sergeant. These ranks represent distinct stages of his military service. He was serving as a sergeant when he performed the recognized action, while Quartermaster Sergeant was the highest rank recorded in his military career.

The position of quartermaster sergeant was associated with responsibilities involving military supplies, equipment, and logistical support. Titus's attainment of that rank formed part of his documented advancement within the Union Army.

Titus remained associated with the 1st New Jersey Cavalry until the regiment was mustered out in July 1865, following the end of the Civil War. His military service had extended from August 1861 through the final months of the conflict.

Following his discharge, Titus returned to civilian life. The surviving recipient records provide limited information concerning his postwar occupation, family circumstances, and activities during the decades after his military service.

Charles Titus died on March 26, 1921, at his home in Belmar, New Jersey, at the age of 83. He was buried at Glendola Cemetery in Wall Township, New Jersey, where his grave commemorates his military service and Medal of Honor recognition.

His military legacy is closely connected to the 1st New Jersey Cavalry and the Union pursuit of Confederate forces during the final days of the American Civil War. At Sailor's Creek, Titus demonstrated courage by taking part in the first efforts to halt an enemy countercharge during an important engagement of the Appomattox Campaign.

His Medal of Honor, presented on July 3, 1865, preserves the historical recognition of his bravery as a Union cavalry sergeant. His later rank of Quartermaster Sergeant represents a separate distinction in his military service.

Charles Titus remains remembered as a New Jersey cavalryman whose actions at Deatonsville on April 6, 1865, earned him a lasting place among the recipients of America's highest military decoration.