Julius Dexter Rhodes

When His Horse Fell, He Advanced Into Enemy Fire

Julius Dexter Rhodes was a United States Army soldier and Medal of Honor recipient who distinguished himself during the American Civil War. Serving as a Private in Company F of the 5th New York Cavalry, he earned the Medal of Honor for his actions at Thoroughfare Gap and the Second Battle of Bull Run, Virginia, on August 28 and 30, 1862. His wartime service eventually extended across three Union regiments, during which he sustained serious wounds and later attained the rank of Sergeant Major.

Rhodes was born on October 1, 1841, in Monroe, Michigan. Before the Civil War, he attended Springville Institute in Erie County, New York. A historical account published during his lifetime records that he initially attempted to join the 21st New York Infantry when volunteers were first requested in 1861, but his parents prevented him from entering military service because of his age.

On September 3, 1861, Rhodes enlisted in Company F of the 5th New York Cavalry as a Private and Bugler. He subsequently entered active Union military service in Virginia, where his regiment took part in cavalry operations during the early stages of the Civil War.

During the regiment's operations in the Shenandoah Valley, Rhodes served as a military bugler, responsible for sounding commands that communicated officers' orders to mounted troops. A nineteenth-century account of his service describes his participation in an engagement near Harrisonburg, Virginia, and records an incident in which he sounded an advance after receiving an order to retreat. The account states that he was subsequently reduced in rank for disobeying the order.

Another episode from his early service occurred near Waterloo Bridge on the Rappahannock River. According to the same historical account, Rhodes volunteered to join a party assigned to destroy the bridge under Confederate fire. The account specifically identifies his participation in the mission, although it was not among the actions cited for his Medal of Honor.

On August 28, 1862, Rhodes was involved in fighting at Thoroughfare Gap, Virginia. During the engagement, his horse was shot from beneath him, leaving him without his mount while Union troops continued their operations.

Rather than withdrawing from the fighting, Rhodes voluntarily joined soldiers of the 105th New York Volunteers and advanced toward the Confederate positions. His participation in that advance was later specifically recognized in his official Medal of Honor citation.

Two days later, on August 30, Rhodes fought at the Second Battle of Bull Run. During the battle, he displayed gallantry while advancing with the skirmish line and was wounded. His actions at Thoroughfare Gap and Bull Run formed the two documented engagements for which he subsequently received the Medal of Honor.

Following his injury, Rhodes received treatment at Harewood Hospital in Washington, D.C. His wounds were sufficiently serious that he was discharged from the 5th New York Cavalry on February 27, 1863, because of disability.

His military service, however, did not end with that discharge.

Later in 1863, Rhodes traveled to Louisiana, where his younger brother was serving in the Union Army. Historical accounts indicate that he initially went there to assist his brother during an illness. On September 9, 1863, Rhodes entered military service again, this time with the 1st Louisiana Cavalry, a Union regiment operating in the Department of the Gulf.

During this second period of service, Rhodes participated in cavalry operations in Louisiana. A historical account of his military career records that his conduct during fighting around Donaldsonville was mentioned in military reports. He remained with the 1st Louisiana Cavalry until September 10, 1864, when he left the regiment.

On October 8, 1864, Rhodes enlisted again at Augusta, Maine, joining Company M of the 31st Maine Infantry as a Sergeant. This marked his third documented period of enlistment during the Civil War.

The 31st Maine Infantry served with the Ninth Army Corps of the Army of the Potomac and participated in the operations surrounding Petersburg, Virginia. Rhodes joined the regiment during the later stages of the campaign.

On April 2, 1865, Union forces launched a major assault against the Confederate defenses at Petersburg. The 31st Maine Infantry participated in the attack against Fort Mahone, where Union soldiers encountered determined resistance.

Historical accounts of Rhodes's service describe his participation in the fighting at Fort Mahone and report that he suffered severe injuries during close combat, including a bayonet wound to the cheek and a head injury. He survived the engagement but required further medical treatment. The Battle of Petersburg was among the final major engagements of the Civil War.

After the conflict, Rhodes returned to civilian life. Later biographical accounts describe his work as an engineer and inventor. In January 1868, he married Ellen Marie Shaw. The couple subsequently lived in several states, including Maine, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and New Jersey.

On March 9, 1887, more than twenty-four years after the actions for which he was recognized, Rhodes received the Medal of Honor. The award formally acknowledged his conduct at Thoroughfare Gap on August 28, 1862, and the Second Battle of Bull Run on August 30, 1862. His official Medal of Honor record identifies him as a Private at the time of those engagements, while later records give Sergeant Major as his highest military rank.

Rhodes spent his later years in the United States and eventually resided in Washington, D.C. He died there on February 19, 1906, at the age of sixty-four. He was buried in Greenwood Cemetery in Pleasantville, New Jersey.

Julius Dexter Rhodes's military history is distinguished by repeated periods of Union service and the two actions that earned him the Medal of Honor. His decision to continue advancing after losing his horse at Thoroughfare Gap, followed by his conduct while wounded at Bull Run, remains the officially documented basis of his recognition. His surviving service history also records subsequent enlistments in Louisiana and Maine and further injuries during the final fighting at Petersburg.