Charles John Stolbrand – Brigadier General, United States Army

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Charles John Stolbrand was born near Kristianstad, Sweden, May 11, 1821. The Scandinavian version of his full baptismal name seems to have been Charles John Meuller Stohlbrand (Carl Johan Meuller Stålbrand). Carried on army roles as within. At age 18 entered Royal Vendes Arty as cadet and during Schleswig-Holstein Campaign of 1848-50 took part with some members of his reg in successful defense of Denmark against armed intervention of Prussia. At the termination of the war he emigrated to the United States and settled in Chicago, where he became prominent in Swedish affairs.

When the Civil War broke out he organized an artillery company which could not be accepted since the quota was filled, but in the summer he organized another (from nearby Sycamore and DeKalb, “Battery DeKalb,” which was accepted with Stolbrand as its Captain. He was promoted to Major December 3, 1861, and commenced most distinguished career as an officer of artillery of the post of Jackson, Tennessee, in September 1862. He directed Logan’s Division Artillery during the Vicksburg and Chattanooga Campaigns and was Chief of Artillery of XV Corps at the beginning of the Atlanta Campaign. While reconnoitering in the vicinity of Kingston, Georgia, May 19, 1864, he was captured by a Confederate patrol but escaped and rejoined his command in October. At this time he was directing a full brigade of Artillery, comprising ten batteries with almost 1,000 men and 46 guns.

He continued on the March to the Sea and in the campaign of Carolinas, but at the end of January 1865, despondent because of his failure to obtain promotion, he asked to be mustered out. William T. Sherman, who did not wish to lose his services, asked him to carry some dispatches to Washington, D.C. for delivery to President Lincoln on his way home. One of the dispatches was a recommendation for Stolbrand’s promotion and Lincoln, upon reading it, made him a Brigadier General on the spot.

During the last weeks of the war he commanded a brigade composed of three Illinois Infantry regiments in the XVII Corps. He was mustered out in Jan 1866, and settled in Columbia, South Carolina, where he immediately engaged in politics. He was Secretary of the carpetbagger-dominated Constitutional Convention of 1868, a delegate to Republican National Convention the same year, and Presidential Elector for Ulysses S. Grant. He also served as superintendent of the state penitentiary.

During the administration of President Benjamin Harrison, he was Superintendent of the New Federal courthouse and post office building in Charleston. He died there on February 3, 1894 and was buried with full military honors in Section 3, Grave 2175, of Arlington National Cemetery.

STOLBRAND, CJ
BG US VOLS

  • DATE OF DEATH: 02/02/1894
  • BURIED AT: SECTION SD WS  SITE 2175
    ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY

STOLBRAND, SOPHIE M W/O C J

  • DATE OF DEATH: 03/05/1892
  • BURIED AT:
    ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY
  • WIFE OF CJ STOLBRAND, BRIG, GENL US VOLS

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