History of Middletown, (Frederick County) Virginia United States of America

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Charles Russell Lowell, soldier, was born in Boston, Mass., Jan. 2, 1835; son of Charles Russell and Anna Cabot (Jackson) Lowell, and grandson of the Rev. Charles and Hannah Bracket (Spence) Lowell. He was graduated at Harvard, A.B., 1854, first in his class. When the civil war broke out he was manager of the Mount Savage iron works, Maryland, and he made his way at once to Baltimore and on foot to Washington from the Relay House, railway communication having been suspended from that point. He was commissioned captain in the 6th U.S. cavalry, April 20, 1861, and was the officer who recruited Adna R. Chaffee as private in that regiment. He was in command of a squadron of the 6th U.S. cavalry in the Army of the Potomac all through the Peninsula campaign, at the close of which he was brevetted major for gallantry and assigned to the personal staff of General McClellan. At Antietam he conveyed the orders of the commanding general under severe fire, rallied broken regiments and displayed a degree of courage that was rewarded by his being selected to carry the captured standards to Washington. In the autumn of 1862 he organized the 2d Massachusetts cavalry, and in May, 1863, was commissioned colonel of the regiment. He was in command of the advanced defences of Washington during the winter of 1863-64, and was engaged against the attack of Early in July, 1864. Later he commanded the provisional cavalry brigade under Sheridan in the Shenandoah valley, and finally he was given command of the reserve brigade, made up of three regiments of U.S. cavalry, his own regiment and a battery of artillery, which distinguished itself at the battle of Opequon Creek (Winchester), Sept. 19, 1864, and on October 9 took a leading part in the overthrow of General Rosser's cavalry. At Cedar Creek, Oct. 19, 1864, he held the enemy in check until the arrival of Sheridan, who formed his new line close behind Lowells men. Though wounded early in the day, he was lifted on his horse and led his brigade in the final successful charge, where he received his mortal wound. His commission as brigadier-general, issued at the request of General Sheridan, was signed at Washington on the day of this battle. He was married in October, 1863, to Josephine , daughter of Francis and Sarah Blake (Sturgis) Shaw. He died at Middletown, Va., Oct. 20, 1864.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

History of Middletown, (Frederick County) Virginia

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