The Fighting Kautzs - August

August Valentine Kautz

Much is made of the Fighting McCooks, often stated (incorrectly) as fourteen men, sons of Daniel and John McCook, who fought during the Civil War.  There is also the "tribe of George" who had sons who served as doctors during the war.  Seventeen men in total served the Union, many who would give their lives for the cause of preserving the United States.  But there is also another "tribe" from Ohio, the sons of Johann Georg (John George) Kautz and Dorethea Elizabetha Lowing, sons who served with some distinction during the war.

Johann Kautz, known to his friends and family as George, was born in 1800 in what is now Baden-Wurtemburg.  Oldest of six brothers and sisters, he married Dorethea in 1821.  Their eldest son, August, was born in Baden while the remaining children were born in the United States.

Dorethea would pass away in 1874, leaving Johann as a widower for his remaining days.  Johann would live until February 22nd, 1888.  The couple is buried in the Pisgah Ridge Cemetery, near Higginsport, in Brown County, Ohio.

August Valentine Kautz - Born on January 5th, 1828 in Ispringen, Baden, August Kautz would have a long career of military service.  While some sources indicate that he immigrated with his parents in 1832, the birth of his brothers Frederick in Baltimore in 1829 and John in Cincinnati in 1831 indicate that the family immigrated in 1828.  August would enlist in the First Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry during the Mexican-American War.  After the war he would enter West Point and graduate in the Class of 1852 with such classmates as George Crook, Alexander McCook, David Stanley, and Henry Slocum (among others).  Kautz would go on to serve in the Pacific Northwest with the 4th United States Infantry, being wounded twice during the Rogue River Wars.  In 1857 Kautz ascended Mt. Rainer, speculated by some to be the first white man to climb the mountain.  However, as he did not summit the crest, having stopped at the crater rim, the climb is noted as being “incomplete.”  

When the Civil War broke out, Kautz was still in the Pacific Northwest, but made his way east shortly after the war started.  He was a captain in the 6th United States Cavalry with McClellan during the Peninsula Campaign.  He became colonel of the 2nd Ohio Cavalry and was instrumental in the pursuit of John H. Morgan’s command during the Great Raid of 1863, commanding a brigade at Buffington Island.  Late in 1863 he would serve under Burnside at Knoxville.  Kautz would be promoted to brigadier general of volunteers in April 1864 and would lead cavalry operations (and co-lead the Wilson-Kautz Raid) in the Army of the James under Ben Butler while commanding a division.  Kautz would be nominated by Lincoln and receive a promotion to major general of volunteers in February 1865.

After Lincoln was assassinated Kautz served on the trial board before becoming commander of the Department of Arizona.  He later commanded the Department of the Columbia, achieving the rank of brigadier general (regular rank).  He would leave the service via retirement in 1892 and live in Seattle until he died on September 4th, 1895.  He is buried in Arlington.

Next post will cover the rest of the Kautz brothers.