William Hofmann
John William Hofmann | |
|---|---|
| Born | August 25, 1824 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Died | May 10, 1902 (aged 77) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Buried | Laurel Hill Cemetery, Philadelphia |
| Allegiance | United States (Union) |
| Service | U.S. Army (Union Army) |
| Years of service | 1861–1865 |
| Rank | Colonel Brevet Brigadier General |
| Commands | 56th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment |
| Battles / wars | Battle of Cedar Mountain Second Battle of Bull Run Battle of South Mountain Battle of Antietam Battle of Fredericksburg Battle of Chancellorsville Battle of Gettysburg Battle of the Wilderness Battle of Spotsylvania Court House Siege of Petersburg |
John William Hofmann (August 25, 1824 – May 10, 1902) was an American Union Army officer during the American Civil War. He commanded the 56th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment and was later brevetted as a brigadier general for gallant service. He fought in major campaigns including Antietam, Gettysburg, and Petersburg.
Early life
[edit]John William Hofmann was born on August 25, 1824, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Little is known of his early life prior to the war.
Civil War service
[edit]Hofmann entered Federal service as captain of Company D, 23rd Pennsylvania Infantry in April 1861. In September 1861, he was appointed lieutenant colonel of the 56th Pennsylvania Infantry, and was promoted to full colonel in May 1862.[1]
He led the regiment in the Second Battle of Bull Run, Battle of South Mountain, and Battle of Antietam, where he filed an official report detailing the actions of the 56th Pennsylvania during the engagement at South Mountain.[2]
At Gettysburg, the 56th Pennsylvania was the first Union infantry regiment to open fire in the battle, engaging Confederate skirmishers west of town on July 1, 1863.[1]
Hofmann continued to lead the regiment during the Overland Campaign, including the Battle of the Wilderness and Spotsylvania Court House. He was wounded during the assault on a salient at Spotsylvania on May 12, 1864, and later served in a less active capacity until the war’s end.[1]
Later life and death
[edit]Hofmann was brevetted as a Brigadier General of U.S. Volunteers on March 13, 1865, for "gallant and meritorious services during the war." He returned to civilian life in Philadelphia and died there on May 10, 1902.
He was buried at Laurel Hill Cemetery.[3]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. Vol. Series I, Volume XIX, Part 1. Government Printing Office. 1880. pp. 234–239. Retrieved June 5, 2025.
- ^ Hofmann, John William (1887). Official Report, 56th Pennsylvania, South Mountain. Series I. Vol. 19. Washington, D.C. pp. 234–239.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - ^ "John William Hofmann". Laurel Hill Cemetery. Retrieved June 7, 2025.
External links
[edit]- J. William Hofmann profile – 48th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry blog