Alexander Asboth | |
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Alexander Asboth
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Born |
Keszthely, Hungary |
December 18, 1811
Died |
January 21, 1868 Buenos Aires, Argentina |
(aged 56)
Place of burial | Arlington National Cemetery |
Allegiance |
Kingdom of Hungary United States of America |
Service/ |
Hungarian Army United States Army Union Army |
Years of service |
1836–1849 (Hungary) 1861–1865 (USA) |
Rank |
|
Battles/wars |
Alexander (Sandor) Asboth (Hungarian: Asbóth Sándor, December 18, 1811 – January 21, 1868) was a Hungarian military leader best known for his victories as a Union general during the American Civil War. He also served as United States Ambassador to Argentina and as United States Ambassador to Uruguay.
Asboth was born in Keszthely, Hungary. When Asboth was 8, his family moved to Zombor (now Sombor in Serbia). Asboth wanted to be a soldier, like his elder brother Lajos, but instead his parents decided he should be an engineer. He studied at the Mining Academy of Selmecbánya and the Institutum Geometricum in Pest.
He then trained at the Hungarian military academy. In 1836, Asboth enlisted to the newly formed Hungarian Army. He worked as both a soldier and an engineer for the army. He joined with freedom-fighter Lajos Kossuth in the 1848 revolutionary movement. In December 1848 he was promoted to captain. During his time as captain, he took part in the battles of Kápolna and Nagysalló. Asboth traveled with Kossuth to the Ottoman Empire and then to the United States in 1851, after the revolution failed.
Asboth remained in the United States and joined the Union. Starting in July 1861, he served as chief of staff for General John C. Frémont. Asboth originally was nominated brigadier general to rank from September 3, 1861 by President Abraham Lincoln on December 26, 1861, but the U.S. Senate confirmed the promotion on March 24, 1862 to rank from March 21, 1862 as the President did not formally make the appointment until March 22, 1862. Asboth was assigned commanded of the 4th Division in Frémont's western campaign. Asboth later led a division under Samuel Curtis, and during the Arkansas campaign he occupied Bentonville and Fayetteville. He participated in the Battle of Pea Ridge, leading troops at the Little Sugar Creek position. His right arm was fractured by a musket ball while bringing reinforcements to support Colonel Eugene A. Carr. Reinforcements were transferred to Henry Halleck from the Army of the Southwest and during the Siege of Corinth, Asboth commanded a brigade in the Army of the Mississippi.