Charles C. Dodge

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Charles Dodge
September 16, 1841 – November 4, 1910
Brig. Gen. Charles C. Dodge
Place of birth	Plainfield, New Jersey
Place of death	New York City, New York
Allegiance	United States of America
Service/branch	Union Army
Years of service	1861-1863
Rank	Brigadier General (Civil War)
Other work	Businessman

For other people of the same name, see Charles Dodge.

Charles Cleveland Dodge (September 16, 1841–November 4, 1910) was a Brigadier General in the American Civil War and one of the youngest in history, receiving his commission at the age of twenty-one. He was the son of Congressman William Earle Dodge.

[edit] American Civil War service

Dodge was commissioned as a captain in the 1st Battalion, New York Mounted Rifles of the 7th New York Volunteer Cavalry in December of 1861, and was soon promoted to Major. He commanded this cavalry detachment during Maj. Gen. John E. Wool's Norfolk expedition, Prior to this Major Dodge and the Mounted Rifles participated in the clash of iron clads, firing from shore at the CSS Virginia during said Naval engagement.

After the successful seizure, of Norfolk & Gosport Naval Yard, Major Dodge was dispatched to Suffolk on 12 May 1862. This move was to choke off Rebel port and secure roads around the Dismal Swamp. This cut off supplies coming up from Carolina Sounds. Suffolk had been abandoned by rebel forces who withdrew to the Blackwater River. Major Dodge held Suffolk until General Peck was placed in charge and turned Suffolk into a fortress city with 15 miles of defensive works.

Dodge was promoted to the rank of Colonel then General in November of 1862. He commanded successful engagements during the Suffolk Campaign and at Hertford, North Carolina. The mounted Rifles under Dodge served as the eyes and ears for General Peck in numerous sorties. Cavalry men under Dodge were the first to detect the movement of Longstreet that led to the siege of Suffolk by Rebel Forces.

He had performed commendably, but his superior Maj. Gen. John J. Peck, and his Corps commander Maj. Gen. John A. Dix, expressed preference for an older officer to lead the cavalry division. There were no other cavalry officers available with an earlier date of rank, and Dodge refused to be subordinated to someone who was likely to be twice his age, and junior to him in seniority. He resigned in June of 1863 in protest, and briefly returned to service with the militia to suppress the New York City draft riots.

[edit] Postbellum service

He then went into business, and was a partner in Phelps Dodge Co., and President of the New York and Boston Cape Cod Canal Co., which was eventually purchased and completed by the Federal Government in 1914. He died in New York City, New York in 1910 of pneumonia.

Persondata
NAME	Dodge, Charles Cleveland
ALTERNATIVE NAMES
SHORT DESCRIPTION	General
DATE OF BIRTH	September 16, 1841
PLACE OF BIRTH	Plainfield, New Jersey
DATE OF DEATH	November 4, 1910
PLACE OF DEATH	New York City New York