Capt. Philip L. Hiteshew

From History of Frederick County. p. 1116-1117:

Capt. Philip L. Hiteshew, a gallant soldier of the Civil War, is a native of Frederick City, where he was born September 11, 1840. He is the youngest child of Daniel and Susan (Grinder) Hiteshew.

George Hiteshew, grandfather of Capt. Philip L. Hiteshew, was a native of Frederick County, Md. He followed the occupation of a farmer. All of his sons were farmers, and two of them, George and Jacob, served in the War of 1812.

Daniel Hiteshew, son of George Hiteshew, and father of Capt. Philip L. Hiteshew, was born in Frederick County in 1804, and died in 1853. In early manhood he was a farmer. He was a man of much public spirit and patriotism, and in politics he was an ardent adherent of the Whig party. In his enthusiasm, after the election of General Harrison to the Presidency in 1840, he hauled the historic log cabin of “Tippecanoe” from, Frederick to Baltimore. He was a warm friend of Henry Clay, and of many other great statesmen, but for himself never sought public office. In religion he was an earnest and consistent member of the Reformed Church. Mr. Hiteshew was married to Susan Grinder, daughter of Michael and Savilla (Graybill) Grinder. Michael Grinder came to America from France with General Lafayette, and, although only a boy, served in a battery during the Revolution. His wife, Savilla Graybill, was of German descent, and was born in Woodsboro, Frederick County. Daniel and Susan Hiteshew were the parents of the following children: William H., died in November, 1851, was a clerk in the office of the register of wills of Frederick County, where he had been from his seventeenth year; Daniel C, served in the Civil War as first lieutenant in command of Company H, 1st Maryland Cavalry, (which company he had helped to organize), and was mortally wounded at the battle of Maryland Heights, September 13, 1862; James M., served in the Civil War as a sergeant in the Second Maryland Home Brigade, resides in Cumberland, Md.; Savilla, residing in Williamsport, Md., is the widow of Archibald Ensminger; Ellen, married Jacob M. Shaffer, a shoe manufacturer of Polo, Ogle County, Ill., who died in 1903; Laura, the wife of George H. Railing. a merchant of Frederick; Mary, is the wife of John Morrison, a business man of Youngstown, O.; Anna, married William Mitchell, a builder and contractor of Cleveland, O.; and Philip L.

Philip L. Hiteshew was forced to begin to earn his own livelihood early in life, his father dying when he was but a mere lad. For the five years that his mother survived her husband, he labored dutifully to assist in her support, being employed much of his time on the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal.

When the Civil War broke out, although not quite twenty-one years of age, he enlisted, August 7, 1861, in Company I, 1st Maryland Cavalry. His meritorious and gallant conduct found recognition, June 9, 1863, when he was promoted by General Gregg from fourth sergeant to first lieutenant. He was promoted to be captain, October 29, 1864, and for a time served as adjutant-general of a brigade, and in the closing of the Appomattox campaign, he was in command of General Sheridan’s body guard. After serving for two years, his regiment re-enlisted, becoming a part of Foster’s brigade of Terry’s division, of the Army of the James. He participated in the siege of Petersburg for six months, and was engaged in fifty-seven battles and skirmishes. A partial list of the battles in which he took part is as follows: Hancock, Md., January 4, 1862; Winchester, Va., May 24, 1862; Charlestown, Va., May 28, 1862; Madison Court House and Cedar Mountain, August 8 and 9, 1862; Rappahannock and Freeman’s Ford, August 22, 1862; White Sulphur Springs, August 23, 1862; Centreville, Va., August 28, 1862; second Bull Run, August 30, 1862; Chantilly, September 1, 1862; Harper’s Ferry, September 13, 1862; Fredericksburg, December 13, 1862; Dumfries, December 27, 1862; Stoneman’s Raid, covering the most of April, 1863; Brandy Station, June 9, 1863; Aldie, June 19, 1863; Middleburg and Upperville, June 23, 1863; Gettysburg, Pa., July 1, 2, 3, 1863; Emmitsburg, Md., July 5, 1863; Benevola, July 10, 1863; Shepherdstown, July 14, 1863; Culpeper Court House, September 14, 1863; Rapidan, September 16, 1863; Missville and White Sulphur, October 12 and 14, 1863; Auburn Mills and Bristow Station, October 16, 1863; Mine Run, November 24-26, 1863; Bermuda Hundred, June 17, 1864; Richmond and Petersburg Railroad, June 19, 1864; Deep Bottom, July 27, 1864. and again on the 14th of August following; Deep Run, July 16-18, 1864; siege of Petersburg from August 21 to the end of September, 1864; New Market Road, September 29, 1864; Darbytown Road, October 13, 1864; Charles City Road, Va., October 27, 1864; Dinwiddle Court House, April 1, 1865; Hatchie’s Run, April 2, 1865; Danville Railroad, April 4-5, 1865; Farmville, April 6, 1865; and Appomattox Court House, April 9, 1865. Few men can boast of a better war record than Capt. Philip Hiteshew.

Following is an exact copy of a letter addressed to Captain Hiteshew by General Sheridan:

“Headquarters, Military Division of the Missouri
Chicago, Ill., April 12, 1869.
Capt. P. L. Hiteshew, Frederick, Md.

My Dear Captain: I am in receipt of your letter of the 26th ult., and take great pleasure in acknowledging your valuable service during the Appomattox campaign. The very daring ride made by you on the 5th of April, 1865, from the cavalry to the infantry division of General Miles, through the rebel forces, at a time when experience, coolness and bravery were indispensable, entitles you to the high praise which I now willingly accord.

Respectfully,
P. H. SHERIDAN
Lieut.-General, U. S. A.”

After his most excellent service in the Union Army and the war had closed, Captain Hiteshew engaged for some time in the patent-right business. In June, 1869, he was appointed to a post in the internal revenue service of the government, which position he retained until September, 1873, when he accepted a position in the sub-treasury of the United States at Baltimore, Md. Here he remained, discharging his duties with much ability and satisfaction to all concerned, until failing health compelled his resignation, December 15, 1882, when he returned to Frederick.

In politics Captain Hiteshew has always been an earnest Republican, and in 1903, he was nominated and elected as a member of the House of Delegates of Maryland from Frederick County. He is a member of John P. Reynolds Post, No. 2 of Maryland, Grand Army of the Republic, and a member of the Red Men. In religion he is a member of the Reformed Church. Mr. Hiteshew is spending his later years in retirement, and resides with his son-in-law, Charles Wertheimer, in Frederick. He is a man well preserved, and possesses an active and vigorous mentality, with a retentive memory, and keeps well abreast of the times upon all topics. He is well known and highly esteemed in the community in which he has spent the best part of his life.

Captain Hiteshew was married in August, 1865, to Frances A. Wilcoxon, daughter of John Wilcoxon, a farmer of near Frederick City. She died in 1904. They were the parents of two children: Webster, chief clerk on the U. S. recruiting ship “Franklin;” and Anna M., the wife of Charles Wertheimer, a member of the firm of Lowenstein & Wertheimer, of Frederick City, has two children, Charles and Philip.

[Since the writing of this sketch, Captain Philip L. Hiteshew is at rest, having passed away, February 13, 1910.]