Christian Febiger Early life . Febiger ( born Fibiger ) was born in Faaborg on Funen Island in Denmark in 1749 , and was the son of organist Jørgen Mathiasen Fibiger ( 1705 - 1776 ) and Sophie Dorthea Pedersdatter Østrup ( 1718 - 1781 ) . After receiving the Studentereksamen , he journeyed with his uncle , Henrik Jakob Fibiger , somewhere in the late 1760s , to the Danish possession of St . Croix , where the latter had been appointed Customs duty manager . In 1772 Febiger traveled to the American colonies ( possibly New England ) and was engaged in several businesses when the American Revolution started . Febiger joined with the Massachusetts Militia on 28 April 1775 following the Lexington Alarm where he fell under the command of Col . Samuel Gerrish and soon became adjutant . Revolutionary War Service . Febiger next became engaged in the Battle of Bunker Hill and proved a capable commander at several battles throughout New England . Febiger was soon afterward appointed to accompany General Benedict Arnold on his Quebec Expedition , which eventually led to the infamous Battle of Quebec . During the raid on December 31 , 1775 , Febiger was taken prisoner by the British and held captive in and around New York City until January 1777 . After his release , Febiger re - joined the Continental forces as the lieutenant colonel of the 11th Virginia Regiment under the command of Col . Daniel Morgan . Febiger and his regiment fought with the Continental Army in the Philadelphia campaign before moving on to other engagements . Following his performance at the Battle of Brandywine Febiger was promoted to the rank of colonel on September 26 , 1777 and took command of the 2nd Virginia Regiment , a post he held until the end of the war though it is speculated that he did not accept his Colonelcy until after the battle of Germantown ( see below ) . In later parts of the American Revolutionary War Col . Febiger commanded the 2nd Virginia Regiment through several significant battles . He also fought with Major General Nathanael Greene at Germantown on the right wing ; he led 4 , 000 men with two canon at the Battle of Monmouth ; and he commanded the right column in the Battle of Stony Point where he distinguished himself by taking the British commander prisoner in person . Febiger later served under General Peter Muhlenberg as a recruiting coordinator for the State of Virginia , and oversaw much of the shipment of supplies through the battle lines after being removed to Philadelphia . As with most of his military service , Febiger distinguished himself as master of the stores and transport of much of the Continental supply . Febiger ' s military career for much of the rest of the War was engaged in his recruiting and oversight efforts ; however , he was in the field at intervals and present at the Battle of Yorktown and the official surrender of General Cornwallis . Febiger is listed in a February 1942 newspaper article under the Ripley ' s Believe it or Not ! section as having been the " only soldier who took part in every important battle of the Revolutionary War from Bunker Hill to Yorktown . " Colonel Febiger finally retired from active duty , following eight years of service to the Revolutionary cause , on January 1 , 1783 . He was officially discharged from the Continental Army on November 30 . During that period , the Continental Congress conferred to Febiger the rank of Brigadier General by brevet . Febiger , however , never truly assumed that title saying , it is " more to one ' s business advantage ' s in America to be known as ' Colonel . ' " Later life . Following the war , " Old Denmark " settled in Philadelphia and engaged in several business ventures , many of which proved rather successful . Febiger also joined the Virginia branch of the Society of the Cincinnati , but later switched his affiliation to the Pennsylvania group . After briefly serving as Auctioneer of the Northern Liberties of Philadelphia ( succeeding David Rittenhouse ) , he eventually came to hold the post of Treasurer for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania , and was appointed to that post for every successive year until he died in 1796 ( the cause of death is not quite clear ) . According to the Sons of the American Revolution , Pennsylvania Society , website , Febiger is buried in the historic Mount Vernon Cemetery in Philadelphia . Family . Col . Febiger was married to the former Miss Elizabeth Carson and though they had " no issue " by this marriage , they adopted Mrs . Febiger ' s nephew , Christian Carson Febiger ( son of Dr . John Carson , a trustee of the University of Pennsylvania ) . Febiger was the grandfather of the Civil War hero , Admiral John Carson Febiger who later became Commandant of the Washington Navy Yard and is buried in Arlington National Cemetery .