Horatio G . Sickel Horatio Gates Sickel ( April 3 , 1817 – April 17 , 1890 ) was a Union general during the American Civil War . He served in the Pennsylvania Reserves during the first part of the war and later commanded brigades in western Virginia and at Petersburg , where a serious wound ended his military career . Early life . Horatio Sickel was born April 3 , 1817 in Bucks County , Pennsylvania . He belonged to a family of Dutch settlers who had emigrated to the area with William Penn . He was also distantly related to Revolutionary War general , Horatio Gates , from whom he received his namesake . Sickel spent his early life as an apprentice in coach making and manufacturing lamps . He served as a Captain in the state militia prior to the war . Civil War . In 1861 Sickel volunteered for the Union army and was appointed captain ( May 27 ) then colonel ( July 28 ) of the 3rd Pennsylvania Reserves . Colonel Sickel and his regiment joined the Army of the Potomac on the Peninsula in time for the Seven Days Battles . He led his regiment credibly at Mechanicsville and Gaines ' Mill , receiving commendations from his brigade and division commanders , George G . Meade and George McCall . He continued in command of the regiment through the battles of Second Bull Run and Fredericksburg . Shortly after Fredericksburg , he succeeded General Meade in command of the Pennsylvania Reserve Division . Sickel and his division were stationed at Alexandria , Virginia on guard duty . While many of the Pennsylvania Reserves rejoined the Army of the Potomac for the Gettysburg campaign , Sickel stayed behind as commander of a brigade in the Department of Alexandria . Sickel did not see action again until the Spring of 1864 when he was ordered to join the forces of George Crook operating in western Virginia , where he commanded the 3rd Brigade of Crook ' s Kanawha Division . At the battle of Cloyd ' s Mountain , he led his men in a charge against the Confederate breastworks which succeeded in turning the enemy ' s flank . The following month the 3 - year enlistments of the 3rd Pennsylvania Reserves ran out . Sickel and the rest of his men were mustered out of the volunteer services on June 17 , 1864 . He immediately reenlisted and was appointed colonel of the 198th Pennsylvania Regiment . This command was ordered to the Petersburg front and upon arrival there , Sickel was placed in command of the 1st Brigade in the 1st Division of the V Corps . Two weeks later Sickel led his brigade into action at Poplar Springs Church . For his services there he was given a brevet promotion to brigadier general of volunteers on October 21 , 1864 . Sickel took a supporting role in the battle of Boydton Plank Road but was again significantly engaged at Hatcher ' s Run . There he received a painful flesh wound in his left thigh on February 6 , 1865 . This wound bothered him for the remainder of his life . In November 1864 General Joshua L . Chamberlain , permanent commander of the 1st Brigade , returned to duty and Sickel reverted to regimental command . He was given a brevet promotion to major general on March 13 , 1865 . At the battle of Quaker Road , Sickel " greatly distinguished himself " , according to Chamberlain . . . " and [ behaved ] in the most admirable manner . " He was again wounded at Quaker Road , having his horse shot out from under him . It was believed at the time that his arm would have to be amputated , his arm was saved but he lost his elbow . He mustered out of the volunteer service on June 4 , 1865 . Later life . Upon his return to Pennsylvania , Sickel was appointed Health Inspector for the Port of Philadelphia . He also served as an I . R . S . collector and pension agent as well as the president of the Philadelphia , Newton & New York Railroad . General Sickel died April 17 , 1890 in Philadelphia and is buried in Doylestown Cemetery .