Alexander Chambers

Chambers, Alexander, brigadier-general, was born in New York in 1832, was graduated at West Point in 1853, served on garrison and other duty until 1855, and then took part in the Florida war against the Seminoles, and was promoted first lieutenant in 1859. He became captain in the 18th infantry, May 14, 1861, colonel of the 16th Iowa volunteers, March 24, 1862, and on Aug. 11, 1863, was commissioned brigadier-general of volunteers, his commission expiring April 6, 1864. He was brevetted brigadier-general of volunteers, March 13, 1865, for gallant services in the battle of Champion's Hill, Feb. 4, 1864, and Meridian, Miss., Feb. 14, 1864. Gen. Chambers engaged in the Tennessee campaign, March 12, 1862, was twice wounded in the battle of Shiloh, April 6, 1862, and once at the battle of Iuka, Sept. 19, 1862, and for gallant conduct on these occasions was brevetted major and lieutenant-colonel. He then served in the Vicksburg campaign, winning the brevet rank of colonel for gallantry, July 4, 1863. He was afterwards, until Feb. 1, 1864, in garrison at Vicksburg, and then served in Sherman's raid to Meridian, and commanded a battalion at Lookout mountain. After the war, Gen. Chambers was judge-advocate of the district of Nebraska in the early part of 1866, and of the Department of the Platte until July 31, 1867, was then promoted major and lieutenant-colonel U. S. A. and served on garrison and frontier duty, and from July, 1877, to Sept., 1878, was military attaché at Constantinople, Turkey. Subsequently he was stationed at Fort Townsend, Wash. He died in San Antonio, Tex., Jan. 2, 1888.

SOURCE:  The Union Army, Volume 8, Biographical, Federal Publishing Company, Madison, Wisconsin, 1908 p.54