Charles Schroeter

Charles Schroeter (July 4, 1837 – January 27, 1921) was a United States Army soldier who received the Medal of Honor for his actions during the American Indian Wars, while serving with Company G, 8th Regiment of the United States Cavalry. A German immigrant, his military career spanned thirty-one years, from 1863 to 1894, during which he also saw action in the American Civil War. He also served a tour of duty in the United States Marine Corps. After retirement from the military, he became a merchant.

He found work in New Orleans then moved upriver to St. Louis before hostilities broke out. After his service in the Civil War and his career in the military, he opened "a retail confectionery and cigar store" with "E.L. Hoopes" after moving to Buffalo, New York, in 1894. He was cited in an 1898 Erie County biography as "a successful and prominent citizen, with a long and honorable career, his worth has been duly recognized."

He was noted about 5 feet 6 inches tall, weighed 135 lb, with light brown eyes, black hair, and a fair complexion. His military records vary from 5 feet 4 inches to 5 feet inches in height. His eye color varies from hazel, to light brown in those same records. His complexion was always listed as fair or ruddy. The variations in the records are not uncommon in the 1800s since each individual officer processing the enlistment had no standard manner, place, light or equipment to make accurate measurement.

Charles G. Schroeter reportedly never married or had any children. In 1918, he moved to San Diego, California.

Military service

Civil War On March 15, 1863, Charles Schroeter was mustered into the 1st Volunteer Missouri Cavalry Regiment, 1st Battalion, Company A under Captain Stierlin as a private. His enlistment papers were signed on February 27, 1863. He was mustered out as a private in Company C at Little Rock, Arkansas, on September 1, 1865.

Schroeter and his fellow cavalry soldiers in the 1st Battalion served, conducted operations and fought (with the exceptions to Companies A and C cited below) in the Trans-Mississippi Theater of the American Civil War in the following specific areas as cited in "A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion, V. III" by Frederick H. Dyer, 1908, pages 1301–1302.

Regiment at Rolla, Missouri until June 1863. Regiment moved to Pilot Knob, Missouri and joins General John Davidson's Cavalry Division. Expedition against Little Rock, Arkansas, July 1 September 1 to 10, 1863. Engagement at Pocahontas, Missouri August 24. Engagement at Shallow Ford and Bayou Meto, Arkansas County, Arkansas on August 30. Action near Shallow Ford on September 2. The Grand Army of the Republic badge authorized by the U.S. Congress to be worn on the uniform by Union Army veterans. Engagement at Bayou Fourche and capture of Little Rock, Arkansas September 10. Expedition from Benton to Mt. Ida Arkansas November 10–18 Engagement at Caddo Gap, Arkansas November 11. Action near Benton December 1. Reconnaissance from Little Rock December 5–13. (1863) Regiment at Little Rock until March 1864. Regiment at Carter's Creek Polk County, Arkansas in January 1864. Regiment with General Frederick Steele's Expedition to Camden, Arkansas March 23 to May 3, 1864. Engagement at Rockport, Arkansas March 25. Action at Arkadelphia, Arkansas March 29. Action at Spoonville, Clark County, Arkansas April 2. Action at Little Missouri River on April 6. Engagement at Prairie D'Ann April 9–12. Action at Camden on April 15. Action at Jenkins' Ferry, Saline River on April 30. Operations against Confederate General Shelby north of Arkansas River May 18–31, 1864. Action at Osceola, Arkansas on August 2. Action at Benton, Arkansas on August 18. Action near Pine Bluff, Arkansas August 18. Scout to Benton September 6–7. Reconnaissance to Princeton, Arkansas October 19 to 23. Expedition to Saline River November 17 to 18. Expedition to Mt. Elba in Cleveland County, Arkansas from January 22 February 22 to 4, 1865. Regiment at Little Rock, Arkansas until mustering out on September 1, 1865. he was assigned to the 8th Cavalry Regiment and Company (later Troop) G. He fought Cochise and the Chiricahua Apaches during a battle at Rocky Mesa in the Chiricahua Mountains on October 20, 1869, earning the Medal of Honor for Gallantry in Action. This engagement was caused by an earlier attack (October 5) on a stagecoach that killed two civilians and four soldiers traveling as passengers to Tucson, Arizona and an attack on a group of cowboys in the Sulphur Springs Valley by Apache Indians.

A detachment of 66 men of the 1st Cavalry Regiment and 61 men of Company G under Lieutenant John Lafferty of the 8th Cavalry had tracked the Apaches into the Chiricahua Mountains and eventually to an engagement what some called the "Campaign of the Rocky Mesa." The combined troops were led by Captain Reuben F. Bernard of the 1st Cavalry. The cool overcast day became "a miserable day, cold with rain and hail, when the cavalrymen attacked." The Apaches were well entrenched and defending behind rocks and boulders near the top of a ridge. The soldiers had to climb a defile or a steep-sided and narrow passage of loose slick rocks to go over and around as they moved up toward the top of the mesa. More than one fell due to the weather conditions. Under these deplorable conditions Schroeter and his fellow soldiers advanced upwards toward the hostile Indians.

As darkness fell, Schroeter with other cavalrymen were ordered to withdraw. They did so in good order individually and in small groups taking their wounded with them down the dangerous slick slopes under enemy fire. Some would provide covering fire while others retreated a short distance, then the process would repeat. Schroeter's commanding officer, Lt. Lafferty, in trying to recover dead soldiers was shot in the mouth destroying his lower left jaw. The entire action cost a likely overestimated 15 to 18 Apache lives and two confirmed soldiers dead with about 4 or 5 (accounts differ) wounded troopers. He completed his second enlistment as a sergeant with C Company, 1st Infantry Regiment, while stationed at Fort Sully, Dakota Territory on October 7, 1876. His character was listed as "excellent."

1877–1881

Schroeter traveled to Washington, D.C., and on November 2, 1877, he was sworn into the United States Marine Corps. Private Schroeter reported aboard USS Alliance in March 1877. He was one of the 26 Marines aboard that screw gunboat. Deployed in Mediterranean Schroeter with his shipmates called at many ship ports for the next three years. Corporal Schroeter was discharged from the Marine Corps on November 2, 1881.

When Marine Private Schroeter went aboard the USS Alliance, she was a new ship built in 1875. She had been commissioned on January 18, 1877, with Commander Theodore F. Kane as captain. On March 9 she sailed to join the European Squadron with the mission of protecting American lives and property, and showing the American flag. The Alliance was based at Ville-franche, France, where, with the permission of the French Government, the United States maintained a supply depot.

Soon after arrival in Europe, the Russo-Turkish War broke out, and Schroeter and his fellow shipmates were sent to Salonika, on the Greek coast, and thence to Smyrna.

In February 1878, the Alliance became Rear Admiral William E. Le Roy's flagship. The Alliance then sailed for Piraeus in Greece, the port for Athens. During ex-President Grant's stay in Greece the Alliance "rendered honors" to him on March 13. A few weeks later while at Piraeus, the ship received the King and Queen of Greece. They "remained a considerable time on board" aboard the Alliance which was the flagship for the US Navy flotilla. The King and Queen on their departure were "honored with the usual ceremonies as upon their arrival" on March 26. Whether Schroeter and his fellow Marines were impressed by such honored company is open to debate. He was transferred to the Marine Barracks in Norfolk on October 24, 1881, where he was honorably discharged November 4, 1881, from the USMC.

Schroeter was promoted to corporal on April 26, 1881, while aboard the USRS Franklin. His birth is listed as Hanover, Germany, age 43. He had brown hair, brown eyes and fair complexion. His height is provided as 5 feet inches. He served with the 10th Infantry Regiment in G Company as a sergeant until his expiration of service on November 13, 1886, while at the "camp on the Mesa Uncompahgre" in Colorado. He was described as being of excellent character.

Schroeter was discharged on November 23, 1891, while at Whipple Barracks, Arizona Territory, as a corporal. His character was listed as "excellent." In the 1910 US census and both the 1905 and 1915 New York state census he is at the same location and still a boarder with the Hoopes (Hoopers).

Schroeter's partner Edwin Hoopes died in 1913, but Schroeter continued to live with Edwin's son Charles L. Hoopes. Schroeter wrote a will in 1915 naming Elizabeth Hoopes, the daughter of Charles, as his beneficiary.

After the selling of his business, Schroeter moved to San Diego, California, with Charles Hoopes' family in 1918.

Death and reburial

In January 1921 Schroeter died aged 83 still living with the Hoopes (Hooper) family in San Diego. More than a decade after his death, his remains were still not claimed. His cremains were placed in an unmarked pauper crypt with other unclaimed remains at Greenwood Memorial Park in San Diego. Laura Jowdy, an archivist with the Congressional Medal of Honor Society, conducted the primary research on Schroeter, as did the Congressional Medal of Honor Society of the United States under Don Morfe. Heard was then instrumental in convincing the National Cemetery Administration that the Charles G. Schroeter who died in 1921 was the same Charles Schroeter who received the Medal of Honor in 1870 for his actions in 1869. In 2013, that Foundation sent a Medal of Honor plaque to the cemetery for placement with his remains. Cemetery staff were unaware that they had a Medal of Honor recipient until that point of time. The following day, July 9, 2015, a somber military ceremony took place as Schroeter was reburied with full military honors. A horse-drawn hearse carried his remains with an honor guard of thirty soldiers from the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment from Fort Irwin, California. Also present were flag bearing Patriot Guard Riders, two living Medal of Honor recipients, Civil War re-enactors, and an Army band with a few military and cemetery officials providing their respects. Standing in for the family, Douglas Ledbetter, Director of Miramar National Cemetery, was presented the American flag that covered Schroeter's remains.