Philip S. Post

Philip Sidney Post (March 19, 1833 – January 6, 1895) was an American diplomat, politician, and decorated Army officer. He served as a United States representative from Illinois for eight years, from 1887 to 1895. During the American Civil War, he was a Union Army officer and many years later, Post received the Medal of Honor on March 8, 1893, for his actions at the Battle of Nashville.

Biography Early life Born in Florida, New York, P. Sidney Post pursued classical studies and graduated from Union College, Schenectady, New York, in 1855. He studied at the Poughkeepsie Law School and was admitted to the bar in Illinois in 1856. He then traveled through the northwest and took up his abode in Kansas, where he practiced law and also established and edited a newspaper.

Civil War service At the beginning of the American Civil War, he entered the Union Army and served with the 59th Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regiment as a 2nd lieutenant. He was promoted through the ranks to colonel in 1862. He was severely wounded at the Battle of Pea Ridge, and made his way with much suffering, and under many difficulties, to St. Louis, Missouri. Before fully recovering, he joined his regiment in front of Corinth, Mississippi, and was assigned to the command of a brigade.

After the surrender at Appomattox Court House, he was appointed to the command of the western district of Texas, where there was then a concentration of troops on the Mexican border. He remained there until near the start of 1866 when the withdrawal of the French from Mexico removed all danger of military complications. He was then earnestly recommended by Gen. George H. Thomas and others, under whom he had served, for the appointment of colonel in the regular army.

Post war After the war, he was appointed consul to Vienna in 1866, and promoted to consul general to Austria-Hungary in 1874, where he served until his resignation in 1879. He was the commander of the Grand Army of the Republic's Department of Illinois in 1886. He was also a Companion of the Illinois Commandery of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States.

Post was elected as a Republican to the Fiftieth and to the four succeeding Congresses and served from March 4, 1887, until his death before the close of the Fifty-third Congress, in Washington, D.C., on January 6, 1895. He was an early member of the Sons of the American Revolution.

He was interred in Hope Cemetery, Galesburg, Illinois.