Charles zagonyi biography

Károly Zágonyi (19 October 1822 in Szinyérváralja, Hungary – around 1870) known in the U.S as Charles Zagonyi, was a former Hungarian military officer who served in the American Civil War as an aide to John C.

Frémont and commander of his bodyguard at the rank of major, effective September 19, 1861.

Hungarian Revolution

Charles Zagonyi served originally as a first lieutenant in the Hungarian Revolutionary Army during the 1848-1849 revolt.

General Josef Bem assigned him to lead a picked company of cavalry. In such capacity he saved Bem's life, was captured, and imprisoned for two years by the Austrians.

American Civil War

On July 2, 1851 Zagonyi arrived in the United States.

Charles zagonyi biography wikipedia

He worked in New York and Philadelphia as a house painter. He served as a riding master in a Boston school operated by a fellow Hungarian émigré. Here he met and married a German-American lady by the name of Amanda Schweiger.

At the outbreak of the Civil War, Zagonyi offered his s