b. 10/1839 Meissen, Germany. d. 06/06/1905 St Louis, Missouri.
DATE OF MOH ACTION: 15/09/1862 Harpers Ferry, West Virginia.
Frederick W Fout MOH
Fout was born in Meissen, Germany, on October 30, 1839 (according to some accounts), as Friedrich Wilhelm Fout. Other sources state he was born in 1840. At about age 15, Fout left Germany for the United States, where he stayed with an uncle in New Palestine, Indiana, anglicizing his name to Frederick William upon entry.
A carpenter at the outbreak of the war, Fout first enlisted for a three-month service with the 7th Indiana Infantry Regiment in April 1861. After involvement in the Battle of Philippi (West Virginia), and the Battle of Laurel Hill his company was mustered out in August of that year. Fout re-enlisted into the Indiana Light Artillery. It was during his service in this regiment that he performed the act of gallantry that earned him the Medal of Honor. He was promoted to first lieutenant in January 1864 and put in command of his battery. In his personal papers, William Tecumseh Sherman mentioned that Fout’s battery fired the first shell into Atlanta.
Fout officially became an American citizen in 1865. Following the war, Fout moved to New York, where he married his former schoolteacher’s daughter. After moving to Indianapolis, he started a glass manufacturing business. Several years later, he moved to St. Louis, Missouri, continuing his trade there. In his later life he moved into pensions and claims and also constructing houses. He did not receive the Medal of Honor until 2 November 1896.
He died on 6 June 1905 and his remains are interred at the Bellefontaine Cemetery in St. Louis, Missouri.
MOH CITATION:
Voluntarily gathered the men of the battery together, remanned the guns, which had been ordered abandoned by an officer, opened fire, and kept up the same on the enemy until after the surrender.
BURIAL LOCATION: BELLEFONTAINE CEMETERY, ST LOUIS, MISSOURI.
BLOCK 186, LOT X-72
LOCATION OF MEDAL: BELIEVED TO BE FAMILY.
