Edward M. Heyl

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Edward M. Heyl.

Birth: Feb. 14, 1844, Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania.
Death: Jan. 2, 1895.
Wife: Mary Delphine Heyl (1861 - 1902.)
Burial: Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Arlington County, Virginia.
 
Edward Miles Heyl: Born in and appointed from Pennsylvania. Quartermaster-Sergeant and First Sergeant Company E, Third Pennsylvania Cavalry, August 12, 1861 ; Second Lieutenant September 8, 1862 ; First Lieutenant May I, 1863; Captain May 2, 1864; Honorably mustered out August 24, 1864 ; First Lieutenant Ninth Cavalry July 28, 1866 ; Captain July 31, 1867; Transferred to Fourth Cavalry December 31, 1870; Major and Inspector-General February 19, 1885; Lieutenant-Colonel and Inspector General September 22, 1885 ; Colonel and Inspector General February 12, 1889; Brevetted Major February 27, 1890, for gallant services in actions against Indians at the Rio Pecos, Texas, June 7, 1869, the Salt Fork of the Brazos River, Texas, September 16, 1869, and at the South Fork of the Stano River, Texas, September 24, 1869, in which last-named action he was severely wounded ; Died January 2, 1895.

Battle of Brandy Station

June 9, 1863

A party of officers were grouped just in front of our skirmish line, engaged in a discussion as to the distance of the Confederate line, and one made a bet that they were out of carbine range. The bet was taken, and Lieutenant Edward M. Heyl, of Company I, one of the best shots in the regiment, was asked his opinion. Quietly going up to one of his men, whose carbine he had tried before and knew to be a good one, he set the sight for what he estimated the distance to be, aimed it carefully and with deliberation at the man on the right of the skirmish line, fired, and the man tumbled off his horse. That settled the question.