Civil War Union Army Officer. Born in England, his family emigrated to the United States in 1843, and he was a resident of Rockford, Illinois employed as a house painter when the Civil War began in April 1861. He enlisted in the 45th Illinois Volunteer Infantry in Galena, Illinois, and was commissioned as a 1st Lieutenant of Company G on September 17, 1861. In November 1861 he was advanced to Captain and company commander, and led his men in the April 1862 Battle of Shiloh, Tennessee, where his regiment blundered close to Confederate unit in the dark and took a point-blank range volley. He remain at his Captain's rank through the next year and a half, and led his men again during the 1863 Vicksburg Campaign. The subsequent promotions of commanding Colonels John E. Smith and Jasper A. Maltby to Brigadier General, US Volunteers saw Robert P. Sealy rise first to Lieutenant Colonel on June 28, 1863, and Colonel on August 4, 1863. However, the casualties the 45th Illinois sustained to that point had reduced its numbers drastically, and Colonel Sealy would not be officially mustered in a that rank as a result. He commanded the regiment through the Summer 1864 Atlanta Campaign, and in the subsequent March to the Sea under Major General William T. Sherman. He was honorably mustered out on January 10, 1865, and the unit was commanded through the end of the war by Lieutenant Colonel John O. Duer. Colonel Sealy returned to Rockford, then moved to Council Bluffs, Iowa in 1868, and resided there until his death in 1888.
Civil War Union Army Officer. Born in England, his family emigrated to the United States in 1843, and he was a resident of Rockford, Illinois employed as a house painter when the Civil War began in April 1861. He enlisted in the 45th Illinois Volunteer Infantry in Galena, Illinois, and was commissioned as a 1st Lieutenant of Company G on September 17, 1861. In November 1861 he was advanced to Captain and company commander, and led his men in the April 1862 Battle of Shiloh, Tennessee, where his regiment blundered close to Confederate unit in the dark and took a point-blank range volley. He remain at his Captain's rank through the next year and a half, and led his men again during the 1863 Vicksburg Campaign. The subsequent promotions of commanding Colonels John E. Smith and Jasper A. Maltby to Brigadier General, US Volunteers saw Robert P. Sealy rise first to Lieutenant Colonel on June 28, 1863, and Colonel on August 4, 1863. However, the casualties the 45th Illinois sustained to that point had reduced its numbers drastically, and Colonel Sealy would not be officially mustered in a that rank as a result. He commanded the regiment through the Summer 1864 Atlanta Campaign, and in the subsequent March to the Sea under Major General William T. Sherman. He was honorably mustered out on January 10, 1865, and the unit was commanded through the end of the war by Lieutenant Colonel John O. Duer. Colonel Sealy returned to Rockford, then moved to Council Bluffs, Iowa in 1868, and resided there until his death in 1888.
Bio by: RPD2
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GAR Lt. Col. 45th Illinois Infantry
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