| Fathers and Sons: Hero and Plotter |
Hubert Anton Casimir Dilger, 1836-1911, was noted as one
of the finest artillerist in the Army of the Potomac. He was
born in Germany's Black Forest and educated at Karlsruhe
Military Academy, after which he served as a lieutenant in
the Grand Duke's Horse Artillery where he developed new
theories on artillery tactics and drill. When the American Civil
War broke out, Dilger sailed to the United States and took up
residence in Ohio where he became the captain of Battery I,
1st Ohio Light Artillery. Nicknamed "Leatherbreeches" for
the doeskin German-style britches he wore, he turned his
Ohio battery into a well-oiled fighting unit. He fought at
several battles of the Army of the Potomac, including the
Second Battle of Bull Run.
of the finest artillerist in the Army of the Potomac. He was
born in Germany's Black Forest and educated at Karlsruhe
Military Academy, after which he served as a lieutenant in
the Grand Duke's Horse Artillery where he developed new
theories on artillery tactics and drill. When the American Civil
War broke out, Dilger sailed to the United States and took up
residence in Ohio where he became the captain of Battery I,
1st Ohio Light Artillery. Nicknamed "Leatherbreeches" for
the doeskin German-style britches he wore, he turned his
Ohio battery into a well-oiled fighting unit. He fought at
several battles of the Army of the Potomac, including the
Second Battle of Bull Run.
After the war, Dilger became wealthy and moved to a large
horse farm in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley near Front Royal,
where he began raising cattle as well as a family. Gored once
by a bull, he survived and lived into the new century.
horse farm in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley near Front Royal,
where he began raising cattle as well as a family. Gored once
by a bull, he survived and lived into the new century.
Dilger's son Anton was born at the Virginia farm in February of 1884, but at age nine moved to
Germany with a married older sister for his education. He trained as a physician in Heidelberg and
Munich, later working for the Heidelberg University surgical clinic. He received his doctorate summa
cum laude in 1912. There are reports that Dilger served as a surgeon in the Imperial German Army
Medical Corps and that he once directed hospitals for the German Red Cross. When World War One
began, Dilger returned to the United States in 1915. As a German-educated and German-speaking
citizen, Dilger, who had a US passport from 1908, was naturally under suspicion of being a spy.
Germany with a married older sister for his education. He trained as a physician in Heidelberg and
Munich, later working for the Heidelberg University surgical clinic. He received his doctorate summa
cum laude in 1912. There are reports that Dilger served as a surgeon in the Imperial German Army
Medical Corps and that he once directed hospitals for the German Red Cross. When World War One
began, Dilger returned to the United States in 1915. As a German-educated and German-speaking
citizen, Dilger, who had a US passport from 1908, was naturally under suspicion of being a spy.
On May 2, 1863, Dilger was in command of the rear guard
of retreating Union Troops during the disastrous Battle of
Chancellorsville. When Confederates crashed through the
back lines, Dilger fought bravely in a last-ditch defense
against a large portion of Stonewall Jackson's corps. Hauling
one cannon in by hand and forming a guard to keep the
rebels at bay with rapid fire until they were forced to retreat,
he was later awarded the Medal of Honor on August 17,
1893 for his heroism and complete dedication to duty.
of retreating Union Troops during the disastrous Battle of
Chancellorsville. When Confederates crashed through the
back lines, Dilger fought bravely in a last-ditch defense
against a large portion of Stonewall Jackson's corps. Hauling
one cannon in by hand and forming a guard to keep the
rebels at bay with rapid fire until they were forced to retreat,
he was later awarded the Medal of Honor on August 17,
1893 for his heroism and complete dedication to duty.
Allegedly, he and his brother set up a laboratory near Washington,
DC with the intent of producing cultures of anthrax and glanders
(an infectious disease) in an act of biological sabotage, not on the
White House, but on American horses and mules that were being
sent to the Allies for use against the Germans. The story goes that
the dreaded Dr. Dilger plotted to infect some 3,000 horses, mules,
and cattle with the bacteria by painting it onto the nostrils of horses
and that he recruited "sympathetic" Baltimore stevedores to do the
dirty deed. However, they supposedly inoculated horses with the
deadly culture using the crude syringes of the day. His purported
germ warfare program is said to have ended sometime in late 1916,
after which Anton returned to Germany.
DC with the intent of producing cultures of anthrax and glanders
(an infectious disease) in an act of biological sabotage, not on the
White House, but on American horses and mules that were being
sent to the Allies for use against the Germans. The story goes that
the dreaded Dr. Dilger plotted to infect some 3,000 horses, mules,
and cattle with the bacteria by painting it onto the nostrils of horses
and that he recruited "sympathetic" Baltimore stevedores to do the
dirty deed. However, they supposedly inoculated horses with the
deadly culture using the crude syringes of the day. His purported
germ warfare program is said to have ended sometime in late 1916,
after which Anton returned to Germany.
When Dilger return to America later, he suddenly found himself under suspicion of being a German
agent by the Federal government and he fled to Mexico and then to Madrid, Spain where he lived
under the alias Alberto Dondo. He may have become a victim of the Spanish flu pandemic, although
even this is speculation. He remains a figure of mystery.
agent by the Federal government and he fled to Mexico and then to Madrid, Spain where he lived
under the alias Alberto Dondo. He may have become a victim of the Spanish flu pandemic, although
even this is speculation. He remains a figure of mystery.
There are several inconsistencies in the story. It may be asked, for instance, why we were shipping
horses to the Allies as early as 1915 when we were supposed to be neutral. German "secret agents"
were said to have bragged to their superiors that several hundred troops were affected along with the
animals, but no reports were ever made of disease outbreaks among livestock, let alone men, and it
remains uncertain whether the cultures used were pathogenic or even viable...or whether the cultures
were used, period. The unprofessional stevedore/inoculators appeared to have had no accidents in
their clumsy adventures, for none were reported. Furthermore, at the end of World War One, no
provisions were made in treaties for the prohibition of biological warfare as one might expect after
such an endeavor. Apparently, officials at the time either did not know about it or did not take the
episode very seriously. Other German secret agents supposedly carried out similar campaigns in
Romania, Argentina, Spain and Norway. Exact dates and details are all very vague, but then, the
Germans were also alleged to have attempted to spread cholera in Italy, the plague in St. Petersburg,
and drop biological bombs over Britain, and none of these charges were ever substantiated either.
horses to the Allies as early as 1915 when we were supposed to be neutral. German "secret agents"
were said to have bragged to their superiors that several hundred troops were affected along with the
animals, but no reports were ever made of disease outbreaks among livestock, let alone men, and it
remains uncertain whether the cultures used were pathogenic or even viable...or whether the cultures
were used, period. The unprofessional stevedore/inoculators appeared to have had no accidents in
their clumsy adventures, for none were reported. Furthermore, at the end of World War One, no
provisions were made in treaties for the prohibition of biological warfare as one might expect after
such an endeavor. Apparently, officials at the time either did not know about it or did not take the
episode very seriously. Other German secret agents supposedly carried out similar campaigns in
Romania, Argentina, Spain and Norway. Exact dates and details are all very vague, but then, the
Germans were also alleged to have attempted to spread cholera in Italy, the plague in St. Petersburg,
and drop biological bombs over Britain, and none of these charges were ever substantiated either.
Of the horses shipped to Europe, only some of the special animals owned by officers ever made it
home; three quarters of a million horses and mules were either killed in war, sent to farm work in
Europe or were slaughtered for meat. World War One was the last conflict in which horses played a
big role.
home; three quarters of a million horses and mules were either killed in war, sent to farm work in
Europe or were slaughtered for meat. World War One was the last conflict in which horses played a
big role.