Philip G. Peltz was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on 7 October 1832 to Philip Peltz, M.D. (1802-1858) and Elizabeth Lentz (1808-1875). He was the fourth of nine children: Rebecca (1826-1890); David Lentz (1829-1904); Elizabeth Lentz (1831-1919); Philip G. (1832-1868); John William (1835-1860); Mary E. (1837-1920); Samuel Henry (1839-1865); Josiah (1842-1905, M.D.); and George Mifflin Dallas (1845-1917, M.D.).

Peltz served as an engineer in the United States Navy from 1856 until his death in 1868. He began service as a Third Assistant Engineer on 26 June 1856. His first cruise was on the newly commissioned U.S.S. Wabash, a wooden screw frigate and the flag ship for the Home Squadron. While aboard the Wabash, Peltz took part in Commodore Hiram Paulding's arrest of William Walker, the American filibusterer and self-proclaimed President of the Republic of Nicaragua. Peltz is listed in news reports as "Ensign, Third Assistant Engineer" alongside "Company D - Sharp's rifles", though his actual relative rank was Midshipman not Ensign. Peltz was promoted to Second Assistant Engineer on 21 July 1858 while still aboard the Wabash.

By the beginning of 1859, he was listed serving "Special Duty" at the Philadelphia Navy-Yard and was likely awaiting reassignment. His second cruise began 3 August 1859 with a promotion to First Assistant Engineer. This cruise was aboard the U.S.S. Wyoming, a wooden screw sloop in the Pacific Squadron. He served aboard the Wyoming for approximately two years.

On 5 November 1861, Peltz was promoted to Chief Engineer (w.r.r.o.* Lieutenant Commander) and placed on "Special Duty" at the Philadelphia Navy-Yard awaiting commission of his next ship.

On 20 February 1862, Peltz began his third cruise. He was the Chief Engineer (w.r.r.o. Lieutenant Commander) aboard the U.S.S. Dacotah, a wooden screw sloop, which would become part of the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron. Peltz served aboard the Dacotah until 25 December 1862 when he received orders reassigning him as Chief Engineer (w.r.r.o. Lieutenant Commander) aboard the U.S.S. Minnesota, a wooden screw frigate and flag ship of the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron.

Sometime in 1864, Peltz was reassigned as Chief Engineer (w.r.r.o. Lieutenant Commander) for the Baltimore Naval Station. He served in that role until 28 December 1865 when he was placed on Special Duty awaiting new orders.

On 26 April 1866, he reported as Chief Engineer (w.r.r.o. Commander) aboard the U.S.S. Lackawanna, a wooden screw sloop in the North Pacific Squadron. Peltz served in as Chief Engineer aboard the Lackawanna until his death off the coast of Carmen Island, Mexico, on 21 August 1868.

Peltz's body was originally buried at La Paz, Lower California. He was later disinterred by the officers of the U.S.S. Ossipee who took his body to San Francisco. From there, his remains were sent on to Philadelphia where they were reinterred at Laurel Hill Cemetery.

* w.r.r.o. = with relative rank of

External sources:

"Chief Philip G. Peltz", Findagrave.com, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/28526982/philip-g-peltz, accessed May 18, 2023.

"Arrest of Gen. Walker by the United States Forces." New York Daily Herald, morning ed., 28 Dec. 1857, p. 1.

"Naval items." The Solano-Napa News Chronicle (Vallejo, California), 09 Jan. 1871, p. 2.

The U.S.S. Dacotah was a Third-Rate Steel Screw Steam Sloop-of-War that served in the United States Navy during the American Civil War. From March to September 1862, the ship served as part of the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron.

The U.S.S. Minnesota was a First-Rate Wooden Screw Steam Frigate in the United States Navy. It originally launched in 1855 and served for two years in east Asia before being decommissioned. At the beginning of the American Civil War, it was recommissioned to be the flag ship of the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron.

The Engineer Corps of the U.S. Navy was established in 1842 as a civilian staff corps. In 1859 relative rank was conferred upon officers of this corps by the Secretary of the Navy and Congress. The relative ranks were established as "Chief engineers of more than twelve years service ranked with commanders; chief engineers of less than twelve years, with lieutenants; 1st assistant engineers, next after lieutenants; 2nd assistant engineers, next after masters; and 3rd assistant engineers, with midshipmen."

External source: Garrett, Fay A. "History of the Insignia of the Staff Corps of the United States Navy." Unpublished typescript cataloged in the Navy Department Library, 1958. Naval History and Heritage Command, 12 Jan. 2017, https://www.history.navy.mil/research/library/online-reading-room/title-list-alphabetically/u/uniforms-usnavy/insignias-us-navy-uniform.html.