Civil War Confederate Major General. He was born in Charlottesville, the son of Gustavus Adolphus Parsons, who was the last personal secretary of Thomas Jefferson. In his youth he moved to Cole City, Missouri, where he studied law and passed the bar. In the Mexican War he commanded a company of mounted volunteers. From 1853 to 1857 he served as Missouri's Attorney General, subsequently being elected to the state senate. During the secession crisis he allied with Governor Claiborne F. Jackson to take Missouri out of the Union. He commanded the 6th Division/Missouri State Guard until he was commissioned a Brigadier General in Confederate service on November 5, 1862. Through the rest of the year, he fought at Carthage, Springfield, Pea Ridge, and in the Arkansas Campaigns. He was then assigned to Major General Richard Taylor's command in the District of West Louisiana. There he participated in the Red River Campaign of spring 1864. He was also heavily engaged at Pleasant Hill, Louisiana, and at Marks' Mill and Jenkins'Ferry against Brigadier General Frederick Steele during the Camden Expedition. He was transferred to Major General Sterling Price's 1864 raid into Missouri. General E. Kirby Smith named him Major General as of April 30, 1864; though he was paroled at that rank, the promotion was never confirmed by President Jefferson Davis. After General Smith surrendered, he fled to Mexico. There he joined the Imperial forces of Emperor Maximilian, however he was killed soon after by the Republican followers of Benito Juarez.
Civil War Confederate Major General. He was born in Charlottesville, the son of Gustavus Adolphus Parsons, who was the last personal secretary of Thomas Jefferson. In his youth he moved to Cole City, Missouri, where he studied law and passed the bar. In the Mexican War he commanded a company of mounted volunteers. From 1853 to 1857 he served as Missouri's Attorney General, subsequently being elected to the state senate. During the secession crisis he allied with Governor Claiborne F. Jackson to take Missouri out of the Union. He commanded the 6th Division/Missouri State Guard until he was commissioned a Brigadier General in Confederate service on November 5, 1862. Through the rest of the year, he fought at Carthage, Springfield, Pea Ridge, and in the Arkansas Campaigns. He was then assigned to Major General Richard Taylor's command in the District of West Louisiana. There he participated in the Red River Campaign of spring 1864. He was also heavily engaged at Pleasant Hill, Louisiana, and at Marks' Mill and Jenkins'Ferry against Brigadier General Frederick Steele during the Camden Expedition. He was transferred to Major General Sterling Price's 1864 raid into Missouri. General E. Kirby Smith named him Major General as of April 30, 1864; though he was paroled at that rank, the promotion was never confirmed by President Jefferson Davis. After General Smith surrendered, he fled to Mexico. There he joined the Imperial forces of Emperor Maximilian, however he was killed soon after by the Republican followers of Benito Juarez.
Bio by: Ugaalltheway
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