John Smith Preston (1809-1881) - Find a Grave Memorial

Civil War Confederate Brigadier General. Born in Abington, Virginia, he was an ardent secessionist in favor of Virginia withdrawing from the Union at the start of the Civil War. He joined the Confederate Army, was appointed Lieutenant Colonel attached to the staff of General Pierre Gustave Toutant Beauregard and fought at the Battle of the First Manassas. He was then assigned as an Assistant Adjutant General in South Carolina where he supervised the prison camp in Columbia, performed recruiting duties and was promoted Colonel in April 1863. In July 1863, he was assigned as superintendent of the Bureau of Conscription for the Confederate Government and promoted Brigadier General in June 1864. He held the position until Confederate Government ceased to exist in May 1865, then he fled to England where he remained until 1868.

Bio by: John "J-Cat" Griffith