Civil War Confederate Brigadier General. He was born in York, Pennsylvania. He graduated 5th in the West Point class of 1849. He then served against the Seminoles in Florida, and explored possible railroad routes in the Northwest. He left the United States Army in 1855 to supervise government construction in New Orleans. By 1861 he considered himself a Louisianian and sided with the South when the Civil War began. His first assignment was as a Colonel of Artillery defending Forts Jackson and St. Philip below New Orleans. He was commissioned a Brigadier General on January 7, 1862, and had about 500 men and 80 guns at his disposal when Union Captain David G. Farragut brought up his fleet and mortar boats to attack the forts. On the first day of firing, April 18, 1862, Farragut's mortars lobbed close to 3000 rounds at Fort Jackson in a 10-hour bombardment. He and his men held out until April 24. On that day Farragut successfully ran with his fleet past the fort's guns, landing infantry behind the fort. He surrendered on April 28, and was taken prisoner. After being exchanged on August 27, 1862, he was given charge of an infantry brigade during the operations in Kentucky. He briefly commanded a division, and then became General Braxton Bragg's staff chief in Tennessee but died of typhoid fever in Knoxville.
Civil War Confederate Brigadier General. He was born in York, Pennsylvania. He graduated 5th in the West Point class of 1849. He then served against the Seminoles in Florida, and explored possible railroad routes in the Northwest. He left the United States Army in 1855 to supervise government construction in New Orleans. By 1861 he considered himself a Louisianian and sided with the South when the Civil War began. His first assignment was as a Colonel of Artillery defending Forts Jackson and St. Philip below New Orleans. He was commissioned a Brigadier General on January 7, 1862, and had about 500 men and 80 guns at his disposal when Union Captain David G. Farragut brought up his fleet and mortar boats to attack the forts. On the first day of firing, April 18, 1862, Farragut's mortars lobbed close to 3000 rounds at Fort Jackson in a 10-hour bombardment. He and his men held out until April 24. On that day Farragut successfully ran with his fleet past the fort's guns, landing infantry behind the fort. He surrendered on April 28, and was taken prisoner. After being exchanged on August 27, 1862, he was given charge of an infantry brigade during the operations in Kentucky. He briefly commanded a division, and then became General Braxton Bragg's staff chief in Tennessee but died of typhoid fever in Knoxville.
Bio by: Ugaalltheway
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