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BG Victor Jean Baptiste Girardey

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BG Victor Jean Baptiste Girardey Famous memorial Veteran

Birth
Lauw, Departement du Haut-Rhin, Alsace, France
Death
16 Aug 1864 (aged 27)
Henrico County, Virginia, USA
Burial
Augusta, Richmond County, Georgia, USA GPS-Latitude: 33.4649384, Longitude: -81.9560465
Plot
Section 34. 1st walkway south of 2nd Street, 3rd walkway west of DeL'Aigle Ave
Memorial ID
View Source
Civil War Confederate Brigadier General. Born in Lauw, France, he emigrated with his family to the United States, settling in Augusta, Georgia. Orphaned at 16, he moved to New Orleans, completed his education, and married. When the Civil War began, he enlisted as a First Lieutenant and aide-de-camp of the 3rd Georgia. Transferring to Virginia in 1862, with the rank of Captain, he joined the staff of Brigadier General Ambrose R. Wright as assistant adjutant general. He served on Wright's staff intil May 1864, when he was transferred to the divisional staff of Brigadier General William Mahone. His performance during the campaigning of 1862 and 1863 was repeatedly commended by Wright and his superiors. On July 30, 1864, when the Union army exploded its mine at Petersburg and assaulted the ruptured Confederate lines, he organized and timed Mahone's counterattack in the Battle of the Crater. For his brilliant performance, he was promoted from Captain to Brigadier General, the only instance of this in the army during the war. Just 17 days later on August 16, while commanding Wright's brigade, he was killed near Fussell's Mill on the Darbytown road. In common with six other Confederate Generals buried in Magnolia Cemetery, he has a marker on his grave, and a military marker at a memorial to all the generals.
Civil War Confederate Brigadier General. Born in Lauw, France, he emigrated with his family to the United States, settling in Augusta, Georgia. Orphaned at 16, he moved to New Orleans, completed his education, and married. When the Civil War began, he enlisted as a First Lieutenant and aide-de-camp of the 3rd Georgia. Transferring to Virginia in 1862, with the rank of Captain, he joined the staff of Brigadier General Ambrose R. Wright as assistant adjutant general. He served on Wright's staff intil May 1864, when he was transferred to the divisional staff of Brigadier General William Mahone. His performance during the campaigning of 1862 and 1863 was repeatedly commended by Wright and his superiors. On July 30, 1864, when the Union army exploded its mine at Petersburg and assaulted the ruptured Confederate lines, he organized and timed Mahone's counterattack in the Battle of the Crater. For his brilliant performance, he was promoted from Captain to Brigadier General, the only instance of this in the army during the war. Just 17 days later on August 16, while commanding Wright's brigade, he was killed near Fussell's Mill on the Darbytown road. In common with six other Confederate Generals buried in Magnolia Cemetery, he has a marker on his grave, and a military marker at a memorial to all the generals.

Bio by: Ugaalltheway



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  • Maintained by: Find a Grave
  • Added: Apr 8, 2000
  • Find a Grave Memorial ID:
  • Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/9068/victor_jean_baptiste-girardey: accessed ), memorial page for BG Victor Jean Baptiste Girardey (26 Jun 1837–16 Aug 1864), Find a Grave Memorial ID 9068, citing Magnolia Cemetery, Augusta, Richmond County, Georgia, USA; Maintained by Find a Grave.