Educator, American Civil War Confederate Officer. He served as an educator most of his adult life, yet the years of the American Civil War overshadow his accomplishments in education. He graduated in 1856 from the South Carolina Military Academy or what is today known as the Citadel. After graduation, he taught at Kings Mountain Military School, while studying law In 1860, he relocated to Alabama, co-founding the Tuskegee Military School and taught history and creative writing. After the start of the American Civil War and Alabama announced its secession from the Union, he enlisted in the 4th Alabama with many of his students in a unit called "The Alabama Zouaves." On May 7, 1861, Law received his first officer commission as a Lieutenant-Colonel from General Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia. As a Colonel, he fought in the First Battle of Bull Run. He led his troops in the Peninsula Campaign, Seven Days' Campaign, Battle of Gaines' Mill, the Second Battle of Bull Run and at Antietam. He was wounded at the Second Battle of Bull Run, yet stayed on the battlefield with his men. Promoted to the ranks of Brigadier General in October of 1862, he was credited with being the youngest general in the army at that time. He led a brigade at Fredericksburg and at Little Round Top. At Fredericksburg, General John Hood wrote that Law was "acting with great gallantry, and had his horse killed under him" while leading his men. When Hood was taken from the battlefield wounded at Little Round Top, Law took his place. On July 2, 1863, after marching double-time 25 miles in the summer heat, his command immediately assaulted the left end of the Union forces with the lost or wounded of 87 out of 275 Alabamians. He and General James Longstreet had their differences over the incident at Gettysburg, yet he was exonerated of all serious offences with the support of President Jefferson Davis. He was once again wounded at Gettysburg. After participating in the Battles of the Wilderness, Spotsylvania and being wounded again at Cold Harbor, he commanded a unit in the South Carolina Butler's Cavalry until the end of the war. At Cold Harbor he received fractured his skull and injury to his left eye. On the recommendation of General Joseph Johnston and South Carolina General Wade Hampton, he was promoted to the rank of Major General on March 20, 1865, yet the war ended on April 9th without the Confederate Congress confirming the promotion. His grave marker has the rank of Major General and the death date of 1920. While sources claim the French nobleman Camille Armand Jules Marie de Polignac, who died in 1913, as the last living Confederate Major General, others question that statement, claiming Law has that honor. From his war wounds, he had limited movement the rest of his life in his left arm from an injury to his elbow during the Battle of Gettysburg. After the war, he moved to central Florida in Polk County. He was active in establishing the state's educational system and was the editor of the newspaper, "Bartow Inquire." In 1895 he established the South Florida Military Institute, which was renamed in 1903 the South Florida Military College with graduates receiving degrees in technology and science. According to a December 29, 1963 article "I saw the General Cry" written by R. G. Gray for the "Orlando Sentinel," Law, the superintendent of the school, had a misunderstanding with state authorities over traditions not being followed and resigned. In support of Law, the class of 1903 also resigned weeks short of graduating. Seven years after Law's death, the class of 1903 was awarded their diploma and added to the alumni by the University of Florida. After his resignation, the school was absorbed into the University of Florida in 1905. The dormitory of Law's school was placed on the National Register of Historic Places on July 24, 1972. At the Law Plantation, he married Jane Elizabeth Latta on March 9, 1863; the couple had six children with four reaching adulthood; and after the war, he helped manage his recently deceased father-in-law's railroad interest and property. His article "From the Wilderness to Cold Harbor" was published in the fourth volume of "Battles and Leaders of the Civil War" in 1888. His obituary in the "New York Times" on November 1, 1920, stated that "Major General E. M. Law was listed as having passed away after a week's illness" and "a surviving officer of the Army of the Confederacy and a truly last remnant of the war."