Civil War Confederate Brigadier General, Politician. Born in St. Louis, Missouri, he was the son of Missouri Governor and expedition leader William Clark of "Lewis and Clark" historical fame. In 1830, he graduated with an engineering degree from the US Militray Academy at West Point and was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the 6th US Infantry. He served as an officer mapmaker in the Black Hawk War, before resigning from the Army in 1833. In 1836, he was elected to the Missouri General Assembly, was named as the city engineer of St. Louis and later was the recorder of the city court. During Mexican-American War, he resumed his military career as a Major serving as the commander of an artillery battalion and participated in the Battle of Sacramento, Chihuahua. After the war, he returned to St. Louis and was the Federal surveyor general for Missouri. With the advent of the Civil War, he was appointed by Governor Claiborne Jackson to organize recruits and was commissioned Brigadier General the 9th Division of the Missouri State Guard. He served in the Mississippi Theater until November 1861, when he resigned from the Guard position to accept a commission as Colonel in the Regular Confederate Army. Assigned to various staff positions, he later was in charge of the Ordnance Department in Virginia. In 1864, he assumed command of an infantry brigade in the Army of Northern Virginia under Robert E. Lee and was taken prisoner at the Battle of Sayler's Creek Virginia, on April 5, 1865. After the war, he moved to Louisville, Kentucky, resumed his engineering career, was lead architect on the design of several state buildings and later was commander of cadets at the Kentucky Military Institute. He died at age 72 in Frankfort, Kentucky.
Civil War Confederate Brigadier General, Politician. Born in St. Louis, Missouri, he was the son of Missouri Governor and expedition leader William Clark of "Lewis and Clark" historical fame. In 1830, he graduated with an engineering degree from the US Militray Academy at West Point and was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the 6th US Infantry. He served as an officer mapmaker in the Black Hawk War, before resigning from the Army in 1833. In 1836, he was elected to the Missouri General Assembly, was named as the city engineer of St. Louis and later was the recorder of the city court. During Mexican-American War, he resumed his military career as a Major serving as the commander of an artillery battalion and participated in the Battle of Sacramento, Chihuahua. After the war, he returned to St. Louis and was the Federal surveyor general for Missouri. With the advent of the Civil War, he was appointed by Governor Claiborne Jackson to organize recruits and was commissioned Brigadier General the 9th Division of the Missouri State Guard. He served in the Mississippi Theater until November 1861, when he resigned from the Guard position to accept a commission as Colonel in the Regular Confederate Army. Assigned to various staff positions, he later was in charge of the Ordnance Department in Virginia. In 1864, he assumed command of an infantry brigade in the Army of Northern Virginia under Robert E. Lee and was taken prisoner at the Battle of Sayler's Creek Virginia, on April 5, 1865. After the war, he moved to Louisville, Kentucky, resumed his engineering career, was lead architect on the design of several state buildings and later was commander of cadets at the Kentucky Military Institute. He died at age 72 in Frankfort, Kentucky.
Bio by: John "J-Cat" Griffith
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