Civil War Confederate Brigadier General. He was born in Campbell County, Virginia, and was a graduate of Hanover Academy. He entered West Point in 1858, however, he resigned from the Academy on April 22, 1861, after his native state seceded. Until the day he left the Academy, he was ranked first in his class. He entered Confederate service as a Lieutenant of the Washington Artillery of New Orleans, serving with this battery for nearly a year. In spring 1862, and now a Captain, commanded a battery attached to the brigade of Brigadier General George E. Pickett, which saw action on the Peninsula, at Fredericksburg, and at Chancellorsville. In May 1863 he was promoted to Major and commanded an 18 gun battalion in the artillery reserve of Lieutenant General James Longstreet's I Corps. At Gettysburg, his battalion participated in the Confederate bombardment preceding Pickett's Charge on the third day's battle. During winter 1863 to 1864 he commanded Pickett's cavalry in the District of North Carolina. He received command of the Horse Artillery of the Army of Northern Virginia early in April 1864 with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. On April 29, 1864, he was promoted to Brigadier General and assigned to a cavalry brigade, leading it with distinction in the New Berne, North Carolina, expedition. He and his brigade transferred to Virginia, participating in the Petersburg Campaign. He subsequently was assigned to Major General W.H.F. Lee's Cavalry division, where he fought until his death. On April 6, 1865, during the Confederate retreat to Appomattox, his brigade encountered Federals at High Bridge over the Appomattox River. He rode to the brigade's front, where he engaged in a pistol duel with Union Lieutenant Colonel (and brevet Brigadier General) Theodore Read. Read died instantly in the exchange, while he fell mortally wounded, just 3 days before the war ended. He lingered until April 23, 2 weeks after his army's surrender, dying in Lynchburg, Virginia, thus making him the last Confederate general officer to die of wounds received in battle; only 24, he had served with distinction as an artillery and cavalry officer.
Civil War Confederate Brigadier General. He was born in Campbell County, Virginia, and was a graduate of Hanover Academy. He entered West Point in 1858, however, he resigned from the Academy on April 22, 1861, after his native state seceded. Until the day he left the Academy, he was ranked first in his class. He entered Confederate service as a Lieutenant of the Washington Artillery of New Orleans, serving with this battery for nearly a year. In spring 1862, and now a Captain, commanded a battery attached to the brigade of Brigadier General George E. Pickett, which saw action on the Peninsula, at Fredericksburg, and at Chancellorsville. In May 1863 he was promoted to Major and commanded an 18 gun battalion in the artillery reserve of Lieutenant General James Longstreet's I Corps. At Gettysburg, his battalion participated in the Confederate bombardment preceding Pickett's Charge on the third day's battle. During winter 1863 to 1864 he commanded Pickett's cavalry in the District of North Carolina. He received command of the Horse Artillery of the Army of Northern Virginia early in April 1864 with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. On April 29, 1864, he was promoted to Brigadier General and assigned to a cavalry brigade, leading it with distinction in the New Berne, North Carolina, expedition. He and his brigade transferred to Virginia, participating in the Petersburg Campaign. He subsequently was assigned to Major General W.H.F. Lee's Cavalry division, where he fought until his death. On April 6, 1865, during the Confederate retreat to Appomattox, his brigade encountered Federals at High Bridge over the Appomattox River. He rode to the brigade's front, where he engaged in a pistol duel with Union Lieutenant Colonel (and brevet Brigadier General) Theodore Read. Read died instantly in the exchange, while he fell mortally wounded, just 3 days before the war ended. He lingered until April 23, 2 weeks after his army's surrender, dying in Lynchburg, Virginia, thus making him the last Confederate general officer to die of wounds received in battle; only 24, he had served with distinction as an artillery and cavalry officer.
Bio by: Ugaalltheway
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