Civil War Confederate Brigadier General. He was born near Cheneyville, Louisiana, and received his education in Kentucky and Tennessee. Returning to his native state after his education, he became one of the most wealthy planters in Louisiana. Elected sheriff of Rapides Parish in 1845, a year later he served in the Rapides Volunteers in the Mexican War with the rank of Private. With the advent of the Civil War, and now serving as Captain of the Stafford Guards, a militia unit, he entered Confederate service as Lieutenant Colonel of the 9th Louisiana. In October 1861 he was promoted to Colonel and command of the regiment, succeeding Brigadier General Richard Taylor, who now commanded the Louisiana Brigade, of which the 9th was a part. Under Taylor, he and the Louisianans fought in the 1862 Shenandoah Valley Campaign. He briefly commanded the brigade during the latter stages of the Seven Days' Campaign. Returning to command of the 9th, he led it at Antietam, where he suffered a foot wound. The regiment transferred to Brigadier General Harry T. Hays's brigade October 1862, and he fought under Hays at Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, and Gettysburg. In this last battle, the Louisianans stormed up Cemetery Hill in the twilight of July 2, 1863, momentarily seizing the vital Union position. He received his promotion to Brigadier General on October 8, 1863, and command of the 2nd Louisiana Brigade. He led this unit at Mine Run November 1863 and at the Wilderness May 1864. The latter fight would be his last as during the battle's first day, he fell mortally wounded at the head of his brigade on May 5. He died three days later in Richmond and was buried in Hollywood Cemetery. A year later his remains were removed to the family cemetery in Louisiana.