Monday, June 5, 2023

Today in History (general history)/ On This Day in Confederate History/ Confederate General Birthdays, June 5.

  Click 👉Today in History (general history) June 5. 

On This Day in Confederate History, June 5.

1863: At the Siege of Vicksburg, Miss. Brig. Gen. John C. Vaughn writes a report on his brigade's activities of the previous day: "The usual sharpshooting, interspersed with artillery fire, was kept up by the enemy during the day. Major Stevens' command, near the mouth of Mint Spring Bayou, was ordered to keep up a heavy fire on the mound during the night, should any attempt be made by the enemy to throw up new works at that point which, I think, was successful, as no new works can be discovered at that point. One wounded, Sixtieth Tennessee; one wounded, Sixty-second Tennessee; one wounded, Third Battalion Mississippi State Troops."

Sgt. James B. White, Co. B, 60th Tenn. Inf.
Vaughn's Brigade at Vicksburg
(Library of Congress/Liljenquist Collection)

1864: Atlanta Campaign: Captain Samuel T. Foster of the 24th Texas Cavalry (Dismounted), Granbury's brigade, writes in his diary what a day's march is like in the Atlanta Campaign in Georgia: "We started, but very slow, and Mud! Nearly the whole army had passed along, with all the Artillery so the road was nearly knee-deep in mud and loblolly.  Occasionally a man would stumble and fall flat in the mud, get up, and go on again, the rain just pouring down, and the men all in good humor, passing their jokes as usual, as though it was noon instead of midnight and clear and dry instead of raining and muddy." [From One of Cleburne's Command, page 91, University of Texas Press, 1980.]

Confederate General Birthdays, June 5.

Brigadier General Beverly Holcombe Robertson was born on this day in 1827 in Amelia County, Virginia. He graduated from West Point in 1849, ranking 25th out of 43 cadets in his class. Robertson served at Carlisle Barracks, New Mexico, Kansas, Nebraska, and Utah territories before resigning from the U.S. Army. In the Confederate  Army, he commanded the 4th Virginia Cavalry and was promoted to brigadier general on June 9, 1862. His battles and campaigns included Northern Virginia, Maryland, the Battle of Whitehall, Gettysburg, and Carolina at the end of the war. Following the war, Robertson made his living in the insurance business. He died Dec. 12, 1910, in Washington, D.C., and was buried in the Robertson Cemetery near Scott's Fork, Amelia County, Va.

Brig. Gen. Beverly H. Robertson
👱

Brigadier General Marcus Joseph Wright was born on this day in 1831 in Purdy, Tennessee. Prior to the war, he was a lawyer in Memphis, Tenn., clerk of the common law and chancery court, and a lieutenant colonel in the 154 Tennessee militia regiment. During the war, the regiment became the 154th Tennessee Senior Infantry and compiled a top-notch war record. Wright was promoted to brigadier general on Dec. 13, 1862. Among his battles and campaigns were the Tullahoma Campaign, the battles of Chickamauga, and Missionary Ridge. Wright was also in command of the Atlanta district and was the Confederate governor of Kentucky. Following the war, Wright returned to his law practice, was sheriff of Shelby County, and purser for the U.S. Navy Yard in Memphis. He was also hired by the U.S. War Dept. to collect Confederate military records for inclusion in the Official Records of the War of the Rebellion. Wright died Dec. 27, 1922, in Washington, D.C., and was buried in Arlington National Cemetery on the south side of the Confederate Memorial, one of two Confederate generals to be buried there. The other one was Gen. Joseph "Fighting Joe" Wheeler.

Brig. Gen. Marcus J. Wright
👋

No comments: