Friday, March 1, 2024

Today in History (general history)/ On This Day in Confederate History/ Confederate General Birthdays, March 1.

On This Day in Confederate History, March 1.

1861: President Jefferson Davis appointed Pierre Gustave Toutant Beauregard of Louisiana to the rank of brigadier general in the Provisional Army of the Confederate States of America. A graduate of West Point in the class of 1838, he ranked 2nd among the cadets and was assigned to the prestigious Army Corps of Engineers. He had an outstanding record in the Mexican American War on the staff of General Winfield Scott in the Mexico City Campaign. He also worked closely with fellow staff member Captain Robert E. Lee. Beauregard was breveted a captain for his gallantry at Contreas, Churubusco, and Chapultepec where he was wounded. After the war, he served in many important engineering assignments and in 1861 was the superintendent at West Point. But his orders were revoked three days before Louisiana seceded. 

Gen. P.G.T. Beauregard

Also, in 1861, The Confederate government was given control of the military operations at Charleston Harbor, S.C., which includes Fort Sumter. Gen. Beauregard will be given command.

1862: Shiloh Campaign: Confederates with the 18th Louisiana and Miles Artillery drive 100 men from Company K, 32nd Illinois Infantry who were landed by a Federal gunboat at Pittsburg Landing, Tennessee. First Lieutenant John T. Lavery of the 18th Louisiana was wounded in the thigh but rather than be evacuated, grabbed a Maynard carbine and fired it as rapidly as he could at the enemy. The Northerners suffered two killed and six wounded. Lavery recovered from his wound. Confederate casualties totaled 12 in killed and wounded. Colonel Alfred Mouton and his regiment were commended by generals Ruggles and Beauregard for their handling of the gunboat affair. 

Brig. Gen. Alfred Mouton

1864: Red Rivedr Campaign: The Federal Army of the Gulf in New Orleans was building a massive army and navy expedition up the Red River in Louisiana with the goal of invading Texas via Northwest Louisiana and confiscating as much cotton as they can for New England textile mills. General E. Kirby Smith and Major General Richard Taylor were preparing the Confederate Army of Western Louisiana by concentrating troops from Louisiana, Texas, Arkansas, and Missouri to repel the invasion.
Maj. Gen. Prince Camille Polignac
led a Texas brigade and then a division in
the Red River Campaign.

Confederate General Birthdays, March 1.

Major General James Fleming Fagan was born on this day in 1828 in Clark County, Kentucky. He gained some military experience in the Mexican American War serving with Company C, Arkansas Mounted Infantry Regiment, and fighting in the Battle of Buena Vista, Mexico. He was promoted to the rank of second lieutenant. He started out the War for Southern Independence as a captain in the 1st Arkansas Infantry Regiment and when Arkansas seceded, was elected colonel of the regiment. Fagan was promoted to brigadier general Sept. 12, 1862, and to major general April 24, 1864. His battles included Shiloh, Corinth, Cane Hill, Prairie Grove, Helena, Marks' Mills, Pilot Knob and Mine Creek. He was paroled on June 29, 1865, and returned to farming. He was appointed a United States Marshal by President Grant in 1875. Fagan died Sept. 1, 1893, in Little Rock, Arkansas and was buried in Mount Holly Cemetery. 

Maj. Gen. James F. Fagan
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Brigadier General Hiram Bronson Granbury was born on this day in 1831 in Copiah County, Mississippi. He moved to Texas in the early 1850s and settled in Waco. After studying law at Baylor University, Granbury was admitted to the bar. He then became chief justice of McLennan County, Texas. When war came in 1861, he was elected a captain and then major of the 7th Texas Infantry Regiment. He was then promoted to colonel and was promoted to brigadier general Feb. 29, 1864. Granbury's battles were Raymond, Jackson, Chickamauga, Missionary Ridge, Ringgold Gap, and Franklin, where he was killed in action on November 30, 1864. Granbury was eventually buried in Granbury, Texas, which is named in his honor. A statue of Gen. Granbury was erected at the Hood County Courthouse in Granbury.

Brig. Gen. Hiram B. Granbury

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