TODAY IN HISTORY (GENERAL HISTORY/ ON THIS DAY IN CONFEDERATE HISTORY/ CONFEDERATE GENERAL BIRTHDAYS, November 28

Click 👉 TODAY IN HISTORY (general history) Nov. 28 

ON THIS DAY IN CONFEDERATE HISTORY, Nov. 28

1861: The State of Missouri is admitted to the Confederate States of America as the 13th state. Missouri Gov. Claiborne Fox Jackson was solid with the South. He died in exile on Dec. 6, 1862, in Little Rock, Arkansas.

1862: In the BATTLE OF CANE HILL, ARKANSAS, 2000 Confederates under General John Marmaduke held off 5000 Federals under General James G. Blunt for 15 hours in a rearguard action. The Southrons then made a successful withdrawal to Van Buren, Arkansas, ending the Federal pursuit.

 

Capt. Dan Turrentine, 

12th Arkansas Infantry

(Library of Congress)

CLICK:👉Randal's Texas Brigade: Fighting for Southern Independence

This is the history of one of the finest bodies of Confederate infantry in the War for Southern Independence. General Kirby Smith and Lieutenant General Richard Taylor considered Randal's Texas Brigade to be the best infantry brigade in the Trans-Mississippi West. The brigade was principally made up of the 11th Texas Infantry Regiment, 14th Texas Infantry Regiment, the 28th Texas Cavalry (Dismounted) and the 6th Battalion ( Gould's) Texas Infantry. It fought in such major Trans-Mississippi Department battles, in all or part, as the battles of Bayou Bourbeau, Mansfield, Pleasant Hill, all in Louisiana, and Jenkins' Ferry in Arkansas. The men of Randal's Texas Brigade played a major roll in keeping Texas largely free of the destruction wrought on other Southern states in the war.

1864: Battle of Columbia, Tenn: Confederate General Stephen D. Lee's Corps of the Army of Tennessee demonstrates before the Federals dug in at the Duck River in Columbia, Tennessee, while General Hood takes the rest of the army outflanks the Yankees' army in an attempt to cut off its retreat at Spring Hill, Tennessee.

 

Two Tennessee Confederates

(Library of Congress)

CONFEDERATE GENERAL BIRTHDAYS, Nov. 2

Brigadier General Lawrence O'Brien Branch was born in 1828 in Enfield, North Carolina. Before the war, he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives and served in the 34th, 35th, and 36th Congresses. In 1859, he challenged Rep. Galusha Grow to a duel after an argument on the House floor. However, both men were arrested before the duel could take place. Branch joined the Confederate Army in May 1861 and, in September, was elected colonel of the 33rd North Carolina Infantry. The North Carolinian was appointed brigadier general and led this brigade at the Battle of Hanover Courthouse, the Seven Days Battles, Cedar Mountain, Second Manassas, Chantilly, and Harper's Ferry. At the Battle of Sharpsburg, Md., Sept. 17, 1863, he and his brigade arrived with A.P. Hill's Division in time to stop a Federal breakthrough. After the fighting stopped, while talking with other Confederate generals, he was hit in the head by a bullet from a Federal sharpshooter, which killed him instantly and mortally wounded Brig. Gen. Maxcy Gregg. Branch was buried in Raleigh, North Carolina at Old City Cemetery. 

Brig. Gen. Lawrence O. Branch

Ω