General Braxton Bragg appointed him commander of Fort Fisher just before it fell Jan. 15, 1865, but he was never able to get to his command before it surrendered. Before and after that, he led quite and interesting and influential life.
This is taken from the good folks at HMdb (Historical Markers Database) December 13, 2009.
After the war, he was governor of Georgia from 1877-1882 and served two terms as US Senator from Georgia and died in office in Washington, DC.
He was born in Walton County, Georgia, April 20, 1824 and died in Washington, DC, March 26, 1894 and is buried in Macon, Georgia.
Before the war, he graduated from Princeton in 1844, served as a major in the US Army during the Mexican War and was a US Representative from 1853-1855. After that, a member of the Georgia legislature and member of the secession vote.
At the outbreak of the war, he became colonel of the famous 6th Georgia regiment and on September 1, 1862, promoted to brigadier general, commanding Colquitt's Brigae, Army of Northern Virginia. he acquired the name "Rock of South Mountain" when he withstood furious federal attacks at that battle in Maryland on September 14, 1862.
he was at Charleston, SC, in 1863-1864 and on Feb. 20, 1864, commanded Confederate forces at the Battle of Olustee, Florida, which saved that state from Union control and he got yet another name "Hero of Olustee."
More to Come. --Old B-Runner
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