The Battle of Fort Fisher, N.C.

Friday, January 24, 2014

North Carolina's Gen. Richard Caswell Gatlin


From Wikipedia.

Yesterday, I wrote about this man and had to wonder about his first two names, Richard Caswell, which was also the name of North Carolina's first governor who was from Kinston and has a museum for him in the city. It turns out that the general was Richard Caswell's (also Fort Caswell protecting the Cape Fear River was named for him) grandson. His mother was Caswell's daughter.

Richard Caswell Gatlin married Scioto Sandford who died in childbirth in January 1852. He later married Mary Ann Gibson of Arkansas, probably why he moved to that state after the war

Once in Confederate service in 1861, he was given command of the Southern Department of Coastal Defense with headquarters in Wilmington. In August 1861, he was promoted to brigadier general and command of the Department of North Carolina and coastal defenses in the state.

Soon after his promotion, Fort Hatteras was captured and he began preparing for the defense of New Bern and made his headquarters in Goldsboro. Then came the losses of Roanoke Island and New Bern and Gatlin was blamed.

After the war, he moved to Sebastion County, Arkansas, and farmed until 1881 when he moved to Fort Smith, Arkansas. He and his wife are buried at Fort Smith National Cemetery.

--Old Secesh

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