John
Dunovant was born 1825 in Chester, South Carolina the son of John and Margaret (Sloan
Quay) Dunovant. During the Mexican
American War he was a Sergeant in a volunteer regiment and was wounded at the
Battle of Chapultepec. He joined the
United State Army as a Captain in the 10th Infantry March 1855.
Dunovant
resigned on December 29th 1860 and offered his service to the South
Carolina militia. He was present at
Fort Moultrie during the bombardment of Fort Sumter. He was stationed there when he became the
Colonel of the 1st South Carolina Infantry July 1861. Dunovant was cashiered November 1862 for
being drunk, but was back commanding July 28th 1863 this time with
the 5th South Carolina Cavalry.
In May 1864 the 5th with Dunovant was placed in Confederate
Major General Wade Hampton’s Division a part of Jeb Stuart’s Cavalry. They saw action at numerous engagements
including the Second Battle of Drewry’s Bluff, the Battle of Cold Harbor and
many of the encounters against Union General Philip Sheridan in the Shenandoah
Valley. Dunovant was wounded at the
Battle of Haw’s Shop May 28th 1864.
He was appointed to Brigadier General August 22nd 1864 and
given command of a brigade.
On October 1st
1864; while fighting north of the James River, in a part of the Battle of
Peebles’ Farm known as the Battle of Vaughan Road, Dunovant was shot and killed
while leading his men in a charge. After
he fell in the frontal attack his troops retreated. General Robert E Lee said of Dunovant to Hampton,
“I grieve with you at the loss of General Dunovant and Dr. Fontaine, two
officers whom it will be difficult to replace." His body was taken back to Chester, South Carolina
where he was buried in a family cemetery.
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