The Youngest Confederate General

Confederate Major General Stephen Dodson Ramseur died October 20^th 1864 from wounds received the day before at the Battle of Cedar Creek.

Stephen Dodson Ramseur was born May 31^st 1837, the son of Jacob Able and Lucy Mayfield (Dodson) Ramseur in Lincolnton, North Carolina. His family and friends knew him as Dod.  Ramseur studied math at Davidson College, and then finished his education at the United States Military Academy at West Point.  He graduated in 1860, ranked 14^th in his class, he was commissioned Second Lieutenant in the United States Artillery.

Ramseur resigned his commission and joined the Confederate Army before his home state had even seceded.  On May 27^th 1861 he was made Lieutenant Colonel in the 3^rd North Carolina Infantry.  During the Peninsula Campaign Ramseur commanded the artillery in Confederate Brigadier General John B Magruder’s division.  In April 1862 he became the Colonel of the 49^th North Carolina Infantry.  He led a charge and was wounded during the Battle of Malvern Hill.  Ramseur was unable to return to duty until after the Battle of Antietam, when he was given command of a brigade of four North Carolina regiments in Confederate Brigadier General Robert E Rodes’ division.  On November 1^st 1862, Ramseur would be promoted to Brigadier General, and at only 25 was the youngest Confederate General at the time.  He led his brigade against the Union right at the Battle of Chancellorsville, and he would be wounded again.  At the Battle of Gettysburg he led his brigade against the right flank of the Union First Corps on Oak Hill, pushing them all the way through the town to Cemetery Hill.  Ramseur was in the action at the Battles of Wilderness, Spotsylvania Court House, and Cold Harbor.

Ramseur was part of Confederate General Jubal A Early’s Corps during the Valley Campaign of 1864.  During the Battle of Cedar Creek on October 19^th 1864 the Confederates made a surprise morning attack on a Union camp, routing most of them.  But the Confederates being hungry and worn out stopped, fell out of ranks and started rummaging through the Union camp.  Ramseur pulled together a few hundred of his men, and with those soldiers stood off a counter attack made by Union General Philip H Sheridan for over an hour.  Ramseur leading his men had three horses shot out from under him, before being shot through the lungs.  He was captured by a member of the 1^st Vermont Cavalry, and was taken to Sheridan’s headquarters at the Belle Grove Mansion near Meadow Mills, Virginia where he died.  Ramseur’s last words were, "Bear this message to my precious wife—I die a Christian and hope to meet her in heaven."  He is buried in the St Luke’s Episcopal Cemetery in Lincolnton, North Carolina. 

What This Has Cost Me

Confederate General Lewis Addison Armistead died July 5^th 1863 from a wound received two days earlier at the Battle of Gettysburg during Pickett’s Charge.

Lewis Addison Armistead was born February 18^th 1817 in New Bern, North Carolina the son of Walker Keith and Elizabeth (Stanly) Armistead.  He received an appointment to the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1834, but had to leave the school after busting a plate over the head of fellow cadet Jubal Early.  With the help of his father, Armistead obtained a commission to Second Lieutenant in the 6^th United States Infantry on July 10^th 1839.  He made First Lieutenant on March 30^th 1844.  He married his first wife Cecelia Lee Love a cousin of Robert E Lee the same year.  He saw duty in Arkansas and along the Oklahoma border.  Armistead received a Brevet to Captain for actions during the Mexican American War.  Following the war he did duty in Kentucky, and at Fort Dodge.  His first wife died in 1850 and he remarried in 1853.  Armistead continued doing military duty at various post in the west and he lost his second wife as well two children.  He was in command of a garrison in San Diego, California when the Civil War started along with his friend Winfield Scott Hancock.  Armistead resigned his commission and began the trip back to Virginia to join the Confederacy, he told his friend Hancock, "Goodbye; you can never know what this has cost me."

Arriving in Virginia Armistead was made Colonel of the 57^th Virginia Infantry.  He was a brigade commander at the Battle of Seven Pines, Malvern Hill and Second Bull Run.  Armistead was the Provost Marshal during the Sharpsburg Campaign.  He was back commanding a brigade at the Battle of Fredericksburg.  As a part of confederate Lieutenant General James Longstreet’s Corps Armistead missed the Battle of Chancellorsville.

Armistead arrived at Gettysburg along with the rest of General George Pickett’s Division on the evening of July 2^nd 1863.  The next day Armistead led of his men, in what would become known as Pickett’s Charge.  He crossed the field in front of his Brigade, reaching the stonewall at the “Angle”, getting farther than any other brigade that day.  Crossing the wall, he was shot three times in the arm and below the knee.  Armistead’s wounds weren’t thought to be mortal.  He was taken the hospital on the Spangler Farm for treatment where he died as chief surgeon Doctor Daniel Brinton said, “not from his wounds directly, but from secondary fever and prostration,” on July 5^th 1863.  His body was removed to the Old Saint Paul’s Cemetery in Baltimore, Maryland.  General Lee wrote in his after action report, "Brigadier-Generals Armistead, Barksdale, Garnett and Semmes died as they had lived, discharging the highest duties of patriots with devotion that never faltered and courage that shrank from no danger."

A Boston Irishman

Union Colonel Thomas Cass died July 12^th 1862 from wound he received eleven days earlier at the Battle of Malvern Hill.

Thomas Cass was born about 1821 in Farmly, Queen, Ireland.  He came to America with his parent, who settled in the North End of Boston.  Cass attended a local school before learning the trade of currier.  He joined his father in business.  Cass was a member of the Columbian Artillery and was Captain of Company B.

When the Civil War started Cass became a Colonel in the 9^th Massachusetts Infantry on June 11^th 1861.  The 9^th was mostly made up of Irish Americans and started off bivouacked at Boston’s Faneuil Hall.  They moved to the Washington, DC area on June 30^th 1861, where they built forts for the protection of the city and performed picket duty.  Cass and the 9^th saw some of their first combat at the Battle of Mechanicsville, and Gaines Mill.

On July 1^st 1862 at the Battle of Malvern Hill Cass received a head wound.  Following the battle Cass was moved to his home in Boston, MA, where he died from his wounds July 12^th 1862.  He is buried at the Mount Auburn Cemetery, Boston, MA.

If you are looking for more information, take a look at STATUE OF COL. THOMAS CASS.; Unveiled at Boston Yesterday to Replace One Removed

A Businessman Turned Soldier

Confederate Brigadier General George Pierce Doles was killed while inspecting his troops at the Battle of Cold Harbor on June 2^nd 1864.

George Pierce Doles was born May 14^th 1830 in Milledgeville, Georgia the son of Josiah and Martha (Pierce) Doles.  He attended local schools, and at 16 tried to run away with his brother to join the army fighting the Mexican American War.  Their father caught them and brought them home.  Doles was a businessman in his hometown, and became the Captain of his local militia company the “Baldwin Blues”.

When the Civil War started Doles enlisted with the rest of “Baldwin Blues” and became a part of the 4^th Georgia Infantry.  He was appointed Colonel of the 4^th on May 9^th 1861, leading them during the Peninsula Campaign.  He was wounded at the Battle of Malvern Hill by a bursting shell.  The 4^th was part of Ripley’s Brigade, and when Confederate General Roswell S Ripley was wounded at the Battle of Antietam, Dole led the brigade in an assault at Miller Cornfield.  Dole was officially placed in command of the brigade November 1^st 1862 with his promotion to Brigadier General. He saw action at Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville.  At Gettysburg Dole’s Brigade lost 16% of their strength on the first day of the fight.  His Brigade was overrun at the Mule Shoe during the Battle of Spotsylvania on May 10^th 1864.  He escaped capture there only by lying on the ground and playing dead, until a counter attack was made.

On June 2^nd 1864 during the Battle of Cold Harbor, Doles was supervising the building of entrenchments near Bethesda Church, Virginia when a Union sharpshooter shot and killed him.  He is buried in the Memory Hill Cemetery in Milledgeville, Georgia.