The Last To Die

Confederate General James Dearing was mortally wounded at the Battle of High Bridge and may have become the last officer to die in the war on April 22^nd 1865.

James Dearing was born in Campbell County, Virginia April 25^th 1840.  He received his early education at Hanover Academy, before receiving an appointment in 1858 to the United State Military Academy.  Dearing was first in his class at West Point and nearing graduation when Virginia seceded.  He resigned April 22^nd 1861 and accepted a commission of Lieutenant in the Virginia Artillery.

Dearing fought with the Washington Artillery of New Orleans at First Manassas.  He was with Confederate General George E Pickett at Yorktown, Williamsburg, Seven Pines and Fredericksburg.  He was promoted to Captain in late 1862.  By Gettysburg Dearing had been promoted to Major.  He commanded a battalion of artillery in the First Corps of the Army of Northern Virginia, taken part in the artillery leading up to Pickett’s Charge.  Dearing was appointed Brigadier General April 29^th 1864.  He served with the cavalry under Confederate Major General William H F Rooney Lee during the Siege of Petersburg.

Dearing shot and killed Union Colonel Theodore Read during the retreat to Appomattox at close range with a pistol at the Battle of High Bridge April 6^th 1865.  Dearing was then mortally wounded by another Union soldier.  Dearing died from his wound 17 days later on April 23^rd 1865 at the Ladies’ Aid Hospital in Lynchburg, Virginia.  He is buried in the Spring Hill Cemetery in Lynchburg.  Dearing may be the last Confederate officer to in the war.

A Wound Of Honor

Union Brigadier General Francis Engle Patterson died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound November 22^nd 1862.

Francis Engle Patterson was born March 7^th 1821 into a military family in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the son of General Robert and Sarah [Engle] Patterson.  Patterson began his military career as a Second Lieutenant in the United State artillery during the Mexican American War.  After the war he stayed in the military, transferring to the infantry.  He received a promotion in 1855 to Captain as part of the 9^th United Infantry.  Patterson left the military in 1857.

When the Civil War started Patterson rejoined the army.  He served under his father in the 17^th Pennsylvania with a rank of Colonel.  In April 1862 Patterson was placed in command of the 2^nd New Jersey and promoted to Brigadier General.  He led his troops in the Battles of Fair Oaks and Seven Pines.

While posted at Catlett’s Station in November he received unconfirmed reports that there were Confederate troops in the area, and he purportedly ordered a withdrawal.  His Division commander Union General Daniel E Sickles had him relieved of his command, and requested that an inquiry into Patterson’s actions be held, however before that could happen Patterson died.  His death on November 22^nd 1862 was caused by a self-inflicted gunshot, while in his tent near Occoquan, Virginia.  It was determined the shot was an accidental discharge, but there was talk about suicide.  Patterson is buried in the Laurel Hill Cemetery in Philadelphia.

The Little Gamecock

Confederate General James Jay Archer died October 24^th 1864 from an illness he developed while a Prisoner of War.

James Jay Archer was born December 19^th 1817 near Havre de Grace, Maryland the son of John and Ann [Stump] Archer.  He attended Princeton University; where he picked up the nickname “Sally” do to his small stature.  Archer graduated in 1835 and attending Bacon College in Georgetown, Kentucky he went on to study law at the University of Maryland.  He had a successful law practice going when the Mexican American War broke out.  Archer volunteered for service and was cited for bravery at Chapultepec, receiving a brevet to Major.  He moved to Texas following the war in 1848 were he was wounded in a duel.  Archer returned to law in Maryland, but decided in 1855 to join the United States Army as a Captain in 9^th US Infantry.  He served mostly in the Pacific Northwest.

When the Civil War started Archer was at Fort Walla Walla in Washington Territory.  He resigned March 14^th 1861, and shortly after was a member of the Confederate Army.  Archer was made a Colonel in the 5^th Texas Infantry, and served with excellence at the Battle of Eltham’s Landing and Seven Pines.  On June 3^rd 1862 he was promoted to Brigadier General and given command of three Tennessee regiments.  They fought as part of Major General A P Hill’s “Light Division” at Cedar Mountain and Second Bull Run, where he had a horse shot from under him.  His men called him “The Little Gamecock”.  Archer was to sick to ride a horse during the Maryland Campaign of September 1862, and led them from an ambulance.  His men contributed to the victories at the Battles of Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville.  By the summer of 1863 Archer’s brigade was part of Major General Henry Heth’s Division, A P Hill’s Corps.

On July 1^st 1863 Archer was taken prisoner at the Battle of Gettysburg.  Union Private Patrick Maloney of the 2^nd Wisconsin captured him, making Archer the first general to be captured in the Confederate army since General Robert E Lee took command.  Archer was sent to Johnson’s Island on Lake Erie where the Ohio winter cause his health to decline.  After a year at the Fort Johnson prisoner of war camp, Archer was sent with 600 other Confederate officers to Charleston Harbor.  He was exchanged late in the summer of 1864.  He rejoined the Confederate army on August 9^th 1864 as part of the Army of Tennessee, but due to his poor health was order to Petersburg, Virginia.  He collapsed following the Battle of Peebles’ Farm.  Archer died October 24^th 1864 in Richmond, Virginia and is buried Hollywood Cemetery.

He Made Mines

Confederate Gabriel James Rains was promoted to Brigadier General on September 23^rd 1861.

Gabriel James Rains was born June 4^th 1803 in New Bern, North Carolina, the son of Gabriel Manigault and Ester [Ambrose] Rains.  He attended West Point and graduated with the class of 1827.  Rains served in many post in the United States Army and fought in the Mexican American War and Seminole Wars.  He was wounded twice during the Indian wars.

Rains resigned as a Lieutenant Colonel from the United State Army and join the Confederate Army on July 31^st 1861.  He was assigned to Daniel Harvey Hill’s division and made a Confederate Brigadier General September 23^rd 1861.  Rains developed one of the first successful anit-personal mines in 1862.  He used artillery shells with a trip wire.  The first casualty of Rains’ device was a scout on horseback on a road in the vicinity of Williamsburg on May 4^th 1862.  Rains was wounded at the Battle of Seven Pine and was removed from field command.  After this he was assigned to the Confederate conscription and torpedo bureaus.  He set up a system of torpedoes to protect the Charleston, Mobile and Savannah harbors.

After the war Rains lived for a time in August, Georgia before moving to Aiken, South Carolina.  He died in Aiken September 6^th 1881 from the lasting effect of wounds received in the Seminole Wars.

A Career Military Man

Union Brigadier General John Joseph Abercrombie died January 3rd 1877.


John Joseph Abercrombie was born March 4th 1798 in Baltimore, Maryland. He attended the United State Military Academy at West Point, graduating 37th out of class of 40 in 1822. Abercrombie’s military career began in Baton Rouge, Louisiana with garrison duty. In 1828 Abercrombie served in the Black Hawk War and received a promotion to First Lieutenant. He then saw action during the Seminole Wars getting a brevets to Major for service at the Battle of Lake Okeechobee. His next promotion to Lieutenant Colonel came during the Mexican - American War when he was honored after the Battle of Monterrey. After the war Abercrombie was assigned to North Dakota where he over saw the construction of new fort.

The start of the Civil War found Abercrombie aged 63, as one of the oldest commanders in the Union or Confederacy. He was the commanding officer of the 7th Minnesota Infantry with the rank of Colonel. Abercrombie commanded troops in the Shenandoah Valley and at the Battle of Falling Waters. He was promoted to Brigadier General and assigned to the command of the Second Brigade of I Corps’ in the Army of the Potomac. Abercrombie was wounded at the Battle of Seven Pines, and his command repulsed a Confederate attack at the Battle of Malvern Hill. Following the Peninsula Campaign, Abercrombie was relieved of field command and spent the rest of the war handling defenses of Washington DC and supply depots. Abercrombie was placed back in command defending a depot in Fredericksburg, Virginia from Hampton’s Legion in June 1864. He retired from the Army June 12th 1865 at Fort Schuyler, New York with the rank of Brigadier General.

Following his retirement, Abercrombie spent the next three year serving the United States Court-martials duty. He died January 3rd 1877 in Roslyn, Long Island, New York, and is buried in the Woodland Cemetery in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

A good web site for more information is FORT ABERCROMBIE Biography of General John J. Abercrombie