I was doing some research this afternoon on the interaction between Lt. Col. John B. Callis of the 7th Wisconsin and Col. Thomas S. Kenan of the 43rd North Carolina Troops on the first day of the battle of Gettysburg. That story is interesting enough, but we will save it for another post sometime in the future. What surprised me was that both Kenan and Callis were Tar Heel natives. Kenan was born in Duplin County in 1838 and Callis was born in Cumberland County (Fayetteville) in 1828. So, I got to looking for other Tar Heel natives who served in the higher echelons of command in the Federal army. They include:
John A. Winslow – born Wilmington in 1811. Joined the US Navy and commanded the USS Kearsarge in its famous duel with the CSS Alabama. Later promoted to Rear Admiral.
Joseph R. Hawley – born Stewartsville in 1826. Colonel, 7th Connecticut Infantry, Mustered out Bvt. Major General. Later Governor of Connecticut, US Congressman and US Senator.
James Johnson – born Robeson County in 1811. Provisional Governor of Georgia after the war.
Andrew Johnson – born in Raleigh in 1808 – Brigadier General, Military Governor Tennessee, Vice President, President, United States.
William Spicely – born Orange County in 1823. Colonel, 24th Indiana Infantry. Bvt. Brigadier General.
Henry H. Bell – born Orange County in 1808. US Navy – retired as a Rear Admiral.
Edward Stanly – born in New Bern in 1810. Military Governor of North Carolina 1862-1863.
Henry Lee Scott – born in New Bern in 1814. Colonel, Inspector General.
Solomon Meredith – born in Guilford County in 1810. Colonel, 19th Indiana Infantry, Bvt. Major General.
Jonathan Cranor – born Guilford County in 1823. Colonel, 40th Ohio Infantry, Bvt. Brigadier General.
William Stokes – born in Chatham County in 1814. Colonel, 5th Tennessee Cavalry, Bvt. Brigadier General.
Surprisingly, none of these men came from the western part of North Carolina, the part that is supposed to be so Unionist in its leanings. Thoughts?
Thanks for the add Michael.
ReplyDelete