CSA Bios: Pendleton, Pender, Pemberton, Pegram

[Battleline]

Brig. Gen. William N. Pendleton (b. 1809, d. 1883) As captain of the Rockbridge Artillery of Lexington, Virginia, William Nelson Pendleton started the war with Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. That’s what the ordained Episcopal rector named his cannon. Pendleton spent much of the Civil War as the Army of Northern Virginia’s chief of artillery. He was born Dec. 26, 1809, in Richmond, Virginia. Pendleton went to private school before receiving an appointment to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. He graduated fifth in the Class of 1830 and spent three years in the military before resigning to teach. He studied to enter the ministry and was ordained in 1838. He left the teaching profession in 1847 to dedicate his time to his Episcopalian ministerial pursuits. In 1853, he was appointed rector of Grace Church in Lexington, Virginia, a position he held for the rest of his life. When the war started, Rev. Pendleton offered his services to the Confederacy. After his start as an artillery captain, Pendleton was promoted to colonel and served as nominal chief of artillery for Gen. Joseph Johnston. Johnston called him “that model of a Christian soldier.” He was with the Army of Northern Virginia from the start to finish of the war. He received promotion to brigadier general March 26, 1862. Pendleton was very close with Gen. Robert E. Lee (After the war, Lee briefly served on the vestry of Pendleton’s church). Over the final two years of the war, Pendleton’s active command was the reserve ordnance. Pendleton frequently preached to the troops during the war. Pendleton’s biggest loss in the war was his son, Alexander Swift “Sandie” Pendleton, who held the rank of lieutenant colonel and chief of staff for the Second Corps. Sandie Pendleton was killed at Fisher’s Hill Sept. 22, 1864. William Pendleton’s daughter married Gen. Edwin G. Lee. Pendleton returned to his church after the war, fighting poverty within the parish and hostile Federal authorities. Pendleton died Jan. 15, 1833 in Lexington, Virginia.

Maj. Gen. William D. Pender (b. 1834, d. 1863) At original glance, the shell fragment which hit William Dorsey Pender in the leg during the Battle of Gettysburg wasn’t considered life-threatening. In fact, Pender shook it off as “trivial.” But what wasn’t trivial was the infection which followed during the army’s retreat from Pennsylvania. By the time he arrived in Staunton, Virginia, emergency amputation was the only option. Pender did not survive the surgery, dying July 18, 1863. Pender was mourned among the general staff. “No man fell during the bloody battle of Gettysburg more regretted than he, nor around whose youthful brow were clustered brighter rays of glory,” wrote Gen. A.P. Hill. “His promise and usefulness as an officer were only equaled by the purity and excellence of his private life,” stated Gen. Robert E. Lee. Pender was born Feb. 6, 1834, in Edgecomb County, North Carolina. In his early life, he received education in common schools and worked in his brother’s general store before receiving an appointment to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point at the age of 16. Pender graduated 19th in the 46-member class of 1854. His U.S. Army service came with the First Dragoons on the Pacific coast. There, he gained field experience in Indian skirmishes. Pender resigned his commission March 21, 1861, one of the first U.S. Army officers to do so. He entered Confederate service as colonel of the Third North Carolina Volunteers (later 13th North Carolina Infantry). The Regiment was attached to Whiting’s brigade in G.W. Smith’s division. First action was at Williamsburg, Virginia. Pender’s conduct in the Peninsular Campaign, especially at Seven Pines, led to his promotion to brigadier general June 3, 1862. Pender was given a brigade in A.P. Hill’s Light Division. Starting with the Seven Days Campaign, Pender commanded his brigade with distinction at battles such as Cedar Mountain, Harpers Ferry, Sharpsburg (where it was said the division saved Lee’s army), Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville. Three times he was wounded in battle, once at Fredericksburg and twice at Chancellorsville. When the Army of Northern Virginia was reorganized with A.P. Hill taking command of a corps, Pender was promoted to major general (May 27, 1863) to take command of what had been the Light Division. Alfred Scales took over Pender’s brigade. On the second day of fighting at Gettysburg, Pender was hit in the leg. The two-inch by two-inch wound wasn’t thought to be serious. But Pender was taken to the rear, and rode by ambulance south. Gen. Isaac Trimble took over Pender’s division for the rest of the battle, which included participating in Pickett’s Charge. Pender’s health steadily failed on the trip south. He shared the ride with Scales, who had taken over Pender’s old division when Pender was promoted.

Lt. Gen. John C. Pemberton (b. 1814, d. 1881) How did John Clifford Pemberton go from being a lieutenant general in charge of the Department of Mississippi and Eastern Louisiana to ending the war as a colonel in artillery? Pemberton was born Aug. 10, 1814, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He earned an appointment to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and graduated 27th of 50 in the Class of 1837. Most of his West Point friends were southerners and he strengthened his ties with the south when he married Martha Thompson of Norfolk, Virginia, in 1848. In the meantime, Pemberton had fought with distinction in the Mexican War, twice earning brevets. Pemberton resigned his U.S. Army commission April 24, 1861. Two of his brothers stayed with the Federal forces. He was appointed brigadier general in the Confederate army by President Jefferson Davis June 17, 1861, and given command of the Department of South Carolina, Georgia and Florida. While in command of this district, Pemberton received promotions to major general (Jan. 14, 1862) and lieutenant general (Oct. 10, 1862). Pemberton’s forces saw very little action during this time. Subordinate Nathan “Shanks” Evans led troops which drove the Federals away at Secessionville. However, Pemberton’s final promotion came with a transfer as he was sent to the Department of Mississippi and Eastern Louisiana. There, he received conflicting orders from Richmond and his immediate superior, Gen. Joseph Johnston. Ordered to attack the Federals, Pemberton was defeated at Champion’s Hill. That helped to decide the fate of his district’s linchpin, the city of Vicksburg, Mississippi. After a siege, Pemberton surrendered the city and 29,000 Confederate soldiers to the forces of Federal Gen. U.S. Grant. After the surrender, Pemberton was out of a job. No further duty for an officer of his rank could be found. Nobody wanted to employ the man who surrendered Vicksburg in a command role. Pemberton resigned his rank in 1864 and was appointed a colonel (“Generals in Gray” states lieutenant colonel) of artillery. He served the rest of the war in this capacity. After the war, he settled on a farm near Warrenton, Virginia. He returned to Pennsylvania later in life and died in Penllyn, Pennsylvania, July 13, 1881.

Brig Gen. John Pegram (b. 1832, d. 1865) John Pegram commanded a division at the time of his death by Federal musket ball at the Battle of Hatcher’s Run Feb. 6, 1865, but never received his promotion to major general. Born in Petersburg, Virginia, Jan. 24, 1832, Pegram received his appointment to the U.S. Military Academy and graduated 10th in the Class of 1854. He served for two years on the frontier with the Second Dragoons, ascending to the position to adjutant. He also spent two years in Europe on a leave of absence. Pegram resigned his commission May 10, 1861, and became the lieutenant colonel of the 20th Virginia Infantry. He controlled half of the Confederate forces at the Battle of Rich Mountain and was captured with his men when the Federals moved through an unguarded mountain pass. Exchanged, Pegram returned to duty as chief engineer on the staffs of Generals P.G.T. Beauregard and Braxton Bragg. The role came with a promotion to colonel. He served as Gen. Edmund Kirby Smith’s chief of staff during the Kentucky Invasion. Promoted to brigadier general Nov. 7, 1862, he was given a cavalry brigade. With this unit, he fought at Murfreesboro. He had a division under Gen. Forrest at the Battle of Chickamauga. Transferred to the Army of Northern Virginia, he took over an infantry brigade in Gen. Early’s division of the Second Corps. Leading this brigade, he was wounded in the leg at the Wilderness. He returned for Early’s Shenandoah Campaign and ascended to division command after the death of Gen. Robert Rodes at the Battle of Winchester. In January 1865, he married Hetty Cary at St. Paul’s Church in Richmond, the social event of the year. Pegram was hit in the chest at Hatcher’s Run dying almost immediately. His funeral at St. Paul’s Church was just three weeks after his wedding. Pegram was buried in Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond.

[Gil R.]

Pendleton was done a few weeks ago, but I just used your bio to augment the one I already had. Here's the revised version of that one:

Brig. Gen. William Nelson Pendleton (b. 1809, d. 1883). Born in Richmond, Virginia, on December 26, 1809, Pendleton was a grand-nephew of Gen. Thomas Nelson, a signer of the Declaration of Independence and governor of Virginia in 1781. He graduated fifth in the class of 1830 at West Point. Appointed 2nd lieutenant in the 4th Regiment of Artillery, he served three years in the army, finishing as an assistant professor of mathematics at West Point before resigning. Pendleton then became a professor of mathematics at Bristol College, Pennsylvania, and next at Delaware College, in Newark, Delaware, before entering the ministry of the Episcopal Church and being ordained as a priest in 1838. He returned to Virginia in 1839 to become principal of the Episcopal High School of Virginia at Alexandria, a position he held for five years. In 1853 he became rector at Grace Church in Lexington, Virginia, a post he held until his death with the exception of his time serving in the war. Pendleton also served as chaplain to the cadets at the Virginia Military Institute and at Washington & Lee University in Lexington. The outbreak of the Civil War caused a number of southern clergymen to take up the sword. Pendleton was elected Captain of the Rockbridge Artillery, whose guns he named Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, but quickly rose to Colonel, serving as chief of artillery on the staff of Gen. Joseph E. Johnston and then Gen. Robert E. Lee when each was commanding the Army of Northern Virginia. Holding this position from First Manassas to Petersburg, Pendleton on March 26, 1862 was promoted to Brigadier General. I’ll go with Battleline’s precise date instead of “April 1862,” which is what this bio had "Parson" Pendleton conducted religious services with the army on Sundays and held weekday prayer-meetings; he is prominently associated with the "great awaking" religious movement among the Confederate soldiers in the Army of Northern Virginia. His only son, Lt. Col. Alexander Swift "Sandie" Pendleton, chief of staff in Jackson's Corps, was killed at the Battle of Fisher's Hill on September 22, 1864. After the war, Pendleton returned to Lexington and Grace Church, where he often was mistaken for Lee (who briefly served on the vestry of Pendleton’s church). Pendleton died on Jan. 15, 1883 in Lexington and was buried there in Jackson Memorial Cemetery. (Bio by Michael Jennings)

[Battleline]

Maj. Gen. William D. Pender (b. 1834, d. 1863) At original glance, the shell fragment which hit William Dorsey Pender in the leg during the Battle of Gettysburg wasn’t considered life-threatening. In fact, Pender shook it off as “trivial.” Pender had been wounded three times prevously and took pride in the fact he hadn’t left the field following each of those wounds. But what wasn’t trivial was the infection which followed during the army’s retreat from Pennsylvania. By the time he arrived in Staunton, Virginia, emergency amputation was the only option. Pender did not survive the surgery, dying July 18, 1863. Pender was mourned among the general staff. “No man fell during the bloody battle of Gettysburg more regretted than he, nor around whose youthful brow were clustered brighter rays of glory,” wrote Gen. A.P. Hill. “His promise and usefulness as an officer were only equaled by the purity and excellence of his private life,” stated Gen. Robert E. Lee. Pender was born Feb. 6, 1834, in Edgecomb County, North Carolina. In his early life, he received education in common schools and worked in his brother’s general store before receiving an appointment to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point at the age of 16. Pender graduated 19th in the 46-member class of 1854. His U.S. Army service came with the First Dragoons on the Pacific coast. There, he gained field experience in Indian skirmishes. Pender resigned his commission March 21, 1861, one of the first U.S. Army officers to do so. He entered Confederate service as colonel of the Third North Carolina Volunteers (later 13th North Carolina Infantry). The Regiment was attached to Whiting’s brigade in G.W. Smith’s division. First action was at Williamsburg, Virginia. Pender’s conduct in the Peninsular Campaign, especially at Seven Pines, led to his promotion to brigadier general June 3, 1862. Pender was given a brigade in A.P. Hill’s Light Division. Starting with the Seven Days Campaign, Pender commanded his brigade with distinction at battles such as Cedar Mountain, Harpers Ferry, Sharpsburg (where it was said the division saved Lee’s army), Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville. Three times he was wounded in battle, once at Fredericksburg and twice at Chancellorsville. When the Army of Northern Virginia was reorganized with A.P. Hill taking command of a corps, Pender was promoted to major general (May 27, 1863) to take command of what had been the Light Division. Alfred Scales took over Pender’s brigade. On the second day of fighting at Gettysburg, Pender was hit in the leg. The two-inch by two-inch wound wasn’t thought to be serious. But Pender was taken to the rear, and rode by ambulance south. Gen. Isaac Trimble took over Pender’s division for the rest of the battle, which included participating in Pickett’s Charge. Pender’s health steadily failed on the trip south. He shared the ride with Scales, who had taken over Pender’s old division when Pender was promoted.

[Gil R.]

Thanks, I got the change.

[Gil R.]

I rewrote this slightly to avoid repetition and reorder things, and it’s now good to go. Very nice job.

Maj. Gen. William Dorsey Pender (b. 1834, d. 1863). At first glance, the shell fragment that hit Pender in the leg during the Battle of Gettysburg was not considered life-threatening. In fact, Pender shook it off as “trivial” – Pender had been wounded three times previously and took pride in the fact he had not left the field following each of those wounds. But what was not trivial was the infection which followed during the army’s retreat from Pennsylvania. By the time he arrived by ambulance in Staunton, Virginia, emergency amputation was the only option. Pender did not survive the surgery, dying on July 18, 1863 at the age of twenty-nine. Pender was greatly mourned among the general staff. “No man fell during the bloody battle of Gettysburg more regretted than he, nor around whose youthful brow were clustered brighter rays of glory,” wrote Gen. A.P. Hill. “His promise and usefulness as an officer were only equaled by the purity and excellence of his private life,” stated Gen. Robert E. Lee. Pender was born on February 6, 1834, in Edgecomb County, North Carolina. In his early life, he received education in common schools and worked in his brother’s general store before receiving an appointment to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point at the age of sixteen. Pender graduated 19th in the 46-member class of 1854. His U.S. Army service came with the 1st Dragoons on the Pacific coast, where he gained field experience in Indian skirmishes. Pender resigned his commission on March 21, 1861, one of the first U.S. Army officers to do so. He entered Confederate service as Colonel of the 3rd North Carolina Volunteers (later the 13th North Carolina Infantry). His regiment was attached to Gen. William H.C. Whiting’s brigade in G.W. Smith’s division, and its first action was at Williamsburg, Virginia. Pender’s conduct in the Peninsular Campaign, especially at Seven Pines, led to his promotion to brigadier general on June 3, 1862. Pender was given a brigade in Hill’s Light Division. Beginning with the Seven Days Campaign, Pender commanded his brigade with distinction at battles such as Cedar Mountain, Harpers Ferry, Antietam (where it was said that Hill’s division saved Lee’s army), Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville. It was at the last two battles that he received his three previous wounds: one at Fredericksburg and two at Chancellorsville. When the Army of Northern Virginia was reorganized with A.P. Hill taking command of a corps, Pender was promoted to major general, on May 27, 1863, to take command of what had been the Light Division, while Gen. Alfred Scales took over Pender’s brigade (and, ironically, ended up riding with him back to Virginia because of a serious wound he received at Seminary Ridge). On the second day of fighting at Gettysburg, Pender was hit in the leg and dealt the two-inch by two-inch wound that doomed him. Gen. Isaac Trimble took over Pender’s division, which participated in Pickett’s Charge the following day. (Bio by Bill Battle)

Leadership: 5
Tactical: 6
Initiative: 5
Command: 5
Cavalry:

Teaches: Hardy, Fast, Blasted (twice)

Start date: 34
Death date: 60