CSA Bios: Strahl, Stovall, Stewart, Stevenson

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Brig. Gen. Otho F. Strahl, CSA (b. 1831, d. 1864) Otho French Strahl’s military career was tied to Tennessee. He began it there, as a captain in the Fourth Tennessee Volunteer Infantry in May 1861. He was promoted to lieutenant colonel in 1862. His conduct at Shiloh and Murfreesboro led to his promotion to colonel in January 1863 and brigadier general July 28, 1863. And his career ended in the state during the Battle of Franklin Nov. 30, 1864, when he was killed. Strahl was born in McConnelsville, Ohio, June 3, 1831. He was schooled at Ohio Wesleyan University (Delaware, Ohio), where he was a classmate to another future Confederate brigadier general, Daniel H. Reynolds. The two studied law together in Somerville, Tenn. Strahl was admitted to the bar in 1858 and was practicing law in Dyersburg, Tenn., at the start of the war. After he was promoted to brigadier general, Strahl’s first command was in Cheatham’s Division of Polk’s Corps and he led his brigade with gallantry during the Battle of Chickamauga. During the Chattanooga Campaign, he was in A.P. Stewart’s Division in Breckinridge’s Corps. During the Atlanta Campaign, he was assigned to Cheatham’s Division in Hardee’s Corps. Detailed to Hood’s Army, his brigade was assigned to John C. Brown’s Division in Cheatham’s Corps. At the Battle of Franklin, Strahl was one of six Confederate generals killed. He was in a ditch outside the Federal works handing weapons up to his men, who were firing down into the enemy. He was hit during this action. His last words, in answer to one of his men, were, “Keep on firing.”

Brig. Gen. Marcellus A. Stovall (b. 1818, d. 1895) Sparta, Ga., born Marcellus Augustus Stovall entered the world Sept. 18, 1818. After early schooling in Massachusetts, Stovall was eager to take arms during the Seminole Uprising of 1835. He joined the Richmond Blues of Augusta, Ga., for that conflict. That led to an appointment to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, but he had to leave school after a year due to illness. He toured Europe and returned to Augusta, Ga., in 1846, settling on an estate near Rome, Ga. When the Civil War broke out, he was captain of the Cherokee Artillery and that led to a state militia commission as colonel of artillery. He changed arms, being named lieutenant colonel of the Third Georgia Infantry Battalion of the Provisional Army, October 1861. Stationed in eastern Tennessee, Stovall was sent into Kentucky with Gen. Kirby Smith’s forces. He was reassigned to Gen. Bragg’s Army of Tennessee, fighting at Murfreesboro. Under Gen. Breckinridge’s command at the Battle of Chickamauga, he received praise from his commander and that earned him his promotion to brigadier general Jan. 20, 1863. His brigade fought in the Atlanta Campaign and was with Gen. Hood’s forces in the Tennessee Campaign. He was one of the fortunate survivors and made it to join up with Gen. Joseph Johnston’s troops in the Carolinas. He was paroled May 9, 1865. Back in civilian life, Stovall chose a career in cotton brokerage and fertilizer manufacture. He organized and operated the Georgia Chemical Works. He died in Augusta, Ga., Aug. 4, 1895.

Lt. Gen. Alexander P. Stewart, CSA (b. 1821, d. 1908) “Old Straight,” Alexander Peter Stewart, ascended to corps command in the Army of Tennessee during his Confederate service. Born in Rogersville, Tenn., Oct. 2, 1821, Stewart was a member of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point’s Class of 1842. He resigned his commission in 1845 to become an educator. He was the chair of mathematics and natural and experimental philosophy at Cumberland University in Lebanon, Tenn., and at Nashville University. Politically, Stewart was a Whig and was against secession, but volunteered for military duty at the outbreak of the Civil War. He entered Confederate service in an administrative position, organizing instructive camps for new soldiers. His first field commands were of heavy artillery and water batteries at the Battle of Belmont, Mo. Stewart received promotion to brigadier general Nov. 8, 1861 (the day after Belmont). He was sent to command a brigade under Gen. Leonidas Polk and fought in all the battles of the Army of Tennessee. He was at Shiloh in charge of a brigade in Clark’s Division, Polk’s Corps. At Perryville, his brigade was in Cheatham’s Division of Polk’s Right Wing. At Murfressboro, he commanded the second brigade in Cheatham’s Division, Polk’s Corps. He was promoted to major general to rank from June 2, 1863. At Chickamauga, he commanded a division in Buckner’s Corps, Longstreet’s Wing. At Chattanooga, his division, consisting of the brigades of Adams, Strahl, Clayton and Stovall, was in Breckinridge’s Corps. Stewart’s Division fought in Hood’s Corps during the Atlanta Campaign. His promotion to lieutenant general came June 23, 1864. He took over Polk’s Corps with his promotion to lieutenant general. His command during Hood’s Tennessee Campaign consisted of the divisions of Loring, French and Walthall. He survived the march into Tennessee and the subsequent retreat, hooking up with Gen. Joseph Johnston’s forces in the Carolinas. He was paroled with the army in Greensboro, N.C., in May 1865. Following the war, he first went back to Cumberland University, but later moved to St. Louis, Mo., and was working for St. Louis Mutual Life Insurance Company, giving up a job that paid $6,000 for the job of chancellor of the University of Mississippi in 1874, taking a hefty pay cut. He served in that capacity until 1877. As chancellor, Stewart’s tenure included the introduction of baseball in 1876 and the school’s first Ph.D. in 1877. He presided over the school becoming coeducational and the first female faculty member. When he resigned his Ole Miss position (taken over by former Confederate soldier Edward Mayes), Stewart became a commissioner of the Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park, helping to preserve battlefields on which he fought. He died in Biloxi, Miss., Aug. 30, 1908.

Maj. Gen. Carter L. Stevenson, CSA (b. 1817, d. 1888) A graduate of West Point and a veteran of the Mexican War, Carter Littlepage Stevenson entered Confederate service in Virginia, but saw most of his action in the Army of Tennessee. Stevenson was born near Fredericksburg, Va., Sept. 21, 1817. He was a member of the U.S. Military Academy Class of 1838 and served on the frontier until the outbreak of the Mexican War. He fought in the Fifth Infantry in the Mexican War. Because of an oversight, Stevenson was dismissed from the U.S. Army June 25, 1861, because he had “entertained and expressed treasonous designs against the Government of the United States.” That happened because his commanding officer failed to forward his resignation. He joined the Confederate army as an infantry major in the 53rd Virginia. With Gen. P.G.T. Beauregard’s recommendation, he was promoted to brigadier general to rank from Feb. 27, 1862. With the promotion, he was sent west. He started with a victory, forcing Federal Gen. Morgan from the Cumberland Gap and then joined Gen. Kirby Smith’s command during the Kentucky Campaign. He commanded a division in the Army of Kentucky at the Battle of Perryville and received the appropriate rank days after that battle, Oct. 10, 1862. He fought in the Vicksburg Campaign and was captured with the city’s fall. After being exchanged, Stevenson joined the Army of Tennessee and fought in every engagement from Chattanooga to Bentonville, with the exception of Franklin. During the Battle of Franklin, the divisions of Stevenson and H.D. Clayton were left on the south side of the Duck River to demonstrate against Schofield’s forces while Hoods troops executed a flank move. Stevenson retreated with Hood’s remnants and joined up with Gen. Joseph Johnston’s forces, being paroled in Greensboro, N.C., May 1, 1865. Following the war, he was a civil and mining engineer in Virginia, dying Aug. 15, 1888 in Caroline County, Va.

[Gil R.]

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Maj. Gen. Carter L. Stevenson, CSA (b. 1817, d. 1888) A graduate of West Point and a veteran of the Mexican War, Carter Littlepage Stevenson entered Confederate service in Virginia, but saw most of his action in the Army of Tennessee. Stevenson was born near Fredericksburg, Virginia., Sept. 21, 1817. He was a member of the U.S. Military Academy Class of 1838 (42nd of 45). He served in the Second Seminole War and was in posts in Wisconsin and Michigan. He fought in the Fifth Infantry in the Mexican War. Because of an oversight, Stevenson was dismissed from the U.S. Army June 25, 1861, because he had “entertained and expressed treasonous designs against the Government of the United States.” That happened because his commanding officer failed to forward his resignation. He joined the Confederate army as an infantry major in the 53rd Virginia. With Gen. P.G.T. Beauregard’s recommendation, he was promoted to brigadier general to rank from Feb. 27, 1862. With the promotion, he was sent west. He started with a victory, forcing Federal Gen. Morgan from the Cumberland Gap and then joined Gen. Kirby Smith’s command during the Kentucky Campaign. He commanded a division in the Army of Kentucky at the Battle of Perryville and received the appropriate rank days after that battle, Oct. 10, 1862. He fought in the Vicksburg Campaign (Bayou Campaign, Champion's Hill and Big Black River). He commanded the army's right during the Vicksburg siege and was captured with the city’s fall. After being exchanged, Stevenson joined the Army of Tennessee and fought in every engagement from Chattanooga to Bentonville, with the exception of Franklin. He briefly commanded a corps under Hood during the Atlanta Campaign until Stephen Dill Lee was given the job. During the Battle of Franklin, the divisions of Stevenson and H.D. Clayton were left on the south side of the Duck River to demonstrate against Schofield’s forces while Hood's troops executed a flank move. Stevenson retreated with Hood’s remnants and joined up with Gen. Joseph Johnston’s forces, being paroled in Greensboro, North Carolina, May 1, 1865. Following the war, he was a civil and mining engineer in Virginia, dying Aug. 15, 1888 in Caroline County, Virginia.

[Battleline]

Lt. Gen. Alexander P. Stewart, CSA (b. 1821, d. 1908) “Old Straight,” Alexander Peter Stewart, ascended to corps command in the Army of Tennessee during his Confederate service. He was the highest-ranking Tennesseean in the war. He was characterized as a man who refrained from politics within the army, displaying "commitment and restraint." (Encylopedia of the American Civil War). Born in Rogersville, Tennessee, Oct. 2, 1821, Stewart was a member of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point’s Class of 1842. He resigned his commission in 1845 to become an educator. He was the chair of mathematics and natural and experimental philosophy at Cumberland University in Lebanon, Tenn., and at Nashville University. Politically, Stewart was a Whig and was against secession, but volunteered for military duty at the outbreak of the Civil War. He entered Confederate service in an administrative position, organizing instructive camps for new soldiers. His first field commands were of heavy artillery and water batteries at the Battle of Belmont, Missouri. Stewart received promotion to brigadier general Nov. 8, 1861 (the day after Belmont). He was sent to command a brigade under Gen. Leonidas Polk and fought in all the battles of the Army of Tennessee. He was at Shiloh in charge of a brigade in Clark’s Division, Polk’s Corps. At Perryville, his brigade was in Cheatham’s Division of Polk’s Right Wing. At Murfressboro, he commanded the second brigade in Cheatham’s Division, Polk’s Corps. He was promoted to major general to rank from June 2, 1863. At Chickamauga, he commanded a division in Buckner’s Corps, Longstreet’s Wing. At Chattanooga, his division, consisting of the brigades of Adams, Strahl, Clayton and Stovall, was in Breckinridge’s Corps. Stewart’s Division fought in Hood’s Corps during the Atlanta Campaign. His promotion to lieutenant general came June 23, 1864. He took over Polk’s Corps with his promotion to lieutenant general. His command during Hood’s Tennessee Campaign consisted of the divisions of Loring, French and Walthall. He survived the march into Tennessee and the subsequent retreat, hooking up with Gen. Joseph Johnston’s forces in the Carolinas. He was paroled with the army in Greensboro, North Carolina, in May 1865. Following the war, he first went back to Cumberland University, but later moved to St. Louis, Missouri., and was working for St. Louis Mutual Life Insurance Company, giving up a job that paid $6,000 for the job of chancellor of the University of Mississippi in 1874, taking a hefty pay cut. He served in that capacity until 1877. As chancellor, Stewart’s tenure included the introduction of baseball in 1876 and the school’s first Ph.D. in 1877. He presided over the school becoming coeducational and the first female faculty member. When he resigned his Ole Miss position (taken over by former Confederate soldier Edward Mayes), Stewart became a commissioner of the Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park, helping to preserve battlefields on which he fought. He died in Biloxi, Mississippi, Aug. 30, 1908, and buried in St. Louis.

[Gil R.]

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