CSA Bios: Leadbetter, Lawton, Law

[Battleline]

Brig. Gen. Danville Leadbetter (b. 1811, d. 1866) From his 1836 graduation from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, Danville Leadbetter was an engineer. Born in Leeds, Maine, Aug. 26, 1811, Leadbetter graduated from West Point third in the Class of 1836. Commissioned as an officer of engineers, he worked for years on fortifications around the country. He left the army Dec. 31, 1857, to settle in Mobile, Alabama. He had been there for the previous three years working on the harbor forts. After his resignation, he was appointed chief engineer for the state of Alabama. During the Civil War, Leadbetter served as an engineering officer. He helped to supervise as defenses were erected at Mobile. Commissioned as a colonel, he was named acting chief of the Bureau of Engineers in Richmond. He oversaw defenses in the Virginia peninsula and later was sent west to oversee bridge construction in eastern Tennessee. He briefly commanded troops in the field against sabotage before being sent to Cumberland Gap. He laid out lines for Gen. Bragg at Chattanooga. He accompanied Gen. Longstreet in the Knoxville Campaign, but was criticized by Longstreet’s staff. He served on the staff of Gen. Joseph Johnston before returning to Mobile. No record of his capture or parole has been located. It is said he went to Mexico and then Canada. He died in Clifton, Canada, Sept. 26, 1866. He was buried in Mobile. While he drew praise from Generals Bragg, Beauregard, Maury and Joseph Johnston, he was criticized by Gen. E.P. Alexander.

Brig. Gen. Alexander R. Lawton (b. 1818, d. 1896) Wounded at the Battle of Sharpsburg, Alexander Robert Lawton spent much of the war serving as a quartermaster. Lawton was born in Beaufort District, South Carolina, Nov. 4, 1818. He was appointed to the U.S. Military Academy and graduated with the West Point Class of 1839 (13th of 39). He resigned his commission in artillery in 1841 to enter Harvard Law School. Graduating in 1842, he settled in Savannah, Georgia, to practice law. There, he met and married the sister of another future Confederate general, Edward Porter Alexander. Between then and the outbreak of war, he served in both houses of the Georgia legislature and was president of the Augusta & Savannah Railroad. With conflict coming, Lawton seized Fort Pulaski under orders from Gov. Joseph Brown. Appointed brigadier general in the Provisional Army of the Confederacy April 13, 1861 and was confirmed by the Provisional Congress Aug. 28, 1861. Lawton served in Virginia, commanding troops in the Valley Campaign of 1862, the Seven Days Campaign, Second Manassas and at Sharpsburg. He briefly commanded a division after Gen. Ewell was wounded at Second Manassas. At Sharpsburg, his division relieved Hood’s Division in the Cornfield. The division was hit hard by Hooker’s I Corps the following day and Lawton was severely wounded in the fight. After being wounded, he was placed in command of the quartermaster general’s department in the fall of 1863. He served in that capacity through the end of the war, doing what he could despite material shortages and railroad problems. Returning to Savannah, Lawton became a major political figure. He served in the state legislature from 1870-75. He followed that as chairman of the state electoral commission in 1876. In 1877, he served as president pro tem of the state constitutional convention. In 1880 and 1884, he was leader of the Georgia delegation to the Democratic national conventions. In 1880, he ran for U.S. Senate, but lost to Joseph E. Brown. He was president of the American Bar Association in 1882. Pres. Grover Cleveland appointed Lawton minister to Austria in 1887. Lawton died at Clifton Springs, New York, July 2, 1896. He was buried in Savannah.

Brig Gen. Evander M. Law (b. 1836, d. 1920) Born in South Carolina, Evander McIvor Law made his military career with Alabama troops during the Civil War. Law was born in Darington, South Carolina, Aug. 7, 1836. He graduated from South Carolina Military Academy in 1856, where he acted as an instructor of belles lettres during his senior year. He went into teaching at military schools, both at the Citadel and at King’s Mountain Military School. He helped to found the Military High School in Tuskegee, Alabama. There, he recruited a company of state troops, which he took to Pensacola, Florida. His unit was incorporated into the Fourth Alabama and he was elected the unit’s lieutenant colonel. At First Manassas, Law was wounded on Henry House Hill. He returned to be elected colonel of the Fourth Alabama in November. He led the regiment at Seven Pines, during the Seven Days Campaign (leading a brigade in Gen. Whiting’s Division), at Second Manassas and Sharpsburg. Hood’s division fought unsupported on the Cornfield, trading lives for the time needed by Gen. Stonewall Jackson. Law received promotion to brigadier general Oct. 2, 1862. Part of Hood’s Division in Longstreet’s Corps, Law led his men into battle at Gettysburg and Chickamauga. At Gettysburg, Law’s brigade assaulted Little Round Top July 2. When Hood was wounded, Law commanded the division until Hood could return. When Hood was wounded again at Chickamauga, Law commanded in operations around Chattanooga. Back in Virginia, Law led the men through the Wilderness, Spotsylvania and Cold Harbor before he was wounded again. Following his recovery, Law had enough with Longstreet and asked to be relieved and went to command a cavalry force under Gen. Joseph Johnston in the Carolinas Campaign. He was promoted to major general in March of 1865. After the war, he settled in Florida, founding a military school and played a role in establishing that state’s educational system. He also worked in newspapers until he was 80. A commander of the Florida division of the United Confederate Veterans, he wrote a number of articles on Civil War campaigns he participated in. He died in Bartow, Florida, Oct. 31, 1920, and was buried there.

[Gil R.]

Finally copied. Thanks!

[jkBluesman]

Sorry to interferre here, but I already did Law, Lawton and Lane (CSA) and Gil told Battleline in advance that I would do them. And I think someone else did Kemper or Kershaw.

[Gil R.]

ORIGINAL: jkBluesman

Sorry to interferre here, but I already did Law, Lawton and Lane (CSA) and Gil told Battleline in advance that I would do them. And I think someone else did Kemper or Kershaw.

Hmm. What do we do about Law and Lawton? Maybe the best thing to do is go through Battleline's and incorporate anything not in jkBluesman's? (I haven't compared them yet myself.)

As for CSA generals named Lane, J.H. Lane is the one jkBluesman did, and it's already in the game. W.P. Lane is still out there for Battleline to do as he marches backwards through the alphabet.

Kemper and Kershaw were done some time ago by Scott Jennings.

Bill, should I e-mail you that master file, so that you have updated info on which guys are done or assigned?

[jkBluesman]

Feel free to include anything from Battleline that you miss in my versions.