CSA Bios: WG Lewis, JH Lewis, Leventhorpe

[Battleline]

Brig. Gen. William G. Lewis (b. 1835, d. 1901) For 13 years after the war, William Gaston Lewis served as North Carolina’s state engineer. Born in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, Sept. 3, 1835, Lewis received his early education at Lovejoy’s Military School in Raleigh, North Carolina. He attended the University of North Carolina, graduating at the age of 19. Employment took him to North Carolina and Florida as a teacher, Minnesota as a government surveyor and back south to work on construction of the Wilmington & Weldon Railroad. At the start of the war, he enlisted in the Bethel Regiment of D.H. Hill and was a junior lieutenant at the first sizable battle of the war, Big Bethel. He was elected major of the 33rd North Carolina. That unit was at New Bern. Lewis was promoted to lieutenant colonel of the 43rd North Carolina in April of 1862. Lewis fought at Gettysburg with this unit as part of Daniel’s Brigade in Rodes’ Division of Second Corps and earned praise from his brigade commander. After the Bristoe Station and Mine Run battles, Lewis and his regiment were returned to North Carolina to fight with Gen. Robert Hoke. After the capture of Plymouth, North Carolina, Lewis was promoted to colonel. Lewis was at the initial stages of the Petersburg siege under Gen. Beauregard. Lewis was promoted to brigadier general May 31, 1864, commanding in Ramseur’s Division. The brigade fought in Gen. Early’s Shenandoah Valley Campaign and then fought in the Petersburg trenches. On the way to Appomattox, Lewis was wounded and captured at Farmville, Virginia, April 7, 1865. After his parole, he practiced civil engineering for the next 30 years. That included his stint as state engineer. Lewis died in Goldsboro, North Carolina, Jan. 7, 1901. He was buried in Goldsboro.

Brig. Gen. Joseph H. Lewis (b. 1824, d. 1904) “Old Joe” Joseph Horace Lewis commanded the Orphan Brigade, both as an infantry unit and as a cavalry unit. Born near Glasgow in Barren County, Kentucky, Oct. 29, 1824, Lewis was a 1843 Centre College graduate. After studying law, Lewis was admitted to the bar in 1845. He turned to politics, earning election to the Kentucky legislature three times. He made two unsuccessful runs for U.S. Congress. Lewis went against his Whig ways to join the Confederacy at the opening of the war. He was commissioned colonel of the Sixth Kentucky Infantry in September 1861. Fighting at Shiloh, Murfreesboro and Chickamauga, he earned repeated commendations from Gen. John C. Breckinridge. When Gen. Ben Hardin Helm was killed, Lewis was promoted to brigadier general to command the Orphan Brigade Sept. 30, 1863. At Missionary Ridge, his brigade broke under a Federal attack, but fought in battles all the way back to Atlanta. After the fall of Atlanta, the brigade was mounted and attached to Gen. Wheeler’s cavalry corps. The unit fought Gen. Sherman’s army through the march to the sea and in the Carolinas. Lewis saw his final action as part of the escort for Pres. Jefferson Davis. He was paroled at Washington, Georgia, May 9, 1865. Returning to Glasgow, Kentucky, Lewis resumed his law practice. He was elected to the state legislature in 1868 and to the first of his three terms in the U.S. Congress in 1870. He served 18 years on the Kentucky bench, starting in 1880. During the final four years, he was the chief justice of the court of appeals. He then retired to his farm in Scott County, Kentucky, and died there July 6, 1904. He was buried in Glasgow, Kentucky.

Brig. Gen. Collett Leventhorpe (b. 1815, d. 1889) Few men did what Collett Leventhorpe did. He turned down an appointment to brigadier general in the Confederate Army. Born in Exmouth, Devonshire, England, May 15, 1815, Leventhorpe was a military man. After education at Winchester College, he was commissioned as an ensign by King William IV. A member of the 14th Regiment of Foot, Leventhorpe served in Ireland, the West Indies and Canada, ascending to captain. In 1842, he emigrated to the United States. He married into a prominent North Carolina family. When the Civil War broke out, he offered his services to his adopted state and was elected colonel of the 34th North Carolina. One biographer reported Leventhorpe brought his regiment into a remarkable state of discipline and training and was given temporary command of the brigade. In 1862, he became colonel of the 11th North Carolina, which had been the Bethel Regiment of D.H. Hill prior to being reorganized. His regiment fought a number of local skirmishes in North Carolina and Leventhorpe drew credit. In 1863, the regiment was called to the Army of Northern Virginia and fought at Gettysburg as part of Pettigrew’s Brigade of Heth’s Division in the Third Corps. On the battle’s final day, Leventhorpe was badly wounded and during the retreat was captured. Needing surgery, an operation was performed without anesthesia. He survived and spent nine months as a prisoner before being exchanged. North Carolina Gov. Zebulon Vance appointed Leventhorpe brigadier general of state troops. Leventhrope operated in that capacity along the Roanoke River and Weldon Railroad until the end of the war. Pres. Davis appointed Leventhorpe brigadier general in Confederate service Feb. 18, 1865, but Leventhorpe declined the appointment. In his later years, Leventhorpe lived with his wife’s sister and her husband at “The Fountain” in the Yadkin Valley of Wilkes County, North Carolina. He died there Dec. 1, 1889. He was buried near Lenoir, North Carolina.

Up next, the remaining Lees

[Gil R.]

Got 'em. Thanks.

[Battleline]

Has Lewis been finalized yet?
I might want to add some more information.
I recently discovered Lewis is a relative. His mother was a Battle.
Thanks,
Battleline

[Gil R.]

No, I can hold off on him.

[Battleline]

Brig. Gen. William G. Lewis (b. 1835, d. 1901) For 13 years after the war, William Gaston Lewis served as North Carolina’s state engineer. He was born in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, Sept. 3, 1835, the son of John Wesley Lewis and Catherine Ann (Battle) Lewis. Lewis received his early education at Lovejoy’s Military School in Raleigh, North Carolina. He attended the University of North Carolina, graduating at the age of 19. Employment took him to North Carolina and Florida as a teacher, Minnesota as a government surveyor and back south to work on construction of the Wilmington & Weldon Railroad. At the start of the war, he enlisted in the 1st North Carlina (Bethel) Regiment of D.H. Hill and was a junior lieutenant at the first sizable battle of the war, Big Bethel, a Confederate victory. He was elected major of the 33rd North Carolina. That unit was at New Bern. Lewis was promoted to lieutenant colonel of the 43rd North Carolina in April of 1862. Lewis fought at the defeat at Gettysburg with this unit as part of Daniel’s Brigade in Rodes’ Division of Second Corps and earned praise from his brigade commander. After the Bristoe Station and Mine Run battles, Lewis and his regiment were returned to North Carolina to fight with Gen. Robert Hoke. After playing a conspicuous role in the capture of Plymouth, North Carolina, Lewis was promoted to colonel. Lewis was at the initial stages of the Petersburg siege under Gen. Beauregard. Lewis found time March 15, 1864, to marry Martha Lucinda "Mittie" Pender of Edgecombe County, North Carolina. On May 16, 1864, Lewis' men delivered a key counterattack in the Second Battle of Drewry's Bluff, which resulted in a Confederage victory. Lewis was promoted to brigadier general May 31, 1864, commanding Hoke's former North Carolina brigade in Ramseur’s Division. The brigade fought in Gen. Early’s Shenandoah Valley Campaign and then fought in the Petersburg trenches. On the way to Appomattox, Lewis was wounded and captured at Farmville, Virginia, April 7, 1865. After his parole, he practiced civil engineering for the next 30 years. That included his stint as state engineer. Lewis died in Goldsboro, North Carolina, Jan. 7, 1901. He was buried in Goldsboro.

[Gil R.]

Okay, I replaced the original version.