CSA bios: Wright, Wright, Wood, Woffard and Withers

[Battleline]

Marcus J. Wright, CSA (b. 1831 d. 1922) Born in Purdy, Tenn., Wright studied law and worked as clerk of the common law and chancery court in Memphis. His military service began as the lieutenant colonel in the 154th Tennessee militia regiment and he mustered into Confederate service with this unit, which was renamed the 154th Senior Tennessee Infantry. Served as the military governor of Columbus, Ky., until the Confederates evacuated. Fought at the battles of Belmont and Shiloh, being wounded at the latter. Served on Gen. Cheatham’s staff during Braxton Bragg’s invasion of Kentucky in 1862, participating in the Battle of Perryville. Promoted to brigadier general Dec. 13, 1862. He led the brigade formerly of D.S. Donaldson at Chickamauga and in the Chattanooga Campaign. After that, he commanded the District of Atlanta, Post of Macon, and the District of North Mississippi and West Tennessee. Returned to law in Memphis after the war and asked as assistant purser of the U.S. Navy Yard. In 1878, he was made agent for the collection of Confederate records in connection with the official U.S. government publication, “War of the Rebellion: Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies” working until his retirement in 1917 on this project. Wrote for magazines and books. Died in Washington, D.C., Dec. 27, 1922 and buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

Ambrose R. Wright, CSA (b. 1826 d. 1872) Born April 26, 1826 in Louisville, Ga. Read law under Herschel V. Johnson, a governor and senator. Johnson later became Wright’s brother-in-law. Admitted to the bar and became active in politics with unsuccessful runs for the Georgia legislature and Congress. Was an elector for Millard Fillmore in 1856 and Bell and Everett in 1860. Represented his state as a commissioner to Maryland in 1861 before joining the Third Georgia Regiment. He was elected the unit’s colonel and the regiment first served in Georgia and North Carolina before joining the Army of Northern Virginia in time for the Seven Days Campaign. He fought with his unit through the siege at Petersburg, missing some time after being seriously wounded at the Battle of Sharpsburg. In 1863, Wright was elected to the Georgia state senate and named its president in absentia. Wright was promoted to major general Nov. 26, 1864, and ordered back to Georgia. After the war, he purchased the Augusta Chronicle and Sentinel. Delegate to the state and national Democratic conventions in 1872 and was elected to the House of Representatives, but died Dec. 21, 1872, before he could take his seat.

Sterling A.M. Wood, CSA (b. 1823 d. 1891) Born in Florence, Ala., Sterling Alexander Martin Wood attended Jesuit College of St. Joseph’s (Bardstown, Ky.), studying law. He first practiced in Murfreesboro, Tenn., and later moved home to Florence. Served as solicitor of Alabama’s fourth judicial circuit, 1851-57. Elected to state legislature, 1857, and also served as editor of the Florence Gazette. Entered military service as captain of the Florence Guards, which was incorporated into the Seventh Alabama Regiment. He was elected colonel of the Seventh Alabama and served with the unit at Pensacola, Fla., as the Confederates seized some Federal installations. Seventh Alabama moved to the army being formed in Kentucky under Gen. A.S. Johnston. Wood was made brigadier general Jan. 7, 1862. He fought at Shiloh and commanded the 4th Brigade of Buckner’s Division at the Battle of Perryville, being wounded. He commanded his unit in Cleburne’s Division at Murfreesboro and Chickamauga. Being left out of Cleburne’s report while all other brigade commanders were praised after Chickamauga, Wood turned his resignation Oct. 17, 1863, and returned to Tuscaloosa, Ala. He resumed his law practice. After the war, he was elected to the Alabama legislature in 1882-83. He served on the law faculty at the University of Alabama and served as attorney for the Alabama Great Southern Railway until his death, Jan. 26, 1891.

William T. Woffard, CSA (b. 1824 d. 1884) Georgia-born William Tatum Woffard studied at the Gwinnett County Manual Labor School before studying law. Began his practice in Cassville, Ga., but left that to captain a battalion of Georgia mounted volunteers in the Mexican War. After that conflict, he returned to hold a seat in the Georgia legislature and edited the Cassville Standard. Voted against secession at the state’s 1861 convention. Joined the Confederate army as the colonel of the 18th Georgia Infantry. After a stop in North Carolina, the unit fought in the campaigns around Richmond in 1862 as part of Hood’s Texas Brigade. He commanded a brigade at Second Manassas, Boonesboro (South Mountain) and Sharpsburg while still a colonel. At the Battle of Fredericksburg, his command was under T.R.R. Cobb. Following Cobb’s death, Woffard was promoted to brigadier general, Jan. 17, 1863. He commanded a units in the First Corps of the Army of Northern Virginia after that. His unit first served under McLaws, then Kershaw, at Gettysburg, Knoxville, the Overland Campaign and in the Shenandoah Campaign. At the request of Georgia’s Gov. Brown, he was reassigned to command the Department of North Georgia Jan. 23, 1865. After the war, he was elected to the House of Representatives, but was refused his seat. For the rest of his life, he was active in railroads and civic concerns. He was a trustee for several educational institutions and served at the state constitutional convention in 1877. He died near Cass Station, Ga., May 22, 1884.

Jones M. Withers, CSA (b. 1814, d. 1890) Born Jan. 12, 1814, Jones Mitchell Withers was an educated soldier. He graduated with the Class of 1835 from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, but soon resigned his commission to study law that same year. He was a volunteer during the Creek uprising and after that was over, continued to practice law as well as getting involved in cotton factoring and serving in the Alabama state militia. At the start of the Mexican War, Withers was recalled to the U.S. Army as a lieutenant colonel in the 13th Infantry and later was colonel of the 9th Infantry. He again resigned at the close of hostilities. He was a Mobile, Ala., merchant and served as the city’s mayor from 1858-61. Entering Confederate service, he was elected captain of the Third Alabama Infantry and moved with that unit to Virginia. He was promoted July 10, 1861, and shifted back to Alabama. He was promoted again April 6, 1862, and given command of the Mobile defenses. He commanded two brigades at the Battle of Shiloh and was a commander in the Invasion of Kentucky. He was commended for his work at Murfreesboro (Stones River) by Generals Braxton Bragg and Leonidas Polk. He was replaced in divisional command by Gen. Hindman and put in charge of Alabama’s reserve forces until the end of the war. After the conflict, he was a cotton broker, editor of the Mobile Tribune, mayor of Mobile, city treasurer and, finally, a claim agent in Washington. He died in Mobile March 13, 1890.

[Battleline]

Jones M. Withers (b. 1814, d. 1890) Born in Huntsville, Alabama, Jan. 12, 1814, Jones Mitchell Withers was an educated soldier. He graduated with the Class of 1835 (44th of 56) from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, but soon resigned his commission to study law that same year. He was a volunteer during the Creek uprising and after that was over, continued to practice law as well as getting involved in cotton factoring and serving in the Alabama state militia. At the start of the Mexican War, Withers was recalled to the U.S. Army as a lieutenant colonel in the 13th Infantry and later was colonel of the 9th Infantry. He again resigned at the close of hostilities. Withers served one term in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1855-57 as a member of the American (Know-Nothing) Party. He was a Mobile, Alabama, merchant and served as the city’s mayor from 1858-61. Entering Confederate service, he was elected colonel of the Third Alabama Infantry and moved with that unit to Virginia. He was promoted July 10, 1861, and shifted back to Alabama as commander of the Department of Alabama and Eastern Mississippi. He was promoted again April 6, 1862, and given command of the Mobile defenses. He commanded two brigades at the Battle of Shiloh and was a commander in the Invasion of Kentucky. He was commended for his work at Murfreesboro (Stones River) by Generals Braxton Bragg and Leonidas Polk. After becoming ill, he was replaced in divisional command by Gen. Hindman and put in charge of Alabama’s reserve forces until the end of the war. After the conflict, he was a cotton broker, editor of the Mobile Tribune, mayor of Mobile, city treasurer and, finally, a claim agent in Washington. He died in Mobile March 13, 1890.

Jones Withers was the first commander of the Third Alabama Infantry, which served the entire war in the Virginia Theater. When he left, Tennent Lomax took command but was killed. Cullen Battle then led the regiment through the Gettysburg Campaign before being promoted. Charles Forsyth followed Battle into regimental command. Others who served in the Third Alabama and became generals elsewhere included Archibald Gracie and John T. Hunt.

[Battleline]

William T. Woffard, CSA (b. 1824 d. 1884) A postwar politician who argued for the repeal of convict leasing, Confederate veterans benefits, education for blacks and good sense in government, William Tatum Woffard served in his native Georgia and in Virginia. Woffard was born in Habersham County, Georgia, June 28, 1824. Woffard studied at the Gwinnett County Manual Labor School before studying law. He began his practice in Cassville, Georgia, but left that to captain a battalion of Georgia mounted volunteers in the Mexican War. After that conflict, he returned to hold a seat in the Georgia legislature and edited the Cassville Standard. He voted against secession at the state’s 1861 convention. When the state seceded, he joined the Confederate army as the colonel of the 18th Georgia Infantry. After a stop in North Carolina, the unit fought in the campaigns around Richmond in 1862 as part of Hood’s Texas Brigade. He commanded a brigade at Second Manassas, South Mountain and Sharpsburg while still a colonel. At the Battle of Fredericksburg, his command was under T.R.R. Cobb. Following Cobb’s death, Woffard was promoted to brigadier general, Jan. 17, 1863. He commanded a units in the First Corps of the Army of Northern Virginia after that. His unit first served under McLaws, then Kershaw, at Gettysburg, Knoxville, the Overland Campaign and in the Shenandoah Campaign. At the request of Georgia’s Gov. Brown, he was reassigned to command the Department of North Georgia Jan. 23, 1865. After the war, he was elected to the House of Representatives, but was refused his seat. Instead, he was able to secure aid for his region from Congressman Darrah Kelley and the Freedman's Bureau. For the rest of his life, he was active in railroads and civic concerns. He was a trustee for several educational institutions and served at the state constitutional convention in 1877. He died near Cass Station, Georgia, May 22, 1884.

I can't believe how dry the early bios were! I also can't believe I didn't include his birth information.

[Battleline]

Ambrose R. Wright (b. 1826 d. 1872) Born April 26, 1826 in Louisville, Georgia, Ambrose Ransom Wright read law under Herschel V. Johnson, a governor and senator. Johnson later became Wright’s brother-in-law. Admitted to the bar and became active in politics with unsuccessful runs for the Georgia legislature and Congress. Was an elector for Millard Fillmore in 1856 and Bell and Everett in 1860. Represented his state as a commissioner to Maryland in 1861 before joining the Third Georgia Regiment. He was elected the unit’s colonel and the regiment first served in Georgia and North Carolina before joining the Army of Northern Virginia. Wright was promoted to brigadier general June 3, 1862, after being commended for his conduct at the Battle of Seven Pines. During the Seven Days Campaign, Wright commanded a brigade in Gen. Huger's division, receiving praise for his work at Mecanicsvile and Malvern Hill. He fought with his unit through the siege at Petersburg, missing some time after being seriously wounded at the Battle of Sharpsburg. In 1863, Wright was elected to the Georgia state senate and named its president in absentia. Wright fought at Chancellorsville and in the Gettysburg Campaign. Wright was promoted to major general Nov. 26, 1864, and ordered back to Georgia to serve with Hood's Army of Tennessee, where he commanded a division. After the war, he purchased the Augusta Chronicle and Sentinel. Delegate to the state and national Democratic conventions in 1872 and was elected to the House of Representatives, but died Dec. 21, 1872, before he could take his seat.

[Gil R.]

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