CSA Bios: Shoup, Shelley, Shelby, Sharp
Posted: Thu Jan 25, 2007 10:43 pm
Brig. Gen. Francis A. Shoup, CSA (b. 1834, d. 1896) Hoosier-born Francis Asbury Shoup didn’t live long in the south before the Civil War, but that didn’t prevent him from casting his lot with the Confederacy. Shoup was born March 22, 1834 in Franklin County, Indiana. He was educated at Asbury College (now De Pauw University) and the U.S. Military Academy, graduating from West Point in 1855. He served in the army until he resigned in 1860 to study law. He was admitted to the Indianapolis bar. He moved to St. Augustine, Fla., and was admitted to the local bar there. With little to bind him to the south, he still decided to offer his services to the Confederacy and was appointed lieutenant of artillery. In October 1861, he was promoted to major. He was chief of artillery at the Battle of Shiloh to Gen. Hardee. At the Battle of Prairie Grove, he was assistant adjutant general to Gen. Hindman. Shoup got his promotion to brigadier general Sept. 12, 1862. He commanded a Louisiana brigade at the Battle of Vicksburg and was captured when the city surrendered. Exchanged, he served as the chief of artillery for Gen. Joseph E. Johnston during the Atlanta Campaign. He continued in the same role when Hood superseded Johnston. At the close of the war, he was elected to the chair of mathematics at the University of Mississippi. In 1868, he took Episcopal orders and also became the rector of St. Peter’s Parish in Oxford, Miss. In 1869, he went to Sewanee as professor of mathematics and chaplain. In 1875, he left and served as rector of many churches in the north and south. He returned to Sewanee in 1883, serving as a professor of mathematics, physics and engineering until his death, Sept. 4, 1896, in Columbia, Tenn.
Brig. Gen Charles M. Shelley, CSA (b. 1833, d. 1907) Tennessee-born Charles Miller Shelley made his Civil War career with Alabama troops. Born in Sullivan County, Tenn., Dec. 28, 1833, Shelley moved with his family to Talladega, Ala., where he intended to follow his father’s career path as an architect. A lieutenant in the Talladega Artillery in 1861, he spent six weeks at Fort Morgan. When his company was reorganized to infantry and made part of the Fifth Alabama Infantry, he was elected captain. Shelley was with Fifth Alabama at First Manassas, but was sent back to Alabama where he recruited the 30th Alabama Infantry during January 1862. Shelley was commissioned that unit’s colonel. The 30th Alabama fought in Gen. Bragg’s Kentucky Invasion, at Port Gibson and Vicksburg. Shelley was captured at the fall of Vicksburg, but was exchanged and joined the Army of Tennessee, fighting in its major battles from Chattanooga until its surrender at Vicksburg. Shelley earned his promotion to brigadier general Sept. 17, 1864. During the assault on the Federal works at Franklin, Tenn., Shelley’s brigade lost 432 killed or wounded among 1100 present. Shelley was unhurt, but had a horse killed under him and his uniform was holed. Following the war, Shelley lived in Alabama and was elected sheriff of Dallas County in 1874. He was a four-team member of the U.S. House of Representatives as a Democrat. He was appointed the fourth auditor of the Treasury by President Cleveland. His final years were spent promoting the industrial interests of Birmingham, Ala. He died there Jan. 20, 1907.
Brig. Gen. Joseph O. Shelby, CSA (b. 1830, d. 1897) Acquiring the reputation of being the “Nathan Bedford Forest of the West,” Joseph Orville Shelby fought longer than most of his contemporaries. Shelby was born in Lexington, Ky., Dec. 12, 1830, and was educated at Transylvania University. He engaged in the manufacture of rope in Missouri River communities Lexington and Waverly, becoming one of the wealthiest and most influential citizens. Not far from the Kansas border, Shelby led a band of pro-slavery Kentuckians in the Missouri-Kansas Border War during the 1850s. At the outbreak of the Civil War, Shelby organized a cavalry company and enlisted it into the Confederate forces. Usually attached to Gen. Sterling Price’s troops, Shelby campaigned in nearly every major battle west of the Mississippi River. He was at Carthage, Wilson’s Creek, Elkhorn Tavern, Helena, Camden and in both of Price’s Missouri raids. He was appointed to brigadier general to rank from Dec. 15, 1863 and gained the reputation of being a tactical master. At the end of the war, Shelby and others of his command buried their battle flag in the Rio Grande and crossed into Mexico, allying with either Emperor Maximilian or Gen. Juarez (it is not known which). After much confusion and the defeat of Maximilian, Shelby came back to Missouri. Very popular in the state, Shelby refused all political offers until 1893, when he accepted a proposal from President Grover Cleveland to become U.S. Marshal for the Western District. He was in this office when he died Feb. 13, 1897, in Adrian, Mo.
Brig. Gen. Jacob H. Sharp, CSA (b. 1833, d. 1907) Active in postwar journalism and politics in Mississippi, Jacob Hunter Sharp became a brigadier general late in the war due to attrition in the ranks of his superiors. Sharp was born in Pickensville, Ala., Feb. 6, 1833. While an infant, the family moved to Lowndes County, Miss. Sharp attended the University of Alabama 1850-51. He studied law and was admitted to the bar, starting a practice in Columbus, Miss. In 1861, he enlisted in the First Battalion Mississippi Infantry as a private. That later became part of the 44th Mississippi. He was elected captain and fought at Shiloh, the Kentucky Invasion and Murfreesboro. Prior to Chickamauga, Sharp was promoted to colonel, leading the 44th Mississippi at Chickamauga and Chattanooga. During the Atlanta Campaign, Sharp received his promotion to brigadier general July 26, 1864, taking the place of Gen. William F. Tucker, who had been wounded. He led the brigade during Hood’s Tennessee Campaign and survived to join up with forces in the Carolinas. He fought at Bentonville, but there is no record of his parole. Following the war, Sharp bought the Columbus, Miss., Independent and became president of the Mississippi Press Association. Sharp was active in the white supremacy movement during Reconstruction. He served in the Mississippi legislature from 1886-90 and was, for a time, speaker. He died in Columbus, Sept. 15, 1907.
Brig. Gen Charles M. Shelley, CSA (b. 1833, d. 1907) Tennessee-born Charles Miller Shelley made his Civil War career with Alabama troops. Born in Sullivan County, Tenn., Dec. 28, 1833, Shelley moved with his family to Talladega, Ala., where he intended to follow his father’s career path as an architect. A lieutenant in the Talladega Artillery in 1861, he spent six weeks at Fort Morgan. When his company was reorganized to infantry and made part of the Fifth Alabama Infantry, he was elected captain. Shelley was with Fifth Alabama at First Manassas, but was sent back to Alabama where he recruited the 30th Alabama Infantry during January 1862. Shelley was commissioned that unit’s colonel. The 30th Alabama fought in Gen. Bragg’s Kentucky Invasion, at Port Gibson and Vicksburg. Shelley was captured at the fall of Vicksburg, but was exchanged and joined the Army of Tennessee, fighting in its major battles from Chattanooga until its surrender at Vicksburg. Shelley earned his promotion to brigadier general Sept. 17, 1864. During the assault on the Federal works at Franklin, Tenn., Shelley’s brigade lost 432 killed or wounded among 1100 present. Shelley was unhurt, but had a horse killed under him and his uniform was holed. Following the war, Shelley lived in Alabama and was elected sheriff of Dallas County in 1874. He was a four-team member of the U.S. House of Representatives as a Democrat. He was appointed the fourth auditor of the Treasury by President Cleveland. His final years were spent promoting the industrial interests of Birmingham, Ala. He died there Jan. 20, 1907.
Brig. Gen. Joseph O. Shelby, CSA (b. 1830, d. 1897) Acquiring the reputation of being the “Nathan Bedford Forest of the West,” Joseph Orville Shelby fought longer than most of his contemporaries. Shelby was born in Lexington, Ky., Dec. 12, 1830, and was educated at Transylvania University. He engaged in the manufacture of rope in Missouri River communities Lexington and Waverly, becoming one of the wealthiest and most influential citizens. Not far from the Kansas border, Shelby led a band of pro-slavery Kentuckians in the Missouri-Kansas Border War during the 1850s. At the outbreak of the Civil War, Shelby organized a cavalry company and enlisted it into the Confederate forces. Usually attached to Gen. Sterling Price’s troops, Shelby campaigned in nearly every major battle west of the Mississippi River. He was at Carthage, Wilson’s Creek, Elkhorn Tavern, Helena, Camden and in both of Price’s Missouri raids. He was appointed to brigadier general to rank from Dec. 15, 1863 and gained the reputation of being a tactical master. At the end of the war, Shelby and others of his command buried their battle flag in the Rio Grande and crossed into Mexico, allying with either Emperor Maximilian or Gen. Juarez (it is not known which). After much confusion and the defeat of Maximilian, Shelby came back to Missouri. Very popular in the state, Shelby refused all political offers until 1893, when he accepted a proposal from President Grover Cleveland to become U.S. Marshal for the Western District. He was in this office when he died Feb. 13, 1897, in Adrian, Mo.
Brig. Gen. Jacob H. Sharp, CSA (b. 1833, d. 1907) Active in postwar journalism and politics in Mississippi, Jacob Hunter Sharp became a brigadier general late in the war due to attrition in the ranks of his superiors. Sharp was born in Pickensville, Ala., Feb. 6, 1833. While an infant, the family moved to Lowndes County, Miss. Sharp attended the University of Alabama 1850-51. He studied law and was admitted to the bar, starting a practice in Columbus, Miss. In 1861, he enlisted in the First Battalion Mississippi Infantry as a private. That later became part of the 44th Mississippi. He was elected captain and fought at Shiloh, the Kentucky Invasion and Murfreesboro. Prior to Chickamauga, Sharp was promoted to colonel, leading the 44th Mississippi at Chickamauga and Chattanooga. During the Atlanta Campaign, Sharp received his promotion to brigadier general July 26, 1864, taking the place of Gen. William F. Tucker, who had been wounded. He led the brigade during Hood’s Tennessee Campaign and survived to join up with forces in the Carolinas. He fought at Bentonville, but there is no record of his parole. Following the war, Sharp bought the Columbus, Miss., Independent and became president of the Mississippi Press Association. Sharp was active in the white supremacy movement during Reconstruction. He served in the Mississippi legislature from 1886-90 and was, for a time, speaker. He died in Columbus, Sept. 15, 1907.