CSA Bios: Scott, Scales, Sanders, St. John
Posted: Thu Feb 08, 2007 7:42 pm
Brig. Gen. Thomas M. Scott, CSA (b. 1829, d. 1876) Another line officer who received promotion to the general’s grade during the final months of the war, Thomas Moore Scott saw his Confederate service come to an end during the Battle of Franklin, when he was severely wounded by a shell explosion. Scott had been promoted to brigadier general May 10, 1864, after capable service during the Atlanta Campaign. Not much is known about Scott before or after his war service. It’s believed he was born in Athens, Ga., sometime in 1829, and that he moved to New Orleans as a young man. He also lived in La Grange, Ga. Scott was a farmer in Claiborne Parish, La., when the Civil War started. Scott enlisted in the 12th Louisiana Infantry Aug. 13, 1861, and elected colonel. The unit’s first action was at Columbus, Ky., and played a supporting role in the Battle of Belmont. It later was moved to the garrison of Island No. 10 and was part of the garrison of Fort Pillow in April 1862. Leaving garrison life, the 12th Louisiana fought around Port Hudson in late 1862 and 1863. Serving with W.W. Loring’s Division, the regiment fought at Baker’s Creek in the Vicksburg Campaign and joined up with forces of Gen. Joseph Johnston. The unit moved to Georgia with Gen. Polk in 1864, and during the Atlanta Campaign, Scott received his promotion. After being wounded, Scott returned to Louisiana and was a farmer near Homer. For some years, he had a sugar plantation on the Gulf Coast. He died in New Orleans April 21, 1876.
Brig. Gen. Alfred M. Scales, CSA (b. 1827, d. 1892) Alfred Moore Scales served a relatively brief time in active campaign at the general’s rank, but played a key role. Promoted to brigadier general June 13, 1863, just in time to lead his North Carolina brigade into the maelstrom known as the first day of the Battle of Gettysburg, July 1, 1863. Leading the fourth brigade of Gen. Pender’s Division of Gen. A.P. Hill’s Third Corps, Scales was hit during his brigade’s charge against the Federal I Corps. His command literally was annihilated during the attack, which featured one of the fiercest artillery attacks to that date. Scales reported “Our line had been broken up, and now only a squad here and there marked the place where regiments had rested.” Casualties were reported to be 48 killed, 381 wounded and 116 missing. Scales ended up sharing an ambulance south with his division commander, Gen. William D. Pender, who had recently commanded Scales’ brigade. Scales recovered while his ambulance companion ended up dying from complications of his wound. Scales was born in Reidsville, N.C., Nov. 26, 1827 and received education at the Caldwell Institute in Greensboro, N.C. He later studied at the state university. He became a lawyer and started his practice in Madison, N.C., where he was solicitor of Rockingham County and served four terms in the state legislature. He advanced his political career by serving in the U.S. Congress from 1857-59 and served as a presidential elector for Breckinridge. When war broke out, Scales enlisted as a private in the 13th North Carolina Infantry and was elected captain of Company H. When Pender was promoted to brigadier general, Scales was promoted to colonel of the 13th North Carolina. The unit fought in the Peninsular Campaign, the Seven Days Campaign and at Fredericksburg. Scales was wounded at Chancellorsville, but was promoted, once again replacing Pender. After Gettysburg, Scales was left in Winchester to recover and returned to duty in 1864. However, he ended the war on sick leave. He resumed his law practice in Greensboro, N.C., following the war. He returned to the state legislature from 1866-69 and returned to the U.S. Congress from 1875-84. He left his seat there when he was elected North Carolina Governor and served one term. He died in Greensboro, Feb. 8, 1892.
Note-Scales’ bio was written on the 115th anniversary of his death!
Brig. Gen. John C.C. Sanders, CSA (b. 1840, d. 1864) Colonel at the age of 22 and brigadier general by the age of 25, John Caldwell Calhoun Sanders didn’t live long enough to see his 25th birthday. Born in Tuscaloosa, Ala., April 4, 1840, Sanders’ star shone brightly and briefly. He entered the state university in 1858 and was a student when the Civil War broke out. He immediately enlisted in the 11th Alabama Infantry and was quickly elected captain. He fought at Seven Pines and was severely wounded at Frayser’s Farm during the Seven Days Campaign. He was able to return to duty Aug. 11, 1862. He commanded his regiment during the Maryland Campaign, fighting at Sharpsburg. After that battle, he received his formal promotion to colonel. He led his unit at Fredericksburg, Salem Church, Gettysburg (Wilcox’s Brigade, Third Army Corps, Army of Northern Virginia) and during the Overland Campaign (Perrin’s Brigade, Third Army Corps). When Gen. Perrin was wounded at the Battle of Spotsylvania, Sanders took over and led the unit during the assault to retake the Mule Shoe. Sanders earned his promotion to brigadier general May 31, 1864, and was assigned to command the brigade. His brigade was conspicuous during action at Petersburg and the Battle of the Crater. Sanders was leading his men Aug. 21, 1864, in one of the engagements on the Weldon Railroad. There, he was shot through both thighs. The ball severed both femoral arteries and Sanders quickly bled to death.
Brig. Gen. Isaac M. St. John, CSA (b. 1827, d. 1880) By special act of the Confederate Congress Feb. 16, 1865, Isaac Munroe St. John became a brigadier general and commissary general, replacing Gen. Northrop. St. John spent most of his Confederate service behind the scenes. Born in Augusta, Ga., Nov. 19, 1827, St. John moved with his parents to New York, N.Y., and received education at Poughkeepsie (N.Y.) Collegiate School and Yale. He graduated from the latter in 1845 and studied law. Giving up that profession, he entered newspaper work in Baltimore. He left journalism in 1848 to become a civil engineer and worked with the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad and the Blue Ridge Railroad (Georgia and South Carolina) from 1855-61. He enlisted with the Fort Hill Guards of South Carolina, but soon became the chief engineer in Yorktown, Va., for Gen. John Magruder. St. John was commissioned a captain of engineers in February 1862 and elevated to major of artillery in October 1862. He was placed in charge of the Nitre Corps (later Nitre and Mining Corps) and received promotions to lieutenant colonel and colonel. He provided needed ordnance supplies in this capacity. In the final months of the war, the Confederate Congress rewarded his work with one final promotion. At the close of the war, St. John returned to civil engineering, working for various railroads and the city of Louisville, Ky. St. John died April 7, 1880, at White Sulphur Springs, W.V., while in charge of the mining and engineering department of the Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad. He is buried in Hollywood Cemetery, Richmond.
Brig. Gen. Alfred M. Scales, CSA (b. 1827, d. 1892) Alfred Moore Scales served a relatively brief time in active campaign at the general’s rank, but played a key role. Promoted to brigadier general June 13, 1863, just in time to lead his North Carolina brigade into the maelstrom known as the first day of the Battle of Gettysburg, July 1, 1863. Leading the fourth brigade of Gen. Pender’s Division of Gen. A.P. Hill’s Third Corps, Scales was hit during his brigade’s charge against the Federal I Corps. His command literally was annihilated during the attack, which featured one of the fiercest artillery attacks to that date. Scales reported “Our line had been broken up, and now only a squad here and there marked the place where regiments had rested.” Casualties were reported to be 48 killed, 381 wounded and 116 missing. Scales ended up sharing an ambulance south with his division commander, Gen. William D. Pender, who had recently commanded Scales’ brigade. Scales recovered while his ambulance companion ended up dying from complications of his wound. Scales was born in Reidsville, N.C., Nov. 26, 1827 and received education at the Caldwell Institute in Greensboro, N.C. He later studied at the state university. He became a lawyer and started his practice in Madison, N.C., where he was solicitor of Rockingham County and served four terms in the state legislature. He advanced his political career by serving in the U.S. Congress from 1857-59 and served as a presidential elector for Breckinridge. When war broke out, Scales enlisted as a private in the 13th North Carolina Infantry and was elected captain of Company H. When Pender was promoted to brigadier general, Scales was promoted to colonel of the 13th North Carolina. The unit fought in the Peninsular Campaign, the Seven Days Campaign and at Fredericksburg. Scales was wounded at Chancellorsville, but was promoted, once again replacing Pender. After Gettysburg, Scales was left in Winchester to recover and returned to duty in 1864. However, he ended the war on sick leave. He resumed his law practice in Greensboro, N.C., following the war. He returned to the state legislature from 1866-69 and returned to the U.S. Congress from 1875-84. He left his seat there when he was elected North Carolina Governor and served one term. He died in Greensboro, Feb. 8, 1892.
Note-Scales’ bio was written on the 115th anniversary of his death!
Brig. Gen. John C.C. Sanders, CSA (b. 1840, d. 1864) Colonel at the age of 22 and brigadier general by the age of 25, John Caldwell Calhoun Sanders didn’t live long enough to see his 25th birthday. Born in Tuscaloosa, Ala., April 4, 1840, Sanders’ star shone brightly and briefly. He entered the state university in 1858 and was a student when the Civil War broke out. He immediately enlisted in the 11th Alabama Infantry and was quickly elected captain. He fought at Seven Pines and was severely wounded at Frayser’s Farm during the Seven Days Campaign. He was able to return to duty Aug. 11, 1862. He commanded his regiment during the Maryland Campaign, fighting at Sharpsburg. After that battle, he received his formal promotion to colonel. He led his unit at Fredericksburg, Salem Church, Gettysburg (Wilcox’s Brigade, Third Army Corps, Army of Northern Virginia) and during the Overland Campaign (Perrin’s Brigade, Third Army Corps). When Gen. Perrin was wounded at the Battle of Spotsylvania, Sanders took over and led the unit during the assault to retake the Mule Shoe. Sanders earned his promotion to brigadier general May 31, 1864, and was assigned to command the brigade. His brigade was conspicuous during action at Petersburg and the Battle of the Crater. Sanders was leading his men Aug. 21, 1864, in one of the engagements on the Weldon Railroad. There, he was shot through both thighs. The ball severed both femoral arteries and Sanders quickly bled to death.
Brig. Gen. Isaac M. St. John, CSA (b. 1827, d. 1880) By special act of the Confederate Congress Feb. 16, 1865, Isaac Munroe St. John became a brigadier general and commissary general, replacing Gen. Northrop. St. John spent most of his Confederate service behind the scenes. Born in Augusta, Ga., Nov. 19, 1827, St. John moved with his parents to New York, N.Y., and received education at Poughkeepsie (N.Y.) Collegiate School and Yale. He graduated from the latter in 1845 and studied law. Giving up that profession, he entered newspaper work in Baltimore. He left journalism in 1848 to become a civil engineer and worked with the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad and the Blue Ridge Railroad (Georgia and South Carolina) from 1855-61. He enlisted with the Fort Hill Guards of South Carolina, but soon became the chief engineer in Yorktown, Va., for Gen. John Magruder. St. John was commissioned a captain of engineers in February 1862 and elevated to major of artillery in October 1862. He was placed in charge of the Nitre Corps (later Nitre and Mining Corps) and received promotions to lieutenant colonel and colonel. He provided needed ordnance supplies in this capacity. In the final months of the war, the Confederate Congress rewarded his work with one final promotion. At the close of the war, St. John returned to civil engineering, working for various railroads and the city of Louisville, Ky. St. John died April 7, 1880, at White Sulphur Springs, W.V., while in charge of the mining and engineering department of the Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad. He is buried in Hollywood Cemetery, Richmond.