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Brig. Gen. Joseph B. Palmer (b. 1825, d. 1890) A staunch Unionist Whig didn’t stop Joseph Benjamin Palmer from raising a company for Confederate service when his native Tennessee seceded. Palmer was born in Rutherford County, Tennessee, Nov. 1, 1825. His grandparents raised him after he was orphaned in infancy. Palmer went to Union University in Murfreesboro and was admitted to the bar in 1848. In 1849, he was elected to the Tennessee state legislature, serving two terms. He was mayor of Murfreesboro from 1855-59. He raised a company which became part of the 18th Tennessee Infantry and was elected that unit’s colonel. Captured at Fort Donelson and later exchanged, Palmer was put in charge of the Second Brigade in Gen. John Breckinridge’s Division, but wasn’t promoted. He was hit three times during fighting in Round Forest near his hometown, Murfreesboro. No mention is made of what he thought about the Confederates abandoning Murfreesboro. At Chickamauga Palmer commanded a regiment in Gen. John Brown’s brigade on the left wing and again was seriously wounded. He returned for the Atlanta Campaign in the summer of 1864 and again was wounded at the Battle of Jonesboro. Upon return from this wound, he was promoted to brigadier general Nov. 15, 1864. His brigade was a combination of Brown’s old brigade and the brigade formerly of Gen. Alexander Reynolds. This brigade was deployed near Murfreesboro during Hood’s Tennessee Invasion. After the Confederates were repulsed at Nashville, the brigade formed part of the rearguard. During the Carolinas Campaign, Palmer’s command consisted of several Tennessee regiments. This unit fought at Bentonville. Palmer was paroled at Greensboro, North Carolina, and brought his Tennessee troops home. He resumed his law practice and rebuffed many requests to run for governor on the Democratic ballot. He died at home in Murfreesboro Nov. 4, 1890.

Brig. Gen. Richard L. Page (b. 1807, d. 1901) Not many can make the claim of being a naval officer and army general. But Richard Lucian Page is a member of that small fraternity. The first cousin of Robert E. Lee (Page’s mother was the sister of Lee’s father), Page bore a resemblance to his famous cousin. Page was born Dec. 20, 1807, in Clarke County, Virginia. He enjoyed a long career in the U.S. Navy, earning the nicknames of “Ramrod” and “Bombast Page.” Becoming a midshipman in 1824, Page was aboard the Brandywine when it took Gen. Lafayette back to France. In 1855, Page had ascended to commander in the navy and had sea duty in virtually every part of the world. He also served three tours of ordnance duty, one as executive officer of the Norfolk Navy Yard. When Virginia seceded, he resigned his U.S. Navy commission and was put n charge of constructing works on the James and Nansemond rivers for the Confederacy. In June of 1861, he was given the rank of commander in the Confederate States Navy and assigned as ordnance officer in Norfolk. Promoted to captain, he established an ordnance and naval construction bureau in Charlotte, North Carolina. He operated that for two years and in the meantime was in the naval battle of Port Royal. Page swapped services March 1, 1864, being made a brigadier general in the Provisional Confederate Army and assigned to command the outer defenses of Mobile Bay, with headquarters at Fort Morgan. In August of 1864, he defended his command against Federal sea and land attacks. “To prevent the unnecessary sacrifice of human life . . . we demand the unconditional surrender of Fort Morgan,” was the message sent by Federal Admiral David Farragut. “I am prepared to sacrifice life, and will only surrender when I have no means of defense,” replied Page. After being bombarded for two weeks, Page was compelled to surrender Aug. 23, 1864. He was held prisoner of war at Fort Delaware until July 24, 1865. Following the war, he settled in Norfolk, Virginia, and was the superintendent of the city’s schools from 1875-1883. He died at Blue Ridge Summit, Pennsylvania, Aug. 9, 1901.

Brig. Gen. Edward A. O’Neal (b. 1818, d. 1890) A force in Alabama postwar politics and a gallant regimental commander, Edward Asbury O’Neal had the misfortune of twice failing as a brigade commander in the Confederate armies. While O’Neal was promoted to brigadier general, he never officially served at that rank. Born in Madison County, Alabama, Sept. 20, 1818, O’Neal was a 1836 graduate of LaGrange College. He was admitted to the bar and started a law practice in Florence, Ala. He was selected as the solicitor of the fourth circuit. He ran for Congress in 1848, but was defeated. In the years leading up to war, he became one of the leading advocates for secession in north Alabama. He enlisted as a private in the Ninth Alabama Infantry in 1861 and was elected major. He was promoted to lieutenant colonel. He was elected colonel of the 26th Alabama Infantry, a unit he would see most of his action with. Nobody would ever question O’Neal’s gallant conduct as a regimental commander. He fought in the Peninsular Campaign at Yorktown and Williamsburg. At Seven Pines he had a horse killed under him and was wounded. While defending Turner’s Gap during the Battle of South Mountain, O’Neal again was wounded. When the division commander, Gen. D.H. Hill, was transferred, Rodes assumed command and O’Neal took charge of the Alabama Brigade. O’Neal was wounded during the early phases of the battle as the brigade played a central role in the flank attack. Rodes recommended O’Neal for permanent command of the brigade and a commission to brigadier general was forwarded to Gen. Lee’s headquarters June 6, 1863 (although it never had been forwarded to the Senate). For some reason, Lee decided to hold the promotion through the Gettysburg Campaign. During action July 1, Rodes redeployed his former brigade, aligning the Third Alabama with Daniel’s Brigade and the Fifth Alabama with the brigade of Gen. Doles. There was a great bit of confusion when O’Neal’s Brigade was sent forward. For some reason, he failed to include the Third Alabama in his orders, convinced that unit no longer was under his control. He stayed with the Fifth Alabama, the reserve unit, while the rest of the brigade moved forward. When the Fifth Alabama was summoned to the fight, Rodes found O’Neal had no mounted staff officers. Uncoordinated movements led to Iverson’s command being mauled and O’Neal’s brigade becoming disorganized. The brigade was not in a major part of the fighting during the remaining two days. Upon return to Virginia, O’Neal’s commission was returned to Richmond and canceled by President Jefferson Davis. As the Army of Northern Virginia was reorganized, Cullen Battle was promoted to brigade command and O’Neal and the 26th Alabama were rotated back home. The regiment recruited and joined action during the Atlanta Campaign at Dalton, Georgia. When Gen. James Cantey was either ill, or commanding the division, O’Neal commanded Cantey’s brigade during fighting. Prior to Gen. Hood’s Tennessee Campaign, O’Neal was relieved and placed on duty in north Alabama rounding up deserters. Some sources indicate another commission to brigadier general was sent out, but this hasn’t been confirmed. After the war, O’Neal returned to Florence, Alabama. He resumed his law practice, but soon became a political force. He was on the education committee at the state’s constitutional convention. He twice was elected governor in 1882 and 1884. O’Neal died in Florence, Alabama, Nov. 7, 1890.

Brig. Gen. Lucius B. Northop (b. 1811, d. 1894) A member of the U.S. Military Academy’s Class of 1831, Lucius Bellinger Northrop never commanded troops on the field of battle during the Civil War. A close friend of President Jefferson Davis, Northrop suffered from the effects of an old wound and illness and was restricted to a role as the Confederate commissary general. Northrop was born in Charleston, S.C., Sept. 8, 1811. He went to West Point and after graduation was on duty with the U.S. Army. Severely wounded during the Seminole War in 1839, Northrop went on permanent furlough. He studied medicine in Philadelphia and returned to Charleston. He was dropped from the Army’s roster in 1848 for practicing medicine. He was reinstated, supposedly by his friend Jefferson Davis. He practiced medicine and remained on sick furlough until Jan. 8, 1861, when he resigned. When the Confederacy was formed, he was commissioned as a colonel and was the Confederate commissary general. His role was to provide food for Confederate troops and Federal prisoners of war. He came under criticism for his close ties to the Confederate president. Davis appointed Northrop a brigadier general Nov. 26, 1864, but never sent the nomination to the Senate (presumably in fear it would be turned down). He was arrested by Federal authorities June 30, 1865, on suspicion of having deliberately starving prisoners of war. When it was shown the charges were absurd, he was released in October of 1865. He spent 25 years on a farm near Charlottesville, Virginia, and died in the Confederate Home at Pikesville, Maryland, Feb. 9, 1894.

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Here's a little additional information on Northrop:

Brig. Gen. Lucius B. Northop (b. 1811, d. 1894) A member of the U.S. Military Academy’s Class of 1831, Lucius Bellinger Northrop never commanded troops on the field of battle during the Civil War. A close friend of President Jefferson Davis, Northrop suffered from the effects of an old wound and illness and was restricted to a role as the Confederate commissary general. Northrop was born in Charleston, S.C., Sept. 8, 1811. He went to West Point and after graduation was on duty with the U.S. Army. Severely wounded during the Seminole War in 1839, Northrop went on permanent furlough. He studied medicine in Philadelphia and returned to Charleston. He was dropped from the Army’s roster in 1848 for practicing medicine. He was reinstated, supposedly by his friend Jefferson Davis. He practiced medicine and remained on sick furlough until Jan. 8, 1861, when he resigned. When the Confederacy was formed, he was commissioned as a colonel and was the Confederate commissary general. His role was to provide food for Confederate troops and Federal prisoners of war, a daunting task considering poor infrastructure and wide dispersal of military personnel. Later, Northtrop had to try to overcome rampant inflation while trying to procure goods from people who did not want to sell to the Confederate governemnt. He came under criticism for his close ties to the Confederate president. Davis appointed Northrop a brigadier general Nov. 26, 1864, but never sent the nomination to the Senate (presumably in fear it would be turned down). Northrop came under fire for reporting critical military officials to Davis. Finally, in February 1865, the Confederate House of Representatives voted Northrop should be removed from his office. He was arrested by Federal authorities June 30, 1865, on suspicion of having deliberately starving prisoners of war. When it was shown the charges were absurd, he was released in October of 1865. He spent 25 years on a farm near Charlottesville, Virginia, and died in the Confederate Home at Pikesville, Maryland, Feb. 9, 1894.

There was bad blood between Davis and Ewell because of Northrop. Ewell protested in 1849 that Northrop remained as Captain on the army's payrole although he was on permanent furlough. There were not many chances for advancement in the pre-war army and Ewell wanted to become Captain. But Davis as Secretary of War decided in favour of Northrop (as mentioned in the bio) and Ewell never forgave him that.

Here’s Northrop’s bio. It’s clear that this guy shouldn’t be in the game, but since we already have the bio, not to mention the photo of him that’s already in the game, we might as well allow the tail to wag the dog and keep him in. If for our expansion pack we let some generals have logistics bonuses he’ll be sure to get one. And anyway, he doesn’t have a chance to appear until Nov. 1864, so no harm done...

Brig. Gen. Lucius Bellinger Northrop (b. 1811, d. 1894). A member of the U.S. Military Academy’s Class of 1831, Northrop never commanded troops on the field of battle during the Civil War: this close friend of Pres. Jefferson Davis, Northrop suffered from the effects of an old wound and illness and was restricted to a role as the Confederate commissary general. Northrop was born in Charleston, S.C., September 8, 1811. He went to West Point and after graduation was on duty with the U.S. Army. Severely wounded during the Seminole War in 1839, Northrop went on permanent furlough. He studied medicine in Philadelphia and returned to Charleston. Having been dropped from the Army’s roster in 1848 for practicing medicine, he was reinstated, supposedly by his friend Davis. Northrop practiced medicine and remained on sick furlough until January 8, 1861, when he resigned. When the Confederacy was formed, he was commissioned as a colonel and was appointed to the position in which he would serve for most of the war. His role was to provide food for Confederate troops and Union prisoners of war, a daunting task considering poor infrastructure and wide dispersal of military personnel. Later, Northrop had to try to overcome rampant inflation while trying to procure goods from people who did not want to sell to the Confederate government. Northrop came under criticism for his close ties to the Confederate president, which may be why, when Davis appointed him a brigadier general on November 26, 1864, Davis never sent the nomination to the Senate. Northrop also came under fire for reporting critical military officials to Davis. Finally, in February 1865, the Confederate House of Representatives voted that Northrop should be removed from his office. Following the war, he was arrested by Federal authorities on June 30, 1865, on suspicion of having deliberately starved prisoners of war. When it was shown that the charges were absurd, he was released that October. He later spent twenty-five years living on a farm near Charlottesville, Virginia, and died in the Confederate Home at Pikesville, Maryland, on February 9, 1894. (Bio by Bill Battle)

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Start date: 93