CSA Bios: Miller, Mercer, Maxey, Maury
Posted: Mon Apr 16, 2007 9:51 pm
Brig. Gen. William Miller (b. 1820, d. 1909) Mexican War veteran William Miller’s Confederate Army career was tied with Florida troops. Miller, born in Ithaca, New York, Aug. 3, 1820, moved to Louisiana with his family as an infant. He was educated at Louisiana College and studied law after college. During the Mexican War, Miller fought under Gen. Zachary Taylor. After the war, he settled near Pensacola, Florida. When the Civil War started, he had been operating a saw mill in Santa Rosa County. His first Confederate command was as a major in charge of six companies. This unit became part of the First Florida Infantry. That unit fought at Shiloh and was part of Gen. Bragg’s Kentucky Invasion. Seriously wounded at Murfreesboro, Miller was in commandant of conscripts for Florida. Promoted to brigadier general Aug. 2, 1864, Miller was made commander of Florida’s reserve forces. He later commanded the District of Florida. After the war, Miller moved to Washington County, Florida, and returned to the lumber business. He also had a large farm. Miller served one term in the lower house of the Florida legislature, being elected in 1885. He was elected to the state senate in 1886 and in 1903. He died in Point Washington, Florida, Aug. 8, 1909.
Brig. Gen. Hugh W. Mercer (b. 1808, d. 1877) The grandson of Revolutionary War Gen. Hugh Mercer, High Weedon Mercer was born at “The Sentry Box” at Fredericksburg, Virginia, Nov. 27, 1808. Mercer went to the U.S. Military Academy and graduated third in the West Point Class of 1828. For a time, he was stationed in Savannah, Georgia, and he married into a local family. Resigning his commission April 30, 1835, Mercer settled in Savannah. From 1841 until the outbreak of the Civil War, Mercer was a cashier at the Planters’ Bank. When Georgia left the Union, he entered Confederate service as a colonel in the First Georgia Volunteers. He was promoted to brigadier general Oct. 29, 1861. His brigade, consisting of three Georgia regiments, was on garrison duty in Savannah for most of the war. During the 1864 Atlanta Campaign, Mercer’s command fought first in the division of W.H.T. Walker and later in the division of Patrick Cleburne. Due to poor health, Mercer went with Gen. Hardee to Savannah. After the Battle of Jonesboro, Mercer left field duty. He was paroled in Macon, Georgia, May 13, 1865. He returned to banking in Savannah, but moved to Baltimore in 1869. He was a commission merchant for three years before his health deteriorated. He died in Baden-Baden, Germany, June 9, 1877. He had spent the final five years of his life there.
Brig. Gen. Samuel B. Maxey (b. 1825, d. 1895) While appointed to serve as a major general by Gen. Edmund Kirby Smith, Samuel Bell Maxey never was nominated for or approved for the rank. Maxey was born in Tompkinsville, Kentucky, March 30, 1825. He attended the U.S. Military Academy and graduated with the West Point Class of 1846. Sent to the Mexican War, he received a brevet for gallantry. In 1849, Maxey left the army to study law. In 1857, he moved to Texas with his father. In Texas, the two Maxeys practiced in a law partnership. Maxey briefly served as a district attorney prior to the outbreak of the war. He helped to organize the Ninth Texas Infantry and was commissioned as its colonel. He took that unit to Memphis, Tennessee. A promotion to brigadier general followed March 4, 1862. Maxey commanded troops in East Tennessee, and formed the defense of Chattanooga during the spring of 1862. After patrolling central Tennessee, Maxey’s men went to the defense Port Hudson and Vicksburg under Gen. J.E. Johnston. In December 1863, Maxey was placed in charge of the Indian Territory. Maxey recruited, organized and equipped members of the Creek, Cherokee and Choctaw nations. Maxey led this new cavalry unit at the Battle of Poison Spring, Arkansas, during the Camden Campaign. He received his upgrade to major general April 14, 1864. But with many other Trans-Mississippi promotions, this one never received blessings from Richmond. In the closing months of the war, he commanded a division in Houston, Texas. After the war, Maxey returned to law practice in Paris, Texas. He declined a seat on the Texas bench in 1873. He was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1875 and served two terms. While in the Senate, Maxey advocated fiscal conservatism and was an advocate for the individual property rights of Native Americans. He was defeated while running for his third term in 1887. He died in Eureka Springs, Arkansas, Aug. 16, 1895. He is buried in Paris, Texas.
Maj. Gen. Dabney H. Maury (b. 1822, d. 1900) Like many of his contemporaries, Dabney Herndon Maury was a veteran of the Mexican War before entering Confederate service for the Civil War. Maury was born May 21, 1822, in Fredericksburg, Virginia. He graduated from the University of Virginia with the Class of 1842. After starting his law study, Maury received an appointment to the U.S. Military Academy (27th of 59) and he was a member of the Class of 1846. During the Mexican War, he received a brevet to first lieutenant for “gallant and meritorious service” at Cerro Gordo and wounded in the same fight. He served as an instructor at West Point. From 1852-58, he served in Texas. He returned to Carlisle, Pennsylvania, to become superintendent of the cavalry school at Carlisle Barracks. He wrote a manual for cavalry skirmish drill. Assigned to New Mexico Maury remained in the army, perhaps a bit too long in turning in his resignation. He was dismissed from Federal service June 25, 1861, ending what has been called a distinguished career. “It having been ascertained to the satisfaction of the War Department that he entertained and had expressed treasonable designs . . .” Maury entered Confederate service as a cavalry captain and became adjutant general to Gen. T.H. Holmes in Fredericksburg in the fall of 1861. Serving as a colonel and chief of staff for Gen. Earl Van Dorn, then in charge of the Trans-Mississippi Department. For his conduct at the Battle of Elkhorn Tavern (Pea Ridge), Maury was praised by Van Dorn and promoted to brigadier general March 18, 1862 (to rank from March 12). He commanded troops at Iuka and Corinth. At Corinth, he commanded Van Dorn’s center Maury received appointment to major general Nov. 4, 1862. After service near Vicksburg and a brief stint in charge of the Department of East Tennessee, Maury was assigned to command the District of the Gulf in Mobile. He fortified Mobile despite losing much of his personnel to other commands. Maury defended Mobile until forced to retreat with his remaining forces in March 1865 After the war, Maury became the founder of the Southern Historical Society in 1868. He was on the executive committee of the National Guard Association. For four years, he was the U.S. minister to Columbia. In his old age, he was asked to lend his name as one of the supervisors of the Louisiana Lottery, but declined. He wrote “Recollections of a Virginian” in 1894. He died Jan. 11, 1900, in Peoria, Illinois, while visiting the home of one of his sons. He is buried in Fredericksburg, Virginia.
Brig. Gen. Hugh W. Mercer (b. 1808, d. 1877) The grandson of Revolutionary War Gen. Hugh Mercer, High Weedon Mercer was born at “The Sentry Box” at Fredericksburg, Virginia, Nov. 27, 1808. Mercer went to the U.S. Military Academy and graduated third in the West Point Class of 1828. For a time, he was stationed in Savannah, Georgia, and he married into a local family. Resigning his commission April 30, 1835, Mercer settled in Savannah. From 1841 until the outbreak of the Civil War, Mercer was a cashier at the Planters’ Bank. When Georgia left the Union, he entered Confederate service as a colonel in the First Georgia Volunteers. He was promoted to brigadier general Oct. 29, 1861. His brigade, consisting of three Georgia regiments, was on garrison duty in Savannah for most of the war. During the 1864 Atlanta Campaign, Mercer’s command fought first in the division of W.H.T. Walker and later in the division of Patrick Cleburne. Due to poor health, Mercer went with Gen. Hardee to Savannah. After the Battle of Jonesboro, Mercer left field duty. He was paroled in Macon, Georgia, May 13, 1865. He returned to banking in Savannah, but moved to Baltimore in 1869. He was a commission merchant for three years before his health deteriorated. He died in Baden-Baden, Germany, June 9, 1877. He had spent the final five years of his life there.
Brig. Gen. Samuel B. Maxey (b. 1825, d. 1895) While appointed to serve as a major general by Gen. Edmund Kirby Smith, Samuel Bell Maxey never was nominated for or approved for the rank. Maxey was born in Tompkinsville, Kentucky, March 30, 1825. He attended the U.S. Military Academy and graduated with the West Point Class of 1846. Sent to the Mexican War, he received a brevet for gallantry. In 1849, Maxey left the army to study law. In 1857, he moved to Texas with his father. In Texas, the two Maxeys practiced in a law partnership. Maxey briefly served as a district attorney prior to the outbreak of the war. He helped to organize the Ninth Texas Infantry and was commissioned as its colonel. He took that unit to Memphis, Tennessee. A promotion to brigadier general followed March 4, 1862. Maxey commanded troops in East Tennessee, and formed the defense of Chattanooga during the spring of 1862. After patrolling central Tennessee, Maxey’s men went to the defense Port Hudson and Vicksburg under Gen. J.E. Johnston. In December 1863, Maxey was placed in charge of the Indian Territory. Maxey recruited, organized and equipped members of the Creek, Cherokee and Choctaw nations. Maxey led this new cavalry unit at the Battle of Poison Spring, Arkansas, during the Camden Campaign. He received his upgrade to major general April 14, 1864. But with many other Trans-Mississippi promotions, this one never received blessings from Richmond. In the closing months of the war, he commanded a division in Houston, Texas. After the war, Maxey returned to law practice in Paris, Texas. He declined a seat on the Texas bench in 1873. He was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1875 and served two terms. While in the Senate, Maxey advocated fiscal conservatism and was an advocate for the individual property rights of Native Americans. He was defeated while running for his third term in 1887. He died in Eureka Springs, Arkansas, Aug. 16, 1895. He is buried in Paris, Texas.
Maj. Gen. Dabney H. Maury (b. 1822, d. 1900) Like many of his contemporaries, Dabney Herndon Maury was a veteran of the Mexican War before entering Confederate service for the Civil War. Maury was born May 21, 1822, in Fredericksburg, Virginia. He graduated from the University of Virginia with the Class of 1842. After starting his law study, Maury received an appointment to the U.S. Military Academy (27th of 59) and he was a member of the Class of 1846. During the Mexican War, he received a brevet to first lieutenant for “gallant and meritorious service” at Cerro Gordo and wounded in the same fight. He served as an instructor at West Point. From 1852-58, he served in Texas. He returned to Carlisle, Pennsylvania, to become superintendent of the cavalry school at Carlisle Barracks. He wrote a manual for cavalry skirmish drill. Assigned to New Mexico Maury remained in the army, perhaps a bit too long in turning in his resignation. He was dismissed from Federal service June 25, 1861, ending what has been called a distinguished career. “It having been ascertained to the satisfaction of the War Department that he entertained and had expressed treasonable designs . . .” Maury entered Confederate service as a cavalry captain and became adjutant general to Gen. T.H. Holmes in Fredericksburg in the fall of 1861. Serving as a colonel and chief of staff for Gen. Earl Van Dorn, then in charge of the Trans-Mississippi Department. For his conduct at the Battle of Elkhorn Tavern (Pea Ridge), Maury was praised by Van Dorn and promoted to brigadier general March 18, 1862 (to rank from March 12). He commanded troops at Iuka and Corinth. At Corinth, he commanded Van Dorn’s center Maury received appointment to major general Nov. 4, 1862. After service near Vicksburg and a brief stint in charge of the Department of East Tennessee, Maury was assigned to command the District of the Gulf in Mobile. He fortified Mobile despite losing much of his personnel to other commands. Maury defended Mobile until forced to retreat with his remaining forces in March 1865 After the war, Maury became the founder of the Southern Historical Society in 1868. He was on the executive committee of the National Guard Association. For four years, he was the U.S. minister to Columbia. In his old age, he was asked to lend his name as one of the supervisors of the Louisiana Lottery, but declined. He wrote “Recollections of a Virginian” in 1894. He died Jan. 11, 1900, in Peoria, Illinois, while visiting the home of one of his sons. He is buried in Fredericksburg, Virginia.