CSA Bios: Manigault, Maney, Major, Magruder

[Battleline]

Brig. Gen. Arthur M. Manigault (b. 1824, d. 1886) Mexican War veteran Arthur Middleton Manigault commanded South Carolina troops in action with the Army of Tennessee during the Civil War. Manigault’s service with that army ran from after the Battle of Shiloh until he was wounded in the head at the Battle of Franklin. Manigault was born in Charleston, South Carolina, Oct. 26, 1824. He spent most of his pre-war life in the commission business, which he entered after elementary school. In the Mexican War, Manigault was a lieutenant in the Palmetto Regiment, which fought under Gen. Winfield Scott. He saw action at Buena Vista. He was elected captain of the North Santee Mounted Rifles, a local militia, and was a construction superintendent of Charleston Harbor batteries. During the attack on Fort Sumter, Manigault was a lieutenant colonel on the staff of Gen. Beauregard. Named colonel of the South Carolina Infantry, he commanded the state’s first military district. After the Battle of Shiloh, his unit was summoned to the Army of Tennessee, arriving in time for operations near Corinth, Mississippi. At Murfreesboro, he commanded the Fourth Brigade in the division of Gen. Jones Withers in the corps of Gen. Leonidas Polk. Manigault was promoted to brigadier general April 26, 1863. At the Battle of Chickamauga, his brigade was in the division of Gen. Thomas Hindman and the corps of Gen. James Longstreet. Besides the 10th South Carolina, he had another South Carolina regiment and three from Alabama. At the Battle of Chattanooga the brigade was in Gen. Hardee’s Corps. The unit fought at Missionary Ridge. The unit fought in the Atlanta Campaign in the corps of Gen. John B. Hood. He was wounded at Resaca, but remained in command. After the Army of Tennessee started offensive operations, Manigault’s brigade was in the division of Gen. Edward Johnson in the corps of Gen. Stephen D. Lee. After being wounded, Manigault was knocked out of the war. After the war, he became a rice planter. In 1880, he was elected adjutant and inspector general of South Carolina. He held those posts until his death. He died at South Island, South Carolina, Aug. 17, 1886. Lasting effects from his wound contributed to his death. He is buried in Charleston, South Carolina.

Brig. Gen. George E. Maney (b. 1826, d. 1901) After fighting with Gen. Robert E. Lee and Gen. Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson early in the war, George Earl Maney made the rank of brigadier general with the Army of Tennessee. Maney was born in Franklin, Tennessee, Aug. 24, 1826. Educated at the Nashville Seminary and University of Nashville, Maney graduated in 1845. He volunteered for the Mexican War and transferred to the regulars as a first lieutenant. He served in infantry and dragoons prior to leaving the service in 1850. Back in Tennessee, he passed the bar in 1850 and practiced in Nashville. With the outbreak of war, Maney was elected captain in the 11th Tennessee Infantry. He was named colonel of the First Tennessee Infantry May 8, 1861, and went to war with this unit. He fought in Gen. Lee’s first campaign at Cheat Mountain Sept. 11-13, 1861. After that, Maney’s command fought under Jackson in operations at Bath and Romney. At Bath, Jackson reported “He (Loring) directed Col. Maney to execute the order, and it was undertaken with a patriotic enthusiasm which entitled the First Tennessee and its commander to special praise.” Following the losses of Fort Henry and Fort Donelson, Maney petitioned Richmond for permission to have his unit moved back to Tennessee for defense of its home state. The unit was moved to the Army of Mississippi’s First Corps (Gen. Polk), Second Division (Gen. Cheatham), Second Brigade. With two other Tennessee regiments and one from Kentucky, the unit fought at the Battle of Shiloh. Maney’s performance at Shiloh led to his promotion to brigadier general April 16, 1862. Cheatham reported a charge led by Maney at Shiloh was, “one of the most brilliant, as it was certainly one of the most decisive, movements of the day.” Maney led his brigade into battle at Perryville, Murfreesboro, Chickamauga, Chattanooga and the Atlanta Campaign. Maney had temporary command of Cheatham’s Division at Jonesboro, but was relieved Aug. 31, 1864. No reason is known for that action. He did not appear in any other reports until his parole. After the war, Maney became president of the Tennessee & Pacific Railroad in 1868. He was the Republican nominee for Tennessee governor in 1876, but withdrew before the election. From 1891 through 1894 he occupied State Department diplomatic posts in Bolivia, Paraguay and Uruguay. He died suddenly in Washington, D.C., Feb. 9, 1901. He is buried in Nashville.

Brig. Gen. James P. Major (b. 1836, d. 1877) Missouri-born James Patrick Major saw the majority of his Civil War service west of the Mississippi River. Born in Fayette, Missouri, May 14, 1836, Major received an appointment to the U.S. Military Academy and graduated from West Point with the Class of 1852. Major served for a year at the Carlisle Barracks before being assigned to the 2nd Cavalry on the Texas frontier. During one engagement, he was accounted for three “hostiles.” Resigning from the U.S. Army March 21, 1861, Major served on the staffs of Gen. Van Dorn and Gen. Twiggs. In August of 1861, Major commanded a Missouri State Guard regiment at the Battle of Wilson’s Creek. He was the acting chief of artillery for Gen. Van Dorn and repulsed a Federal fleet at Vicksburg in 1862. As a colonel, he commanded Texas cavalry regiments in the Bayou Teche area. Major was promoted to brigadier general July 21, 1863. His cavalry brigade fought dismounted during the Red River Campaign and received commendation for its performance at Mansfield and Pleasant Hill. Near the end of the war, his cavalry brigade was in the division of Gen. John Wharton. Major was paroled at New Iberia, Louisiana, June 11, 1865. After the war, he lived in France before returning to become a planter in Louisiana. Major was married twice. His first wife was a sister-in-law of Confederate Gen. Thomas Green. In his second marriage, he became the brother-in-law of Gen. Paul. Hebert. Major died in Austin, Texas, May 7, 1877. He is buried in Donaldsonville, Louisiana.

Maj. Gen. John B. Magruder (b. 1807, d. 1871) Not many men could make the same claim of John Bankhead Magruder. “Prince John” served in two losing armies during the 1860s, reaching major general both in Confederate service and in the service of Emperor Maximilian of Mexico. Born in Port Royal, Virginia, May 1, 1807, Magruder began to make a military name for himself during his time at the U.S. Military Academy. He graduated 15th in the Class of 1830 and saw action both in the Seminole War and the Mexican War. He earned his nickname, “Prince John,” for being very active on the social scene. It was alleged this helped to end his 1831 marriage to Henrietta Von Kapff. The union produced three children, but she moved to Italy, taking the kids. As an artillery officer, Magruder earned three brevets for gallant and meritorious service during the Mexican War, seeing action from Vera Cruz to Mexico City. Just prior to the Civil War, Magruder commanded an artillery unit in Washington, D.C. He resigned from the U.S. Army April 20, 1861. He commanded the Confederate troops at the first battle of the war, Big Bethel, June 10, 1861. Here, the Confederates lost just one man (North Carolina’s Henry L. Wyatt) while driving back Federal troops. For this, Magruder was appointed a brigadier general in the Provisional Confederate Army June 17, 1861. Magruder became a star of the Confederacy. “He’s the hero for the times, the furious fighting Johnny B. Magruder,” one ballad boasted. Magruder was boosted to major general Oct. 7, 1861. Magruder’s Peninsula command, which included Norfolk and Yorktown, came under Federal attack at the start of Gen. McClellan’s Peninsular Campaign. Magruder was able to fool McClellan about the size of Confederate forces at Yorktown, slowing the Federal advance long enough to give Gen. Joseph Johnston the time to prepare defenses in front of Richmond. Magruder again demonstrated against McClellan’s forces to keep the Federal general from reinforcing one wing of his army with the other. Magruder quickly fell out of favor after the Seven Days battles. There, his command failed to capitalize on chances to inflict more damage on the Federals. Magruder came under fire for a lack of aggressiveness. It has been alleged that an allergic reaction to medication had something to do with that. During a period of reorganization, Magruder was designated for command in the District of Texas, New Mexico and Arizona. On Jan. 1, 1863, Magruder recaptured Galveston, capturing the Federal ship Harriet Lane to break the blockade. He served for the rest of the war in this command, adding Arkansas to his department late in the war. After the war, Magruder didn’t wait to be paroled. Instead, he joined the forces of Emperor Maximilian in Mexico. He also headed the land office. After the fall of that government, Magruder moved back to Houston, where he died (likely of heart disease) Feb. 18, 1871. He is buried in Galveston, Texas.

[Gil R.]

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[Gil R.]

Here's Magruder:

Maj. Gen. John Bankhead Magruder (b. 1807, d. 1871). Not many men could make the same claim as Magruder: “Prince John” served in two losing armies during the 1860’s, reaching major general both in Confederate service and in the service of Emperor Maximilian of Mexico. Born in Port Royal, Virginia, on May 1, 1807, Magruder began to make a name for himself during his time at the U.S. Military Academy. He graduated 15th in the Class of 1830 and saw action both in the 2nd Seminole War and the Mexican War. He earned his nickname, “Prince John,” around this time for being very active on the social scene – which, it was alleged, helped to end his 1831 marriage to Henrietta Von Kapff. Their union produced three children, but she moved to Italy, taking their children with her. As an artillery officer, Magruder earned three brevets for gallant and meritorious service during the Mexican War, seeing action from Vera Cruz to Mexico City. Just prior to the Civil War, he was commanding an artillery unit in Washington, D.C., but on April 20, 1861, eight days after the bombardment of Fort Sumter, he resigned from the U.S. Army. Less than two months later, on June 10, Magruder commanded the Confederate troops at the first battle of the war, Big Bethel – a Confederate victory in which they lost just one man, North Carolina’s Henry L. Wyatt. For this achievement, Magruder was appointed a brigadier general in the Provisional Confederate Army on June 17. Magruder quickly became a star of the Confederacy: “He’s the hero for the times, the furious fighting Johnny B. Magruder,” one ballad boasted. Magruder was boosted to major general on October 7, 1861. His Army of the Peninsula command, which included Norfolk and Yorktown, came under Federal attack at the start of Gen. George B. McClellan’s Peninsular Campaign the following spring, as the Union commander attempted to take Richmond by moving up the Virginia Peninsula. Magruder’s most famous achievement during this campaign – and, arguably, the war – was the ruse he used to fool McClellan into inflating his estimate of the size of Confederate forces outside Yorktown: by visibly shifting his 13,000 men around, Magruder created the illusion that his army was much closer in strength to McClellan’s 55,000-man force than it was. The Union commander, wishing neither to attack outright nor siege so large a force that was dug in on the far side of the Warwick River, slowed his advance long enough to give Gen. Joseph E. Johnston the time to prepare defenses in front of Richmond. At Mechanicsville on June 26, Magruder again caused McClellan to miscalculate the size of the enemy’s force, by demonstrating against his forces on the south side of the Chickahominy River and thus convincing him that he could not reinforce one wing of his army with the other. Despite these successes, however, Magruder quickly fell out of favor after the rest of the Seven Days’ Campaign, during which his command failed to capitalize on chances to inflict more damage on the enemy, and Magruder came under fire for a lack of aggressiveness. (It has been alleged that an allergic reaction to medication caused this relative lethargy.) During a period of army reorganization, Magruder was designated for command in the District of Texas, New Mexico and Arizona. On January 1, 1863, he recaptured Galveston, seizing the Union ship “Harriet Lane” to break the blockade. He served for the rest of the war in this command, adding Arkansas to his department late in the war. After the Civil War, Magruder did not wait to be paroled: instead, like some of his fellow Confederates, he joined the forces of Emperor Maximilian in Mexico, and also headed the land office. After the fall of Maximilian’s government, Magruder moved back to Houston, where he died (likely of heart disease) on February 18, 1871. He is buried in Galveston. (Bio by Bill Battle)