Lt. Gen. Theophilus H. Holmes

[jkBluesman]

Try to ignore this one. Contrary to his first name the relationship between Holmes and the god of war was pretty strained.

Lt. Gen. Theophilus Hunter Holmes (b. 1804, d. 1880). Friendship with Pres. Jefferson Davis secured Holmes promotion and assignments that did not suit his limited military abilities, but he recognized it himself. Born in a prominent plantation family in Sampson County, North Carolina, he chose the military profession. Graduating from West Point in 1829 (as 44th of 46 graduates) – together with future Southern hero Robert E. Lee –, he served on the frontier and in the Mexican War, in which he won a brevet for his actions in the battle of Monterrey. Holmes resigned his commission as major after the bombardment of Fort Sumter in April 1861 and joined the forces of his native state. His friendship with Davis, whom he knew from West Point and Mexico, secured the appointment as brigadier general of the Confederate army on June 5, 1861. Serving under Gen. P.G.T. Beauregard at Manassas, he saw no action in the first major battle of the war. Holmes was promoted to major general on October 7 nevertheless and assigned the task of defending Fredericksburg and was sent in March 1862 to the defence of North Carolina. Called back to Virginia by Lee to support counter the Peninsula Campaign, Holmes led a division of inexperienced troops through the Seven Days though he saw action only in the last two engagments. His performance at Frayser’s Farm (or White Oak Swamp) was mediocre (in part due to his deafness) as he failed to take Malvern Hill. When the hill was attacked the next day, Holmes did not support Gen. D.H. Hill although ordered too. Hill was repulsed with heavy losses, leading to his remark that “it was not war, it was murder”. However, Davis kept his high opinion on Holmes and sent him West in July to command the Trans-Mississippi Department. Although Holmes himself told the president that he did not suit the assignment, he went west and was promoted to lieutenant general on October 10, 1862. From his headquarters in Little Rock, Arkansas he got the task of managing small forces in a broad country with poor infrastructure, a task which overburdened him. His failure in cooperating effectively with Gen. John C. Pemberton in Mississippi was in part responsible for the later fall of Vicksburg though Holmes was reverted to command of the district of Arkansas in March thus prior to the stronghold’s capitulation on July 4, 1863. On Independence Day Holmes saw his last battle. Together with Gen. Sterling Price he attacked the town of Helena and was repulsed. Although Holmes stayed in command till the end of February 1864, he saw no further action but was mostly sick. He spent the rest of the war organizing the North Carolina Reserves before surrendering on April 26, 1865. The remaining years of his life Holmes passed on a farm in his native state. He was buried in Fayetteville.

Ldr: 3
Tact: 3
Init: 2
Cmd: 2
Cav: 0

Teaches: Swampwise

[Gil R.]

Copied, thanks.

[Gil R.]

Oops, almost forgot to post this. It's all ready to go.


Lt. Gen. Theophilus Hunter Holmes (b. 1804, d. 1880). Friendship with Pres. Jefferson Davis secured Holmes promotion and assignments that did not suit his limited military abilities, but he recognized this himself. Born in a prominent plantation family in Sampson County, North Carolina, he chose the military profession. Graduating from West Point in 1829 as 44th in a class of 46 graduates – one of whom was future Southern hero Robert E. Lee – Holmes served on the frontier and in the Mexican War, in which he won a brevet for his actions in the Battle of Monterrey. Holmes resigned his commission as major after the bombardment of Fort Sumter in April 1861 and joined the forces of his native state. His friendship with Davis, whom he knew from West Point and Mexico, secured an appointment as brigadier general of the Confederate army on June 5, 1861. Serving under Gen. P.G.T. Beauregard at Manassas six weeks later, he saw no action in the first major battle of the war. Holmes was promoted to major general on October 7 nevertheless, and assigned the task of defending Fredericksburg. In March 1862, he was sent to the defense of North Carolina. Called back to Virginia by Lee to during the latter part of the Peninsula Campaign, Holmes led a division of inexperienced troops through the Seven Days’ Battles, though he and his men saw action only in the last two engagements. His performance at Frayser’s Farm (or White Oak Swamp) was mediocre (in part due to his deafness), as he failed to take Malvern Hill. When the hill was attacked the next day, Holmes did not support Gen. D.H. Hill although ordered to. Hill was repulsed with heavy losses, leading to his remark that “it was not war, it was murder.” However, Davis kept his high opinion of Holmes and sent him westward in July to command the Trans-Mississippi Department. Although Holmes himself told the President that he did not suit this assignment, he went west and was promoted to lieutenant general on October 10, 1862. From his headquarters in Little Rock, Arkansas, he was charged with the task of managing small forces in a broad country with poor infrastructure, a task which overburdened him. His failure to cooperate effectively with Gen. John C. Pemberton in Mississippi was in part responsible for the later fall of Vicksburg, though Holmes was reverted to command of the District of Arkansas in March, well prior to the stronghold’s capitulation on July 4, 1863. On Independence Day of that year Holmes saw his last battle: together with Gen. Sterling Price he attacked the town of Helena and was repulsed. Although Holmes stayed in command until the end of February 1864, he saw no further action but was mostly sick. He spent the rest of the war organizing the North Carolina Reserves, before surrendering on April 26, 1865. Holmes passed the remaining years of his life on a farm in his native state, and was buried in Fayetteville. (Bio by Joern Kaesebier)

Ldr: 3
Tact: 3
Init: 2
Cmd: 2
Cav: 0

Teaches: Swampwise

Start date: 10

[jkBluesman]

ORIGINAL: Gil R.

Oops, almost forgot to post this. It's all ready to go.


Lt. Gen. Theophilus Hunter Holmes (b. 1804, d. 1880). Friendship with Pres. Jefferson Davis secured Holmes promotion and assignments that did not suit his limited military abilities, but he recognized this himself. Born in a prominent plantation family in Sampson County, North Carolina, he chose the military profession. Graduating from West Point in 1829 as 44th in a class of 46 graduates – one of whom was future Southern hero Robert E. Lee – Holmes served on the frontier and in the Mexican War, in which he won a brevet for his actions in the Battle of Monterrey. Holmes resigned his commission as major after the bombardment of Fort Sumter in April 1861 and joined the forces of his native state. His friendship with Davis, whom he knew from West Point and Mexico, secured an appointment as brigadier general of the Confederate army on June 5, 1861. Serving under Gen. P.G.T. Beauregard at Manassas six weeks later, he saw no action in the first major battle of the war. Holmes was promoted to major general on October 7 nevertheless, and assigned the task of defending Fredericksburg. In March 1862, he was sent to the defense of North Carolina. Called back to Virginia by Lee to during the latter part of the Peninsula Campaign, Holmes led a division of inexperienced troops through the Seven Days’ Battles, though he and his men saw action only in the last two engagements. His performance at Frayser’s Farm (or White Oak Swamp) was mediocre (in part due to his deafness), as he failed to take Malvern Hill. When the hill was attacked the next day, Holmes did not support Gen. D.H. Hill although ordered to. Hill was repulsed with heavy losses, leading to his remark that “it was not war, it was murder.” However, Davis kept his high opinion of Holmes and sent him westward in July to command the Trans-Mississippi Department. Although Holmes himself told the President that he did not suit this assignment, he went west and was promoted to lieutenant general on October 10, 1862. From his headquarters in Little Rock, Arkansas, he was charged with the task of managing small forces in a broad country with poor infrastructure, a task which overburdened him. His failure to cooperate effectively with Gen. John C. Pemberton in Mississippi was in part responsible for the later fall of Vicksburg, though Holmes was reverted to command of the District of Arkansas in March, well prior to the stronghold’s capitulation on July 4, 1863. On Independence Day of that year Holmes saw his last battle: together with Gen. Sterling Price he attacked the town of Helena and was repulsed. Although Holmes stayed in command until the end of February 1864, he saw no further action but was mostly sick. He spent the rest of the war organizing the North Carolina Reserves, before surrendering on April 26, 1865. Holmes passed the remaining years of his life on a farm in his native state, and was buried in Fayetteville. (Bio by Joern Kaesebier)

Ldr: 3
Tact: 3
Init: 2
Cmd: 2
Cav: 0

Teaches: Swampwise

Start date: 10

Found this minor mistake when reading the bio in the game.

[Gil R.]

Okay, thanks. I'll change that.