Civil War Confederate Brigadier General, US Congressman. He was born in Westmoreland County, Virginia, and was an 1837 University of Virginia graduate. He was an attorney in his home county until he was elected to the United States Congress in 1846. He also served in the Virginia 1851 constitutional convention and in the state Senate. He was commissioned First Lieutenant of cavalry in May 1861 and served in a provisional unit, Lee's Light Horse, later organized into the 9th Virginia Cavalry. He quickly rose in rank being commissioned Captain in July, Major in October, and Lieutenant Colonel the following April. He fought on the Virginia peninsula in early 1862, then served under Major General J.E.B. Stuart in the Second Bull Run and Antietam campaigns. In October 1862 he was promoted to Colonel of the 9th after three times offering his resignation from the service. Annoyed with the minutiae of regular duty, he asked for a guerrilla command or for the opportunity to return to the ranks as a Private. Superiors dissuaded him from following either course, convinving him to retain his regular rank and command. That December he fought at Fredericksburg and the following spring and summer served in the cavalry's campaigns through Gettysburg. After 3 months' recuperative leave for a wound received in a September skirmish, he returned to duty in January 1864 as a part of Major General W. H. F. Lee's division. At this time some of his command took part in the pursuit and capture of Union cavalry involved in the Kilpatrick-Dahlgren Raid. Late in the year a shortage of general officers boosted him to brigade command without a commission. On January 6, 1865, his appointment came through and he was made a Brigadier General. After Lee's surrender, he reestablished his law practice in Hague, Virginia, and in 1879 was elected once again to Congress. He later would die in Hague.
Civil War Confederate Brigadier General, US Congressman. He was born in Westmoreland County, Virginia, and was an 1837 University of Virginia graduate. He was an attorney in his home county until he was elected to the United States Congress in 1846. He also served in the Virginia 1851 constitutional convention and in the state Senate. He was commissioned First Lieutenant of cavalry in May 1861 and served in a provisional unit, Lee's Light Horse, later organized into the 9th Virginia Cavalry. He quickly rose in rank being commissioned Captain in July, Major in October, and Lieutenant Colonel the following April. He fought on the Virginia peninsula in early 1862, then served under Major General J.E.B. Stuart in the Second Bull Run and Antietam campaigns. In October 1862 he was promoted to Colonel of the 9th after three times offering his resignation from the service. Annoyed with the minutiae of regular duty, he asked for a guerrilla command or for the opportunity to return to the ranks as a Private. Superiors dissuaded him from following either course, convinving him to retain his regular rank and command. That December he fought at Fredericksburg and the following spring and summer served in the cavalry's campaigns through Gettysburg. After 3 months' recuperative leave for a wound received in a September skirmish, he returned to duty in January 1864 as a part of Major General W. H. F. Lee's division. At this time some of his command took part in the pursuit and capture of Union cavalry involved in the Kilpatrick-Dahlgren Raid. Late in the year a shortage of general officers boosted him to brigade command without a commission. On January 6, 1865, his appointment came through and he was made a Brigadier General. After Lee's surrender, he reestablished his law practice in Hague, Virginia, and in 1879 was elected once again to Congress. He later would die in Hague.
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