Civil War Confederate Army Officer, 48th Georgia Governor. He was an attorney practicing in Columbus, Georgia when the Civil War began in 1861, soon after which he enlisted in the Confederate Army and was commissioned a Captain in the 13th Georgia Infantry regiment. Rising to Colonel and commander of the unit in 1862, he led it as part of Brigadier General John B. Gordon's Brigade, during the 1863 June-July Gettysburg Campaign. There, his men was part of the Confederate forces that reached Wrightsville, Pennsylvania on the Susquehanna River in June before turning back to Gettysburg. On the First Day of the Battle (July 1, 1863) his men participated in the assault on Confederate forces north of the town in the area that became known as Barlow's Knoll. In the June 1864 Battle of Cold Harbor, he was severely wounded, and was forced to leave the army to recuperate at his home in Georgia. When it became apparent his wounds would keep him from further field service, he resigned from the Army, and was subsequently elected as a delegate from Georgia to the Confederate Congress. After the defeat and dissolution of the Confederacy, he resumed his law practice in Columbus. He was elected to the Georgia State Legislature in 1870, and served as Speaker of the Georgia State House in the following year. In 1871 he was elected as Governor of Georgia without any opposition, and he served until 1877. His administration was marked by efforts to bring the state onto solid financial footing, and strong resistance to Reconstruction policies that would expand enfranchisement and equality of African-Americans. In his last year as Governor he unsuccessfully ran for election to the United States Senate. In 1880 he was appointed as a Circuit Judge by Governor John B. Gordon, who had been in commander in the Confederate Army during the Civil War, and served until his death in 1890.
Civil War Confederate Army Officer, 48th Georgia Governor. He was an attorney practicing in Columbus, Georgia when the Civil War began in 1861, soon after which he enlisted in the Confederate Army and was commissioned a Captain in the 13th Georgia Infantry regiment. Rising to Colonel and commander of the unit in 1862, he led it as part of Brigadier General John B. Gordon's Brigade, during the 1863 June-July Gettysburg Campaign. There, his men was part of the Confederate forces that reached Wrightsville, Pennsylvania on the Susquehanna River in June before turning back to Gettysburg. On the First Day of the Battle (July 1, 1863) his men participated in the assault on Confederate forces north of the town in the area that became known as Barlow's Knoll. In the June 1864 Battle of Cold Harbor, he was severely wounded, and was forced to leave the army to recuperate at his home in Georgia. When it became apparent his wounds would keep him from further field service, he resigned from the Army, and was subsequently elected as a delegate from Georgia to the Confederate Congress. After the defeat and dissolution of the Confederacy, he resumed his law practice in Columbus. He was elected to the Georgia State Legislature in 1870, and served as Speaker of the Georgia State House in the following year. In 1871 he was elected as Governor of Georgia without any opposition, and he served until 1877. His administration was marked by efforts to bring the state onto solid financial footing, and strong resistance to Reconstruction policies that would expand enfranchisement and equality of African-Americans. In his last year as Governor he unsuccessfully ran for election to the United States Senate. In 1880 he was appointed as a Circuit Judge by Governor John B. Gordon, who had been in commander in the Confederate Army during the Civil War, and served until his death in 1890.
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