Trivia 3-3-17 Who Did That? & Bonus

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What Confederate Colonel later served as the US Secretary of the Navy? And what regiment did he command during the Civil War?

credit: @lelliott19

Bonus:
In 1861 this General witnessed one of his cannons explode killing the entire crew while he was less then 10 feet away. Only suffered minor burns and tattered uniform. Three years later a stray round from an enemy cannon a over a quarter mile away kills him.

credit: @JOHN42768
 
He was Hilary Abner Herbert colonel of the Eigth Regiment of the Alabama Infantry.


Bonus.
He was Leonidas Polk.


"The battle ended with one round still in the gun. Unfortunately four days later during a demonstration for the general (Polk) ten of the thirteen men around the gun were killed and the general was knocked unconscious after the gun exploded. THE EXPLOSION OCCURRED BECAUSE THE ROUND LEFT IN THE GUN FOUR DAYS AGO COULD NOT EXIT THE GUN BECAUSE THE BORE OF THE GUN HAD SHRUNKEN IN SIZE AFTER COOLING DOWN AFTER THE BATTLE."
 
Billy Hunt, 26th Alabama

Edit - There was a William Henry Hunt who served as lieutenant colonel in the 26th Alabama. However, he died of typhoid fever on June 20, 1862, so he cannot be the same person as the William Henry Hunt who served as Secretary of the Navy under Garfield.

Hoosier
 
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Hilary Abner Herbert, served in the Confederate Army as well as Secretary of Navy serving President Grover Cleveland (1893-1897).
http://www.encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/h-3602

Bonus: General Leonidas Polk - Wikipedia describes the 1st incident on Nov. 11, 1861 with the firing of the “Lady Polk” and the aftermath of the explosion, and Shelby Foote gives a vivid account of the cannon that killed him on June 14, 1864.
 
William H. Hunt. 13th Louisiana Regiment?

Bonus: Leonidas K. Polk.

Edit - William H. Hunt did serve as a colonel in command of a Confederate regiment and later as Secretary of the Navy. However, according to sources that have been provided, he was colonel of the 4th Louisiana. I can find no source indicating that he was connected to the 13th Louisiana.

Hoosier
 
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Hilary Abner Herbert secretary of US Navy 1893 to 1897 { Wikipedia}
confederate colonel of the eighth regiment Alabama infantry bonus to come later

Herbert entered the Confederate Army as a second lieutenant. He served as captain of the Greenville Guards, and was later promoted to the rank of colonel of the Eighth Regiment, Alabama Infantry. Herbert was wounded at the Battle of the Wilderness May 6, 1864.
 
What Confederate Colonel later served as the US Secretary of the Navy? And what regiment did he command during the Civil War?

credit: @lelliott19

Bonus:
In 1861 this General witnessed one of his cannons explode killing the entire crew while he was less then 10 feet away. Only suffered minor burns and tattered uniform. Three years later a stray round from an enemy cannon a over a quarter mile away kills him.

credit: @JOHN42768
Hilary A Herbert, 8th Alabama Infantry.

Bonus: Leonidis Polk, the cannon that exploded was called 'Lady Polk' named after his wife.
 
Willian H. Hunt

Leonidas Polk

Edit - William H. Hunt did serve as both a Confederate colonel and U. S. Secretary of the Navy, but the question also asked for identification of the Confederate regiment which he commanded.

Hoosier
 
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Friday: Hilary A. Herbert was promoted to colonel of the 8th Regiment, Alabama Infantry. In 1893, President Grover Cleveland appointed him Secretary of the Navy.
Sources: wikipedia article, "Hilary A. Herbert"
http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=h000524

Bonus: Closest I could come was Leonidas Polk. The facts I found don't fit the question exactly, but I can't find anything closer. On Nov. 11, 1861, while he was observing a firing of the "Lady Polk," named for his wife, the cannon exploded, killing 10 of the crew of 13 [18 were killed per another source, and 11 per yet another source] stunning Polk and blowing his clothes off. June 13, 1864, Polk was killed by a Union artillery shell. However, the shell was aimed; Sherman had spotted the group of generals (Polk, Johnston, Hardee) 600 yards (0.34 miles, so "over a quarter mile") away on Pine Mountain and ordered that they be fired upon. The others scattered, but Polk didn't leave quickly enough.
Sources:
wikipedia article, "Leonidas Polk."
http://civilwartalk.com/threads/10-dahlgren-gun-explosion-why.73115/ (which led me to Polk)
http://hubpages.com/education/Big-Guns-of-The-American-Civil-War (the "Lady Polk" explosion)
wikipedia article, "Columbus-Belmont State Park" states that 18 soldiers were killed in Lady Polk explosion
http://www.t-g.com/story/1201416.html (says 11 were killed)
http://www.historynet.com/leonidas-polk-southern-civil-war-general.htm (death)
This has been interesting, especially the varying sources. I'm looking forward to seeing if Polk is the real answer!
 
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