{⋆★⋆} BG Bonham, Milledge L. - Gov. of SC

Milledge Luke Bonham

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Born:
December 25, 1813

Birthplace: Redbank, South Carolina

Father: Captain James Bonham 1766 – 1815
(Buried: Smith – Bonham Cemetery, Saluda, South Carolina)​

Mother: Sophie Smith 1780 – 1858
(Buried: Smith – Bonham Cemetery, Saluda, South Carolina)​

Wife: Ann Patience Griffin 1829 – 1894
(Buried: Elmwood Memorial Gardens, Columbia, South Carolina)​

Children:

Richard Griffin Bonham 1849 – 1887​
(Buried: Elmwood Memorial Gardens, Columbia, South Carolina)​
James Bonham 1853 – 1884​
(Buried: Elmwood Memorial Gardens, Columbia, South Carolina)​
Chief Justice Milledge Lipscomb Bonham 1854 – 1943​
(Buried: Silver Brook Cemetery, Anderson, South Carolina)​
Anne Elizabeth Bonham 1857 – 1921​
(Buried: Elmwood Memorial Gardens, Columbia, South Carolina)​
Thomas Seymour Bonham 1868 – 1954​
(Buried: Elmwood Memorial Gardens, Columbia, South Carolina)​
Patience Griffin Bonham Shand 1871 – 1961​
(Buried: Trinity Episcopal Cathedral Cemetery, Columbia, South Carolina)​

Governor Bonham.jpg
Education:


1834: Graduated with honors from South Carolina College​

Occupation before War:

1836: Served in the United States Army during Seminole War Major​
Attorney in Edgefield South Carolina​
1840 – 1843: South Carolina State Representative​
1846 – 1848: Served in the Mexican War rising to rank of Colonel​
Major General of South Carolina State Militia​
1848 – 1857: Solicitor of Southern Circuit of South Carolina​
1857 – 1860: United States Representative from South Carolina​

Civil War Career:

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1861: South Carolina Commissioner to Mississippi Secession Convention​
1861: Major General and Commander of Army of South Carolina​
1861 – 1862: Brigadier General in the Confederate Army Infantry​
1861: Brigade Commander during First Battle of Bull Run​
1862 – 1864: Governor of South Carolina​
1864 – 1865: Brigadier General of Confederate Army Cavalry​
1865: Recruiting Service in South Carolina​

Occupation after War:

1865 – 1878: Insurance Businessman in Edgefield, S.C. & Atlanta, GA.​
1865 – 1866: South Carolina State Representative​
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1868: Delegate to Democratic Party National Convention​
1871: Delegate to South Carolina Taxpayer's Convention​
1874: Delegate to South Carolina Taxpayer's Convention​
1874 – 1878: Attorney and Planter in Edgefield, South Carolina​
1878 – 1890: South Carolina State Railroad Commissioner​

Died: August 27, 1890

Place of Death: White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia

Age at Death: 76 years old

Cause of Death: Blood Vessel Burst

Burial Place: Elmwood Memorial Gardens, Columbia, South Carolina
 
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Resigned as brigadier general on Jan. 29, 1862 over senority issues. Became a politician in the C.S. House then Govenor of South Carolina. Then was reappointed brigadier general Feb. 16, 1865.
 
1/20/65 Hqs ___ Wade Hampton to President-Bonham's dispatch shows his desire to reenter the service. He suggested the 1st​, 2nd​ & 3rd​ SC Cav Regts might be brigaded & given to him. I strongly recommend him … for the command of these 3 Regts…

[No date] SC delegation recommends Bonham

1/24/65 Porcher Miles endorsing Bonham as B Gen for a Cav Bgde to be of the Cav troops now in SC

1/24 President asks AG for report of the Regts indicated

2/5 AG says the 2nd​ SC Cav is serving with Bragg, ordered there in Nov, but only temporary & need not interfere with the brigading. The 2nd​ & 3rd​ SC Cav Regts are on the SC coast scattered in several Districts but events must soon bring them together. __ __ that these 3 Regts be brigaded- The 1st​ & 2nd​ formerly of Butler's Bgde have been replaced by the 4th​, 5th​ & 6th​ SC Cav. Black of the 1st​ is the Sr Col of the 3 Regts. Col Haskell, 7th​ SC Cav has been highly recommended by Lee, Hampton & others as BGen of Cav & Beauregard recommends that the best officer be selected for the command of the Cav in his Dept regardless of the army in which they may be serving.

JD says Sec of War will please nominate Bonham as recommended within

2/9/65 Sec of War Breckinridge says nominate as directed by the President

3/29/65 Richmond, S O #74
XIV The 1st, 2nd, & 3rd Regts, SC Cav are hereby constituted a Bgde, to the command of which Brig. Gen M. L. Bonham, PA is assigned. He will report to Gen Johnston, cdg, &c.

4/15/65 Haw River RR Bridge, Gen Johnston to Gen Hampton to Gen Hampton-I left Greensborough yesterday morning at 3.30 o'clock. Up to that time there had been communication by telegraph with Danville, occupied by Maj-Gen Lomax with something above 1,000 men. His scouts range, as I understood, as far as Staunton River, & had heard of no movement of the enemy in that direction. It is intended to withdraw these troops when we reach Greensborough. I think that you are in no danger by any movement of the enemy from Virginia. It would be well to get your heavy trains beyond the Haw. It is practicable to pass wagons across on the RR Bridge. It is necessary to observe the enemy's movements, but is not necessary to resist. Corn can be sent to you by RR. You may observe either by trusty scouts or by bodies of Cav, but it should be in such a way as to discover movements of Infy. Any Cav not required for that purpose might cross the Haw. With this explanation of my objects, I leave the necessary measures to your judgment.
If you can communicate with the 2nd SC Cav, order it to join you in my name. The President has ordered the formation of a Bgde for Gen Bonham. It is to belong to that Bgde
 
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