ColorizedPast
Corporal
- Joined
- Aug 27, 2016
- Location
- Hangzhou, China (Wisconsin, USA)
Brigadier General John Pegram (CSA)
John Pegram was born in Petersburg, Virginia on 24 January 1832. His grandfather, John Pegram, had been a major general commanding all Virginia forces during the War of 1812. His father, James, was a prominent attorney, militia brigadier general, and bank president in Richmond. However, in October 1844, James Pegram was killed in a steamboat accident on the Ohio River, leaving a widow, who had to open a girls' school to support her five children. One of John Pegram's younger brothers was future Confederate artillerist William Ransom Johnson Pegram.
Pegram graduated from the United States Military Academy tenth in his class in 1854. Pegram was commissioned as a second lieutenant and assigned to the dragoons. He served in the West. In January 1857, he was appointed Assistant Instructor of Cavalry at West Point. Pegram was granted a leave of absence in 1858-59 to travel to Europe to observe the Austro-Sardinian War. Returning home, he was assigned in 1860 to duty on the frontier in the New Mexico Territory.
In May 1861, when news arrived that his native Virginia had seceded, Pegram resigned his lieutenant's commission and returned home. In July, he accepted a commission as a lieutenant colonel and was assigned command of the 20th Virginia Infantry. His regiment was part of the brigade of Brig. Gen. Robert S. Garnett and served in western Virginia fighting Union troops under Maj. Gen. George B. McClellan. On 11 July, Pegram was cut off from Garnett's main body during the Battle of Rich Mountain and forced to surrender his entire regiment. Pegram was the first former U.S. Army officer to be captured while in Confederate service and was imprisoned for six months in Fort Warren, Boston Harbor.
In January 1862, Pegram was paroled in Baltimore, Maryland, and allowed to travel to Richmond while awaiting a formal exchange for a captive Union officer. There, he met prominent socialite Hetty Cary, who became his fianceé. When exchanged, Pegram was promoted to colonel and became the Chief Engineer of the army of General P.G.T. Beauregard and then to Braxton Bragg. He was then assigned as Chief of Staff for Maj. Gen. Edmund Kirby Smith and served in the Kentucky Campaign.
Pegram was promoted to brigadier general in November 1862 and given command of a cavalry brigade. His performance before the Battle of Stones River in December was criticized by his superiors for failing to provide proper intelligence on enemy movements. In March 1863, he led an ill-fated raid into Kentucky that was defeated at the Battle of Somerset, drawing criticism from his subordinates, including John Hunt Morgan. Then he and his division fought under Nathan Bedford Forrest at the Battle of Chickamauga. He requested assignment back East and reported to the Army of Northern Virginia in October.
Pegram was given command of a veteran Virginia infantry brigade in the division of Jubal A. Early. In May 1864, Pegram was wounded at the Battle of the Wilderness. Returning to duty in the fall, he served with distinction during Early's independent Valley Campaign as a division commander. Following the disastrous Battle of Cedar Creek, Early's survivors, including Pegram, return to the Army of Northern Virginia in the Petersburg trenches.
On 19 January 1865, Pegram married Hetty Cary in a well-attended ceremony with guest including President Jefferson Davis and his wife, Varina. On 6 February 1865, Pegram was killed at the Battle of Hatcher's Run. His younger brother William was killed at the Battle of Five Forks in April.
John Pegram was born in Petersburg, Virginia on 24 January 1832. His grandfather, John Pegram, had been a major general commanding all Virginia forces during the War of 1812. His father, James, was a prominent attorney, militia brigadier general, and bank president in Richmond. However, in October 1844, James Pegram was killed in a steamboat accident on the Ohio River, leaving a widow, who had to open a girls' school to support her five children. One of John Pegram's younger brothers was future Confederate artillerist William Ransom Johnson Pegram.
Pegram graduated from the United States Military Academy tenth in his class in 1854. Pegram was commissioned as a second lieutenant and assigned to the dragoons. He served in the West. In January 1857, he was appointed Assistant Instructor of Cavalry at West Point. Pegram was granted a leave of absence in 1858-59 to travel to Europe to observe the Austro-Sardinian War. Returning home, he was assigned in 1860 to duty on the frontier in the New Mexico Territory.
In May 1861, when news arrived that his native Virginia had seceded, Pegram resigned his lieutenant's commission and returned home. In July, he accepted a commission as a lieutenant colonel and was assigned command of the 20th Virginia Infantry. His regiment was part of the brigade of Brig. Gen. Robert S. Garnett and served in western Virginia fighting Union troops under Maj. Gen. George B. McClellan. On 11 July, Pegram was cut off from Garnett's main body during the Battle of Rich Mountain and forced to surrender his entire regiment. Pegram was the first former U.S. Army officer to be captured while in Confederate service and was imprisoned for six months in Fort Warren, Boston Harbor.
In January 1862, Pegram was paroled in Baltimore, Maryland, and allowed to travel to Richmond while awaiting a formal exchange for a captive Union officer. There, he met prominent socialite Hetty Cary, who became his fianceé. When exchanged, Pegram was promoted to colonel and became the Chief Engineer of the army of General P.G.T. Beauregard and then to Braxton Bragg. He was then assigned as Chief of Staff for Maj. Gen. Edmund Kirby Smith and served in the Kentucky Campaign.
Pegram was promoted to brigadier general in November 1862 and given command of a cavalry brigade. His performance before the Battle of Stones River in December was criticized by his superiors for failing to provide proper intelligence on enemy movements. In March 1863, he led an ill-fated raid into Kentucky that was defeated at the Battle of Somerset, drawing criticism from his subordinates, including John Hunt Morgan. Then he and his division fought under Nathan Bedford Forrest at the Battle of Chickamauga. He requested assignment back East and reported to the Army of Northern Virginia in October.
Pegram was given command of a veteran Virginia infantry brigade in the division of Jubal A. Early. In May 1864, Pegram was wounded at the Battle of the Wilderness. Returning to duty in the fall, he served with distinction during Early's independent Valley Campaign as a division commander. Following the disastrous Battle of Cedar Creek, Early's survivors, including Pegram, return to the Army of Northern Virginia in the Petersburg trenches.
On 19 January 1865, Pegram married Hetty Cary in a well-attended ceremony with guest including President Jefferson Davis and his wife, Varina. On 6 February 1865, Pegram was killed at the Battle of Hatcher's Run. His younger brother William was killed at the Battle of Five Forks in April.
Bringing the