Brigadier General States Rights Gist

CSA Today

Brev. Brig. Gen'l
Honored Fallen Comrade
Joined
Dec 3, 2011
Location
Laurinburg NC
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Civil War Confederate Brigadier General. He was born in Union, South Carolina, and was a graduate of South Carolina College and the Harvard University Law School. An attorney in his home state, he became active in the militia, and rose to state Brigadier General in 1859. His brother Joseph was also a Brigadier of the militia and was a Major in the Fifteenth South Carolina. His cousin, William Henry Gist, was Governor of South Carolina during the war. Governor Gist's son, William, was also a Major of the Fifteenth and was killed in action at Knoxville. Knowing that war was on the horizon, he prepared South Carolinians for war. After South Carolina seceded, as state adjutant and inspector general he acquired arms for and oversaw the bombardment of Fort Sumter. As a volunteer aide to South Carolina Brigadier General Barnard E. Bee, he witnessed the First Battle of Bull Run, and on Bee's death the day after the battle assumed temporary command of his brigade. After returning to South Carolina and duties as adjutant general, he received appointment as a Confederate Brigadier General on March 20, 1862, and was sent to state coastal defenses commanded by Major General John C. Pemberton. On Pemberton's encirclement at Vicksburg, Mississippi, he joined General Joseph Johnston's failed relief expedition to the city. His reassignment to the Army of Tennessee and combat duty at Chickamauga, Chattanooga, and the battle for Atlanta followed. He commanded a brigade in Major General John C. Brown's division during General John B. Hood's Franklin and Nashville Campaign. In the assault on the Federal center at the Battle of Franklin, while leading his troops on foot, he was killed, thus becoming 1 of 6 Confederate generals to die as a result of the fight.
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=9069
 
Not a lot of Gist running around.

That's a last name-an indicator of a failure to breed sons.

Here is a list I found of uncommon last names.
Browning
O’Rourke
Fitzgerald
Wojtowicz
Neville
Endicott
Kirch
Roosevelt
Wexler
Baird
Driscoll
Kowalski
Lang
Bellamy
Crockett
Barth

and first names can be found here.

Unpopular Baby Names: Avoiding the Jacobs, Emilys and Madisons


I know an O'Roarke.
Isn't Driscoll the name of Florida's hurt QB?
 
Another photo of States Rights Gist
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Gist was slightly wounded at First Manassas and wounded in the hand at the Battle of Atlanta. His brigade was heavily engaged in the latter on the Confederate right, under William H. T. Walker who was killed there. After Walker's Division was broken up, Gist's Brigade was transferred to Frank Cheatham's Division (later commanded by John C. Brown).

At Franklin, Gist initially rode into the attack mounted, but after his horse was shot he then led his men on foot. First taking a shot in the leg and then through the chest, he was either killed or mortally wounded; some sources say that he died in a field hospital later that night. His brigade attacked to the west of the Columbia Pike, in front of the Carter House.
 
He's buried about 25 feet from Wade Hampton in Columbia SC. There's a bench roughly half way between and I did my homework on it. Hamptons in a sarcophagus above ground. Its in fairly bad shape. A lot of Hamptons and related families there.
 
I discovered that he was a distant cousin of the wife. The Gist family was from Baltimore and included Christopher Gist. Two of his Nephews were Nathaniel and Mordecai.. The former commanded a supplemental regiment in the Continental Army and is claimed by some to be the father of Sequoia. The latter held commands in the Maryland Line and settled in South Carolina. His two sons were named "Independent" and "States". So you could say "States Rights" was a continuation of a family naming precedent.
 
I discovered that he was a distant cousin of the wife. The Gist family was from Baltimore and included Christopher Gist. Two of his Nephews were Nathaniel and Mordecai.. The former commanded a supplemental regiment in the Continental Army and is claimed by some to be the father of Sequoia. The latter held commands in the Maryland Line and settled in South Carolina. His two sons were named "Independent" and "States". So you could say "States Rights" was a continuation of a family naming precedent.

Cool. Don't know much about him, except his death. Was really surprised when I saw his gravestone. A bit worn, but in a good location right on the main path. Fairly cool cemetery.
 
So he took over command soon after Gen. Bee gave Jackson his immortal nickname at Bull Run? How did he take command of an Alabama unit if he were with South Carolinas brigade?
 
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So he took over command soon after Gen. Bee gave Jackson his immortal nickname at Bull Run? How did he take command of an Alabama unit if he were with South Carolinas brigade?

I assume he may have been senior subordinate.
 
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