★★★ Cowan, Robert Haughey Jr.

Robert Haughey Cowan Jr.

:CSA1stNat:
Colonel Cowan 1.jpg


Born: August 23, 1824

Birthplace: Wilmington, North Carolina

Father: Robert Haughey Cowan Sr. 1801 – 1845
(Buried: Oakdale Cemetery, Wilmington, North Carolina)​

Mother: Sarah Turner “Sallie” Stone 1807 – 1872
(Buried: Oakdale Cemetery, Wilmington, North Carolina)​

Wife: Elizabeth Jane “Eliza” Dickinson 1823 – 1893
(Buried: Oakdale Cemetery, Wilmington, North Carolina)​

Children:

Robert Haughey Cowan III 1847 – 1893​
(Buried: Oakdale Cemetery, Wilmington, North Carolina)​
Jane Dickinson Cowan DeRosset 1848 – 1922​
(Buried: Oakdale Cemetery, Wilmington, North Carolina)​
Cornelia Frothingham Cowan Metts 1850 – 1907
Colonel Cowan.jpg
(Buried: Oakdale Cemetery, Wilmington, North Carolina)​
Samuel Person Cowan 1852 – 1918​
(Buried: Oakdale Cemetery, Wilmington, North Carolina)​
Mary Walker Cowan Davis 1859 – 1930​
(Buried: Oakdale Cemetery, Wilmington, North Carolina)​
James McRee Cowan 1862 – 1894​
(Buried: Oakdale Cemetery, Wilmington, North Carolina)​


Education:

1844: Graduated from University of North Carolina​

Occupation before War:

Businessman in Wilmington, North Carolina
IMG_6886.JPG

Civil War Career:

1861 – 1862: Lt. Colonel 3rd​ North Carolina Infantry Regiment​
1862: Colonel of 18th​ North Carolina Infantry Regiment​
1862: Wounded during the Seven Days Campaign in Virginia​
1862: Resigned as Colonel on November 11, 1862​

Occupation after War:

North Carolina State Representative​
1871 – 1872: President of Washington Life Insurance Company​

Died: November 11, 1872

Place of Death: Wilmington, North Carolina

Age at time of Death: 48 years old

Burial Place: Oakdale Cemetery, Wilmington, North Carolina
 
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Cowan was from a well-connected family in Wilmington, and was apparently a popular politician in his day. In the history of the 3rd NC Infantry regiment, it is noted that some of the men regretted that Cowan left his post there to assume the top job in the 18th Infantry regiment, where he had been elected Colonel. Cowan's successor as Lt. Col. of the 3rd, William Lord DeRosset, was not as popular as Cowan.

The elaborate headstone would indicate he was quite prosperous as well.
 
Cowan was badly wounded during the Seven Days fighting (probably at the Battle of Fraysers Farm) and obliged to resign from the army because of permanent disability.

A biographical essay on Cowan is online at the Cape Fear Historical Institute site (http://www.cfhi.net/ColonelRobertHCowan.php). The essay indicates he was an important officer of the Wilmington & Weldon Rail Road both before and after his military service. Accompanyng the essay is a most interesting account of the Cowan family's unpleasant encounter with Gen. William Sherman's army late in the war.
 
I think he was wounded in the knee but was left for dead on the field. As he was laying there a shell exploded near by and he was struck in the chest making him unfit for service. But he did recover and returned to his regiment and went with Jackson into Maryland.He resigned after returning from Maryland due to falling health.
 
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They list George Patterson as one of the clergymen officiating. Patterson was an interesting historical character himself, having published a "Biblical" defense of slavery before the war and also serving as chaplain of the 3rd North Carolina State Troops during the war. Late in the war he was made post chaplain at the Chimboraze Hospital in Richmond. He had a long and distinguished career in the Episcopal church post-war, most prominently as Rector at the University of the South at Suwanee, Tenn.

for more see https://www.ncpedia.org/biography/patterson-george
 
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