From article posted in
Southern Fried Common Sense & Stuff:
John Dunovant was born on Saturday, March 5, 1825 to John and Margaret Sloan Quay Dunovant of Chester District (Chester County), South Carolina. He was the fourth child of seven siblings: Ann Dunovant Henderson (1814 - 1841), Alexander Quay Dunovant (1815 - 1868), Robert G. M. Dunovant (1821 - 1898), Margaret Dunovant (1826 - 1919), Thomas Jefferson Dunovant (1828 - 1864), and Clara Laluke Dunovant Minter (1830 - 1914).
All of the Dunovant brothers would serve in the Confederate army. Of the four brothers, John and his younger brother, Thomas, would both die in defense of Southern independence.
His other two brothers: Alexander Quay Dunovant and Robert Gill Mills Dunovant (also a Confederate brigadier general), were both elected as delegates from Chester District to the Secession Convention in Charleston and both signed the South Carolina Ordinance of Secession in December of 1860. Alexander would later serve as a Confederate colonel and aide-to-camp to South Carolina Governor Francis W. Pickens.
A veteran of the Mexican-American War (1846 - 1848) Dunovant served as a 3rd sergeant in the distinguished Palmetto Regiment of the South Carolina Volunteers and was wounded at the Battle of Chapultepec during the fighting at the Belen Gate on September 13, 1847, where the Palmetto Regiment's flag became the first American (U.S.) colors to fly over Mexico City. Dunovant was mustered out of the Palmetto Volunteers on December 7, 1847.
Among other lower-ranking U.S. officers present at the battle with Dunovant who later became generals in the upcoming American Civil War over a decade later, included: Daniel H. Hill, George Pickett, James Longstreet, Ulysess S. Grant, Thomas Jackson, and Robert E. Lee.
Dunovant was later commissioned directly into the regular peacetime U. S. Army as a captain of the 10th Infantry Regiment on March 3, 1855 when that unit was organized as a new regiment. He served in that post for five years before he resigned from the U.S. Army on December 29, 1860, nine days after South Carolina seceded from the Union on December 20th.
He offered his services and was commissioned by the government of South Carolina a major of the State militia during the initial Confederate operations against Fort Sumter in Charleston harbor. He was present at Fort Moultrie on Sullivan's Island when the War Between The States began on the early morning hours of Friday, April 12, 1861 with the barrage on Fort Sumter.
On July 22, 1861, Dunovant became colonel of the 1st South Carolina Regular Infantry and was stationed in Charleston between 1861 - 1862. While the details are hazy, he was cashiered and dismissed from service for drunkenness on Saturday, November 8, 1862. Later on July 28, 1863 he was given another chance and reinstated by Governor Pickens (likely at the request of his brother, Alexander) to command as colonel of the 5th South Carolina Cavalry Regiment.
He served the State of South Carolina in this capacity, until ordered to the State of Virginia in early 1864 and his regiment placed under the brigade command of Brigadier General Matthew C. Butler in Lieutenant General Wade Hampton's cavalry division. Hampton recently assumed overall command of the Army of Northern Virginia's cavalry corps following the death of Major General Jeb Stuart at the Battle of Yellow Tavern on May 11, 1864.
The 5th SC Cavalry fought its first major action with the Army of Northern Virginia at the Second Battle of Drewry's Bluff on May 16, 1864. Brigadier General Matt Whitaker Ransom reported the regiment under Dunovant's leadership did admirable service at the battle. He was wounded in the left hand at the Battle of Haw's Shop on May 28, 1864.
Dunovant continued to provide gallant services with Butler's brigade at the Battle of Cold Harbor (May 31 - June 12, 1864), Battle of Trevilian Station (June 11 - 12, 1864) and other engagements in the Overland Campaign and early Siege of Petersburg in encounters with Union general Philip Sheridan's cavalry.
On August 2, 1864, Confederate President Jefferson Davis recommended to General Robert E. Lee, that Dunovant receive a promotion to brigadier general with temporary rank, which Lee supported. Later that month on August 22, 1864, John Dunovant became a brigade commander under General Hampton and remained so until his death six weeks later.
Dunovant would be killed in action the following day on October 1, 1864 during the Battle of Vaughan Road. He was shot down while leading a cavalry charge against the Union position.
On the evening of September 30th, Dunovant unwittingly jeopardized his reputation again while personally leading a regiment on a night patrol up Vaughan Road while attempting to recover ground lost to the Confederates north of the James River during the first day of the Battle of Peeble's Farm (September 30 - October 2, 1864) -- a part of the Siege of Petersburg.
His force encountered a Yankee cavalry brigade commanded by Union Brigadier General Henry E. Davies. As Dunovant's and Davies's brigades approached Armstrong's house, they were surprised to encounter the other troops. The Union troops began to deploy but Dunovant actually thought he had encountered Confederate pickets and tried to force his way through the pickets.
Challenged by pickets that his officers realized were Union soldiers, Dunovant insisted that the pickets allow his men to pass. Then he sent an aide ahead to identify his command and convince the pickets to allow his force through. The Union soldiers took the captain prisoner. Only after the officer had been captured and the Union pickets began to fire into the darkness that Dunovant could be convinced of his mistake. In confused attacking and firing in the dark, only a few casualties were suffered by both sides but Dunovant's men pulled back and he was humiliated having being taken by surprise.
The next day, Major General Butler wanted to turn the Union flank believing that the Union position was too strongly defended. Dunovant urged that the frontal attack be renewed and after initially rejecting the idea, Butler only reluctantly agreed after Dunovant's insistence on a frontal charge.
Were Dunovant's rash action was motivated by his wounded pride at losing the position the night before, and to further redeem his reputation following his alcohol problems earlier in the war? Or did he believe that his rash plan was the best one available to the Confederates at the time? Or perhaps were they motivated by a bit of both? There is no way to know for certain.
It was during this ill-advised charge against the Davies' lines that Union Sergeant James T. Clancy of the 1st New Jersey Volunteer Cavalry fired the fateful shot that struck Dunovant in the chest and killing him before he fell off his horse. Seeing their general go down, the Confederate troopers were demoralized and quickly retreated. Upon learning that Dunovant fell in the battle, General Hampton sent his medical director, John B. Fontaine, to try to help Dunovant but he was killed by a shell on his way to the general's position.
The Battle of Vaughan Road would end with a Union victory. Dunovant's death was one of the key factors leading to a Union victory in the engagement as it disconcerted his brigade and led to a delay in further attacks. This gave Davies time to move his men to an even stronger fortified position. After the war ended, US President Andrew Johnson awarded the Medal of Honor to Sergeant Clancy on July 3, 1865.
Upon receipt of the news of both Dunovant and Dr. Fontaine's deaths in the battle, General Lee replied to General Hampton:
"I grieve with you at the loss of General Dunovant and Dr. Fontaine, two officers whom it will be difficult to replace."
John Dunovant is buried in the Dunovant family burial ground in Chester County, South Carolina along with his brother, Thomas Jefferson Dunovant who was also killed fighting for the Confederacy in 1864.
Forum Host
Bringing the