{⋆★⋆} BG Gracie, Archibald

Archibald Gracie III​

Born: December 1, 1832

Birthplace: New York City, New York

Father: Archibald Gracie Jr. 1795 – 1865

(Buried: Woodlawn Cemetery, Bronx, New York)​

Mother: Elizabeth Davidson Bethune 1806 – 1864

(Buried: Woodlawn Cemetery, Bronx, New York)​

Wife: Josephine Mayo 1842 – 1901

(Buried: Woodlawn Cemetery, Bronx, New York)​

Children:

Archibald Gracie IV 1858 – 1912​

(Buried: Woodlawn Cemetery, Bronx, New York)​

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Adeline Gracie 1864 – 1948​

(Buried: Woodlawn Cemetery, Bronx, New York)​

Education:

Attended University of Heidelberg in Germany​

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1854: Graduated from West Point Military Academy – (14th​ in class)​

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Occupation before War:

1854 – 1855: Brevet 2nd​ Lt. United States Army Infantry​

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1855 – 1856: 2nd​ Lt. United States Army 5th​ Infantry Regiment​

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1856: Resigned from United States Army on May 31st​​

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1856 – 1861: Cotton Merchant in Mobile, Alabama​

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Agent in his father's banking firm in Mobile, Alabama​

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President of Barings Bank of Mobile, Alabama​

Civil War Career:

1861 – 1862: Major of 11th​ Alabama Infantry Regiment​

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1862: Participated in the Battle of Yorktown, Virginia​

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1862 – 1864: Brigadier General of Confederate Army Infantry​

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1862: Guard during the retreat from Perryville, Kentucky​

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1863: Lost over 700 men during the Battle of Chickamuga​

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1863: Shot in the right arm during the Battle of Bean's Station​

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1864: Killed during inspection of his troops at Siege of Petersburg​

Died: December 2, 1864

Place of Death: Petersburg, Virginia

Age at time of Death: 32 years old

Burial Place: Woodlawn Cemetery, Bronx, New York

 

[Pollaco]

There is a story of how He put himself between Gen. Lee and the enemy a few days before He was killed. He pretended to be pointing out something all the while puposesly standing between the Yankee front and General Lee.He was asked by Lee "why he exposes himself so"? Gracie answered by asking Lee pretty much the same thing. "Why he (Lee) exposes himself needlessly on an open parapet". There must be some truth to this story as I've already found it in several bios.

 

[Lubliner]

I am going to say he came from a wealthy family, if he was sent to Heidleberg before his West Point years. His father and mother didn't live past the end of the war, but his wife and children did. Does anyone know how they fared afterward, and whether the family business survived? Thanks,
Lubliner.

 

[redbob]

His son (Archibald Gracie IV) survived the sinking of the Titanic and the Mayor of New York City lives in Gracie Mansion-the Gracie family home.

 

[farrargirl]

A column I ran across looking for somebody else :+)). I only know that it was in an Al. newspaper on 1 Dec. 1934.

 

[gentlemanrob]

Happy Birthday Brig. General Archibald Gracie! Salutes remembering General Gracie on his birthday.

 

[Luke Freet]

His son (Archibald Gracie IV) survived the sinking of the Titanic and the Mayor of New York City lives in Gracie Mansion-the Gracie family home.

he did survive, but it seems the effects of his ordeal took its toll on him and he died later that year. Apparently he's the first of the adult survivors to die after the events of the sinking.

 

[danny]

April 62- the 43rd​ Ala was organized at Mobile, Alabama under New Yorker Colonel Archibald Gracie (West Point Class of 1854)

At the end of Oct 1862, Kirby Smith's command [East Tenn] reorganized; the Bgdes of Barton, Davis & Rains retaining their prior composition with almost no change. However, a new Bgde was created for Col Gracie to include his 43rd Ala & several new Regts.

11/4/62 Gracie promoted to Brig Gen

1/5/63 Cooper to K Smith, Knoxville-It is thought your services would be very valuable as cdr of the Dept of W La & Texas. Would the change be agreeable to you?

2/30/63 Knoxville, Gen Gracie requests transfer with the 43rd Ala to K Smith's command

Gen Gracie was killed by an artillery shell on Dec 3, 1864

 

[lelliott19]

Gen Gracie was killed by an artillery shell on Dec 3, 1864

General Gracie had been pretty severely wounded in the arm about a year prior in East Tennessee. That wound occurred during the Battle of Bean's Station December 14, 1863 where, according to Edward Porter Alexander:

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Gracie's brigade had quite a sharp engagement here [Bean's Station], General Gracie being severely wounded, and Kershaw's and Bushrod Johnson's brigades and two of my batteries were slightly engaged; but darkness came on before we could get a sufficient force into position and line, and under cover of it the enemy retreated. It had been intended to cut off his retreat with a force of cavalry [Will Martin's], but the plan miscarried in some way — as plans are always liable to do. Our loss was 290, more than half of it in Gracie's brigade. This virtually ended the fighting of the campaign [East TN], in which our entire losses were 198 killed, 850 wounded, 248 missing,--total, 1296. Burnside's losses were 92 killed, 393 wounded, and 207 missing,--total, 692.--E. P. A.​

 

[Pollaco]

There is a story of how He put himself between Gen. Lee and the enemy a few days before He was killed. He pretended to be pointing out something all the while puposesly standing between the Yankee front and General Lee.He was asked by Lee "why he exposes himself so"? Gracie answered by asking Lee pretty much the same thing. "Why he (Lee) exposes himself needlessly on an open parapet". There must be some truth to this story as I've already found it in several bios.

This was during the Siege of Petersburg while Lee was inspecting the defenses at a spot known as "Gracie's Mortar Hell". Gracie also told Lee ..."When you get down, I will".

 

[Pollaco]

Gracie was to leave on Dec. 3rd to go see his newborn daughter, but was killed on Dec,. 2nd. His 32nd birthday was the day before.

 

[DavidBr]

Gracie's Pride: The 43rd Alabama Infantry by Arthur E. Green is an excellent resource. It includes a history of the unit, image scans, the roster and military service records for everyone in the unit. Also newspaper accounts and partial transcriptions from Emory U.'s James H. Lee letter collection.

 

[farrargirl]

A great little book entitled: "Mobile: Fact and Tradition", Erwin Craighead, 1930, is a delight to read. There's a portion dedicated to all the Generals who lived in or were natives of Mobile. The chapter on Archibald Gracie was fascinating.
( Craighead was a legendary Mobilian, newspaper owner, etc.etc. and puts together trivia you may not have known previously. ). I read it through Ancestry, but I think it's available on Gutenberg.
For example, here's what Bishop Quintard said about Gen.Gracie in his book, pg. 89 :

Which made me wonder if the "Hill #1" referenced in Gracie's son's book, "The Truth About Chickamauga "
is where the Gracie's Brigade marker is?

His son finished writing his Chickamauga book in 1911, and indeed was a passenger on the ill-fated Titanic.
Craighead writes that, after bravely saving many lives, etc.etc., he suffered severe exposure and died from the effects eight months later. But not before writing a well-received first hand, eyewitness account of the tradegy.

 

[DavidBr]

A great little book entitled: "Mobile: Fact and Tradition", Erwin Craighead, 1930, is a delight to read. There's a portion dedicated to all the Generals who lived in or were natives of Mobile. The chapter on Archibald Gracie was fascinating.
( Craighead was a legendary Mobilian, newspaper owner, etc.etc. and puts together trivia you may not have known previously. ). I read it through Ancestry, but I think it's available on Gutenberg.
For example, here's what Bishop Quintard said about Gen.Gracie in his book, pg. 89 :
View attachment 454874
Which made me wonder if the "Hill #1" referenced in Gracie's son's book, "The Truth About Chickamauga "
is where the Gracie's Brigade marker is?
View attachment 454875
His son finished writing his Chickamauga book in 1911, and indeed was a passenger on the ill-fated Titanic.
Craighead writes that, after bravely saving many lives, etc.etc., he suffered severe exposure and died from the effects eight months later. But not before writing a well-received first hand, eyewitness account of the tradegy.

They say he helped women and children onto the life boats, and after it sank managed to cling to some wood until he was fished out of the water with hypothermia that would eventually kill him, but not before he finished "The Truth About the Titanic." Thanks for the Craighead recommendation, and I love Quintard's description of Gracie's character. It's wonderful.