{⋆★⋆} BG Iverson, Alfred Jr.

Alfred Iverson Jr.​

Born: February 14, 1829

Birthplace: Clinton, Georgia

Father: Alfred Iverson Sr. 1798 – 1873

(Buried: Linwood Cemetery, Columbus, Georgia)​

Mother: Julia Frances Forsyth 1803 – 1861

(Buried: Linwood Cemetery, Columbus, Georgia)​

1st​ Wife: Harriet Harris Hutchins 1837 – 1861

(Buried: Old Lawrenceville Cemetery, Lawrenceville, Georgia)​

2nd​ Wife: Adella Josephine Branham 1833 – 1904

(Buried: Shingle Creek Cemetery, Kissimmee, Florida)​

Children:

Julia Octavia Iverson Patton 1858 – 1905​

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Minnie Iverson Randolph 1857 – 1933​

(Buried: Oakland Cemetery, Atlanta, Georgia)​

Education:

Attended Tuskegee Military Institute​

Occupation before War:

1846 – 1848: Served in Mexican War rising to Lt.​

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Attorney briefly in Columbus, Georgia​

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Contractor for Georgia Railroads​

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1855 – 1861: Served in U.S. Cavalry rising to 1st​ Lt.​

Civil War Career:

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1861 – 1862: Colonel of 20th​ North Carolina Infantry Regiment​

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1862: Wounded during the Battle of Gaines Mill, Virginia​

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1862: Participated in the Battle of South Mountain​

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1862 – 1865: Brigadier General of Confederate Army Infantry​

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1862: Held in Reserve during the Battle of Fredericksburg, Virginia​

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1863: Participated in the Battle of Chancellorsville, Virginia

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1863: Participated in the Battle of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania​

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1863: Provost Marshal at Williamsport, Maryland​

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1863: Helped reorganize the Georgia State Troops in Rome, Georgia​

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1864 – 1865: Cavalry Brigade Commander​

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1864: Captured George Stoneman during Battle of Sunshine Church​

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1865: Garrison Commander in Greensboro, North Carolina​

Occupation after War:

Businessman in Macon, Georgia​

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1877 – 1911: Orange Grower near Kissimmee, Florida​

Died: March 31, 1911

Place of Death: Atlanta, Georgia

Age at time of Death: 82 years old

Cause of Death: Chronic Nephritis

Burial Place: Oakland Cemetery, Atlanta, Georgia

 

[Pollaco]

For a few months ( July21-Oct.6) in 1863 He commanded the 2nd Louisiana Brigade but at the "urging" of Lee he was sent back to Georgia to work with the reserves.

 

[gentlemanrob]

Happy Birthday Brig. General Alfred Iverson! Salutes remembering General Iverson on his birthday.

 

[Pollaco]

For a few months ( July21-Oct.6) in 1863 He commanded the 2nd Louisiana Brigade but at the "urging" of Lee he was sent back to Georgia to work with the reserves.

Lee had originally urged the promotion of Iverson but at Chancellorsville his performance was somewhat wanting and less than shining. Then at Gettysburg he suffered from some sort of breakdown and his regiment had to be commanded by it's assistant adjutant.Gen. Ramseur took over command the next day of Iverson's brigade in addition to his own.This pretty much decided it for Lee that Iverson needed to be sent to work with the reserves back in Georgia.

 

[ErnieMac]

During the afternoon of July 1, 1863, MG Robert Rodes launched the initial attacks of Ewell's Second Corps against the right flank of the Federal First Corps north of Gettysburg. The brigades of Edward O'Neal and Alfred Iverson were chosen to deliver the attack. O'Neal launched a piecemeal attack without coordination with Iverson and was quickly repulsed. Iverson aligned his troops and directed them to March forward without any reconnaissance and few skirmishers to pinpoint the location of the Federal line. He remained behind observing.

Waiting as Iverson's men dropped into a low swale and started up the rise on the other side was a mixed Federal brigade of Massachusetts, New York and Pennsylvania soldiers commanded by BG Henry Baxter. The federal troops were in a wooded area behind a low stone wall running north-south and not visible to Iverson's men. Iverson's brigade was aligned on a northeast to southwest angle to the unseen Federals. As the closest North Carolinians reached a distance of about 50 yards away Baxter's men stood and fired a devastating volley into their ranks. Those that were not killed or wounded dropped to the ground for cover. In addition, the Confederates were taking enfilade fire from their left and were receiving fire from their right from an adjacent Federal brigade that repositioned itself. Baxter took advantage of the situation and sent three regiments over the wall to rake in hundreds of prisoners.

The whole affair was over quickly. From his position in the rear Iverson reported to Rodes that his men were lying on the ground and going over to the enemy. The truth became apparent when the Federal First Corps was forced to retire to Cemetery Hill. Many of the men Iverson saw on the ground were discovered to be dead lying in perfect line of battle. It is estimated that Iverson lost about 65% of his 1384 men. Over the next few days burial trenches were dug and the dead rolled into them. Even though the bodies were reinterred in the south after the War, the burial site, known as Iverson's Pits, is considered one of the most haunted sites at Gettysburg.

 

[nc native]

Iverson did somewhat redeem himself in Georgia after Chancellorsville and his disastrous performance at Gettysburg in 1864 commanding a cavalry brigade during the Atlanta campaign. He defeated General Stoneman, who had been raiding in Georgia, capturing him and several hundred prisoners during a battle near Macon despite being outnumbered almost two to one. He later fought in the Carolinas until the end of the war.

 

[Pollaco]

5 regiments were assigned to capture a Union Artillery battery at Gaines Mill. Only one was successful and that was Colonel Iverson's 20th North Carolina Infantry. The 20th was in D.H. Hill's division.Iverson was severely wounded in this charge.