jcrook
Private
- Joined
- Oct 10, 2017
- Location
- Newton Grove, North Carolina
I am from Fayetteville NC and thought I would post this as he is buried there at the McPherson Church.
Theophilus Hunter Holmes was born in Sampson County, North Carolina, in 1804. His father, Gabriel Holmes, was a former Governor of North Carolina and U.S. Congressman. After a failed attempt at plantation managing, Holmes asked his father for an appointment to the United States Military Academy, where he ranked 44th out of 46, in his class.
US Army: After graduating from the academy, he served in Florida, the Indian Territory, and Texas. He was promoted to captain in 1838. He also served in the Second Seminole War, Mexican–American War, and he was brevetted to major for his actions during the Battle of Monterrey in September 1846. He was promoted to Major of the while serving with the 8th U.S. Infantry in 1855.
CSA: He accepted a commission as a Colonel in March 1861 and resigned from the US Army. He commanded the coastal defenses of the Department of North Carolina and then served as a brigadier-general in the North Carolina Militia. On June 5, 1861, commanding the Department of Fredericksburg. Holmes was assigned to P.G.T. Beauregard, for the First Battle of Manassas.
He was promoted to Major General on October 7, 1861. He subsequently commanded the Aquia District near Stafford VA before being assigned to the Department of North Carolina. He became temporarily attached to the Army of Northern Virginia during the Peninsula Campaign and his force was engaged and repulsed at Turkey Bridge by artillery fire from Malvern Hill and gunboats on the James river. After the Seven Days Battles, Robert E. Lee expressed displeasure at Holmes's mediocre performance. The two also had fundamental disagreements on strategy.
Holmes was then reassigned to commander of the Trans-Mississippi Department and promoted to lieutenant-general, on October 10, 1862. During his time as commander of the Trans-Mississippi Department, Holmes failed to perform his most important duty: defend the Confederacy's hold on the Mississippi River and had a part in the fall of Vicksburg by not providing support. In his defense the troops were rag tag, poorly trained and lacked competent officers to lead them. Holmes was relieved as head of the Trans-Mississippi Department, in March 1863.
In June of 1863 he was appointed head of the District of Arkansas. On July 23, Holmes became ill and temporarily relinquished command in Arkansas to Sterling Price for two weeks. General Kirby Smith reported that Holmes's age was catching up to him and that he was deficient in energy and apparently also suffering memory problems, thus he needed to be replaced. The soldiers he commanded in Arkansas had already taken to sarcastically calling him "Granny". Upon learning of this, an insulted Holmes resigned his post on February 28, 1864.
In April 1864, Holmes commanded the Reserve Forces of North Carolina. Holmes saw little action after being appointed to this new position. He held this position until the end of the Civil War.
Like Braxton Bragg, Theophilus Hunter Holmes was a friend of President Jefferson Davis. Davis intervened with Holmes as he had with Bragg in getting him commands and promotions when he should have been retired. In my opinion, the Confederacy paid a high price form both of these men being put in critical commands that they were not equipped to command.
Theophilus Hunter Holmes was born in Sampson County, North Carolina, in 1804. His father, Gabriel Holmes, was a former Governor of North Carolina and U.S. Congressman. After a failed attempt at plantation managing, Holmes asked his father for an appointment to the United States Military Academy, where he ranked 44th out of 46, in his class.
US Army: After graduating from the academy, he served in Florida, the Indian Territory, and Texas. He was promoted to captain in 1838. He also served in the Second Seminole War, Mexican–American War, and he was brevetted to major for his actions during the Battle of Monterrey in September 1846. He was promoted to Major of the while serving with the 8th U.S. Infantry in 1855.
CSA: He accepted a commission as a Colonel in March 1861 and resigned from the US Army. He commanded the coastal defenses of the Department of North Carolina and then served as a brigadier-general in the North Carolina Militia. On June 5, 1861, commanding the Department of Fredericksburg. Holmes was assigned to P.G.T. Beauregard, for the First Battle of Manassas.
He was promoted to Major General on October 7, 1861. He subsequently commanded the Aquia District near Stafford VA before being assigned to the Department of North Carolina. He became temporarily attached to the Army of Northern Virginia during the Peninsula Campaign and his force was engaged and repulsed at Turkey Bridge by artillery fire from Malvern Hill and gunboats on the James river. After the Seven Days Battles, Robert E. Lee expressed displeasure at Holmes's mediocre performance. The two also had fundamental disagreements on strategy.
Holmes was then reassigned to commander of the Trans-Mississippi Department and promoted to lieutenant-general, on October 10, 1862. During his time as commander of the Trans-Mississippi Department, Holmes failed to perform his most important duty: defend the Confederacy's hold on the Mississippi River and had a part in the fall of Vicksburg by not providing support. In his defense the troops were rag tag, poorly trained and lacked competent officers to lead them. Holmes was relieved as head of the Trans-Mississippi Department, in March 1863.
In June of 1863 he was appointed head of the District of Arkansas. On July 23, Holmes became ill and temporarily relinquished command in Arkansas to Sterling Price for two weeks. General Kirby Smith reported that Holmes's age was catching up to him and that he was deficient in energy and apparently also suffering memory problems, thus he needed to be replaced. The soldiers he commanded in Arkansas had already taken to sarcastically calling him "Granny". Upon learning of this, an insulted Holmes resigned his post on February 28, 1864.
In April 1864, Holmes commanded the Reserve Forces of North Carolina. Holmes saw little action after being appointed to this new position. He held this position until the end of the Civil War.
Like Braxton Bragg, Theophilus Hunter Holmes was a friend of President Jefferson Davis. Davis intervened with Holmes as he had with Bragg in getting him commands and promotions when he should have been retired. In my opinion, the Confederacy paid a high price form both of these men being put in critical commands that they were not equipped to command.
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