Paul Octave Hebert

[White Flint Bill]

While researching something else I came across a reference to Paul Octave Hebert, Confederate general and a prewar governor of Louisiana.

Hebert graduated first in his class at West Point in 1840. He served as an officer in the Mexican War, where he was cited for gallantry and brevetted Colonel for bravery. He was evidently a talented engineer, serving as the Louisiana state engineer both before and after the war and supervising construction of levees on the Mississippi.

BUT, despite these credentials his service in the war was relatively insignificant. He briefly commanded the Department of Texas. Wikipedia says Jefferson Davis dismissed him for imposing martial law and harsh conscription requirements. Texas History Online (the only other source I've looked at) says nothing of that, saying instead "Hébert proved unpopular with Texas troops, who considered him aristocratic and imperious. Further, he did not win the approval of Governor Francis R. Lubbock , who considered him 'somewhat bewildered by the magnitude of the task assigned him, and not to have matured...any definite line of policy.'" The two sources also disagree about how he finished the war. Wikipedia says Hebert returned to Texas after Vicksburg, but THO says "Thereafter he commanded the subdistrict of North Louisiana, where, in the words of Lt. Col. James Arthur Lyon Fremantle of Her Majesty's Coldstream Guard, he was 'shelved at Monroe, where he expects to be taken prisoner any day.'" Both sources agree that the only combat experience Hebert ever saw was at Milliken's Bend on June 7, 1863.

So I'm wondering if anyone here has any info about Hebert--specifically why was such an ostensibly valuable resource so little used? West Pointer, decorated combat veteran, engineer, executive experience--those seem to be attributes that the Confederate army could have well-used. Would enjoy hearing from anyone with thoughts or info on this. Thanks

 

[JOHN42768]

He must have put someones nose out of joint and that was it for his career

 

[East Tennessee Roots]

While researching something else I came across a reference to Paul Octave Hebert, Confederate general and a prewar governor of Louisiana.

Hebert graduated first in his class at West Point in 1840. He served as an officer in the Mexican War, where he was cited for gallantry and brevetted Colonel for bravery. He was evidently a talented engineer, serving as the Louisiana state engineer both before and after the war and supervising construction of levees on the Mississippi.

BUT, despite these credentials his service in the war was relatively insignificant. He briefly commanded the Department of Texas. Wikipedia says Jefferson Davis dismissed him for imposing martial law and harsh conscription requirements. Texas History Online (the only other source I've looked at) says nothing of that, saying instead "Hébert proved unpopular with Texas troops, who considered him aristocratic and imperious. Further, he did not win the approval of Governor Francis R. Lubbock , who considered him 'somewhat bewildered by the magnitude of the task assigned him, and not to have matured...any definite line of policy.'" The two sources also disagree about how he finished the war. Wikipedia says Hebert returned to Texas after Vicksburg, but THO says "Thereafter he commanded the subdistrict of North Louisiana, where, in the words of Lt. Col. James Arthur Lyon Fremantle of Her Majesty's Coldstream Guard, he was 'shelved at Monroe, where he expects to be taken prisoner any day.'" Both sources agree that the only combat experience Hebert ever saw was at Milliken's Bend on June 7, 1863.

So I'm wondering if anyone here has any info about Hebert--specifically why was such an ostensibly valuable resource so little used? West Pointer, decorated combat veteran, engineer, executive experience--those seem to be attributes that the Confederate army could have well-used. Would enjoy hearing from anyone with thoughts or info on this. Thanks

Brigadier-General Paul Octave Hebert

Brigadier-General Paul Octave Hebert was born in Iberville
parish, La., December 12, 1818. He was of Norman-French descent.
He entered the United States military academy at West Point
September 1, 1836, and was graduated on the 1st of July, 1841, as
second-lieutenant of engineers. He served as acting assistant
professor of engineering at West Point from August, 1841, to
July, 1842, and as State engineer and surveyor general of
Louisiana in 1845.

Resigning in the latter year he re-entered the service of the
United States in 1847 with appointment as lieutenant-colonel of
the Fourteenth infantry, in the brigade commanded by Gen.
Franklin Pierce. He was frequently mentioned by General Pierce
in his reports as the gallant young Creole colonel. At the
battle of Molino del Rey, one of the fiercest of the bloody
combats of the valley of Mexico, his gallantry was so conspicuous
that he was brevetted colonel. After the war Hebert returned to
his home in Louisiana.

In 1852 he was a member of the convention which met to revise the
constitution of his State. In the same year he was elected
governor. Soon after the expiration of his term as governor,
William Tecumseh Sherman was, through his influence, elected
superintendent of the Louisiana military academy. In that
position he was quite popular, and Hebert and many others hoped
that the future great Union general would espouse the cause of
the South.

But Sherman resigned his position just before Louisiana seceded,
and going North entered the service of the United States.
Hebert, as was to be expected, was zealous in the cause of the
South and his native State. He was at once commissioned by
Governor Moore as brigadier-general of the State military force,
and on August 11, 1861, was commissioned brigadier-general in the
provisional army of the Confederate States.

During this first year of the war he was put in command of the
district of Louisiana and especially of the defenses of New
Orleans. For a short time he had command of the Trans-
Mississippi department, which was turned over to him by General
Magruder when the latter was placed in command of the department
of Texas.

Though he performed with great fidelity all the duties of the
various commands to which he was assigned, he was not actively
engaged except at Milliken's Bend, where he acquitted himself in
such a manner as was to be expected from a man of his reputation
and courage. During 1864 he was in command of the district of
Texas and the Territory of Arizona.

After the surrender of the armies of Lee and Johnston, Magruder
transferred to Hebert the command of the department of Texas, and
by him it was surrendered. After the war had ended General
Hebert resumed business in his native State. He died on the 29th
of August, 1880, at New Orleans.

Source: Confederate Military History, vol. XII, p. 307

 

[Rebforever]

Here is a snip from a report about Hebert.

Number 1. Report of Brigadier General Hugh T. Reid, U. S. Army, commanding First Brigade, Sixth DIVISION, SEVENTEENTH Army Corps. PROVIDENCE, La., May 12, 1863.
......................................................
The negroes and much property WEST of the bayou are being run off to Texas, though there are plenty of provisions, such as corn and hogs, left. The secesh hereabouts say that if Vicksburg falls the war is at an end in Louisiana. I have had most of the negroes who were unemployed here removed to the commissioners at Goodrich's Landing.

Since writing the above, I have learned, from what I believe to be a reliable source, that no troops have been sent from Monroe toward Bayou Macon; that 3,000, instead of 10,000, came from Little Rock to Monroe; that these troops have been sent to re-enforce Colonel [General] Taylor and Kirby SMITH, on Red River, who were retreating before Banks' army; that General Hebert is at Monroe, in command of only 60 men (conscripts), and that he has had his things packed up for the last three weeks (in two wagons) on the WEST side of the

Washita River, ready to run on the approach of our forces. This information is derived from a New Hampshire Yankee, who has just made his escape from Monroe. He says that the troops are to be withdrawn from this side of the Washita, which I think is altogether probable from the movements we know to be going on WEST of the bayou.

H. T. REID,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

https://ehistory.osu.edu/books/official-records/036/0696