{⋆★⋆} BG Pettigrew, James Johnston

James Johnston Pettigrew​

Born: July 4, 1828

Birthplace: Tyrrell County, North Carolina

Father: Ebenezer Pettigrew 1783 – 1848

(Buried: Pettigrew Family Cemetery, Creswell, North Carolina)​

Mother: Ann Sheppard 1795 – 1830

(Buried: Pettigrew Family Cemetery, Creswell, North Carolina)​

Wife: None

Education:

1847: Graduated from University of North Carolina (1st​ in class)​

​

Studied civil law in Germany​

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Learned to Speak & Write French, German, Italian, & Spanish​

​

Learned to read Hebrew and Arabic​

Occupation before War:

Assistant Professor & Astronomer for United States Naval Observatory​

​

1852 – 1861: Attorney in Charleston, South Carolina​

​

1857: South Carolina State Representative​

​

1861: Author of Notes on Spain and the Spaniards in the summer of 1859​

Civil War Career:

1860: Aide to Governor of South Carolina, Francis W. Pickens​

​

Private in Hampton's South Carolina Legion​

​

Colonel of 1st​ South Carolina Rifles​

​

Colonel of 22nd​ North Carolina Infantry Regiment

​

1862 – 1863: Brigadier General of Confederate Army Infantry​

​

1862: Wounded during the Battle of Seven Pines​

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1862: Prisoner of War held for two months by the Union Army​

​

1862 – 1863: Participated in the Defense of Richmond, Virginia​

​

1863: Wounded in the left-hand during Pickett's Charge, Gettysburg​

​

1863: Wounded in the Confederate retreat from Gettysburg​

Died: July 17, 1863

Place of Death: Bunker Hill, West Virginia

Cause of Death: Wounds to the abdomen

Last Words: "It is time to be going."

Age at time of Death: 35 years old

Burial Place: Pettigrew Family Cemetery, Creswell, North Carolina

 

[gentlemanrob]

Happy Birthday Brig. General James Johnston Pettigrew! Salutes remembering you on your birthday on the day after the Battle of Gettysburg.

 

[bayouace]

When I read of all these soldiers of both armies who died so young, I think of all the possible contributions of which mankind was deprived .

 

[John5thNJ]

Thank you for putting this together. What an interesting man.

 

[ErnieMac]

Find A Grave link for the memorial to James Johnston Pettigrew follows: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/11050/james-johnston-pettigrew

Plus a photo I took of the Pettigrew family cemetery in 2010. Johnston Pettigrew's grave is second from the right with the Stars and Bars flag.

 

[Cavalier]

Knows five languages! Pretty impressive in my opinion.

John

 

[Pollaco]

I read that he was reluctant to accept his brigadier generalship at first and actually sent the commission back to Richmond. I'm not sure when this happened but he did finally accept the commission in Feb. of 1862.

 

[Cavalier]

I wonder why?

John

 

[KianGaf]

Is the University of North Carolina the university in Chapel Hill NC.

 

[ErnieMac]

Is the University of North Carolina the university in Chapel Hill NC.

Yes.

 

[KianGaf]

Yes.

I wasn't sure if it was that or Duke university that was in the town. It's a fine place Chapel Hill I was in it for a night a few years back while on the road south.

 

[Luke Freet]

Just noted the pictures with the bio. Never seen a real photo of the man, think I just saw this portrait.

James Johnston Pettigrew​

View attachment 365063

Born: July 4, 1828

Birthplace: Tyrrell County, North Carolina

Father: Ebenezer Pettigrew 1783 – 1848

(Buried: Pettigrew Family Cemetery, Creswell, North Carolina)​

Mother: Ann Sheppard 1795 – 1830

(Buried: Pettigrew Family Cemetery, Creswell, North Carolina)​

Wife: None

Education:

1847: Graduated from University of North Carolina (1st​ in class)​

​

Studied civil law in Germany​

​

Learned to Speak & Write French, German, Italian, & Spanish​

​

Learned to read Hebrew and Arabic​

Occupation before War:

Assistant Professor & Astronomer for United States Naval Observatory​

​

1852 – 1861: Attorney in Charleston, South Carolina​

​

1857: South Carolina State Representative​

​

1861: Author of Notes on Spain and the Spaniards in the summer of 1859​

Civil War Career:

1860: Aide to Governor of South Carolina, Francis W. Pickens​

​

Private in Hampton's South Carolina Legion​

​

Colonel of 1st​ South Carolina Rifles​

​

Colonel of 22nd​ North Carolina Infantry RegimentView attachment 365064​

​

1862 – 1863: Brigadier General of Confederate Army Infantry​

​

1862: Wounded during the Battle of Seven Pines​

​

1862: Prisoner of War held for two months by the Union Army​

​

1862 – 1863: Participated in the Defense of Richmond, Virginia​

​

1863: Wounded in the left-hand during Pickett's Charge, Gettysburg​

​

1863: Wounded in the Confederate retreat from Gettysburg​

Died: July 17, 1863

Place of Death: Bunker Hill, West Virginia

Cause of Death: Wounds to the abdomen

Last Words: "It is time to be going."

Age at time of Death: 35 years old

Burial Place: Pettigrew Family Cemetery, Creswell, North Carolina

 

[Pollaco]

Pettigrew's Lt. Colonel of the 22North Carolina, John O. Long, was in 1854 class at West Point.Some of the notables in that class were G.W. Lee, Stephen D. Lee, William Pender, and JEB Stuart just to name a few.

 

[Luke Freet]

Pettigrew's Lt. Colonel of the 22North Carolina, John O. Long, was in 1854 class at West Point.Some of the notables in that class were G.W. Lee, Stephen D. Lee, William Pender, and JEB Stuart just to name a few.

Huh, never heard of him. Anything more about this Long fellow?

 

[dgfred]

Is the University of North Carolina the university in Chapel Hill NC.

Chapel Hill - UNC
Durham - DUKE
Winston Salem - WAKE FOREST
Greenville - East Carolina
Boone - Appalachian St

Many more of course... but a few notables.

 

[gentlemanrob]

Happy (Monday) Birthday Brig. General James Johnston Pettigrew! Salutes remembering General Pettigrew on his birthday.

 

[Pollaco]

He took over command of Samuel French's old brigade in the Aquia District on March 12 , 1862 when French was transferred to North Carolina.

 

[danny]

I wonder why?

John

Conspicuous for his ability and energy, Pettigrew was several times recommended for promotion to brigadier general. In a characteristic gesture he repeatedly declined the position, even after an interview with President Jefferson Davis, stating that no one should command a brigade who had not previously led men in action. Then at the beginning of the Peninsula campaign he accepted the commission and became one of the few general officers at that early period who had been neither a U.S. Army officer nor an influential politician.

…Governor Zebulon B. Vance [16] and the state's members of the Confederate Congress petitioned unsuccessfully for Pettigrew to be assigned command in North Carolina. Highly regarded by both rank and file, Pettigrew deliberately set an example of patriotic sacrifice and cheerful endurance of privation. He lived on privates' fare and allowed himself no leave from duty

Pettigrew, James Johnston | NCpedia

www.ncpedia.org

 

[danny]

Huh, never heard of him. Anything more about this Long fellow?

Defeated as Lt Col 22nd NC Infy by election of R H Gray 6/13/62
Apptd Lt Col PACS with assignment to Trans Miss-captured at Seven Pines 5/31/62
Exchanged 8/5/62
Surrendered Houston, Tex, 6/27/65

 

[Cavalier]

@danny Thank you very much. I think its kinda refreshing to find someone who actually did a little soul searching and questioned their own abilities to perform a position for which they had little qualification.

John