{⋆★⋆} MG Ramseur, Stephen D.

Stephen Dodson Ramseur

:CSA1stNat:
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Born: May 31, 1837

Birthplace: Lincolnton, North Carolina

Father: Jacob Able Ramseur 1808 – 1880
(Buried: Saint Lukes Episcopal Church, Lincolnton, North Carolina)​

Mother: Lucy Mayfield Dodson 1812 – 1859
(Buried: Saint Lukes Episcopal Church, Lincolnton, North Carolina)​
Wife: Ellen Richmond 1840 – 1900
(Buried: Saint Lukes Episcopal Church, Lincolnton, North Carolina)​
Children:

Mary Dodson Ramseur 1864 – 1935​
(Buried: Saint Lukes Episcopal Church, Lincolnton, North Carolina)​

Education:

Attended Davidson College​
1860: Graduated from West Point Military Academy – (14th​ in class)
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Occupation before War:

1860 – 1861: Brevet 2nd​ Lt. United States Army Artillery​
1860 – 1861: Garrison Duty at Fortress Monroe, Virginia​
1861: 2nd​ Lt. United States Army 4th​ Artillery​
1861: Served in Washington D.C.​
1861: Resigned from United States Army on April 6th

Civil War Career:

1861: Served in 10th North Carolina State Militia​
1861 – 1862: Lt. Colonel of 3rd North Carolina Infantry Regiment​
1861: Thrown from his horse in July and received broken collarbone
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1862: Artillery Commander in Magruder’s Division​
1862: Colonel of 49th North Carolina Infantry Regiment​
1862: Wounded in right arm at Battle of Malvern Hill, Virginia​
1862 – 1864: Brigadier General of Confederate Army Infantry​
1863: Wounded in the leg at the Battle of Chancellorsville, Virginia​
1863: Brigade Commander at the Battle of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
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1864: Wounded in the right arm at the Battle of the Wilderness, Virginia​
1864: Temporarily promoted to the rank of Major General​
1864: Helped conduct a raid in the Shenandoah Valley into Maryland​
1864: Mortally Wounded thru both lungs at Battle of Cedar Creek​

Died: October 20, 1864

Place of Death: Belle Grove Plantation, Middletown, Virginia

Age at time of Death: 27 years old

Burial Place: Saint Lukes Episcopal Church, Lincolnton, North Carolina

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Things did not always go well for him; one of his men decided a better name for the battle at Stephenson's Depot fought against Averill's Union cavalry division which routed the Confederates in that fight should be The Battle of Ramseur's A**. On the other hand, he had been a friend of George Custer's prewar at West Point and Custer came to visit him on his deathbed in Belle Grove Mansion following his mortal wounding at Cedar Creek. Above Belle Grove is in the background at right in this view showing Ramseur's Mortuary Monument alongside the Valley Pike at Middleton.
 
He recieved that "Malvern Hill" wound while his 49th North Carolina was serving as part of General Robert Ransom's brigade. After recovering from that arm wound he was promoted to brigadier general and the 49th fell under the command of LeRoy McAfee.Col. McAfee remained in command throughout the war up until Appomattox.
 
He met his future wife, Ellen 'Nellie' Richmond Ramseur while recovering from his Malvern Hill wound. They were married on October 28, 1863, a little less than a year before his death. Nellie wore black for the rest of her life and never remarried. She died on May 27, 1900. Daughter Mary Ramseur was an art teacher who lived until 1935. She never married.
 
He died the day after being mortally wounded at Cedar Creek. He had been captured and taken to Sheridan's headquarters at Belle Grove Plantation. His last words were "Bear this message to my precious wife--I die a Christian and hope to meet her in heaven."
In addition to Custer there're several other former cadets from West Point surrounding his death bed.
 
He died the day after being mortally wounded at Cedar Creek. He had been captured and taken to Sheridan's headquarters at Belle Grove Plantation. His last words were "Bear this message to my precious wife--I die a Christian and hope to meet her in heaven."
In addition to Custer there're several other former cadets from West Point surrounding his death bed
 
When General Alfred Iverson suffered a breakdown at Gettysburg on the first day he was relieved by his assistant adjutant who later that day turned over command to Ramseur.This was in addition to commanding his own brigade which was G. B. Anderson's old brigade in Rodes' division, 2nd Corps.
 
Unless I'm mistaken It was Robert Rodes' old Division he was leading at the time of his own mortal wounding.
Correct. After Early was advanced to corps command following Spotsylvania, Ramseur assumed command of Early's old division. When Rodes was killed at Winchester Ramseur was moved to Rodes former division and John Pegram took command of Early's former command.
 
Ramseur was a solid if brutal brigade commander. His charges at Chancellorsville (May 3rd '63), at the Mule Shoe of Spotsylvania (May 12th '64) and at Harris' Farm (May 19th '64) were bloodbaths for his command. His actions at Chancellorville, Gettysburg, and helping seal the Mule Shoe breach marked him for promotion to division command. In this he was somewhat responsible for the disasterous assault near Bethesda Church May 30th, where he sent a lone brigade to charge the works of 5th Corps, killing and incapacitating nearly every officer in Pegram's old Brigade (including their recently assigned commander, Colonel Willis); and at Rutherford's Farm, where his division, reinforced by cavalry, was outperformed by a brigade each of cavalry and infantry.
I think Ramseur was promoted beyond his abilities.
 
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