CS Exe Seddon, James Alexander Sr. - C.S. Secretary of War

James Alexander Seddon Sr.

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Born: July 13, 1815

Birthplace: Falmouth, Virginia

Father: Thomas Seddon 1779 – 1831
(Buried: Seddon Family Cemetery, Stafford County, Virginia)​

Mother: Susan Pearson Alexander 1788 – 1845
(Buried: Seddon Family Cemetery, Stafford County, Virginia)​

Wife: Sarah Bruce 1821 – 1882
(Buried: Hollywood Cemetery, Richmond, Virginia)​

Children:

Elvira Bruce “Ella” Seddon 1846 – 1882​
(Buried: Hollywood Cemetery, Richmond, Virginia)​
Thomas O. Seddon 1847 – 1896​
(Buried: Hollywood Cemetery, Richmond, Virginia)​
James Alexander Seddon 1850 – 1938​
(Buried: Bellefontaine Cemetery, Saint Louis, Missouri)​
William Cabell Seddon Sr. 1851 – 1923​
(Buried: Druid Ridge Cemetery, Pikesville, Maryland)​
Anna Park “Annie” Seddon 1852 – 1863​
(Buried: Hollywood Cemetery, Richmond, Virginia)​
Arthur Morson Seddon 1854 – 1927​
(Buried: Hollywood Cemetery, Richmond, Virginia)
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Charles Bruce Seddon 1859 – 1866​
(Buried: Hollywood Cemetery, Richmond, Virginia)​
Rosa “Rosia” Seddon Rutherfoord 1859 – 1918​
(Buried: Hollywood Cemetery, Richmond, Virginia)​

Political Party: Democratic Party


Education:


1835: Graduated from University of Virginia Law School​

Occupation before War:

1838 – 1845: Attorney in Richmond, Virginia​
1845 – 1847: United States Congressman from Virginia​
1845 – 1847: Member of House Invalid Pensions Committee​
1845 – 1847: Member of House Judiciary Committee​
1846: Choose not to be a candidate for re-nomination to U.S. Congress​
1847 – 1849: Attorney in Richmond, Virginia​
1849 – 1851: United States Congressman from Virginia​
1849 – 1851: Member of House Territories Committee​
1850: Declined to be a candidate for re-nomination to U.S. Congress​
1851 – 1861: Attorney in Richmond, Virginia​

Civil War Career:

1861: Member of Washington, D.C. Peace Conference​
1861: Appointed in June to Congress after losing to William C. Rives​
1861 – 1862: Virginia Delegate, Confederate Provisional Congress​
1862: Ran third in a race for regular Confederate Congress​
1862 – 1865: Confederate States Secretary of War​
1865: Resigned as Secretary of War in January​
1865: Arrested by the Union Army and imprisoned until December​

Occupation after War:

1865 – 1880: Lived retired at Sabot Hill Plantation in Goochland County, Virginia​

Died: August 19, 1880

Place of Death: Sabot Hill Plantation, Goochland County, Virginia

Age at time of Death: 65 years old

Burial Place: Hollywood Cemetery, Richmond, Virginia

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On the cold, wet morning of March 1, 1864, James Seddon's wife, Sarah Bruce Seddon received an unexpected visit t Sabot Hill from Colonel Ulric Dahlgren and his Federal cavalry raiding party enroute to Richmond. Fortunately Secretary Seddon was not home. Over a bottle of wine Sarah asked for Dahlgren's family (she had gone to school with his mother and knew his father) and remembered Dahlgren as a boy. While she entertained Dahlgren, Mrs. Seddon dispatched a rider to Richmond with a warning. As he left Dahlgren assured Sarah the plantation would not be harmed, but Dahlgren's men were already burning the outbuildings. The mansion was not touched.
 
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The longest lasting of the Secretaries of War (there were 5), he was appointed by Jefferson Davis to replace the resigned George Randolph. One biography states that he became a "virtual yes-man".
He held that position in the cabinet until Febuary 6, 1865 when he resigned.His successor, John Breckinridge was sworn in on that day.
 
Seddon's ability as secretary of war has always been questioned by historians, many saying he got the position due to favoritism by Davis. The fact that Breckinridge, in his few months in office at the end of the war, is accredited with several reforms to the Confederate War Department says how mismanaged the department was under Seddon's jurisdiction.
 
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