Mark Perrin Lowrey, CSA
Colonel of 32nd Mississippi
Later Brig-General
Mark Lowrey was born in McNairy County, Tenn in 1828, of Irish & Enlish immigrants. His family was poor and his father died from yellow fever in Natchez, Mississippi, when he was quite young. His mother moved to Tishimingo County in NorthEast Mississippi. When war erupted with Mexico, Mark enlisted in the 2nd Mississippi Volunteers but they never saw combat. He Sarah Holmes married in 1849 and to supplement their income they took a boarder who was a Baptist preacher. This preacher gave Lowrey tutoring classes. Lowrey soon discovered he had a desire to preach, also. He became a Southern Baptist preacher in the vicinity of Kossuth, MS, and continued to preach for 8 years. He also acted as Captain of a militia unit.
At the outbreak of the war, his congregation urged him to join. He helped organize and was elected Colonel of the 4th Mississippi Volunteer Infantry. On the eve of the Battle of Shiloh, Colonel Lowery was given command of the 32nd Mississippi Infantry. At the
Battle of Perryville, Colonel Lowrey was
severely wounded in his left arm. He recovered in time to join his troops at the Battle of Murfreesboro, Jan. 1, 1863, where he was praised for as a intrepid leader. At Chickamauga, he received notable distinction and was promoted to Brigadier General. In the defense of Georgia, he served in Hardee's Corps. He became known as "The Preacher General".
General Pat Cleburne said of Lowrey: "He is the bravest man in the Confederate army".
After the war, he returned to Mississippi and his studies. He began a religious newspaper "The Christian Index" and served as president of the Mississippi Baptist Convention from 1868 to 1877. This lead him to founding Blue Mountain Female Institute. He became a major railroad shareholder with Gen. William Falkner of Ripley and gained a rail line through Blue Mountain. Lowrey remained president of what is now Blue Mountain College. His doctor said his heart had grown very weak. On December 27th 1885, while buying a train ticket at the station in Middleton, TN, he suddenly fell dead. He was 56 years old. He is buried in Blue Mountain.
Source: Article by David Smight in
Fayette Record paper.