Was He a General or Not?

[Okie66]

John Higginbotgam, nicknamed the "lead magnet," of the 25th Virginia Infantry Regt. CSA), was wounded at McDowell, cedar Mtn., and 2nd Manassas. Promoted to Col. At 20 yrs. old for gallantry.

He was wounded three times at Gettysburg and carried from the field. He returned to lead a brigade at Spotsylvania Courthouse. He was shot through the heart leading a charge at the mule shoe and died on the field. He died before his commisson as Brig. Gen. arrived.

I've had discussions with people say he was not a gen. Becasuse the orders arrived after his death. I was in the Army and your date of rank is the day the orders were signed. Just about everything that I have read about him refers to him as Col. when he died.

I believe he was a Brig. Gen. When he died, what do you think?

Source: "Rebels at the Gate. W. Hunter Lesser. pp 306

 

[Luke Freet]

John Higginbotgam, nicknamed the "lead magnet," of the 25th Virginia Infantry Regt. CSA), was wounded at McDowell, cedar Mtn., and 2nd Manassas. Promoted to Col. At 20 yrs. old for gallantry.

He was wounded three times at Gettysburg and carried from the field. He returned to lead a brigade at Spotsylvania Courthouse. He was shot through the heart leading a charge at the mule shoe and died on the field. He died before his commisson as Brig. Gen. arrived.

I've had discussions with people say he was not a gen. Becasuse the orders arrived after his death. I was in the Army and your date of rank is the day the orders were signed. Just about everything that I have read about him refers to him as Col. when he died.

I believe he was a Brig. Gen. When he died, what do you think?

Source: "Rebels at the Gate. W. Hunter Lesser. pp 306

(Note: thread should be moved from biographies section to People & Personalities subforum).

As far as I'm aware, there was no promotion for Higginbotham. I recall a dozen other stories like his where his friends come to the field to give him his promotion only to find him dead.

There are no records from Confederate Congress ever putting his name up for promotion to BG. We do for Colonel James Terrell who was mortally wounded at Bethesda Church on the same day he was commissioned a brigadier. But not for Higginbotham.

If he had lived, he likely would have gotten the star; after all, Lt. Col. Lilley of his regiment was given Pegram's Brigade in June, it Higginbotham was alive he likely would have gotten the gig there.

 

[Okie66]

(Note: thread should be moved from biographies section to People & Personalities subforum).

As far as I'm aware, there was no promotion for Higginbotham. I recall a dozen other stories like his where his friends come to the field to give him his promotion only to find him dead.

There are no records from Confederate Congress ever putting his name up for promotion to BG. We do for Colonel James Terrell who was mortally wounded at Bethesda Church on the same day he was commissioned a brigadier. But not for Higginbotham.

If he had lived, he likely would have gotten the star; after all, Lt. Col. Lilley of his regiment was given Pegram's Brigade in June, it Higginbotham was alive he likely would have gotten the gig there.

Thank you for the reply. Are there searchable records for battlefield promotions?

 

[on again]

at the time of his death he was a Col of the 25th VA infantry [part of 6 regiment brigade ] under Brig Gen John M Jones [battles and leaders of the civil war Vol 4 p.183 CS order of Battle]
Ironically Jones was killed 5-5-1864

Speaking of Spotslvania i found this link of a contemporary discription of a Civil war Photograph taken during the Virginia campaigns

Spotsylvania Civil War Blog

Discussion of all social, political and cultural aspects of the American Civil War battles fought in Spotsylvania County, Virginia. Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Wilderness and Spotsylvania. Antebellum to modern day perspective of the material culture effects of these engagements, both...

spotsylvaniacw.blogspot.com