Okla-homey
8/7/2008, 06:32 AM
August 7, 1836: Evander Law is born
http://img187.imageshack.us/img187/7523/lawevanderlawhc9.th.png (http://img187.imageshack.us/my.php?image=lawevanderlawhc9.png)
174 years ago today, Confederate Brigadier General Evander Law is born in Darlington, South Carolina. Although he backed the losers, Law had a distinguished career in the Confederate army and earned a reputation as a brave and effective field commander.
Law, who attended The Citadel, the Military College of South Carolina (Class of 1856) and studied law after his graduation (just like your correspondent, Class of 1982). Law built a prewar career as a military instructor. After teaching briefly at his alma mater The Citadel, Law instructed at King's Mountain Military Academy in South Carolina.
http://img413.imageshack.us/img413/3861/lawlc6.th.jpg (http://img413.imageshack.us/my.php?image=lawlc6.jpg)
Law Barracks at The Citadel is home to Third Battalion and India, Kilo, Lima, Mike companies.
Law then moved to Tuskeegee, Alabama, to open a new military school. When the war broke out, Law became a lieutenant colonel in the Fourth Alabama Infantry.
Law's unit saw immediate action at the First Battle of Bull Run in July 1861. He was wounded, but was promoted to colonel shortly afterward, and fought at the Seven Days' Battles, Second Bull Run, and Antietam.
His leadership at Antietam earned him a promotion to brigadier general in October 1862. He was also cited for bravery at Fredericksburg, where he led his troops on foot after his horse was shot out from under him. Although he advanced quickly in the army, he also feuded with his corps commander, fellow South Carolinian James Longstreet.
Law served in General John Bell Hood's division, and led the attack on Little Round Top at Gettysburg on July 2, 1863. Law and his men had marched 25 miles in the July heat and immediately assaulted the left end of the Federal line when they arrived at Gettysburg.
http://img187.imageshack.us/img187/9199/law20070703alabamamemorzz9.th.jpg (http://img187.imageshack.us/my.php?image=law20070703alabamamemorzz9.jpg)
Alabama Memorial at Gettysburg
Law led 275 Alabamians against the Federals atop the rocky hill, was repeatedly repulsed and lost 87 killed and wounded in the attempts. After July 2, the 4th Alabama was done and sat out the rest of the epic battle in southern Pennsylvania. Law assumed command of the division when Hood was seriously wounded at Gettyburg.
In the autumn of 1863, Law and his troops, along with the rest of Longstreet's corps, were sent to assist CS LTG Braxton Bragg and his Army of Tennessee fighting in the west. Braxton Bragg is the man for whom the Army's ft. Bragg, NC is named.
At Chickamauga, he took over after Hood was again wounded in battle. At this fight Hood lost a leg. As an aside, Hood had lost an arm at Gettyburg three months earlier, earning him the sobriquet the "shrinking general." Our readers in texass should know this is the same man for whom the Army's Ft. Hood is named.
http://img187.imageshack.us/img187/8052/lawgeneralhoodtl4.th.jpg (http://img187.imageshack.us/my.php?image=lawgeneralhoodtl4.jpg)
John Bell Hood
After the Chickamauga fight, Law and his division then returned to Virginia, and fought in the campaign of 1864 before suffering a serious wound himself at the Battle of Cold Harbor. Law spent most of 1864 recovering, and at the end of the war was in General Joseph Johnston's army, which surrendered to General William T. Sherman in North Carolina.
After the war, Law returned to his career as a military instructor, primarily at a school he founded in Bartow, Florida. He was the last surviving Confederate general before his death in 1920.
http://img187.imageshack.us/img187/8304/law04jb2.th.jpg
Evander Law, c. 1915.
http://img187.imageshack.us/img187/7523/lawevanderlawhc9.th.png (http://img187.imageshack.us/my.php?image=lawevanderlawhc9.png)
174 years ago today, Confederate Brigadier General Evander Law is born in Darlington, South Carolina. Although he backed the losers, Law had a distinguished career in the Confederate army and earned a reputation as a brave and effective field commander.
Law, who attended The Citadel, the Military College of South Carolina (Class of 1856) and studied law after his graduation (just like your correspondent, Class of 1982). Law built a prewar career as a military instructor. After teaching briefly at his alma mater The Citadel, Law instructed at King's Mountain Military Academy in South Carolina.
http://img413.imageshack.us/img413/3861/lawlc6.th.jpg (http://img413.imageshack.us/my.php?image=lawlc6.jpg)
Law Barracks at The Citadel is home to Third Battalion and India, Kilo, Lima, Mike companies.
Law then moved to Tuskeegee, Alabama, to open a new military school. When the war broke out, Law became a lieutenant colonel in the Fourth Alabama Infantry.
Law's unit saw immediate action at the First Battle of Bull Run in July 1861. He was wounded, but was promoted to colonel shortly afterward, and fought at the Seven Days' Battles, Second Bull Run, and Antietam.
His leadership at Antietam earned him a promotion to brigadier general in October 1862. He was also cited for bravery at Fredericksburg, where he led his troops on foot after his horse was shot out from under him. Although he advanced quickly in the army, he also feuded with his corps commander, fellow South Carolinian James Longstreet.
Law served in General John Bell Hood's division, and led the attack on Little Round Top at Gettysburg on July 2, 1863. Law and his men had marched 25 miles in the July heat and immediately assaulted the left end of the Federal line when they arrived at Gettysburg.
http://img187.imageshack.us/img187/9199/law20070703alabamamemorzz9.th.jpg (http://img187.imageshack.us/my.php?image=law20070703alabamamemorzz9.jpg)
Alabama Memorial at Gettysburg
Law led 275 Alabamians against the Federals atop the rocky hill, was repeatedly repulsed and lost 87 killed and wounded in the attempts. After July 2, the 4th Alabama was done and sat out the rest of the epic battle in southern Pennsylvania. Law assumed command of the division when Hood was seriously wounded at Gettyburg.
In the autumn of 1863, Law and his troops, along with the rest of Longstreet's corps, were sent to assist CS LTG Braxton Bragg and his Army of Tennessee fighting in the west. Braxton Bragg is the man for whom the Army's ft. Bragg, NC is named.
At Chickamauga, he took over after Hood was again wounded in battle. At this fight Hood lost a leg. As an aside, Hood had lost an arm at Gettyburg three months earlier, earning him the sobriquet the "shrinking general." Our readers in texass should know this is the same man for whom the Army's Ft. Hood is named.
http://img187.imageshack.us/img187/8052/lawgeneralhoodtl4.th.jpg (http://img187.imageshack.us/my.php?image=lawgeneralhoodtl4.jpg)
John Bell Hood
After the Chickamauga fight, Law and his division then returned to Virginia, and fought in the campaign of 1864 before suffering a serious wound himself at the Battle of Cold Harbor. Law spent most of 1864 recovering, and at the end of the war was in General Joseph Johnston's army, which surrendered to General William T. Sherman in North Carolina.
After the war, Law returned to his career as a military instructor, primarily at a school he founded in Bartow, Florida. He was the last surviving Confederate general before his death in 1920.
http://img187.imageshack.us/img187/8304/law04jb2.th.jpg
Evander Law, c. 1915.