Jefferson Davis Born: June 3, 1808, Kentucky Died: December 6, 1889, New Orleans, LA Buried: Hollywood Cemetery, Richmond, VA President of the Confederate States of America Jefferson Davis was born June 3, 1808, in that portion of Christian county, Kentucky, which was afterwards set off as Todd county. His grandfather was a colonist from Wales, living in Virginia and Maryland, and…

Born: December 5, 1839, New Rumley, OH Died: June 25, 1876, Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument, MT Spouse: Elizabeth Bacon Custer (m. 1864–1876) Place of burial: West Point Cemetery, West Point, NY, Woodland Cemetery, Monroe, MI Overview Although better known for his Indian fighting, George Custer compiled a creditable record as a cavalry leader in the latter part of the Civil War.…

Born: June 5, 1825, Lincoln County, GA Died: February 12, 1903, Asheville, NC Education: University of Georgia, Harvard Law School Life Although he played an active role in the events of 1861-65, Jabez L. M. Curry’s greatest service to the South was performed in the postwar period. Born in Georgia, Curry moved to Alabama and began the practice of law. After…

Born: June 13, 1809, Leesburg, VA Died: March 20, 1895, Detroit, MI Place of burial: Elmwood Cemetery, Detroit, MI Battles and wars: Black Hawk War, Mexican–American War, MORE Children: Flora Cooke, John Rogers Cooke Life Born in Leesburg, Virginia, June 13, 1809, the U.S. Army was Cooke’s life for 50 years. Graduating 23d in the West Point class of 1827, he was a veteran of…

Born: August 13, 1851, Newark, OH Died: May 13, 1937, San Antonio, TX Years of service: 1863–1864, 1871–1915 Place of burial: Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, VA Awards: Civil War Campaign Medal, Indian Campaign Medal, Spanish War Service Medal Battles and wars: American Civil War, Battle of Chickamauga Life Born in Newark, Ohio, 13 Aug. 1851, Clem ran away from home in May 1861 to join the…

Born: March 1828, Killumney, Ireland Died: November 30, 1864, Franklin, TN Place of burial: Maple Hill Cemetery, Helena-West Helena, AR Unit: 41st (Welch) Regiment of Foot Years of service: 1846–1849; 1861–1864 Battles and wars: American Civil War, Battle of Shiloh, MORE Life The most popular Confederate division commander was the “Stonewall of the West”-Patrick R. Cleburne. Appropriately, the native of County Cork was born on…

Born: September 8, 1828, Brewer, ME Died: February 24, 1914, Portland, ME Buried: Pine Grove Cemetery, Brunswick, ME Life A Bowdoin College professor, Joshua L. Chamberlain went to the Maine state capital to offer his services in 1862. Offered the colonelcy of a regiment, he declined, according to John J. Pullen in The 20th Maine, preferring to “start a little lower…

Born: October 20, 1820, Nashville, TN Died: September 4, 1886, Nashville, TN Place of burial: Mount Olivet Funeral Home & Cemetery, Nashville, TN Battles and wars: Mexican–American War, American Civil War, MORE Life Serving throughout the Civil War in what would become the Confederate Army of Tennessee, Tennesseean Benjamin F. Cheatham proved himself to be a highly capable commander at brigade through corps…

Born: May 23, 1824, Liberty, IN Died: September 13, 1881, Bristol, RI Nickname: Burn Spouse: Mary Richmond Bishop (m. 1852–1876) Battles and wars: Mexican–American War, American Civil War, MORE Life If there is any mitigating circumstance in the failure of Ambrose E.Burnside as commander of the Army of the Potomac it is that he had twice previously refused the post, recognizing his own inexperience,…

Born: January 13, 1807, Woodford County, KY Died: March 28, 1883, Chicago, IL Battles and wars: American Civil War Service/branch: United States Army (Union Army) Allegiance: United States (Union) Siblings: John Buford Education: United States Military Academy, Harvard University Life In spite of a truly military name, the half-brother of Gettysburg hero John Buford held the rank of major general for only a few months. Napoleon Bonaparte…