William Barksdale

William Barksdale, ( born August 21, 1821 in Smyrna, Rutherford County, Tennessee; † July 3, 1863 in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania) was a brigadier general in the Confederate States of America during the Civil War.

Life

Barksdale moved as a young man to Columbus, Mississippi. Here he established himself as a lawyer and became a member of the Democrats. After the Mexican War he left the army with the rank of Captain in 1847 and turned to politics. From March 4, 1853 until his resignation on 12 January 1861 he was a member of the House of Representatives of the United States. In 1861 he joined the Confederate Army and was a colonel of the 13th Mississippi Regiment, with which he was ordered towards the east, and fought on 28 and August 30, 1862 at the Second Battle of Bull Run.

According to his skill as a commander, he was subsequently promoted to brigadier general. Following the wounding of Gen. Richard Griffith, he also took over the command of the troops and two other brigades. In 1863 he was commissioned to hold Marye 's Heights near Fredericksburg, so that General Robert Edward Lee was able to prepare for the battle of Chancellorsville, which took place on 2 and 5 May 1863. At the Battle of Gettysburg from 1 to 3 July 1863, he was mortally wounded at the beginning and captured. He died a few hours later, on July 2.

His younger brother Ethelbert was from 1883 to 1887 also Congressman for Mississippi.