Richard Heron AndersonLieutenant General, Provisional Army of the Confederate States
"His courage was of the highest order, but he was indolent. His capacity and intelligence excellent, but it was hard to get him to use them. Withal, of a nature so true and lovable that it goes against me to criticize him. He had served well as a brigadier-general, and now with Longstreet, commanding a division, had more to do. Longstreet knew him well and could get a good deal out of him, more than anyone else."Brigadier General Gilbert M. Sorrell, PACS
 (The Life of Lt. Gen. Richard H. Anderson)
 (Compiled Service Record) |
Born: October 7th, 1821, at the Borough House in Stateburg, Sumter District, South Carolina, the son of William Wallace (1789-1864) & Mary Jane MacKensie Anderson (1788-1832)
Married: (1) Sarah Gibson (1830-1872) in 1850; (2) Martha Ellen Mellette (1855-1928) on December 24th, 1874.
Pre-War: Attended the Edge Hill Academy in Sumter District, South Carolina, to 1837, when he graduated; appointed to the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York, from the State of South Carolina, entered the Military Academy as a Cadet on July 1st, 1838; graduated 40th in his class, of 56, from the Military Academy on July 1st, 1842, and was appointed as a Brevet Second Lieutenant of Dragoons with the 1st United States Dragoon Regiment; on duty at the Cavalry School for Practice at Carlisle, Pennsylvania, in 1842; on frontier duty at Little Rock, Arkansas, in 1843; at Fort Gibson, Indian Territory, in 1843; engaged in the march to Ft. Washita, Indian Territory, in 1843; escorting an Indian Agent to the Red River in 1843; at Ft. Washita, Indian Territory, from 1843 to 1844; at Ft. Jesup, Louisiana, from 1844 to 1845; promoted to Second Lieutenant of Dragoons with the 2nd Dragoon Regiment on July 16th, 1844; serving in the Military Occupation of Texas from 1845 to 1846; on Recruiting service in 1846; served in the Mexican War from 1846 to 1848, being engaged in the Siege of Vera Cruz from March 9th to 29th, 1847, in the skirmish of La Hoya on June 20th, 1847, the battle of |
Contreras on August 19th, 1847, the Skirmish at San Agustin on August 20th, 1847, the Battle of Molino del Rey on September 8th, 1847, and the Operations before, and the Capture of, the City of Mexico, from September 12th to 14th, 1847; brevetted to the rank of First Lieutenant on August 20th, 1847, for "gallant and meritorious conduct in an affair with the enemy at San Agustin, Mexico;" on Recruiting service in 1849; at the Cavalry School for Practice in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, from 1849 to 1850; promoted to First Lieutenant of Dragoons with the 2nd Dragoon Regiment on July 13th, 1848; on Recruiting service from 1850 to 1852; on frontier duty at Ft. Graham, Texas, from 1852 to 1853; at Ft. McKavett, Texas, from 1853 to 1854; at San Antonio, Texas, in 1854, during which time he was sent with a detail to apprehend a man who had stolen a mule and supplies, catching the man near Waco, Texas, however, the whole detachment was placed under arrest by the Sheriff of Hill County for forcibly abducting the prisoner, and were found not guilty of the charges in the civilian court, the men were released, however, Anderson was then brought up on charges by the Military for failing to convey the prisoner to the Military, he was also found not guilty on these charges, and restored to duty; at Ft. McKavett, Texas, in 1855; at Ft. Riley, Kansas, from 1855 to 1856; promoted to Captain of Dragoons with the 2nd Dragoon Regiment on March 3rd, 1855; engaged in quelling the Kansas Disturbances from 1856 to 1857; at the Cavalry School for Practice at Carlisle, Pennsylvania, in 1858; on frontier duty conducting recruits to Utah in 1858; engaged in the Utah Expedition from 1858 to 1859; presented a sword by the South Carolina General Assembly in April 1859, for his service in the Mexican War; at Fort Kearney, Nebraska, from 1859 to 1861; resigned his commission in the United States Army on March 3rd, 1861.
Service: Appointed as Colonel of the 3rd South Carolina Volunteer Artillery Regiment (1st South Carolina Regulars) on January 1st, 1861, by Governor Francis W. Pickens; served in the operations around Charleston, South Carolina, from January to April 1861, during which time he was engaged in the actions against Fort Sumter on April 14th, 1861, his regiment being stationed in reserve at Fort Moultrie and the additional batteries in and around Sullivan's Island; appointed as a Major of Cavalry in the Provisional Army of the Confederate States on March 16th, 1861, from the State of South Carolina, the appointment being confirmed by the Confederate Congress on December 13th, 1861; commanding the Department of South Carolina, with headquarters of Charleston, South Carolina, from May 27th to August 1861; appointed as a Brigadier General in the Provisional Army of the Confederate States from the State of South Carolina on July 19th, 1861, with rank from that date; accepted the appointment on July 29th, 1861, and the appointment was confirmed by the Confederate Congress on August 28th, 1861; served in and around Pensacola, Florida, from August 1861 to February 1862, commanding a brigade in the Army of Pensacola, (composed of the 1st Louisiana, 1st Florida, 5th Georgia, 7th & 8th Mississippi Infantry Regiments, and Tyler's Battalion of Marines), during which time he was engaged, and wounded in action (musket ball broke his left arm, striking him in the left elbow), at Santa Rosa Island, Florida, on October 9th, 1861, was engaged in the bombardment at Fort Pickens near Pensacola, Florida, on November 22nd, 1861, of which General William R. Boggs noted that "The appearance of General Richard Anderson walking coolly about...stopped the panic and confusion;" engaged in the bombardment at Fort Pickens near Pensacola, Florida, on January 1st, 1862; placed under arrest from January 8th to 31st, 1862, per order of Major General Braxton Bragg, being released from arrest on January 31st, 1862, per Special Order No. 40, Department of Alabama & West Florida; commanding Anderson's Brigade, 2nd (Longstreet's) Division, Army of Northern Virginia from February to July 1862, the brigade being composed of the 1st, 4th, 5th, & 6th South Carolina Infantry, the Palmetto Sharpshooters and the 2nd South Carolina Rifles Regiments; served in the Peninsula Campaign from April to May 1862; served in the Seven Days Campaign from June to July 1862; commanding Anderson's (formerly Longstreet's) Division, 1st Corps, Army of Northern Virginia, from July 1862 to May 1863; promoted to Major General in the Provisional Army of the Confederate States on July 14th, 1862, to rank from that date; accepted the appointment on July 15th, 1862, and the appointment was confirmed by the Confederate Congress on September 27th, 1862; served with his division at Drewry's Bluff near Petersburg, Virginia, engaged in constructing defenses from July to August 15th, 1862; served in the Manassas Campaign from July to August 1862; served in the Maryland Campaign from September to October 1862, being wounded in action (wounded in thigh and fell from horse due to loss of blood) on September 17th, 1862, at Sharpsburg, Maryland; served in the Fredericksburg Campaign from November to December 1862; served in the Chancellorsville Campaign from April to May 1863; commanding Anderson's Division, 3rd (Hill's) Corps, Army of Northern Virginia, from May 1863 to May 1864; served in the Gettysburg Campaign from June to July 1863; served in the Bristoe Campaign from October to November 1863; served in the Overland Campaign from May to June 1864; commanding the 1st Corps, Army of Northern Virginia, from May 7th to October 19th, 1864; promoted to Lieutenant General, with temporary rank, in the Provisional Army of the Confederate States on June 1st, 1864, with rank from May 31st, 1864; accepted the appointment on June 5th, 1864, and the appointment was confirmed by the Confederate Congress on June 1st, 1864; served in the Siege of Richmond & Petersburg, Virginia from June to August 1864; August 12th, 1864 - Dispatched with Kershaw's Division, a battalion of Artillery, and Fitz Lee's Cavalry Division to Culpeper Courthouse, Virginia, to operate independently but in conjunction with Jubal Early's forces; while in the Valley on August 12th, 1864, although senior to General Jubal Early, he chose to follow the spirit of General Lee's orders to co-operate with him, rather supersede him; served in the Valley Campaign from August to September 1864; recalled to Petersburg by General Robert E. Lee on September 27th, 1864; served in the Siege of Richmond & Petersburg, Virginia from September 1864 to April 1865; relieved from command of the 1st Corps, upon the return of Longstreet, on October 19th, 1864, and assigned to command of the 4th Army Corps (composed of the divisions of Hoke and Johnson - however Hokes was detached and sent to North Carolina); commanding the 4th Corps, Army of Northern Virginia, from October 19th, 1864, to April 7th, 1865; served in the Appomattox Campaign from April 1st to 7th, 1865, during which time he was engaged on April 6th, 1865, at Sailor's Creek, Virginia, in which action his corps was largely destroyed, and was engaged in gathering the remaining elements of the 4th Corps on April 7th & 8th, 1865, being around 200-men who were then merged into the 2nd Corps; relieved of command on April 8th, 1865, and ordered to report to his home and await further orders from the Secretary of War near Appomattox Courthouse; left the Army and started for Greensboro, North Carolina, to join the Army of Tennessee, however Johnston surrendered before Anderson's arrival, and he continued to his home in Statesburg in April 1865.
| Post War: Resided at his home, Borough House, near Statesburg, South Carolina, and engaged in cotton planting, from 1865 to 1868; applied to President Andrew Johnson for an Executive Pardon on July 17th, 1865, writing that "...Deeming it unnecessary to lay before you the reasons and motives which impelled me to join the South in the late unhappy strife, I base my application upon the following grounds. First. Although I was an officer of the U.S. Army, my resignation was duly tendered to Mr. Buchanan and accepted by him just before the close of his administration. Secondly. I acknowledge the defeat of the South and yield without animosity or vindictiveness to the final decision of the sword. Thirdly. I accept the consequences of defeat. Yield the questions which led to the strife and having no intention of renewing them am desirous of returning to my allegiance to the United States government. Fourthly. I am ready to enter upon the new order of affairs in good faith and with an earnest and hopeful spirit. Believing that all has happened for the best." Resided along the Wateree River near Statesburg, South Carolina, and engaged in cotton planting in 1868; employed as a laborer in the rail-yards of the South Carolina Railroad at Camden, South Carolina, from 1869 to 1872; employed as a railroad agent for the South Carolina Railroad at Camden, South |
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Carolina, from 1872 to 1878, when he was dismissed over a disagreement; resided in Charleston, South Carolina, in 1871, during which time the citizens of Charleston nominated him for Mayor, however he declined stating that "In ordinary times I would not hesitate unconditionally to accept the nomination, so flatteringly offered and supported, but in the present condition of affairs, I have not only hesitated, but my hesitation must end in the request that the gentlemen who have so kindly named me do not press my nomination, if any arrangement can be made by which a heated political contest may be avoided, and all good citizens be brought into earnest and harmonious co-operation for the re-establishment and preservation amongst us of good order and prosperity." Nominated for the position of Superintendent of the South Carolina State Penitentiary in January 1879, however Colonel Thomas J. Lipscomb was elected by the Legislature; appointed, and served, as a Special Agent of Phosphate Mining for the State of South Carolina from March to June 1879.
Died: June 26th, 1879, at Beaufort, Beaufort County, South Carolina
Buried: St. Helena Episcopal Churchyard Cemetery in Beaufort, Beaufort County, South Carolina
Notes
General Anderson was one of many officers who ran afowl of General Braxton Bragg, in January 1862 while at Pensacola, Florida; similiar incidents with Bragg resulted in the resignation of General William R. Boggs, PACS, in January 1862.
Resources
"Lieutenant General Richard Heron Anderson: Lee's Noble Soldier." Joseph C. Elliott; Gamecock City Printing, Inc.. Sumter, South Carolina; 1999.
"The Life of Lieutenant General Richard Heron Anderson of the Confederate States Army." C. Irvine Walker; Art Publishing Company, Charleston, South Carolina; 1917.
Richard Heron Anderson Papers, Perkins Library, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina.
Richard Heron Anderson Papers, South Caroliniana Library, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina.
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