Claudius W. Sears
Encyclopedia
Claudius Wistar Sears was an United States Army
officer, an educator, and a Confederate
general during the American Civil War
.
During the war, Sears was part of the Confederate garrison
that was captured following the Siege of Vicksburg in 1863, and would be wounded twice in combat. After the conflict he returned to teaching.
located in Berkshire County, Massachusetts
. He attended the United States Military Academy
in West Point
in July 1837, and graduated four years later, standing 31st out of 52 cadets. Despite his Massachusetts birth, Sears would receive his appointment to West Point from the state of New York
. He was commissioned a second lieutenant in the 8th U.S. Infantry on July 1, 1841. Sears and the 8th Infantry fought in Florida
during the Seminole Wars
until the fall of 1842.
Sears resigned his commission from the U.S. Army on October, 10, 1842. Following a short stint teaching at St. Thomas's Hall at Holly Springs
in Marshall County, Mississippi
, he moved to Louisiana
and was the professor of mathematics at the University of Louisiana (known now as Tulane
) in New Orleans from 1845 to 1859. Sears then was a professor at Louisiana University from 1859 into 1860, teaching both math as well as physics. He returned to St. Thomas's Hall in 1860 to serve as its president until 1861.
and enlisted in the 17th Mississippi Infantry Regiment
that May, and elected captain of its Company G soon afterward. Sears and the 17th Infantry fought at the First Battle of Bull Run
on July 21 and at the Battle of Ball's Bluff
on October 21, and participated during the 1862 Peninsula Campaign
engagements of Yorktown
, Seven Pines
, and the Seven Days Battles
. Sears fought at the Battle of Antietam
during the Maryland Campaign
on September 17.
On December 11, 1862, Sears was appointed colonel
of the 46th Mississippi Infantry, and began his Western Theater
service. With his new regiment, Sears participated during the Vicksburg Campaign
of late 1862 and summer of 1863. He fought at Battle of Chickasaw Bayou
on December 29, 1862, and the Battle of Port Gibson
on May 1, 1863, but during the fighting at the Battle of Champion Hill
his regiment was held in reserve.
In the spring and summer of 1863, Sears and his command were part of the Army of Mississippi
, led by Lt. Gen. John C. Pemberton
and defending the Confederate stronghold at Vicksburg
guarding the Mississippi River
. Following the six week long siege of the garrison and its surrender on July 4, Sears was captured by Union forces
, and was exchanged that fall. Sears' brigade commander, William E. Baldwin
, praised his performance at Vicksburg, saying:
After being exchanged in October 1863, Sears was returned to his command in early 1864 following several months on parole. On March 1 he was promoted to brigadier general and ordered to join the Army of Tennessee
. On April 1 his brigade was added to Maj. Gen. Samuel G. French
's Division, and Sears arrived with his command that May at Resaca, Georgia
. He fought during the Atlanta Campaign
in the summer of 1864, and was wounded during the Battle of Adairsville near Cassville, Georgia
, on May 19.
Sears next participated in the late 1864 Franklin-Nashville Campaign
, taking part in the Battle of Allatoona on October 5, the Battle of Franklin
on November 30, and the Battle of Nashville
on December 15, where Sears was severely wounded. During the fight, a cannonball killed hid horse and one of Sears' legs was shot off. He was removed for care to the rear areas of the Army of Tennessee as it retreated, but was left behind and captured on December 21 at Pulaski, Tennessee
. Sears was paroled from Nashville, Tennessee
on June 23, 1865.
and taught mathematics & civil engineering at the University of Mississippi
from 1865 to 1889. He died two years later at Oxford
in Lafayette County, Mississippi
, and is buried there in the city's Saint Peter's Cemetery.
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
officer, an educator, and a Confederate
Confederate States Army
The Confederate States Army was the army of the Confederate States of America while the Confederacy existed during the American Civil War. On February 8, 1861, delegates from the seven Deep South states which had already declared their secession from the United States of America adopted the...
general during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
.
During the war, Sears was part of the Confederate garrison
Garrison
Garrison is the collective term for a body of troops stationed in a particular location, originally to guard it, but now often simply using it as a home base....
that was captured following the Siege of Vicksburg in 1863, and would be wounded twice in combat. After the conflict he returned to teaching.
Early life and career
Claudius Sears was born in the city of PeruPeru, Massachusetts
Peru is a town in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 821 at the 2000 census.- History :Originally known as Northern Berkshire Township Number 2 and including all of Hinsdale and part of Middlefield, the town was first settled in 1767 and was officially incorporated...
located in Berkshire County, Massachusetts
Berkshire County, Massachusetts
Berkshire County is a non-governmental county located on the western edge of the U.S. state of Massachusetts. As of the 2010 census, the population was 131,219. Its largest city and traditional county seat is Pittsfield...
. He attended the United States Military Academy
United States Military Academy
The United States Military Academy at West Point is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located at West Point, New York. The academy sits on scenic high ground overlooking the Hudson River, north of New York City...
in West Point
West Point, New York
West Point is a federal military reservation established by President of the United States Thomas Jefferson in 1802. It is a census-designated place located in Town of Highlands in Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 7,138 at the 2000 census...
in July 1837, and graduated four years later, standing 31st out of 52 cadets. Despite his Massachusetts birth, Sears would receive his appointment to West Point from the state of New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. He was commissioned a second lieutenant in the 8th U.S. Infantry on July 1, 1841. Sears and the 8th Infantry fought in Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
during the Seminole Wars
Seminole Wars
The Seminole Wars, also known as the Florida Wars, were three conflicts in Florida between the Seminole — the collective name given to the amalgamation of various groups of native Americans and Black people who settled in Florida in the early 18th century — and the United States Army...
until the fall of 1842.
Sears resigned his commission from the U.S. Army on October, 10, 1842. Following a short stint teaching at St. Thomas's Hall at Holly Springs
Holly Springs, Mississippi
Holly Springs is a city in Marshall County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 7,957 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Marshall County. A short drive from Memphis, Tennessee, Holly Springs is the site of a number of well-preserved antebellum homes and other structures and...
in Marshall County, Mississippi
Marshall County, Mississippi
-Demographics:At the 2000 census, there were 34,993 people, 12,163 households and 9,110 families residing in the county. The population density was 50 per square mile . There were 13,252 housing units at an average density of 19 per square mile...
, he moved to Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
and was the professor of mathematics at the University of Louisiana (known now as Tulane
Tulane University
Tulane University is a private, nonsectarian research university located in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States...
) in New Orleans from 1845 to 1859. Sears then was a professor at Louisiana University from 1859 into 1860, teaching both math as well as physics. He returned to St. Thomas's Hall in 1860 to serve as its president until 1861.
Civil War service
At the start of the American Civil War in 1861, Sears chose to follow the Confederate causeConfederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
and enlisted in the 17th Mississippi Infantry Regiment
Regiment
A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...
that May, and elected captain of its Company G soon afterward. Sears and the 17th Infantry fought at the First Battle of Bull Run
First Battle of Bull Run
First Battle of Bull Run, also known as First Manassas , was fought on July 21, 1861, in Prince William County, Virginia, near the City of Manassas...
on July 21 and at the Battle of Ball's Bluff
Battle of Ball's Bluff
The Battle of Ball's Bluff, also known as the Battle of Harrison’s Island or the Battle of Leesburg, was fought on October 21, 1861, in Loudoun County, Virginia, as part of Union Maj. Gen. George B...
on October 21, and participated during the 1862 Peninsula Campaign
Peninsula Campaign
The Peninsula Campaign of the American Civil War was a major Union operation launched in southeastern Virginia from March through July 1862, the first large-scale offensive in the Eastern Theater. The operation, commanded by Maj. Gen. George B...
engagements of Yorktown
Battle of Yorktown (1862)
The Battle of Yorktown or Siege of Yorktown was fought from April 5 to May 4, 1862, as part of the Peninsula Campaign of the American Civil War. Marching from Fort Monroe, Union Maj. Gen. George B. McClellan's Army of the Potomac encountered Maj. Gen. John B. Magruder's small Confederate force...
, Seven Pines
Battle of Seven Pines
The Battle of Seven Pines, also known as the Battle of Fair Oaks or Fair Oaks Station, took place on May 31 and June 1, 1862, in Henrico County, Virginia, as part of the Peninsula Campaign of the American Civil War. It was the culmination of an offensive up the Virginia Peninsula by Union Maj. Gen....
, and the Seven Days Battles
Seven Days Battles
The Seven Days Battles was a series of six major battles over the seven days from June 25 to July 1, 1862, near Richmond, Virginia during the American Civil War. Confederate General Robert E. Lee drove the invading Union Army of the Potomac, commanded by Maj. Gen. George B. McClellan, away from...
. Sears fought at the Battle of Antietam
Battle of Antietam
The Battle of Antietam , fought on September 17, 1862, near Sharpsburg, Maryland, and Antietam Creek, as part of the Maryland Campaign, was the first major battle in the American Civil War to take place on Northern soil. It was the bloodiest single-day battle in American history, with about 23,000...
during the Maryland Campaign
Maryland Campaign
The Maryland Campaign, or the Antietam Campaign is widely considered one of the major turning points of the American Civil War. Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee's first invasion of the North was repulsed by Maj. Gen. George B...
on September 17.
On December 11, 1862, Sears was appointed colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
of the 46th Mississippi Infantry, and began his Western Theater
Western Theater of the American Civil War
This article presents an overview of major military and naval operations in the Western Theater of the American Civil War.-Theater of operations:...
service. With his new regiment, Sears participated during the Vicksburg Campaign
Vicksburg Campaign
The Vicksburg Campaign was a series of maneuvers and battles in the Western Theater of the American Civil War directed against Vicksburg, Mississippi, a fortress city that dominated the last Confederate-controlled section of the Mississippi River. The Union Army of the Tennessee under Maj. Gen....
of late 1862 and summer of 1863. He fought at Battle of Chickasaw Bayou
Battle of Chickasaw Bayou
The Battle of Chickasaw Bayou, also called Walnut Hills, fought December 26–29, 1862, was the opening engagement of the Vicksburg Campaign during the American Civil War. Confederate forces under Lt. Gen. John C. Pemberton repulsed an advance by Union Maj. Gen. William T...
on December 29, 1862, and the Battle of Port Gibson
Battle of Port Gibson
The Battle of Port Gibson was fought near Port Gibson, Mississippi, on May 1, 1863, between Union and Confederate forces during the Vicksburg Campaign of the American Civil War. The Union Army was led by Maj. Gen. Ulysses S...
on May 1, 1863, but during the fighting at the Battle of Champion Hill
Battle of Champion Hill
The Battle of Champion Hill, or Bakers Creek, fought May 16, 1863, was the pivotal battle in the Vicksburg Campaign of the American Civil War. Union commander Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant and the Army of the Tennessee pursued the retreating Confederate Lt. Gen. John C...
his regiment was held in reserve.
Army of Mississippi
There were three organizations known as the Army of Mississippi in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. -Army of Mississippi :This army, at times known by the names Army of the West or Army of the...
, led by Lt. Gen. John C. Pemberton
John C. Pemberton
John Clifford Pemberton , was a career United States Army officer who fought in the Seminole Wars and with distinction during the Mexican–American War. He also served as a Confederate general during the American Civil War, noted for his defeat and surrender in the critical Siege of Vicksburg in...
and defending the Confederate stronghold at Vicksburg
Vicksburg, Mississippi
Vicksburg is a city in Warren County, Mississippi, United States. It is the only city in Warren County. It is located northwest of New Orleans on the Mississippi and Yazoo rivers, and due west of Jackson, the state capital. In 1900, 14,834 people lived in Vicksburg; in 1910, 20,814; in 1920,...
guarding the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
. Following the six week long siege of the garrison and its surrender on July 4, Sears was captured by Union forces
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
, and was exchanged that fall. Sears' brigade commander, William E. Baldwin
William Edwin Baldwin
William Edwin Baldwin was a Confederate Army officer during the American Civil War.A bookstore owner and member of the local militia in Columbus, Mississippi, Baldwin enlisted in the Confederate Army soon after Mississippi announced its secession from the Union, accepting a commission as Colonel...
, praised his performance at Vicksburg, saying:
After being exchanged in October 1863, Sears was returned to his command in early 1864 following several months on parole. On March 1 he was promoted to brigadier general and ordered to join the Army of Tennessee
Army of Tennessee
The Army of Tennessee was the principal Confederate army operating between the Appalachian Mountains and the Mississippi River during the American Civil War. It was formed in late 1862 and fought until the end of the war in 1865, participating in most of the significant battles in the Western Theater...
. On April 1 his brigade was added to Maj. Gen. Samuel G. French
Samuel Gibbs French
History of Salem County by Joseph S. Sickler, pub 1937 pp-243, 276-277...
's Division, and Sears arrived with his command that May at Resaca, Georgia
Resaca, Georgia
Resaca is a city in Gordon County, Georgia, and Whitfield County, Georgia along the Oostanaula River. The population was 815 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Resaca is located at ....
. He fought during the Atlanta Campaign
Atlanta Campaign
The Atlanta Campaign was a series of battles fought in the Western Theater of the American Civil War throughout northwest Georgia and the area around Atlanta during the summer of 1864. Union Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman invaded Georgia from the vicinity of Chattanooga, Tennessee, beginning in May...
in the summer of 1864, and was wounded during the Battle of Adairsville near Cassville, Georgia
Cassville, Georgia
Cassville is an unincorporated community in Bartow County in the U.S. state of Georgia. It was originally the county seat before the name was changed from Cass County...
, on May 19.
Sears next participated in the late 1864 Franklin-Nashville Campaign
Franklin-Nashville Campaign
The Franklin-Nashville Campaign, also known as Hood's Tennessee Campaign, was a series of battles in the Western Theater, conducted from September 18 to December 27, 1864, in Alabama, Tennessee, and northwestern Georgia during the American Civil War. The Confederate Army of Tennessee under Lt....
, taking part in the Battle of Allatoona on October 5, the Battle of Franklin
Battle of Franklin
Battle of Franklin may refer to three battles of the American Civil War:* Battle of Franklin , a major battle fought November 30, 1864, at Franklin, Tennessee as part of the Franklin-Nashville Campaign...
on November 30, and the Battle of Nashville
Battle of Nashville
The Battle of Nashville was a two-day battle in the Franklin-Nashville Campaign that represented the end of large-scale fighting in the Western Theater of the American Civil War. It was fought at Nashville, Tennessee, on December 15–16, 1864, between the Confederate Army of Tennessee under...
on December 15, where Sears was severely wounded. During the fight, a cannonball killed hid horse and one of Sears' legs was shot off. He was removed for care to the rear areas of the Army of Tennessee as it retreated, but was left behind and captured on December 21 at Pulaski, Tennessee
Pulaski, Tennessee
Pulaski is a city in Giles County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 7,870 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Giles County. It was named to honor the Polish-born American Revolutionary War hero Kazimierz Pułaski...
. Sears was paroled from Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
on June 23, 1865.
Postbellum
After the war, Sears returned to MississippiMississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
and taught mathematics & civil engineering at the University of Mississippi
University of Mississippi
The University of Mississippi, also known as Ole Miss, is a public, coeducational research university located in Oxford, Mississippi. Founded in 1844, the school is composed of the main campus in Oxford, four branch campuses located in Booneville, Grenada, Tupelo, and Southaven as well as the...
from 1865 to 1889. He died two years later at Oxford
Oxford, Mississippi
Oxford is a city in, and the county seat of, Lafayette County, Mississippi, United States. Founded in 1835, it was named after the British university city of Oxford in hopes of having the state university located there, which it did successfully attract....
in Lafayette County, Mississippi
Lafayette County, Mississippi
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 38,744 people, 14,373 households, and 8,321 families residing in the county. The population density was 61 people per square mile . There were 16,587 housing units at an average density of 26 per square mile...
, and is buried there in the city's Saint Peter's Cemetery.
See also
- List of American Civil War generals
External links
- US National Park Service NPS Confederate order of battle for Vicksburg.