Given Campbell
Encyclopedia
Given Campbell was a Confederate
officer best known for leading the final escape of Jefferson Davis
in the last days of the Civil War
.
, Kentucky
to James and Mary (Given) Campbell. Reared in Kentucky, he received his college education at Centre College
, Danville
, Kentucky and went to the University of Virginia Law School
. Soon after leaving university he came to St. Louis to begin practicing law and was for a short time in the office of Charles D. Drake
, later a U.S. Senator from Missouri, and he was admitted to the bar in 1856.
. He then was elected Captain by the 53 member Company "G". In April 1861 Governor Claiborne Fox Jackson announced a state-wide militia muster for early May to gather for their yearly drill and training at a place just outside the city limits of Saint Louis located at Lindell's Grove ostensibly known as Camp Jackson. On May 10, 1861, Given Campbell and 676 other militia men were captured and taken prisoner by Union
Captain Nathaniel Lyon
and his combined U.S. Army and Home Guard
forces. After receiving his parole, Campbell returned to Kentucky where he enlisted as a private in Company "B", 15th Kentucky Cavalry
. Soon he was promoted to Captain of the company.
Campbell entered the Confederate Army
under General Sterling Price
, and served through the war as a cavalryman under Generals Morgan
, Forrest
, and Wheeler
. In the later days of the war, Campbell would serve in Basil Duke
's command in the Virginia theater. Following Lee's surrender at Appomattox
, Campbell was hand selected by President Jefferson Davis
to lead Davis' escape and to choose a few members of Duke's Cavalry brigade to protect his person. Captain Campbell along with the rest of the escort and President Davis were captured at Irwinsville
, Georgia
on May 10, 1865.
constitution. He moved to New Orleans where he practiced law and served as a member of the National Democratic Convention of 1872. He came back to Saint Louis in the fall of 1873 and continued in active practice until 1905.
Retiring to Paducah, Kentucky, Given Campbell built a home and lived there a few months. While visiting Saint Louis, Campbell died after a short illness on November 20, 1906 and was survived by his wife and three children, viz: Dr. Given Campbell, Jr; Susan C. Evans (née Campbell), wife of Albert D. Evans; and lawyer James C. Campbell. Given Campbell is buried at Bellefontaine Cemetery in St. Louis, Missouri in Plot Block 112, Lot 56.
Confederate 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...
officer best known for leading the final escape of Jefferson Davis
Jefferson Davis
Jefferson Finis Davis , also known as Jeff Davis, was an American statesman and leader of the Confederacy during the American Civil War, serving as President for its entire history. He was born in Kentucky to Samuel and Jane Davis...
in the last days of the 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...
.
Early life
Campbell was born at SalemSalem, Kentucky
Salem is a city in Livingston County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 769 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Paducah, KY-IL Micropolitan Statistical Area....
, Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
to James and Mary (Given) Campbell. Reared in Kentucky, he received his college education at Centre College
Centre College
Centre College is a private liberal arts college in Danville, Kentucky, USA, a community of approximately 16,000 in Boyle County south of Lexington, KY. Centre is an exclusively undergraduate four-year institution. Centre was founded by Presbyterian leaders, with whom it maintains a loose...
, Danville
Danville, Kentucky
Danville is a city in and the county seat of Boyle County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 16,218 at the 2010 census.Danville is the principal city of the Danville Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Boyle and Lincoln counties....
, Kentucky and went to the University of Virginia Law School
University of Virginia School of Law
The University of Virginia School of Law was founded in Charlottesville in 1819 by Thomas Jefferson as one of the original subjects taught at his "academical village," the University of Virginia. The law school maintains an enrollment of approximately 1,100 students in its initial degree program...
. Soon after leaving university he came to St. Louis to begin practicing law and was for a short time in the office of Charles D. Drake
Charles D. Drake
Charles Daniel Drake was a United States Senator from Missouri. Born in Cincinnati, Ohio, he attended St. Joseph's College in 1823 and 1824, and Patridge's Military Academy in 1824 and 1825; he was appointed midshipman in the United States Navy in 1825 and served four years, when he resigned...
, later a U.S. Senator from Missouri, and he was admitted to the bar in 1856.
Civil War
When tension over secession increased, Campbell enlisted in the 2nd Regiment Missouri Volunteer Militia under Col. John S. BowenJohn S. Bowen
John Stevens Bowen was a career United States Army officer and a general in the Confederate States Army, a commander in the Western Theater of the American Civil War. He is often said to have died just as his abilities were gaining attention.-Early life:Bowen was born in Bowen's Creek, Georgia...
. He then was elected Captain by the 53 member Company "G". In April 1861 Governor Claiborne Fox Jackson announced a state-wide militia muster for early May to gather for their yearly drill and training at a place just outside the city limits of Saint Louis located at Lindell's Grove ostensibly known as Camp Jackson. On May 10, 1861, Given Campbell and 676 other militia men were captured and taken prisoner by Union
Union (American Civil War)
During the American Civil War, the Union was a name used to refer to the federal government of the United States, which was supported by the twenty free states and five border slave states. It was opposed by 11 southern slave states that had declared a secession to join together to form the...
Captain Nathaniel Lyon
Nathaniel Lyon
Nathaniel Lyon was the first Union general to be killed in the American Civil War and is noted for his actions in the state of Missouri at the beginning of the conflict....
and his combined U.S. Army and Home Guard
Home Guard (Union)
In the American Civil War the Home Guard or Home Guards were local militia raised from Union loyalists.-Missouri:In Missouri after the start of the Civil War there were several competing organizations attempting to either take the state out of the Union or keep the state within it...
forces. After receiving his parole, Campbell returned to Kentucky where he enlisted as a private in Company "B", 15th Kentucky Cavalry
15th Regiment Kentucky Volunteer Cavalry
The 15th Kentucky Volunteer Cavalry Regiment was a cavalry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War.-Service:The 15th Kentucky Cavalry was organized at Owensboro, Kentucky and mustered in for one year under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Gabriel Netter.The regiment...
. Soon he was promoted to Captain of the company.
Campbell entered the Confederate Army
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...
under General Sterling Price
Sterling Price
Sterling Price was a lawyer, planter, and politician from the U.S. state of Missouri, who served as the 11th Governor of the state from 1853 to 1857. He also served as a United States Army brigadier general during the Mexican-American War, and a Confederate Army major general in the American Civil...
, and served through the war as a cavalryman under Generals Morgan
John Hunt Morgan
John Hunt Morgan was a Confederate general and cavalry officer in the American Civil War.Morgan is best known for Morgan's Raid when, in 1863, he and his men rode over 1,000 miles covering a region from Tennessee, up through Kentucky, into Indiana and on to southern Ohio...
, Forrest
Nathan Bedford Forrest
Nathan Bedford Forrest was a lieutenant general in the Confederate Army during the American Civil War. He is remembered both as a self-educated, innovative cavalry leader during the war and as a leading southern advocate in the postwar years...
, and Wheeler
Joseph Wheeler
Joseph Wheeler was an American military commander and politician. He has the rare distinction of serving as a general during war time for two opposing forces: first as a noted cavalry general in the Confederate States Army in the 1860s during the American Civil War, and later as a general in the...
. In the later days of the war, Campbell would serve in Basil Duke
Basil W. Duke
Basil Wilson Duke was a Confederate general officer during the American Civil War. His most noted service in the war was as second-in-command for his brother-in-law John Hunt Morgan; Duke would later write a popular account of Morgan's most famous raid: 1863's Morgan's Raid...
's command in the Virginia theater. Following Lee's surrender at Appomattox
Appomattox, Virginia
Appomattox is a town in Appomattox County, Virginia, United States. The population was 1,761 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Appomattox County.Appomattox is part of the Lynchburg Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
, Campbell was hand selected by President Jefferson Davis
Jefferson Davis
Jefferson Finis Davis , also known as Jeff Davis, was an American statesman and leader of the Confederacy during the American Civil War, serving as President for its entire history. He was born in Kentucky to Samuel and Jane Davis...
to lead Davis' escape and to choose a few members of Duke's Cavalry brigade to protect his person. Captain Campbell along with the rest of the escort and President Davis were captured at Irwinsville
Irwinville, Georgia
Irwinville is an unincorporated community in Irwin County, Georgia, United States. It is best known as the site of Jefferson Davis's capture at the end of the Civil War. On May 9, 1865, Jefferson Davis and a small group of officials camped in this pine forest, not knowing that Union cavalry...
, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
on May 10, 1865.
Post-War activities
Given Campbell came back to St. Louis in 1865 and married Susan Elizabeth Woods, daughter of Robert K. and Susan Woods. He found it impossible to practice law in Missouri because of the new "test oath" in the 1865 DrakeCharles D. Drake
Charles Daniel Drake was a United States Senator from Missouri. Born in Cincinnati, Ohio, he attended St. Joseph's College in 1823 and 1824, and Patridge's Military Academy in 1824 and 1825; he was appointed midshipman in the United States Navy in 1825 and served four years, when he resigned...
constitution. He moved to New Orleans where he practiced law and served as a member of the National Democratic Convention of 1872. He came back to Saint Louis in the fall of 1873 and continued in active practice until 1905.
Retiring to Paducah, Kentucky, Given Campbell built a home and lived there a few months. While visiting Saint Louis, Campbell died after a short illness on November 20, 1906 and was survived by his wife and three children, viz: Dr. Given Campbell, Jr; Susan C. Evans (née Campbell), wife of Albert D. Evans; and lawyer James C. Campbell. Given Campbell is buried at Bellefontaine Cemetery in St. Louis, Missouri in Plot Block 112, Lot 56.