Hiram B. Granbury
Encyclopedia
Hiram Bronson Granbury was a lawyer and county judge in Texas before the American Civil War
("Civil War"). He organized a volunteer company for the Confederate States Army
after the outbreak of the Civil War and became its captain. He rose to the grade of brigadier general in the Confederate army. Granbury was one of the six Confederate
generals killed at the Battle of Franklin
on November 20, 1864.
, he moved to Waco, Texas
, in the early 1850s. Granbury studied law at Waco, was admitted to the bar and served as chief justice of McLennan County, TX, an office similar to the chairman of a county board of supervisors, from 1856 to 1858.
on February 16, 1862. Granbury was imprisoned at Fort Warren
in Boston Harbor but was permitted to visit Baltimore on parole in order to attend to his wife, who was to have an operation. He was freed in an exchange of prisoners on August 27, 1862 for two lieutenants. Almost immediately, on August 29, 1862, Granbury was promoted to colonel of the 7th Texas Infantry Regiment. He was temporarily without a command until January 1863 because the 7th Texas Infantry Regiment was not exchanged until November 1862 and was consolidated with two other regiments until January 1863.
’s Army of Tennessee
during the Vicksburg Campaign
. Colonel Granbury led the regiment in the battles of Raymond
and Jackson. Granbury fought and was wounded at the Battle of Chickamauga. He then participated in the Siege of Chattanooga and the Battle of Missionary Ridge
. When Brigadier General James Argyle Smith
was wounded at Chattanooga, Granbury led the brigade in the retreat from Chattanooga. Division commander, Major General Patrick R. Cleburne, commended Colonel Granbury for his handling of the brigade.
. He fought with particular distinction at the Battle of New Hope Church
in the Atlanta Campaign.
General John B. Hood had taken over command of the Army of Tennessee
during the Atlanta Campaign. After the fall of Atlanta, Hood moved his army into Tennessee in an effort to retake Nashville for the Confederacy. At the Battle of Franklin
on November 30, 1864, Hood ordered 18 brigades to make numerous hopeless frontal assaults against fortified positions occupied by the Union Army
forces under Major General
John M. Schofield. Granbury’s brigade charged the center of the Federal breastworks and he was killed, along with Major General Patrick R. Cleburne, just outside the Union works. In total, six Confederate generals died in or as a result of the battle. Brigadier General James A. Smith took command of Cleburne's division at the subsequent Battle of Nashville
.
, a town named after him.
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...
("Civil War"). He organized a volunteer company for the Confederate States 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...
after the outbreak of the Civil War and became its captain. He rose to the grade of brigadier general in the Confederate army. Granbury was one of the six 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...
generals killed at the Battle of Franklin
Battle of Franklin II
The Battle of Franklin was fought on November 30, 1864, at Franklin, Tennessee, as part of the Franklin-Nashville Campaign of the American Civil War. It was one of the worst disasters of the war for the Confederate States Army. Confederate Lt. Gen. John Bell Hood's Army of Tennessee conducted...
on November 20, 1864.
Early life
Hiram Bronson Granbury was born in Copiah County, Mississippi, March 1, 1831. He was the son of a Baptist minister. After being educated at Oakland College in Rodney, MississippiRodney, Mississippi
Rodney was a city in Jefferson County in southwest Mississippi, approximately northeast of Natchez. Rodney was founded in 1828, and in the 19th century, it was only three votes away from becoming the capital of the Mississippi Territory. Its population declined to nearly zero after the Mississippi...
, he moved to Waco, Texas
Waco, Texas
Waco is a city in and the county seat of McLennan County, Texas. Situated along the Brazos River and on the I-35 corridor, halfway between Dallas and Austin, it is the economic, cultural, and academic center of the 'Heart of Texas' region....
, in the early 1850s. Granbury studied law at Waco, was admitted to the bar and served as chief justice of McLennan County, TX, an office similar to the chairman of a county board of supervisors, from 1856 to 1858.
Fort Donelson, capture, exchange
Upon the secession of Texas from the Union, Granbury organized the Waco Guards, a volunteer infantry company, and headed east to Kentucky with them as their first captain. In October 1861, he was elected major of the 7th Texas Infantry Regiment. He was captured along with his regiment at the Battle of Fort DonelsonBattle of Fort Donelson
The Battle of Fort Donelson was fought from February 11 to February 16, 1862, in the Western Theater of the American Civil War. The capture of the fort by Union forces opened the Cumberland River as an avenue for the invasion of the South. The success elevated Brig. Gen. Ulysses S...
on February 16, 1862. Granbury was imprisoned at Fort Warren
Fort Warren
Fort Warren may refer to:*Fort Warren *Fort Warren *Fort Warren *Francis E. Warren Air Force Base...
in Boston Harbor but was permitted to visit Baltimore on parole in order to attend to his wife, who was to have an operation. He was freed in an exchange of prisoners on August 27, 1862 for two lieutenants. Almost immediately, on August 29, 1862, Granbury was promoted to colonel of the 7th Texas Infantry Regiment. He was temporarily without a command until January 1863 because the 7th Texas Infantry Regiment was not exchanged until November 1862 and was consolidated with two other regiments until January 1863.
Vicksburg campaign, Chattanooga, Chickamauga, Atlanta campaign
Granbury and his regiment served in north Mississippi with General Joseph E. JohnstonJoseph E. Johnston
Joseph Eggleston Johnston was a career U.S. Army officer, serving with distinction in the Mexican-American War and Seminole Wars, and was also one of the most senior general officers in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War...
’s 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...
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....
. Colonel Granbury led the regiment in the battles of Raymond
Battle of Raymond
The Battle of Raymond was fought on May 12, 1863, near Raymond, Mississippi, during the Vicksburg Campaign of the American Civil War. The bitter fight pitted elements of Union Army Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant's Army of the Tennessee against Confederate forces of Lt. Gen. John C. Pemberton's...
and Jackson. Granbury fought and was wounded at the Battle of Chickamauga. He then participated in the Siege of Chattanooga and the Battle of Missionary Ridge
Battle of Missionary Ridge
The Battle of Missionary Ridge was fought November 25, 1863, as part of the Chattanooga Campaign of the American Civil War. Following the Union victory in the Battle of Lookout Mountain on November 24, Union forces under Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant assaulted Missionary Ridge and defeated the...
. When Brigadier General James Argyle Smith
James Argyle Smith
James Argyle Smith was an United States Army officer, and a graduate of West Point. He is known for being a Confederate brigadier general during the Civil War, his works in the educational system in Mississippi, and in the Bureau of Indian Affairs.-Early life and career:James Smith was born and...
was wounded at Chattanooga, Granbury led the brigade in the retreat from Chattanooga. Division commander, Major General Patrick R. Cleburne, commended Colonel Granbury for his handling of the brigade.
Battle of Franklin, death
Brigadier General James A Smith returned to the brigade command for the Atlanta Campaign. At about the same time, on February 29, 1864, Colonel Granbury was promoted to brigadier general. He then led the Texas brigade. This brigade was composed of eight (8) understrength Texas regiments, including the 7th Texas Infantry, through the Atlanta CampaignAtlanta 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...
. He fought with particular distinction at the Battle of New Hope Church
Battle of New Hope Church
The Battle of New Hope Church was fought May 25–26, 1864, between the Union force of Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman and the Confederate Army of Tennessee under Gen. Joseph E. Johnston during the Atlanta Campaign of the American Civil War...
in the Atlanta Campaign.
General John B. Hood had taken over command of 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...
during the Atlanta Campaign. After the fall of Atlanta, Hood moved his army into Tennessee in an effort to retake Nashville for the Confederacy. At 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, 1864, Hood ordered 18 brigades to make numerous hopeless frontal assaults against fortified positions occupied by the Union Army
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...
forces under Major General
Major general (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Marine Corps, and United States Air Force, major general is a two-star general-officer rank, with the pay grade of O-8. Major general ranks above brigadier general and below lieutenant general...
John M. Schofield. Granbury’s brigade charged the center of the Federal breastworks and he was killed, along with Major General Patrick R. Cleburne, just outside the Union works. In total, six Confederate generals died in or as a result of the battle. Brigadier General James A. Smith took command of Cleburne's division at the subsequent 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...
.
Reburial at Granbury, Texas
Twenty-nine (29) years after the battle of Franklin, Hiram Granbury's body was moved to Granbury, TexasGranbury, Texas
Granbury is a city in Hood County, Texas, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 5,718. It is the county seat of Hood County and the principal city of the Micropolitan Statistical Area....
, a town named after him.
See also
- List of American Civil War generals (Confederate)