James T. Holtzclaw
Encyclopedia
James Thadeus Holtzclaw (December 17, 1833 – July 19, 1893) was an Alabama
lawyer, railroad commissioner, and general in the Confederate States Army
during the American Civil War
. He played a prominent role of several major engagements of the Army of Tennessee
in the Western Theater
.
in rural Henry County, Georgia
, in the winter of 1833. His parents, Elijah and Mary Holtzclaw, were from Chambers County, Alabama
, where young Holtzclaw was raised and educated. He obtained his primary education at the local Presbyterian high school, East Alabama Institute, in Lafayette.
In 1853, he received an appointment to the United States Military Academy
, but declined and did not formally enter the school. In December, he began to study law in Montgomery, Alabama
, under the famed pro-secession
"Fire-Eater"
William Lowndes Yancey
. He passed his bar exam in 1855, and established a private practice in Montgomery, Alabama
. A fellow lover of fine horses, he became a life-long friend and supporter of Yancey. He married Mary A. "Molly" Cowles, a daughter of another prominent Montgomery resident.
in a local militia
company, the Montgomery True Blues. He participated in the capture of the U.S. Navy
yard in Pensacola, Florida
. In May, he enlisted in the Confederate army as a lieutenant in the 18th Alabama Infantry. In August of that same year, he was promoted to major
and then in December to lieutenant colonel
.
In April 1862 at the Battle of Shiloh
in Western Tennessee, Holtzclaw was seriously wounded in his right lung during the first day of fighting. He was initially thought to have been mortally wounded, but made an amazing recovery and was back in his duties after only ninety days. He was promoted to colonel
and served for a time in Montgomery. In 1863, he was again wounded, this time when he was thrown from his horse during the Battle of Chickamauga
in northern Georgia
. However, the injury was not serious enough to force him from the field. In November 1863, he assumed command of a brigade
in Stewart's Division in Second Corps of the Army of Tennessee
and led it during the Chattanooga Campaign, including the Battle of Lookout Mountain
. For a time, he temporarily led the brigade
of Henry Clayton
.
On July 7, 1864, Holtzclaw received a promotion to brigadier general and assumed permanent command of Clayton's Brigade. He took part in John Bell Hood
's campaign in Tennessee and was wounded a third time, this time a severe contusion on his ankle, during the Battle of Franklin
on December 17. However, he maintained his duties and his brigade acted as rear guard for the army following the disastrous Battle of Nashville
.
In January 1865, he was assigned command of a division
comprising his brigade and that of Mathew Ector
in the Department of the Gulf and the Department of Alabama, Mississippi, and Eastern Louisiana. Subsequently, Holtzclaw assumed command of the garrison at Spanish Fort
and led the defenses of Mobile
and Montgomery against Union
forces. Following the collapse of the Confederacy, he was paroled on May 10 in Meridian, Mississippi
, and formally pardoned on November 4.
. He took an interest in the railroad industry and served as an associate state railroad commissioner shortly before his death. He was also the grand commander of the local chapter of the Freemasons.
James T. Holtzclaw died at his home in Montgomery at the age of sixty and is buried in the city's Oakwood Cemetery.
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
lawyer, railroad commissioner, and general in 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...
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...
. He played a prominent role of several major engagements 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...
in the 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:...
.
Early life and career
James T. Holtzclaw was born in McDonoughMcDonough, Georgia
McDonough is a city in Henry County, Georgia, United States. The population was 22084 at the 2010 census. Inclusion of the unincorporated neighborhoods surrounding McDonough, which are not part of a town/city, raises the population to approximately 30,000 from an estimate in 2008. The city is the...
in rural Henry County, Georgia
Henry County, Georgia
Henry County is a growing suburban county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2000 census, the population was 119,341. As of 2010, the county's population swelled to 203,922, up 70.9% from the previous census and becoming Georgia's 8th most populous county and the 10th fastest growing...
, in the winter of 1833. His parents, Elijah and Mary Holtzclaw, were from Chambers County, Alabama
Chambers County, Alabama
Chambers County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. Its name is in honor of Henry H. Chambers, who served as a United States Senator from Alabama. As of 2010 the population was 34,215. Its county seat is Lafayette...
, where young Holtzclaw was raised and educated. He obtained his primary education at the local Presbyterian high school, East Alabama Institute, in Lafayette.
In 1853, he received an appointment to 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...
, but declined and did not formally enter the school. In December, he began to study law in Montgomery, Alabama
Montgomery, Alabama
Montgomery is the capital of the U.S. state of Alabama, and is the county seat of Montgomery County. It is located on the Alabama River southeast of the center of the state, in the Gulf Coastal Plain. As of the 2010 census, Montgomery had a population of 205,764 making it the second-largest city...
, under the famed pro-secession
Secession
Secession is the act of withdrawing from an organization, union, or especially a political entity. Threats of secession also can be a strategy for achieving more limited goals.-Secession theory:...
"Fire-Eater"
Fire-Eaters
In United States history, the term Fire-Eaters refers to a group of extremist pro-slavery politicians from the South who urged the separation of southern states into a new nation, which became known as the Confederate States of America.-Impact:...
William Lowndes Yancey
William Lowndes Yancey
William Lowndes Yancey was a journalist, politician, orator, diplomat and an American leader of the Southern secession movement. A member of the group known as the Fire-Eaters, Yancey was one of the most effective agitators for secession and rhetorical defenders of slavery. An early critic of...
. He passed his bar exam in 1855, and established a private practice in Montgomery, Alabama
Montgomery, Alabama
Montgomery is the capital of the U.S. state of Alabama, and is the county seat of Montgomery County. It is located on the Alabama River southeast of the center of the state, in the Gulf Coastal Plain. As of the 2010 census, Montgomery had a population of 205,764 making it the second-largest city...
. A fellow lover of fine horses, he became a life-long friend and supporter of Yancey. He married Mary A. "Molly" Cowles, a daughter of another prominent Montgomery resident.
Civil War service
At the outbreak of the Civil War in early 1861, Holtzclaw served as a lieutenantLieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
in a local militia
Militia
The term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary citizens to provide defense, emergency law enforcement, or paramilitary service, in times of emergency without being paid a regular salary or committed to a fixed term of service. It is a polyseme with...
company, the Montgomery True Blues. He participated in the capture of the U.S. Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
yard in Pensacola, Florida
Pensacola, Florida
Pensacola is the westernmost city in the Florida Panhandle and the county seat of Escambia County, Florida, United States of America. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 56,255 and as of 2009, the estimated population was 53,752...
. In May, he enlisted in the Confederate army as a lieutenant in the 18th Alabama Infantry. In August of that same year, he was promoted to major
Major (United States)
In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, major is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel...
and then in December to lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant Colonel (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Air Force, and United States Marine Corps, a lieutenant colonel is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of major and just below the rank of colonel. It is equivalent to the naval rank of commander in the other uniformed services.The pay...
.
In April 1862 at the Battle of Shiloh
Battle of Shiloh
The Battle of Shiloh, also known as the Battle of Pittsburg Landing, was a major battle in the Western Theater of the American Civil War, fought April 6–7, 1862, in southwestern Tennessee. A Union army under Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant had moved via the Tennessee River deep into Tennessee and...
in Western Tennessee, Holtzclaw was seriously wounded in his right lung during the first day of fighting. He was initially thought to have been mortally wounded, but made an amazing recovery and was back in his duties after only ninety days. He was promoted to 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...
and served for a time in Montgomery. In 1863, he was again wounded, this time when he was thrown from his horse during the Battle of Chickamauga
Battle of Chickamauga
The Battle of Chickamauga, fought September 19–20, 1863, marked the end of a Union offensive in southeastern Tennessee and northwestern Georgia called the Chickamauga Campaign...
in northern 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...
. However, the injury was not serious enough to force him from the field. In November 1863, he assumed command of a brigade
Brigade
A brigade is a major tactical military formation that is typically composed of two to five battalions, plus supporting elements depending on the era and nationality of a given army and could be perceived as an enlarged/reinforced regiment...
in Stewart's Division in Second Corps 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...
and led it during the Chattanooga Campaign, including the Battle of Lookout Mountain
Battle of Lookout Mountain
The Battle of Lookout Mountain was fought November 24, 1863, as part of the Chattanooga Campaign of the American Civil War. Union forces under Maj. Gen. Joseph Hooker assaulted Lookout Mountain, Chattanooga, Tennessee, and defeated Confederate forces commanded by Maj. Gen. Carter L. Stevenson....
. For a time, he temporarily led the brigade
Brigade
A brigade is a major tactical military formation that is typically composed of two to five battalions, plus supporting elements depending on the era and nationality of a given army and could be perceived as an enlarged/reinforced regiment...
of Henry Clayton
Henry DeLamar Clayton (general)
Henry DeLamar Clayton, Sr. was a prominent Alabama attorney, politician, Redeemer judge, and college president. He also served as a major general in the Confederate Army during the American Civil War, commanding a division in the Army of Tennessee in the Western Theater.-Early life and...
.
On July 7, 1864, Holtzclaw received a promotion to brigadier general and assumed permanent command of Clayton's Brigade. He took part in John Bell Hood
John Bell Hood
John Bell Hood was a Confederate general during the American Civil War. Hood had a reputation for bravery and aggressiveness that sometimes bordered on recklessness...
's campaign in Tennessee and was wounded a third time, this time a severe contusion on his ankle, during 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 December 17. However, he maintained his duties and his brigade acted as rear guard for the army following the disastrous 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...
.
In January 1865, he was assigned command of a division
Division (military)
A division is a large military unit or formation usually consisting of between 10,000 and 20,000 soldiers. In most armies, a division is composed of several regiments or brigades, and in turn several divisions typically make up a corps...
comprising his brigade and that of Mathew Ector
Mathew Ector
Mathew Duncan Ector was an American legislator, Texas jurist, and a general in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War.-Early life:...
in the Department of the Gulf and the Department of Alabama, Mississippi, and Eastern Louisiana. Subsequently, Holtzclaw assumed command of the garrison at Spanish Fort
Spanish Fort, Alabama
Spanish Fort is a suburb of Mobile, Alabama in Baldwin County, Alabama, United States, located on the eastern shore of Mobile Bay. The 2000 census lists the population of the city as 5,423. It is part of the Daphne-Fairhope-Foley micropolitan area....
and led the defenses of Mobile
Mobile, Alabama
Mobile is the third most populous city in the Southern US state of Alabama and is the county seat of Mobile County. It is located on the Mobile River and the central Gulf Coast of the United States. The population within the city limits was 195,111 during the 2010 census. It is the largest...
and Montgomery against Union
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. Following the collapse of the Confederacy, he was paroled on May 10 in Meridian, Mississippi
Meridian, Mississippi
Meridian is the county seat of Lauderdale County, Mississippi. It is the sixth largest city in the state and the principal city of the Meridian, Mississippi Micropolitan Statistical Area...
, and formally pardoned on November 4.
Postbellum activities
Holtzclaw resumed his legal career in the firm of Judge & Holtzclaw in Montgomery and became prominent in the local and state Democratic PartyDemocratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
. He took an interest in the railroad industry and served as an associate state railroad commissioner shortly before his death. He was also the grand commander of the local chapter of the Freemasons.
James T. Holtzclaw died at his home in Montgomery at the age of sixty and is buried in the city's Oakwood Cemetery.
See also
- List of American Civil War generals