William T. Poague
Encyclopedia
William Thomas Poague was a Confederate States Army
officer serving in the Artillery
during the American Civil War
. He later served as Treasurer
of Virginia Military Institute
.
to John Barclay and Elizabeth Stuart Paxton Poague, Poague attended and graduated from Washington College
where he was a member of the Virginia Beta Chapter of Phi Kappa Psi. Poague was practicing law in St. Joseph, Missouri
when the Civil War began.
Poague returned to Virginia
, and entered the Confederate Army as a second lieutenant in the famous Rockbridge Virginia Artillery. Poague was promoted to be that unit's captain by April 1862. With the battery, Poague fought at the battles of First Manassas, Romney, Kernstown
, McDowell
, and later with the Army of Northern Virginia
in the Seven Days Battles
, the Battle of Cedar Mountain
, Second Manassas, the Battle of Harper's Ferry, Antietam
, and Fredericksburg. Poague was promoted to major
on March 2, 1863. He served as an executive officer to David G. McIntosh at the Battle of Chancellorsville, then was given his own battalion upon the formation of the Third Corps.
Poague commanded the battalion at Gettysburg, the Battle of Mine Run, Bristoe Station, the Wilderness
, the Spotsylvania, the North Anna
, and Cold Harbor
. Poague's best service to the Confederacy probably occurred at the Wilderness. Poague's battalion was able to hold off Winfield S. Hancock's II Corps
on the morning of the second day, firing over the heads of wounded Confederates, long enough for Lt. Gen.
James Longstreet
to arrive and "save the day." Lt. Gen. A.P. Hill turned to Poague, firing double charges, because things were so desperate that it could not be even delayed to allow wounded Confederates to get out of the way. Hill himself helped man Poague's guns. He was wounded twice at the Battle of Cold Harbor. Poague later took part in the defense of Petersburg, finally surrendering at the Battle of Appomattox Court House.
under superintendents Francis H. Smith and Battle of New Market
hero Scott Shipp
from 1884 until his death on September 8, 1914. He also served as Secretary of the Board of Visitors for VMI. He wrote a set of memoirs entitled Gunner With Stonewall. Poague's papers are collected at VMI. Poague is buried at Stonewall Jackson Cemetery in Lexington, Virginia.
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...
officer serving in the Artillery
Artillery
Originally applied to any group of infantry primarily armed with projectile weapons, artillery has over time become limited in meaning to refer only to those engines of war that operate by projection of munitions far beyond the range of effect of personal weapons...
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 later served as Treasurer
Treasurer
A treasurer is the person responsible for running the treasury of an organization. The adjective for a treasurer is normally "tresorial". The adjective "treasurial" normally means pertaining to a treasury, rather than the treasurer.-Government:...
of Virginia Military Institute
Virginia Military Institute
The Virginia Military Institute , located in Lexington, Virginia, is the oldest state-supported military college and one of six senior military colleges in the United States. Unlike any other military college in the United States—and in keeping with its founding principles—all VMI students are...
.
Early life
Born in Rockbridge County, VirginiaRockbridge County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 20,808 people, 8,486 households, and 6,075 families residing in the county. The population density was 35 people per square mile . There were 9,550 housing units at an average density of 16 per square mile...
to John Barclay and Elizabeth Stuart Paxton Poague, Poague attended and graduated from Washington College
Washington and Lee University
Washington and Lee University is a private liberal arts college in Lexington, Virginia, United States.The classical school from which Washington and Lee descended was established in 1749 as Augusta Academy, about north of its present location. In 1776 it was renamed Liberty Hall in a burst of...
where he was a member of the Virginia Beta Chapter of Phi Kappa Psi. Poague was practicing law in St. Joseph, Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
when the Civil War began.
Civil War
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, and entered the Confederate Army as a second lieutenant in the famous Rockbridge Virginia Artillery. Poague was promoted to be that unit's captain by April 1862. With the battery, Poague fought at the battles of First Manassas, Romney, Kernstown
Battle of Kernstown II
-References:* Patchan, Scott C. Shenandoah Summer: The 1864 Valley Campaign. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 2007. ISBN 978-0-8032-3754-4.-External links:* for July 24, 1864, of Major Alexander Hart of the 5th Louisiana Regiment.*...
, McDowell
Battle of McDowell
The Battle of McDowell, also known as Sitlington's Hill, was fought May 8, 1862, in Highland County, Virginia, as part of Confederate Army Maj. Gen. Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson's Campaign through the Shenandoah Valley during the American Civil War...
, and later with the Army of Northern Virginia
Army of Northern Virginia
The Army of Northern Virginia was the primary military force of the Confederate States of America in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War, as well as the primary command structure of the Department of Northern Virginia. It was most often arrayed against the Union Army of the Potomac...
in 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...
, the Battle of Cedar Mountain
Battle of Cedar Mountain
The Battle of Cedar Mountain, also known as Slaughter's Mountain or Cedar Run, took place on August 9, 1862, in Culpeper County, Virginia, as part of the American Civil War. Union forces under Maj. Gen. Nathaniel P. Banks attacked Confederate forces under Maj. Gen. Thomas J...
, Second Manassas, the Battle of Harper's Ferry, 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...
, and Fredericksburg. Poague 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...
on March 2, 1863. He served as an executive officer to David G. McIntosh at the Battle of Chancellorsville, then was given his own battalion upon the formation of the Third Corps.
Poague commanded the battalion at Gettysburg, the Battle of Mine Run, Bristoe Station, the Wilderness
Battle of the Wilderness
The Battle of the Wilderness, fought May 5–7, 1864, was the first battle of Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant's 1864 Virginia Overland Campaign against Gen. Robert E. Lee and the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia. Both armies suffered heavy casualties, a harbinger of a bloody war of attrition by...
, the Spotsylvania, the North Anna
Battle of North Anna
The Battle of North Anna was fought May 23–26, 1864, as part of Union Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant's Overland Campaign against Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia. It consisted of a series of small actions near the North Anna River in central Virginia, rather than a...
, and Cold Harbor
Battle of Cold Harbor
The Battle of Cold Harbor was fought from May 31 to June 12, 1864 . It was one of the final battles of Union Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant's Overland Campaign during the American Civil War, and is remembered as one of American history's bloodiest, most lopsided battles...
. Poague's best service to the Confederacy probably occurred at the Wilderness. Poague's battalion was able to hold off Winfield S. Hancock's II Corps
II Corps (ACW)
There were five corps in the Union Army designated as II Corps during the American Civil War.* Army of the Cumberland, II Corps commanded by Thomas L. Crittenden , later renumbered XX Corps...
on the morning of the second day, firing over the heads of wounded Confederates, long enough for Lt. Gen.
Lieutenant General (United States)
In the United States Army, the United States Air Force and the United States Marine Corps, lieutenant general is a three-star general officer rank, with the pay grade of O-9. Lieutenant general ranks above major general and below general...
James Longstreet
James Longstreet
James Longstreet was one of the foremost Confederate generals of the American Civil War and the principal subordinate to General Robert E. Lee, who called him his "Old War Horse." He served under Lee as a corps commander for many of the famous battles fought by the Army of Northern Virginia in the...
to arrive and "save the day." Lt. Gen. A.P. Hill turned to Poague, firing double charges, because things were so desperate that it could not be even delayed to allow wounded Confederates to get out of the way. Hill himself helped man Poague's guns. He was wounded twice at the Battle of Cold Harbor. Poague later took part in the defense of Petersburg, finally surrendering at the Battle of Appomattox Court House.
Post War career, death and legacy
After the War, Poague worked as a farmer, teacher, and lawyer. He represented Rockbridge County in the Virginia House of Delegates. He served Washington College, later Washington and Lee University as a Trustee from 1865 to 1885. He served as the treasurer of the Virginia Military InstituteVirginia Military Institute
The Virginia Military Institute , located in Lexington, Virginia, is the oldest state-supported military college and one of six senior military colleges in the United States. Unlike any other military college in the United States—and in keeping with its founding principles—all VMI students are...
under superintendents Francis H. Smith and Battle of New Market
Battle of New Market
The Battle of New Market was a battle fought on May 15, 1864, in Virginia during Valley Campaigns of 1864 in the American Civil War. Cadets from the Virginia Military Institute fought alongside the Confederate Army and forced Union General Franz Sigel and his army out of the Shenandoah...
hero Scott Shipp
Scott Shipp
Scott Shipp was an American military figure, Confederate States Army officer, educator and educational administrator born in Warrenton, Virginia...
from 1884 until his death on September 8, 1914. He also served as Secretary of the Board of Visitors for VMI. He wrote a set of memoirs entitled Gunner With Stonewall. Poague's papers are collected at VMI. Poague is buried at Stonewall Jackson Cemetery in Lexington, Virginia.