Edward Higgins (Confederate general)
Encyclopedia
Edward Higgins was a Confederate States Army
brigadier general during the American Civil War
. Before the war, he spent 20 years in the United States Navy
and 7 years as a merchant steamship agent. After the war, he was an insurance and import sales agent at Norfolk, Virginia
and from 1872 to 1875 was an agent for the Pacific Mail Steamship Company
.
. At a young age, he moved to Louisiana and lived with an uncle. He was appointed a midshipman in the U.S. Navy on January 23, 1836. He was promoted to passed midshipman
on July 1, 1842, to master
on May 30, 1849 and to lieutenant
on August 24, 1849. He resigned from the U.S. Navy in 1854 and became a steamship agent in the mail service between New York City
and New Orleans, Louisiana
.
. Higgins supervised the construction of the defenses of Ship Island. On October 29, 1861, he was appointed captain in the CSA 1st Artillery Regiment. Higgins resigned from this position in January 2, 1862 and on February 13, 1862 he was appointed lieutenant colonel of the 21st Louisiana Infantry Regiment. Higgins was captured on April 28, 1862 while defending Fort Jackson and Fort St. Philip during the Union Army's attack on and occupation of the lower Mississippi River and New Orleans, Louisiana. After a brief imprisonment, Higgins was exchanged on October 16, 1862.
Having been promoted to colonel on September 26, 1862, Higgins was assigned to command of the river batteries at Vicksburg, Mississippi
. In December 1862, Higgins fought at the Snyder's Mill defenses in operations in the Vicksburg Campaign
. Upon the surrender of Vicksburg on July 4, 1863, Higgins was captured again. He was exchanged on October 13, 1863 and promoted to brigadier general on October 29, 1863.
At the request of Major General Dabney Herndon Maury, who was in charge of the defenses of Mobile, Alabama, Higgins was assigned to command the bay and harbor defenses at Mobile. He commanded a brigade at Mobile for most of the rest of the war. For reasons not clear in the historical record, Higgins was relieved of his duties on February 18, 1865. At the end of the war, he was in Macon, Georgia, awaiting orders. No record of his final capture or parole has been found.
Edward Higgins died January 31, 1875 at San Francisco California. He is buried at Holy Cross Cemetery, Colma, California
.
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...
brigadier 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...
. Before the war, he spent 20 years in the United States 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...
and 7 years as a merchant steamship agent. After the war, he was an insurance and import sales agent at Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
and from 1872 to 1875 was an agent for the Pacific Mail Steamship Company
Pacific Mail Steamship Company
The Pacific Mail Steamship Company was founded April 18, 1848 as a joint stock company under the laws of the State of New York by a group of New York City merchants, William H. Aspinwall, Edwin Bartlett, Henry Chauncey, Mr. Alsop, G.G. Howland and S.S. Howland...
.
Early life
Edward Higgins was born in 1821 in Norfolk, VirginiaNorfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
. At a young age, he moved to Louisiana and lived with an uncle. He was appointed a midshipman in the U.S. Navy on January 23, 1836. He was promoted to passed midshipman
Passed midshipman
A Passed Midshipman, sometimes called as Midshipman, Passed, is an unused and historic term which describes a Midshipman who had passed the Lieutenant exam and was eligible for promotion to Lieutenant as soon as there was a vacancy in that grade....
on July 1, 1842, to master
Master (naval)
The master, or sailing master, was a historic term for a naval officer trained in and responsible for the navigation of a sailing vessel...
on May 30, 1849 and to lieutenant
Lieutenant
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...
on August 24, 1849. He resigned from the U.S. Navy in 1854 and became a steamship agent in the mail service between New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
.
American Civil War
Edward Higgins entered the Confederate States Army on April 12, 1861 as a captain in the 1st Louisiana Artillery Regiment. On June 12, 1861, he became aide-de-camp to Major General David E. TwiggsDavid E. Twiggs
David Emanuel Twiggs was a United States soldier during the War of 1812 and Mexican-American War and a general of the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War...
. Higgins supervised the construction of the defenses of Ship Island. On October 29, 1861, he was appointed captain in the CSA 1st Artillery Regiment. Higgins resigned from this position in January 2, 1862 and on February 13, 1862 he was appointed lieutenant colonel of the 21st Louisiana Infantry Regiment. Higgins was captured on April 28, 1862 while defending Fort Jackson and Fort St. Philip during the Union Army's attack on and occupation of the lower Mississippi River and New Orleans, Louisiana. After a brief imprisonment, Higgins was exchanged on October 16, 1862.
Having been promoted to colonel on September 26, 1862, Higgins was assigned to command of the river batteries at Vicksburg, Mississippi
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,...
. In December 1862, Higgins fought at the Snyder's Mill defenses in operations in 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....
. Upon the surrender of Vicksburg on July 4, 1863, Higgins was captured again. He was exchanged on October 13, 1863 and promoted to brigadier general on October 29, 1863.
At the request of Major General Dabney Herndon Maury, who was in charge of the defenses of Mobile, Alabama, Higgins was assigned to command the bay and harbor defenses at Mobile. He commanded a brigade at Mobile for most of the rest of the war. For reasons not clear in the historical record, Higgins was relieved of his duties on February 18, 1865. At the end of the war, he was in Macon, Georgia, awaiting orders. No record of his final capture or parole has been found.
Aftermath
Higgins returned to Norfolk, Virginia after the end of the war. He was in the insurance and import businesses at Norfolk. After a severe flood in 1872, Higgins moved to California where he became an agent for the Pacific Mail Steamship Company.Edward Higgins died January 31, 1875 at San Francisco California. He is buried at Holy Cross Cemetery, Colma, California
Colma, California
Colma is a small incorporated town in San Mateo County, California, at the northern end of the San Francisco Peninsula in the San Francisco Bay Area. The population was 1,792 at the 2010 census. The town was founded as a necropolis in 1924....
.