George B. Anderson
Encyclopedia
George Burgwyn Anderson (April 12, 1831 – October 16, 1862) was a career military officer, serving first in the antebellum U.S. Army
and then dying from wounds inflicted during the American Civil War
while a general officer in the Confederate Army
. He was among six generals killed or mortally wounded at the Battle of Antietam
in September 1862.
owner William E. Anderson and his wife Frances Eliza Burgwyn, was born near Hillsboro, North Carolina. Anderson was the second cousin of Col.
Henry K. Burgwyn
of the 26th North Carolina. He entered the Caldwell Institute, where he graduated at the top of his class. While attending the University of North Carolina
, he received an appointment to the United States Military Academy
and graduated tenth of forty-three cadets in the Class of 1852. He was brevetted
as a second lieutenant in the 2nd U.S. Dragoons and trained at the cavalry school at Carlisle Barracks
, Pennsylvania
. Anderson was promoted to second lieutenant on March 21, 1854.
to assist in the survey of a proposed railroad route before joining his regiment
at Fort Chadbourne
in Texas
. On December 13, 1855, he was promoted to first lieutenant. He commanded his cavalry troop in the march from Texas across the plains
to Fort Riley, Kansas. In 1858, he was the adjutant
of the regiment while serving in the Utah Territory
during the Utah War
. In 1859, he was ordered to Louisville, Kentucky
, for duty as a recruiting officer. There, he met and married Mildred Ewing. He also served another stint as Adjutant from August 1858 to September 1859.
, John Willis Ellis
, appointed him as colonel
of the 4th North Carolina Infantry
on July 16. Anderson capably led his regiment at the Battle of Williamsburg
in May 1862 and was rewarded a month later with a promotion to brigadier general on June 9. He was assigned command of a brigade
in Maj. Gen. D.H. Hill
's division
, fighting at the Seven Days Battles
and Malvern Hill
, where he was wounded in the hand during the Confederate assault. While recovering, he was part of the defenses around Richmond, Virginia
in July 1862, serving in the 4th Brigade of Maj. Gen. G.W. Smith
's Division.
. He fought at the Battle of South Mountain
before marching into the Cumberland Valley
to Sharpsburg, Maryland
, as the Army of Northern Virginia
concentrated. During the subsequent Battle of Antietam, Anderson's veteran North Carolinians defended a portion of the Sunken Road (known as "Bloody Lane") against repeated Union
attacks. A Minié ball
struck Anderson near his ankle, injuring it badly. Anderson was transported to Shepherdstown
and then by wagon up the Shenandoah Valley
to Staunton, Virginia
, to recuperate. He was eventually shipped by train to Raleigh, North Carolina
, where he died following surgery to amputate the infected foot.
Anderson is buried in Historic Oakwood Cemetery
in Raleigh.
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
and then dying from wounds inflicted 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...
while a general officer in 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...
. He was among six generals killed or mortally wounded at the Battle of 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...
in September 1862.
Early life
George B. Anderson, the oldest son of plantationPlantation
A plantation is a long artificially established forest, farm or estate, where crops are grown for sale, often in distant markets rather than for local on-site consumption...
owner William E. Anderson and his wife Frances Eliza Burgwyn, was born near Hillsboro, North Carolina. Anderson was the second cousin of Col.
Colonel (United States)
In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, colonel is a senior field grade military officer rank just above the rank of lieutenant colonel and just below the rank of brigadier general...
Henry K. Burgwyn
Henry K. Burgwyn
Henry King Burgwyn, Jr. was a Confederate colonel in the American Civil War killed at the Battle of Gettysburg.-Early life:...
of the 26th North Carolina. He entered the Caldwell Institute, where he graduated at the top of his class. While attending the University of North Carolina
University of North Carolina
Chartered in 1789, the University of North Carolina was one of the first public universities in the United States and the only one to graduate students in the eighteenth century...
, 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...
and graduated tenth of forty-three cadets in the Class of 1852. He was brevetted
Brevet (military)
In many of the world's military establishments, brevet referred to a warrant authorizing a commissioned officer to hold a higher rank temporarily, but usually without receiving the pay of that higher rank except when actually serving in that role. An officer so promoted may be referred to as being...
as a second lieutenant in the 2nd U.S. Dragoons and trained at the cavalry school at Carlisle Barracks
Carlisle Barracks
Carlisle Barracks is a United States Army facility located in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. It is part of the United States Army Training and Doctrine Command and is the site of the U.S. Army War College...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
. Anderson was promoted to second lieutenant on March 21, 1854.
Military career and marriage
Following his training, Anderson was sent to CaliforniaCalifornia
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
to assist in the survey of a proposed railroad route before joining his regiment
Regiment
A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...
at Fort Chadbourne
Fort Chadbourne
Fort Chadbourne was a fort established by the United States Army on October 28, 1852, in what is now Coke County, Texas, to protect the western frontier and the Butterfield Overland Mail route. It was manned by the 8th U.S. Infantry...
in Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. On December 13, 1855, he was promoted to first lieutenant. He commanded his cavalry troop in the march from Texas across the plains
Great Plains
The Great Plains are a broad expanse of flat land, much of it covered in prairie, steppe and grassland, which lies west of the Mississippi River and east of the Rocky Mountains in the United States and Canada. This area covers parts of the U.S...
to Fort Riley, Kansas. In 1858, he was the adjutant
Adjutant
Adjutant is a military rank or appointment. In some armies, including most English-speaking ones, it is an officer who assists a more senior officer, while in other armies, especially Francophone ones, it is an NCO , normally corresponding roughly to a Staff Sergeant or Warrant Officer.An Adjutant...
of the regiment while serving in the Utah Territory
Utah Territory
The Territory of Utah was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from September 9, 1850, until January 4, 1896, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Utah....
during the Utah War
Utah War
The Utah War, also known as the Utah Expedition, Buchanan's Blunder, the Mormon War, or the Mormon Rebellion was an armed confrontation between LDS settlers in the Utah Territory and the armed forces of the United States government. The confrontation lasted from May 1857 until July 1858...
. In 1859, he was ordered to Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
, for duty as a recruiting officer. There, he met and married Mildred Ewing. He also served another stint as Adjutant from August 1858 to September 1859.
Civil War service
With the outbreak of the Civil War, Anderson resigned his U.S. Army commission on April 25, 1861 and returned home. The Governor of North CarolinaGovernor of North Carolina
The Governor of North Carolina is the chief executive of the State of North Carolina, one of the U.S. states. The current governor is Bev Perdue, North Carolina's first female governor.-Powers:...
, John Willis Ellis
John Willis Ellis
John Willis Ellis was the 35th Governor of the U.S. state of North Carolina from 1859 to 1861.Ellis attended the University of North Carolina, studied law under Richmond Mumford Pearson, practiced law, and was elected to the North Carolina General Assembly from Rowan County. He served as a state...
, appointed him as colonel
Colonel (United States)
In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, colonel is a senior field grade military officer rank just above the rank of lieutenant colonel and just below the rank of brigadier general...
of the 4th North Carolina Infantry
4th North Carolina Infantry
4th North Carolina Regiment was also known as the Fourth North Carolina State Troops; 4th NCST; and was nicknamed "The Bloody Fourth" after the high rate of casualties at the Battle of Seven Pines. "The effectiveness, steadiness in combat and the aggressiveness of the men to the enemy by the men...
on July 16. Anderson capably led his regiment at the Battle of Williamsburg
Battle of Williamsburg
The Battle of Williamsburg, also known as the Battle of Fort Magruder, took place on May 5, 1862, in York County, James City County, and Williamsburg, Virginia, as part of the Peninsula Campaign of the American Civil War...
in May 1862 and was rewarded a month later with a promotion to brigadier general on June 9. He was assigned 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 Maj. Gen. D.H. Hill
Daniel Harvey Hill
On July 22, 1862, Hill and Union Maj. Gen. John A. Dix concluded an agreement for the general exchange of prisoners between the Union and Confederate armies. This agreement became known as the Dix-Hill Cartel....
's 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...
, fighting at 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...
and Malvern Hill
Battle of Malvern Hill
The Battle of Malvern Hill, also known as the Battle of Poindexter's Farm, took place on July 1, 1862, in Henrico County, Virginia, on the seventh and last day of the Seven Days Battles of the American Civil War. Gen. Robert E. Lee launched a series of disjointed assaults on the nearly impregnable...
, where he was wounded in the hand during the Confederate assault. While recovering, he was part of the defenses around Richmond, Virginia
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
in July 1862, serving in the 4th Brigade of Maj. Gen. G.W. Smith
Gustavus Woodson Smith
Gustavus Woodson Smith , more commonly known as G.W. Smith, was a career United States Army officer who fought in the Mexican-American War, a civil engineer, and a major general in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War.-Early life and Mexico:Smith was born in Georgetown,...
's Division.
Maryland Campaign and death
Now able to return to active duty, Anderson resumed his brigade command in time for the Maryland CampaignMaryland Campaign
The Maryland Campaign, or the Antietam Campaign is widely considered one of the major turning points of the American Civil War. Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee's first invasion of the North was repulsed by Maj. Gen. George B...
. He fought at the Battle of South Mountain
Battle of South Mountain
The Battle of South Mountain was fought September 14, 1862, as part of the Maryland Campaign of the American Civil War. Three pitched battles were fought for possession of three South Mountain passes: Crampton's, Turner's, and Fox's Gaps. Maj. Gen. George B...
before marching into the Cumberland Valley
Cumberland Valley
The Cumberland Valley is a constituent valley of the Great Appalachian Valley and a North American agricultural region within the Atlantic Seaboard watershed in Pennsylvania and Maryland....
to Sharpsburg, Maryland
Sharpsburg, Maryland
Sharpsburg is a town in Washington County, Maryland, United States, approximately south of Hagerstown. The population was 691 at the 2000 census....
, as 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...
concentrated. During the subsequent Battle of Antietam, Anderson's veteran North Carolinians defended a portion of the Sunken Road (known as "Bloody Lane") against repeated 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...
attacks. A Minié ball
Minié ball
The Minié ball is a type of muzzle-loading spin-stabilising rifle bullet named after its co-developer, Claude-Étienne Minié, inventor of the Minié rifle...
struck Anderson near his ankle, injuring it badly. Anderson was transported to Shepherdstown
Shepherdstown, West Virginia
Shepherdstown is a town in Jefferson County, West Virginia, United States, located along the Potomac River. It is the oldest town in the state, having been chartered in 1762 by Colonial Virginia's General Assembly. Since 1863, Shepherdstown has been in West Virginia, and is the oldest town in...
and then by wagon up the Shenandoah Valley
Shenandoah Valley
The Shenandoah Valley is both a geographic valley and cultural region of western Virginia and West Virginia in the United States. The valley is bounded to the east by the Blue Ridge Mountains, to the west by the eastern front of the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians , to the north by the Potomac River...
to Staunton, Virginia
Staunton, Virginia
Staunton is an independent city within the confines of Augusta County in the commonwealth of Virginia. The population was 23,746 as of 2010. It is the county seat of Augusta County....
, to recuperate. He was eventually shipped by train to Raleigh, North Carolina
Raleigh, North Carolina
Raleigh is the capital and the second largest city in the state of North Carolina as well as the seat of Wake County. Raleigh is known as the "City of Oaks" for its many oak trees. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city's 2010 population was 403,892, over an area of , making Raleigh...
, where he died following surgery to amputate the infected foot.
Anderson is buried in Historic Oakwood Cemetery
Historic Oakwood Cemetery
Historic Oakwood Cemetery was founded in 1869 in Raleigh, North Carolina near the North Carolina State Capitol in Historic Oakwood. Historic Oakwood Cemetery contains two special areas within its , the Confederate Cemetery, located on the original two and one-half acres , and the Hebrew Cemetery,...
in Raleigh.