Henry K. Burgwyn
Encyclopedia
Henry King Burgwyn, Jr. (October 3, 1841 – July 1, 1863) was a Confederate
colonel in the American Civil War
killed at the Battle of Gettysburg
.
George B. Anderson
. Burgwyn grew up in Northampton County, North Carolina
, at Thornberry, the family plantation. He attended Burlington College in North Carolina. Hoping, but never receiving an appointment to the United States Military Academy
at West Point, New York
, Burgwyn instead graduated from the University of North Carolina
in 1857. He then graduated from the Virginia Military Institute
as a member of the class of 1861. Burgwyn spent a few tours as a recruiting officer in North Carolina and then as commandant
of Camp Crabtree in Raleigh, North Carolina
, where he drilled and attempted to instill discipline in the recruits.
, for an appointment as a Confederate officer, Burgwyn became the lieutenant colonel
of the 26th North Carolina Regiment at just 19 years of age. He took part in the 26th North Carolina's fight against Ambrose E. Burnside at the Battle of New Bern
and narrowly escaped capture. The regiment next took part in the failed attack on the Union position at Malvern Hill
. Burgwyn was promoted to colonel in August 1862 and took command of the regiment when its commander, Zebulon B. Vance (who Burgwyn felt was unfit for command) was elected governor of North Carolina, despite the fact that the 26th North Carolina's brigade commander, Brig. Gen. Robert Ransom was against the promotion. Ransom and Burgwyn disliked each other and the 26th was transferred from Ransom's command to the brigade of Brig. Gen. J. Johnston Pettigrew
. Burgwyn spent much of the fall and winter of 1862 in eastern North Carolina with minor engagements against Union forces. During this period he was also instrumental in recruitment and conscription
activity and drilling these new soldiers. Burgwyn next led the 26th at the Battle of Goldsboro Bridge
. The regiment was heavily involved in Daniel Harvey Hill
's New Bern and Washington Campaigns. The 26th was then sent north to join the Army of Northern Virginia
, arriving shortly after the Battle of Chancellorsville
. When his regiment joined Lee's Army, Burgwyn was thought to be the youngest colonel to have served to that point with the Army, and the 26th was the largest regiment in the Army.
as part of the Gettysburg Campaign
. The 26th engaged in brutal fighting against Solomon Meredith
's vaunted Iron Brigade
in Herbst's Woods on the afternoon of July 1, 1863, at Gettysburg. As the regiment was exiting Herbst's Woods and reaching the crest of McPherson's Ridge, Burgwyn was shot through both lungs and mortally wounded carrying the colors of the 26th (Historian Earl J. Hess wrote that Burgwyn had just passed the colors to a private then the colors fell again and Burgwyn turned to see what had happened and was then shot). According to William M. Cheek, an eyewitness at the time,
In all, 13 color bearers for the 26th North Carolina were either killed or wounded. Burgwyn died about two hours after he was wounded and was buried on the field north of the Chambersburg Pike in an empty gun case.
Another eye witness and a member of Burgwyn's command, Fred A. Olds, wrote in a letter that he was with the Colonel when he died:
For his gallantry and heroism, Colonel Burgwyn was awarded the Confederate Southern Cross of Honor
for his actions on July 1, 1863, and is listed on the Confederate Honor Roll. His family had his body exhumed in 1867 and he was laid to rest in Raleigh's Historic Oakwood Cemetery
.
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...
colonel in 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...
killed at the Battle of Gettysburg
Battle of Gettysburg
The Battle of Gettysburg , was fought July 1–3, 1863, in and around the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The battle with the largest number of casualties in the American Civil War, it is often described as the war's turning point. Union Maj. Gen. George Gordon Meade's Army of the Potomac...
.
Early life
Burgwyn was born in Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts, to Henry King Burgwyn, Sr. and Ann Greenough Burgwyn while his parents were vacationing there. He was the second cousin of Brig. GenBrigadier general (United States)
A brigadier general in the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, is a one-star general officer, with the pay grade of O-7. Brigadier general ranks above a colonel and below major general. Brigadier general is equivalent to the rank of rear admiral in the other uniformed...
George B. Anderson
George B. Anderson
George Burgwyn Anderson 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...
. Burgwyn grew up in Northampton County, North Carolina
Northampton County, North Carolina
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 22,086 people, 8,691 households, and 5,953 families residing in the county. The population density was 41 people per square mile . There were 10,455 housing units at an average density of 20 per square mile...
, at Thornberry, the family plantation. He attended Burlington College in North Carolina. Hoping, but never receiving 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...
at West Point, New York
West Point, New York
West Point is a federal military reservation established by President of the United States Thomas Jefferson in 1802. It is a census-designated place located in Town of Highlands in Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 7,138 at the 2000 census...
, Burgwyn instead graduated from 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...
in 1857. He then graduated from the 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...
as a member of the class of 1861. Burgwyn spent a few tours as a recruiting officer in North Carolina and then as commandant
Commandant
Commandant is a senior title often given to the officer in charge of a large training establishment or academy. This usage is common in anglophone nations...
of Camp Crabtree in 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 drilled and attempted to instill discipline in the recruits.
Civil War
In August 1861, after a personal recommendation from VMI professor, Thomas Jonathan JacksonStonewall Jackson
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, for an appointment as a Confederate officer, Burgwyn became the 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...
of the 26th North Carolina Regiment at just 19 years of age. He took part in the 26th North Carolina's fight against Ambrose E. Burnside at the Battle of New Bern
Battle of New Bern
The Battle of New Bern was fought on 14 March 1862, near the city of New Bern, North Carolina, as part of the Burnside Expedition of the American Civil War. The US Army's Coast Division, led by Brigadier General Ambrose E...
and narrowly escaped capture. The regiment next took part in the failed attack on the Union position at 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...
. Burgwyn was promoted to colonel in August 1862 and took command of the regiment when its commander, Zebulon B. Vance (who Burgwyn felt was unfit for command) was elected governor of North Carolina, despite the fact that the 26th North Carolina's brigade commander, Brig. Gen. Robert Ransom was against the promotion. Ransom and Burgwyn disliked each other and the 26th was transferred from Ransom's command to the brigade of Brig. Gen. J. Johnston Pettigrew
J. Johnston Pettigrew
James Johnston Pettigrew was an author, lawyer, linguist, diplomat, and a Confederate general in the American Civil War...
. Burgwyn spent much of the fall and winter of 1862 in eastern North Carolina with minor engagements against Union forces. During this period he was also instrumental in recruitment and conscription
Conscription
Conscription is the compulsory enlistment of people in some sort of national service, most often military service. Conscription dates back to antiquity and continues in some countries to the present day under various names...
activity and drilling these new soldiers. Burgwyn next led the 26th at the Battle of Goldsboro Bridge
Battle of Goldsboro Bridge
The Battle of Goldsborough Bridge took place on December 17, 1862, in Wayne County, North Carolina, as part of the Union expedition to Goldsboro, North Carolina, during the American Civil War.-Background:...
. The regiment was heavily involved in Daniel Harvey 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 New Bern and Washington Campaigns. The 26th was then sent north to join 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...
, arriving shortly after the Battle of Chancellorsville
Battle of Chancellorsville
The Battle of Chancellorsville was a major battle of the American Civil War, and the principal engagement of the Chancellorsville Campaign. It was fought from April 30 to May 6, 1863, in Spotsylvania County, Virginia, near the village of Chancellorsville. Two related battles were fought nearby on...
. When his regiment joined Lee's Army, Burgwyn was thought to be the youngest colonel to have served to that point with the Army, and the 26th was the largest regiment in the Army.
Gettysburg and death
Burgwyn and the 26th North Carolina moved north toward PennsylvaniaPennsylvania
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...
as part of the Gettysburg Campaign
Gettysburg Campaign
The Gettysburg Campaign was a series of battles fought in June and July 1863, during the American Civil War. After his victory in the Battle of Chancellorsville, Confederate General Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia moved north for offensive operations in Maryland and Pennsylvania. The...
. The 26th engaged in brutal fighting against Solomon Meredith
Solomon Meredith
Solomon Meredith was a prominent Indiana farmer, politician, and lawman who was a controversial Union Army general in the American Civil War...
's vaunted Iron Brigade
Iron Brigade
The Iron Brigade, also known as the Iron Brigade of the West or the Black Hat Brigade, was an infantry brigade in the Union Army of the Potomac during the American Civil War. Although it fought entirely in the Eastern Theater, it was composed of regiments from Western states...
in Herbst's Woods on the afternoon of July 1, 1863, at Gettysburg. As the regiment was exiting Herbst's Woods and reaching the crest of McPherson's Ridge, Burgwyn was shot through both lungs and mortally wounded carrying the colors of the 26th (Historian Earl J. Hess wrote that Burgwyn had just passed the colors to a private then the colors fell again and Burgwyn turned to see what had happened and was then shot). According to William M. Cheek, an eyewitness at the time,
In all, 13 color bearers for the 26th North Carolina were either killed or wounded. Burgwyn died about two hours after he was wounded and was buried on the field north of the Chambersburg Pike in an empty gun case.
Another eye witness and a member of Burgwyn's command, Fred A. Olds, wrote in a letter that he was with the Colonel when he died:
For his gallantry and heroism, Colonel Burgwyn was awarded the Confederate Southern Cross of Honor
Southern Cross of Honor
The Southern Cross of Honor is the name of two separate and distinct military honors presented to Confederate military personnel and veterans. The original wartime medal, aka Confederate Medal of Honor, was a military decoration meant to honor officers, noncommissioned officers, and privates for...
for his actions on July 1, 1863, and is listed on the Confederate Honor Roll. His family had his body exhumed in 1867 and he was laid to rest in Raleigh's 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,...
.
Further reading
- Davis, Archie K. Boy Colonel of the Confederacy: The Life and Times of Henry King Burgwyn, Jr., The University of North Carolina Press, 1985, ISBN 978-0-8078-4709-1
- Gragg, Rod. Covered With Glory: The 26th North Carolina Infantry at Gettysburg, Harpercollins, 2000, ISBN 978-0-0601-7445-3