Theodore W. Brevard
Encyclopedia
Theodore Washington Brevard (August 26, 1835, Tuskegee, AL
– June 20, 1882, Tallahassee, FL
) was a military officer best known for having served in the Confederate States Army
. During his tenure with the Confederate army, he served in such ranks as Captain, Colonel and Brigadier-General. Brevard was captured by the forces of General George Custer and imprisoned at Johnson's Island
. He later died in 1882.
on August 26, 1835 and studied law at the University of Virginia
. He was admitted to the Florida bar in 1858, and later served in the state assembly
. In June 1860, Brevard was appointed adjutant
and inspector-general for the state of Florida. At the beginning of the Civil War
in 1861, he resigned from this post to enter active service, feeling that "he was too young a man to hold a safe and easy position whiles others were in peril".
, which had its origins as a battalion. After obtaining a commission, in the spring of 1861, Brevard assembled a company of volunteers which would later compose the 2nd Florida regiment
. The company was ordered to Fernandina Beach
and drilled until thoroughly versed with military tactics. Being the first regiment
that was ordered by the state of Virginia, it was labeled the representative regiment of Florida.
Captain Brevard returned to Florida in the summer of 1862 after being commissioned to form a battalion of partisan rangers. Six companies forming the second battalion soon enlisted, commanded by Captains Henry Bird, Andrew J. May, John Westcott Walter J. Robinson and Adam Ochus under the command of Brevard, now in the rank of lieutenant-colonel. Under General
Joseph Finegan
command, the battalion did effective work in south
and east
Florida and, on May 1864, was ordered to Virginia when the 4th Florida battalion, seven companies, the companies of Ochus and Robinson of Brevard's battalion and Captain Cullen Bradley's unattached company of Florida volunteers were assigned to the 11th Infantry under the command of Colonel
Brevard. The battalion took a gallant part in the fighting around Richmond
and Petersburg
, and were under-fire nearly all the time after reaching Richmond. During the Battle of Jerusalem Plank Road
, Brevard learned of the death of his younger brother, Lieutenant
Mays Brevard.
, they were captured by General George Custer
's cavalry
. Brevard was sent to Washington and later to Johnson's Island
where he was imprisoned until his release in August 1865. Brevard died on June 20, 1882 in Tallahassee, Florida
. The Union army
had not realized that they had captured General Brevard, they thought they had captured Colonel Brevard. Despite Custer's habit of enumerating all of his battlefield prizes, no federal provost marshal had counted Brevard as a General. Quite possibly, Brevard had no idea he was a General himself, as his March 28 commission to the post had not reached him due to the chaos of the retreat, and he may not have discovered that he was a general until the war was over.
Tuskegee, Alabama
Tuskegee is a city in Macon County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 11,846 and is designated a Micropolitan Statistical Area. Tuskegee has been an important site in various stages of African American history....
– June 20, 1882, Tallahassee, FL
Tallahassee, Florida
Tallahassee is the capital of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat and only incorporated municipality in Leon County, and is the 128th largest city in the United States. Tallahassee became the capital of Florida, then the Florida Territory, in 1824. In 2010, the population recorded by...
) was a military officer best known for having served 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 his tenure with the Confederate army, he served in such ranks as Captain, Colonel and Brigadier-General. Brevard was captured by the forces of General George Custer and imprisoned at Johnson's Island
Johnson's Island
Johnson's Island is a island in Sandusky Bay, located on the coast of Lake Erie, 3 miles from the city of Sandusky, Ohio. It was the site of a prisoner-of-war camp for Confederate officers captured during the American Civil War. Johnson's Island was the only Union prison exclusively for Southern...
. He later died in 1882.
Antebellum life
Theodore Washington Brevard, Jr. was born in Tuskegee, AlabamaTuskegee, Alabama
Tuskegee is a city in Macon County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 11,846 and is designated a Micropolitan Statistical Area. Tuskegee has been an important site in various stages of African American history....
on August 26, 1835 and studied law at the University of Virginia
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
. He was admitted to the Florida bar in 1858, and later served in the state assembly
Florida Legislature
The Florida State Legislature is the term often used to refer to the two houses that act as the state legislature of the U.S. state of Florida. The Florida Constitution states that "The legislative power of the state shall be vested in a legislature of the State of Florida," composed of a Senate...
. In June 1860, Brevard was appointed 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...
and inspector-general for the state of Florida. At the beginning of the Civil War
Civil war
A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same nation state or republic, or, less commonly, between two countries created from a formerly-united nation state....
in 1861, he resigned from this post to enter active service, feeling that "he was too young a man to hold a safe and easy position whiles others were in peril".
Military career
Brevard organized the 11th Florida Regiment11th Florida Infantry
The 11th Regiment, Florida Infantry was an infantry regiment from Florida that served in the Confederate States Army from 1864 to 1865.The 11th Infantry Regiment was organized in June 1864 by consolidating part of the 2nd and the 4th Florida Infantry Battalions. Many of the men serving in the...
, which had its origins as a battalion. After obtaining a commission, in the spring of 1861, Brevard assembled a company of volunteers which would later compose the 2nd Florida regiment
2nd Florida Infantry
An integral part of the 2nd Florida Regiment, the 2nd Florida was organized in April and July 1861 and mustered into Confederate service for 12 months near Jacksonville, Florida on July 13, 1861. It was reorganized on May 11, 1862.Assignments for the 2nd were:...
. The company was ordered to Fernandina Beach
Fernandina Beach, Florida
Fernandina Beach is a city in Nassau County in the state of Florida in the United States of America and on Amelia Island. It is a part of Greater Jacksonville and is among Florida's northernmost cities. The area was first inhabited by the Timucuan Indian tribe...
and drilled until thoroughly versed with military tactics. Being the first 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...
that was ordered by the state of Virginia, it was labeled the representative regiment of Florida.
Captain Brevard returned to Florida in the summer of 1862 after being commissioned to form a battalion of partisan rangers. Six companies forming the second battalion soon enlisted, commanded by Captains Henry Bird, Andrew J. May, John Westcott Walter J. Robinson and Adam Ochus under the command of Brevard, now in the rank of lieutenant-colonel. Under General
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
Joseph Finegan
Joseph Finegan
Joseph Finegan was an attorney, politician, and railroad builder in Florida, but is primarily known as the general who commanded the Confederate States Army in its victory at the Battle of Olustee....
command, the battalion did effective work in south
South Florida metropolitan area
The South Florida metropolitan area, also known as the Miami metropolitan area, and designated the Miami–Fort Lauderdale–Pompano Beach, FL Metropolitan Statistical Area by the U.S...
and east
East Florida
East Florida was a colony of Great Britain from 1763–1783 and of Spain from 1783–1822. East Florida was established by the British colonial government in 1763; as its name implies it consisted of the eastern part of the region of Florida, with West Florida comprising the western parts. Its capital...
Florida and, on May 1864, was ordered to Virginia when the 4th Florida battalion, seven companies, the companies of Ochus and Robinson of Brevard's battalion and Captain Cullen Bradley's unattached company of Florida volunteers were assigned to the 11th Infantry under the command of 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...
Brevard. The battalion took a gallant part in the fighting around Richmond
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...
and Petersburg
Petersburg, Virginia
Petersburg is an independent city in Virginia, United States located on the Appomattox River and south of the state capital city of Richmond. The city's population was 32,420 as of 2010, predominantly of African-American ethnicity...
, and were under-fire nearly all the time after reaching Richmond. During the Battle of Jerusalem Plank Road
Battle of Jerusalem Plank Road
The Battle of Jerusalem Plank Road, also known as the First Battle of the Weldon Railroad, was fought June 21–23, 1864, near Petersburg, Virginia. It was the first of a series of battles during the Siege of Petersburg aimed at extending the Union siege lines to the west and cutting the rail...
, Brevard learned of the death of his younger brother, 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...
Mays Brevard.
Capture and death
Upon the resignation of General Finegan, Brevard was made a brigadier-general and acted as such until 6 April 1865, when, while leading the 5th, 8th and 11th Florida regiments to break a flank movement of the enemyEnemy combatant
Enemy combatant is a term historically referring to members of the armed forces of the state with which another state is at war. Prior to 2008, the definition was: "Any person in an armed conflict who could be properly detained under the laws and customs of war." In the case of a civil war or an...
, they were captured by General George Custer
George Armstrong Custer
George Armstrong Custer was a United States Army officer and cavalry commander in the American Civil War and the Indian Wars. Raised in Michigan and Ohio, Custer was admitted to West Point in 1858, where he graduated last in his class...
's cavalry
Cavalry
Cavalry or horsemen were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback. Cavalry were historically the third oldest and the most mobile of the combat arms...
. Brevard was sent to Washington and later to Johnson's Island
Johnson's Island
Johnson's Island is a island in Sandusky Bay, located on the coast of Lake Erie, 3 miles from the city of Sandusky, Ohio. It was the site of a prisoner-of-war camp for Confederate officers captured during the American Civil War. Johnson's Island was the only Union prison exclusively for Southern...
where he was imprisoned until his release in August 1865. Brevard died on June 20, 1882 in Tallahassee, Florida
Tallahassee, Florida
Tallahassee is the capital of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat and only incorporated municipality in Leon County, and is the 128th largest city in the United States. Tallahassee became the capital of Florida, then the Florida Territory, in 1824. In 2010, the population recorded by...
. The Union army
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...
had not realized that they had captured General Brevard, they thought they had captured Colonel Brevard. Despite Custer's habit of enumerating all of his battlefield prizes, no federal provost marshal had counted Brevard as a General. Quite possibly, Brevard had no idea he was a General himself, as his March 28 commission to the post had not reached him due to the chaos of the retreat, and he may not have discovered that he was a general until the war was over.