Theophilus T. Garrard
Theophilus Toulmin Garrard (born June 7, 1812 near Manchester , Clay County , Kentucky , † March 15, 1902 ibid) was an American politician , officer in the Mexican-American and American Civil War , farmer and businessman.
Private life
Theophilus T. Garrard, son of Colonel Daniel Garrard (1780-1886) and Lucinda Jane Toulmin (1790-1849), was born at Goose Creek Salt Works (later Union Salt Works ) near Manchester, Kentucky. He was the grandson of James Garrard , second governor of Kentucky, and the cousin of the later Union Generals Israel , Jeptha and Kenner Garrard . Theophilus attended Center College in Danville, Kentucky.
He was married twice. He married Nancy Brawner on March 26, 1832, who died on March 31, just five days after they were married. He later married Lucinda "Lucy" Burnham Lees on March 9, 1849. The couple had eleven children together, six boys and five daughters.
Garrard left Kentucky in 1849 for California , where gold had been found at the time, but returned to Kentucky the following year, hapless.
Despite being a devoted unionist, Garrard owned slaves . The 1840 census showed that he owned 11 slaves. By 1860 his total net worth was $ 20,000 (in 2007 that would be over $ 694,000) and his nine slaves made him the sixth richest citizen of Clay County.
After retiring from the army, Garrard spent the rest of his life in Clay County, farming and running the Union Salt Works, which he rebuilt after being burned down by Union soldiers during the war.
He died in 1902 at his home, where he was born. Garrard is buried in the family cemetery near Garrard, Kentucky.
Political career
Garrard was pursuing a political career when he ran for a seat in the Kentucky House of Representatives in 1841 and 1842, both times unsuccessfully . Only on his third attempt, in 1843, did he beat his opponent General Elijah Combs. The following year he was re-elected without resistance.
He won a seat in the Kentucky Senate in 1857 , from which he resigned in 1859 to run for the US Congress , where he was defeated by Green Admas . Garrard was then re-elected to the Senate on August 4, 1861, but turned it down because he received an officer's license on July 27, 1861.
Military career
Mexican-American War
During the Mexican-American War he served from March 5, 1847 to August 5, 1849 as a captain in Company E of the 16th US Infantry , but he did not take part in any combat during this time. Four companies, including those from Garrard were in Cerralvo ( Mexico ) at the Rio Grande stationed and the remaining six in Monterrey . Garrard stated, "I think the 8 months I've been here have been the most comfortable of my life. The Mexicans love each other. We don't have any problems with them. The climate was friendly and everything went well."
American Civil War
When the American Civil War broke out, Garrard was busy setting up an infantry regiment . He personally recruited eight companies: two from Clay County, two from Laurel County , two from Knox County, and two from Whitley County . On September 22, 1861, he was appointed Colonel in the 7th Kentucky Infantry.
He commanded the 7th Kentucky Infantry in the Battle of Camp Wildcat during the Cumberland Gap Campaign and a detachment in the Battle of Perryville from the 7th and 32nd Kentucky Infantry and 3rd Tennessee Infantry, which escaped in the Battle of Richmond . Garrard remained with the 7th Kentucky Infantry until the winter of 1862, when he was assigned to the staff of Brigadier General Samuel P. Carter .
On November 29, 1862 Garrard was appointed brigadier general and as such was the Major General Benjamin M. Prentiss in Helena ( Arkansas ) reportable. He commanded the Somerset district from August 1863 to January 17, 1864 , which included four other nearby towns. His command was interrupted by the Somerset Subdistrict, which he also commanded between November 6, 1863 and December 1863. On January 17, 1864, he was given command of the District of Clinch , where he was under a mixed brigade of infantry and cavalry , which was posted at Cumberland Gap .
For reasons that are still unknown, Garrard was retired on April 4, 1864 with full honors. His discharge may be due to the loss of his vision in his left eye, which occurred at the end of March 1863.
Honors
Brigadier General Theophilus T. Garrard Camp # 4, Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War , is named after him in his honor.
literature
- John H. Eicher and David J. Eicher, Civil War High Commands (Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press), 2001. ISBN 0-8047-3641-3
- "Theophilus Toulmin Garrard", The Kentucky Encyclopedia , John E. Kleber (ed.) (Lexington: The University Press of Kentucky), 1992.
- "Theophilus T. Garrard in His Own Words," The Kentucky Explorer , October 1996.
- Ezra J. Warner, Generals in Blue: Lives of the Union Commanders (Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press), 1964. ISBN 0-8071-3149-0
Web links
- Theophilus T. Garrard in the database of Find a Grave (English)
- Alphabetical roster of the 7th Kentucky taken from Thomas Speed's Union Regiments of Kentucky
Individual evidence
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Garrard, Theophilus T. |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Garrard, Theophilus Toulmin (full name) |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | American military, U.S. Army general |
| DATE OF BIRTH | June 7, 1812 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | near Manchester , Kentucky |
| DATE OF DEATH | March 15, 1902 |
| Place of death | near Manchester , Kentucky |