Charles DeWitt Anderson
Encyclopedia
Charles DeWitt Anderson (July 1827 or 1829 – November 21, 1901) was an American
soldier, railway builder, civil engineer, and lighthouse keeper. He served as an officer in the U.S. Army
, and later as a Confederate
officer during the American Civil War
. Anderson was noted for his controversial surrender of Fort Gaines at the Battle of Mobile Bay
in August 1864.
. In 1839 his family immigrated by sea to Texas
, at the time an independent nation and not a U.S. state until 1845. During the voyage both of his parents died, and after arriving at the port of Galveston
Anderson and his brother were adopted by an Episcopal
minister, who raised them both.
In 1846 Anderson became the first Texan appointed to the United States Military Academy
at West Point
. He had been recommended by Texas' founder, Sam Houston
, and he began attending on September 1. Anderson struggled academically at West Point; during his sophomore year he was found "deficient" in both French and mathematics, and resigned from the academy on November 13, 1848. Despite this, in 1856 Anderson was directly commissioned into the U.S. Army as a second lieutenant on June 27. He was assigned to the 4th U.S. Artillery and was promoted to first lieutenant on July 6, 1859. Anderson served with the 4th in Florida
and then in the Utah Territory
, and he was there when the Civil War began in 1861. Acquiring a leave of absence he headed home, and (after covering about 100 miles of wintry terrain) Anderson then decided to resign from the U.S. Army, which was accepted effective on April 1, 1861.
At the beginning of the American Civil War in 1861, Anderson chose to follow his home state and the Confederate cause. On March 16 he was appointed a first lieutenant in the Regular Confederate Artillery. His first assignment was at Fort Morgan, guarding the entrance to Mobile Bay
, Alabama. There he was given command a regular detachment, organized separately from the volunteer forces but attached to the 2nd Alabama Infantry, and was responsible for the installation's ordnance. His total force consisted of the remaining regular recruits from the Mount Vernon Arsenal in Alabama, and numbered only two officers and nine enlisted men. On November 9 Anderson entered the volunteer service for good, appointed a major
in the 20th Alabama Infantry, and command of his regulars fell to 2nd Lt. Alfred M. O'Neal.
In late 1861 Anderson and the 20th Alabama were stationed at Knoxville, Tennessee
, and on February 15, 1862, he left the unit to join the staff of Brig. Gen. Adley H. Gladden
, posted at Mobile, Alabama
. That April during the Battle of Shiloh
, Anderson acted as his assistant adjutant general
, but following Gladden's death in the battle the staff was broken up. The following month Anderson took command of the 21st Alabama Infantry, elected its colonel
on May 8. The regiment became part of the defenses of Mobile, with Anderson commanding it for the remainder of 1862, all of 1863, and into 1864.
forces were operating against Mobile Bay
, and Anderson was given command of Fort Gaines, situated directly across from Fort Morgan and resting on Dauphin Island
. On August 5 the Union Navy
ran past both forts, landing the infantry of Maj. Gen.
Gordon Granger
. Both forces then began bombarding Fort Gaines, with the heavy naval shells easily passing through the fort's walls. Despite receiving only moderate damage, Anderson's men panicked and demanded he surrender, which at first Anderson rejected, but realizing his command was about to mutiny he conceded defeat on August 8, after three days of shelling. Military historian Bruce Allardice summarized Anderson's predicament:
Anderson turned over between 818 and 864 men as well as 26 cannon. His superior, Brig. Gen. Richard L. Page
, criticized the surrender as a "deed of dishonor and disgrace" and for his allowing Lt. Col. James M. Williams (Anderson's second in command) to abandon nearby Fort Powell late on August 5. Page said this despite his own surrender of Fort Morgan two weeks later and after a single day of bombardment. Military historian David J. Eicher considered Anderson's actions a "halfhearted attempt to defend the position." Anderson would spend the rest of the war confined to a military prison in New Orleans, Louisiana
, and was paroled in 1865. David Farragut
, the admiral commanding the Union Navy vessels during Battle of Mobile Bay, had Anderson in mind with one of his dying wishes. He requested that the sword he received during Anderson's surrender be returned to Anderson "in recognition of his gallantry." Farragut stated in his official report of the battle "that Anderson had put up a better fight than Page."
chief engineer. Anderson next went back to Galveston, Texas, where he built the Galveston Island
Lighthouse
. Beginning in 1895 and until his death six years later, Anderson was the lighthouse's keeper. He died there, reportedly of the "grippe
", in November 1901, and was buried in Old Cahill Cemetery in Galveston.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
soldier, railway builder, civil engineer, and lighthouse keeper. He served as an officer in the U.S. Army
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 later as a Confederate
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
officer 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...
. Anderson was noted for his controversial surrender of Fort Gaines at the Battle of Mobile Bay
Battle of Mobile Bay
The Battle of Mobile Bay of August 5, 1864, was an engagement of the American Civil War in which a Federal fleet commanded by Rear Adm. David G. Farragut, assisted by a contingent of soldiers, attacked a smaller Confederate fleet led by Adm...
in August 1864.
Early life and career
Charles DeWitt Anderson was born in July of either 1827 or 1829 in South CarolinaSouth Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
. In 1839 his family immigrated by sea to 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...
, at the time an independent nation and not a U.S. state until 1845. During the voyage both of his parents died, and after arriving at the port of Galveston
Galveston, Texas
Galveston is a coastal city located on Galveston Island in the U.S. state of Texas. , the city had a total population of 47,743 within an area of...
Anderson and his brother were adopted by an Episcopal
Episcopal Church (United States)
The Episcopal Church is a mainline Anglican Christian church found mainly in the United States , but also in Honduras, Taiwan, Colombia, Ecuador, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, the British Virgin Islands and parts of Europe...
minister, who raised them both.
In 1846 Anderson became the first Texan appointed 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
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...
. He had been recommended by Texas' founder, Sam Houston
Sam Houston
Samuel Houston, known as Sam Houston , was a 19th-century American statesman, politician, and soldier. He was born in Timber Ridge in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, of Scots-Irish descent. Houston became a key figure in the history of Texas and was elected as the first and third President of...
, and he began attending on September 1. Anderson struggled academically at West Point; during his sophomore year he was found "deficient" in both French and mathematics, and resigned from the academy on November 13, 1848. Despite this, in 1856 Anderson was directly commissioned into the U.S. Army as a second lieutenant on June 27. He was assigned to the 4th U.S. Artillery and was promoted to first lieutenant on July 6, 1859. Anderson served with the 4th in Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
and then 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....
, and he was there when the Civil War began in 1861. Acquiring a leave of absence he headed home, and (after covering about 100 miles of wintry terrain) Anderson then decided to resign from the U.S. Army, which was accepted effective on April 1, 1861.
Civil War service
Mobile Bay
Mobile Bay is an inlet of the Gulf of Mexico, lying within the state of Alabama in the United States. Its mouth is formed by the Fort Morgan Peninsula on the eastern side and Dauphin Island, a barrier island on the western side. The Mobile River and Tensaw River empty into the northern end of the...
, Alabama. There he was given command a regular detachment, organized separately from the volunteer forces but attached to the 2nd Alabama Infantry, and was responsible for the installation's ordnance. His total force consisted of the remaining regular recruits from the Mount Vernon Arsenal in Alabama, and numbered only two officers and nine enlisted men. On November 9 Anderson entered the volunteer service for good, appointed a major
Major (United States)
In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, major is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel...
in the 20th Alabama Infantry, and command of his regulars fell to 2nd Lt. Alfred M. O'Neal.
In late 1861 Anderson and the 20th Alabama were stationed at Knoxville, Tennessee
Knoxville, Tennessee
Founded in 1786, Knoxville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Tennessee, U.S.A., behind Memphis and Nashville, and is the county seat of Knox County. It is the largest city in East Tennessee, and the second-largest city in the Appalachia region...
, and on February 15, 1862, he left the unit to join the staff of Brig. Gen. Adley H. Gladden
Adley H. Gladden
Adley Hogan Gladden was a Brigadier General in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. He impressed General Braxton Bragg after defending Pensacola from Union bombardment. He was mortally wounded at the Battle of Shiloh....
, posted at Mobile, Alabama
Mobile, Alabama
Mobile is the third most populous city in the Southern US state of Alabama and is the county seat of Mobile County. It is located on the Mobile River and the central Gulf Coast of the United States. The population within the city limits was 195,111 during the 2010 census. It is the largest...
. That April during the Battle of Shiloh
Battle of Shiloh
The Battle of Shiloh, also known as the Battle of Pittsburg Landing, was a major battle in the Western Theater of the American Civil War, fought April 6–7, 1862, in southwestern Tennessee. A Union army under Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant had moved via the Tennessee River deep into Tennessee and...
, Anderson acted as his assistant adjutant general
Adjutant general
An Adjutant General is a military chief administrative officer.-Imperial Russia:In Imperial Russia, the General-Adjutant was a Court officer, who was usually an army general. He served as a personal aide to the Tsar and hence was a member of the H. I. M. Retinue...
, but following Gladden's death in the battle the staff was broken up. The following month Anderson took command of the 21st Alabama Infantry, elected its colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
on May 8. The regiment became part of the defenses of Mobile, with Anderson commanding it for the remainder of 1862, all of 1863, and into 1864.
Fort Gaines
By May 1864 Anderson was an acting brigadier general in the Confederate Army. That fall UnionUnion 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...
forces were operating against Mobile Bay
Battle of Mobile Bay
The Battle of Mobile Bay of August 5, 1864, was an engagement of the American Civil War in which a Federal fleet commanded by Rear Adm. David G. Farragut, assisted by a contingent of soldiers, attacked a smaller Confederate fleet led by Adm...
, and Anderson was given command of Fort Gaines, situated directly across from Fort Morgan and resting on Dauphin Island
Dauphin Island, Alabama
Dauphin Island is a town in Mobile County, Alabama , on a barrier island also named Dauphin Island , at the Gulf of Mexico. The population was 1,371 at the 2000 census. The town is included in the Mobile metropolitan statistical area...
. On August 5 the Union Navy
Union Navy
The Union Navy is the label applied to the United States Navy during the American Civil War, to contrast it from its direct opponent, the Confederate States Navy...
ran past both forts, landing the infantry of Maj. Gen.
Major general (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Marine Corps, and United States Air Force, major general is a two-star general-officer rank, with the pay grade of O-8. Major general ranks above brigadier general and below lieutenant general...
Gordon Granger
Gordon Granger
Gordon Granger was a career U.S. army officer and a Union general during the American Civil War. He distinguished himself at the Battle of Chickamauga.-Early life & Mexico:...
. Both forces then began bombarding Fort Gaines, with the heavy naval shells easily passing through the fort's walls. Despite receiving only moderate damage, Anderson's men panicked and demanded he surrender, which at first Anderson rejected, but realizing his command was about to mutiny he conceded defeat on August 8, after three days of shelling. Military historian Bruce Allardice summarized Anderson's predicament:
Anderson turned over between 818 and 864 men as well as 26 cannon. His superior, Brig. Gen. Richard L. Page
Richard Lucian Page
Richard Lucian Page was a United States Navy officer who joined the Confederate States Navy and later became a brigadier general in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. He was a cousin of Confederate General Robert E. Lee. Another cousin was poet Thomas Nelson...
, criticized the surrender as a "deed of dishonor and disgrace" and for his allowing Lt. Col. James M. Williams (Anderson's second in command) to abandon nearby Fort Powell late on August 5. Page said this despite his own surrender of Fort Morgan two weeks later and after a single day of bombardment. Military historian David J. Eicher considered Anderson's actions a "halfhearted attempt to defend the position." Anderson would spend the rest of the war confined to a military prison in New Orleans, Louisiana
Louisiana in the American Civil War
Antebellum Louisiana was a leading slave state, where enslaved Africans and African Americans comprised the majority of the population through the eighteenth century. By 1860 47% of the population was enslaved. The state also had one of the largest free black populations in the United States...
, and was paroled in 1865. David Farragut
David Farragut
David Glasgow Farragut was a flag officer of the United States Navy during the American Civil War. He was the first rear admiral, vice admiral, and admiral in the United States Navy. He is remembered in popular culture for his order at the Battle of Mobile Bay, usually paraphrased: "Damn the...
, the admiral commanding the Union Navy vessels during Battle of Mobile Bay, had Anderson in mind with one of his dying wishes. He requested that the sword he received during Anderson's surrender be returned to Anderson "in recognition of his gallantry." Farragut stated in his official report of the battle "that Anderson had put up a better fight than Page."
Postbellum career and death
Returning to Texas after the conflict ended in 1865, Anderson found work in the construction of railroads. He was then elected for two terms as Austin'sAustin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
chief engineer. Anderson next went back to Galveston, Texas, where he built the Galveston Island
Galveston Island
Galveston Island is a barrier island on the Texas Gulf coast in the United States, about 50 miles southeast of Houston. The entire island, with the exception of Jamaica Beach, is within the city limits of the City of Galveston....
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
A lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lenses or, in older times, from a fire, and used as an aid to navigation for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways....
. Beginning in 1895 and until his death six years later, Anderson was the lighthouse's keeper. He died there, reportedly of the "grippe
Influenza
Influenza, commonly referred to as the flu, is an infectious disease caused by RNA viruses of the family Orthomyxoviridae , that affects birds and mammals...
", in November 1901, and was buried in Old Cahill Cemetery in Galveston.
Further reading
- Allardice, Bruce S., Confederate Colonels: A Biographical Register, University of Missouri Press, 2008, ISBN 0-8262-1809-1.
- Edgar, Thomas H., "Col. Charles D. Anderson", Confederate VeteranConfederate VeteranThe Confederate Veteran was a newsmagazine, published monthly from 1893-1932. It furnished Confederate veterans of the American Civil War and other readers with articles and pictures regarding that war. It remains a valuable historical resource, as the archives contain many thousands of names and...
Vol. X, 1902.