James H. Trapier
Encyclopedia
James Heyward Trapier was a career United States Army
officer who fought during the Mexican–American War
. He also served as a Confederate
general during the American Civil War
, dying shortly after its conclusion.
near the city of Georgetown, South Carolina
. In 1834 he attended the United States Military Academy
at West Point
, and graduated four years later standing third out of 45 cadets. P.G.T. Beauregard
, whom Trapier would serve under later in life, placed second in this same class. He was commissioned a second lieutenant in the 1st U.S. Artillery on July 1, 1838. Six days later Trapier transferred to the Engineer Corps
, and he was promoted to the rank of first lieutenant on July 1, 1839.
In his work for the Engineers, Trapier helped in the construction of defenses on the coastline of the United States
. He also served in the Mexican–American War from 1846–1848, and he would resign his commission on February 28, 1848. After tendering his resignation, Trapier moved back to his plantation in South Carolina and became a planter. He also was active in the South Carolina
State Militia
, rising to the rank of colonel
and serving as the militia's aide-de-camp
. As the chief of ordnance of South Carolina, Trapier "ensured that the state was
well-armed."
. He entered the Confederate Army in January, assigned as a captain in the Engineers as well as aide-de-camp to South Carolina's Governor Francis W. Pickens
. He then began his service under Brig. Gen. Beauregard, becoming part of his staff in April and Chief Engineer of the newly formed Department of South Carolina until November. While there he aided Beauregard in the construction of artillery batteries within Charleston Harbor
, and on June 19 he was promoted to major
and was assigned assistant quartermaster
.
Trapier was promoted to the rank of brigadier general on October 21, 1861. He was given command the District of Middle and Eastern Florida
from November 5 until March 14 of the following year. He then was ordered to the Western Theater
and Gen. Albert Sidney Johnston
's Army of Mississippi
, with Brig. Gen. Joseph Finegan
taking over his district command in April. Trapier was assigned to lead the 4th Brigade
of the 2nd Division
in Maj. Gen. Braxton Bragg
's II Corps in March, and participated in the Battle of Shiloh
on April 6–7.
Trapier was then promoted to command the 1st Division of the I Corps on April 14. Gen. Beauregard was given command of the Army of Mississippi upon Johnston's death at Shiloh and led it during the First Battle of Corinth
in late April. Trapier's performance during the Union
victory at Corinth was highly criticized and Bragg, now the army commander, ordered him relieved of command and sent him home for duty in South Carolina. Trapier was one of the many army officers whose career was badly damaged by the harsh and unfair crticisms of Bragg.
In November 1862, Trapier was given command of the Forth Military District of South Carolina headquarted in Georgetown, SC. This district encompassed the area from the North Carolina line to the Santee River. Trapier strengthened the defense of this district by placing troops in coastal fortifications, notably Battery White
, which guarded Winyah Bay
.
In April 1863, Trapier was called by Gen. P.G.T. Beauregard, who at this time commanded at Charleston, to command the garrison located on Sullivans Island during Union Admiral Samuel DuPonts' naval assault on the city. DuPont's attack failed and with Charleston safe, Trapier reported back to Georgetown.
After April 1863, Trapier performed well in the command of the district although constantly plagued by a lack of supplies and troops. Trapier asked the Confederate government reapeatedly for extra troops to defend this district; however, the government allocated what extra troops it had to more active theaters.
Trapier's district was unmolested until February 25, 1865 when Union Admiral John Dahlgren's fleet sailed into Georgetown's harbor and captured the town. Trapier evacuated the town and its outlying fortifications previous to its occupation in concurrence with the surrender of Charleston. Admiral Dahlgren's flagship, Harvest Moon, struck a torpedo March 1, 1865 in Winyah Bay placed there under orders from Gen. Trapier. The admiral was uninjured but the Harvest Moon sank.
There is no record showing Gen. Trapier was ever captured or paroled. Trapier was not with Confederate forces under Gen. Joseph Johnston in North Carolina at the time of surrender.
.
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...
officer who fought during the Mexican–American War
Mexican–American War
The Mexican–American War, also known as the First American Intervention, the Mexican War, or the U.S.–Mexican War, was an armed conflict between the United States and Mexico from 1846 to 1848 in the wake of the 1845 U.S...
. He also served 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...
general 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...
, dying shortly after its conclusion.
Early life and career
Trapier was born in 1815 at a plantation called "Windsor" located along the Black RiverBlack River (South Carolina)
The Black River is a blackwater river in South Carolina in the United States....
near the city of Georgetown, South Carolina
Georgetown, South Carolina
Georgetown is the third oldest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina and the county seat of Georgetown County, in the Low Country. Located on Winyah Bay at the confluence of the Great Pee Dee River, Waccamaw River, and Sampit River, Georgetown is the second largest seaport in South Carolina,...
. In 1834 he attended 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...
, and graduated four years later standing third out of 45 cadets. P.G.T. Beauregard
P. G. T. Beauregard
Pierre Gustave Toutant Beauregard was a Louisiana-born American military officer, politician, inventor, writer, civil servant, and the first prominent general of the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. Today he is commonly referred to as P. G. T. Beauregard, but he rarely used...
, whom Trapier would serve under later in life, placed second in this same class. He was commissioned a second lieutenant in the 1st U.S. Artillery on July 1, 1838. Six days later Trapier transferred to the Engineer Corps
United States Army Corps of Engineers
The United States Army Corps of Engineers is a federal agency and a major Army command made up of some 38,000 civilian and military personnel, making it the world's largest public engineering, design and construction management agency...
, and he was promoted to the rank of first lieutenant on July 1, 1839.
In his work for the Engineers, Trapier helped in the construction of defenses on the coastline of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. He also served in the Mexican–American War from 1846–1848, and he would resign his commission on February 28, 1848. After tendering his resignation, Trapier moved back to his plantation in South Carolina and became a planter. He also was active in the South Carolina
South 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...
State Militia
Militia
The term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary citizens to provide defense, emergency law enforcement, or paramilitary service, in times of emergency without being paid a regular salary or committed to a fixed term of service. It is a polyseme with...
, rising to the rank of 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...
and serving as the militia's aide-de-camp
Aide-de-camp
An aide-de-camp is a personal assistant, secretary, or adjutant to a person of high rank, usually a senior military officer or a head of state...
. As the chief of ordnance of South Carolina, Trapier "ensured that the state was
well-armed."
Civil War service
At the start of the American Civil War in 1861, Trapier chose to follow his home state and the Confederate causeConfederate 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...
. He entered the Confederate Army in January, assigned as a captain in the Engineers as well as aide-de-camp to South Carolina's Governor Francis W. Pickens
Francis Wilkinson Pickens
Francis Wilkinson Pickens was an American lawyer and politician who served as the 69th Governor of South Carolina when the state seceded from the United States during the American Civil War.-Early life and career:...
. He then began his service under Brig. Gen. Beauregard, becoming part of his staff in April and Chief Engineer of the newly formed Department of South Carolina until November. While there he aided Beauregard in the construction of artillery batteries within Charleston Harbor
Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...
, and on June 19 he was promoted to 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...
and was assigned assistant quartermaster
Quartermaster
Quartermaster refers to two different military occupations depending on if the assigned unit is land based or naval.In land armies, especially US units, it is a term referring to either an individual soldier or a unit who specializes in distributing supplies and provisions to troops. The senior...
.
Trapier was promoted to the rank of brigadier general on October 21, 1861. He was given command the District of Middle and Eastern 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...
from November 5 until March 14 of the following year. He then was ordered to the Western Theater
Western Theater of the American Civil War
This article presents an overview of major military and naval operations in the Western Theater of the American Civil War.-Theater of operations:...
and Gen. Albert Sidney Johnston
Albert Sidney Johnston
Albert Sidney Johnston served as a general in three different armies: the Texas Army, the United States Army, and the Confederate States Army...
's Army of Mississippi
Army of Mississippi
There were three organizations known as the Army of Mississippi in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. -Army of Mississippi :This army, at times known by the names Army of the West or Army of the...
, with Brig. Gen. 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....
taking over his district command in April. Trapier was assigned to lead the 4th 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...
of the 2nd 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...
in Maj. Gen. Braxton Bragg
Braxton Bragg
Braxton Bragg was a career United States Army officer, and then a general in the Confederate States Army—a principal commander in the Western Theater of the American Civil War and later the military adviser to Confederate President Jefferson Davis.Bragg, a native of North Carolina, was...
's II Corps in March, and participated in 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...
on April 6–7.
Trapier was then promoted to command the 1st Division of the I Corps on April 14. Gen. Beauregard was given command of the Army of Mississippi upon Johnston's death at Shiloh and led it during the First Battle of Corinth
Siege of Corinth
The Siege of Corinth was an American Civil War battle fought from April 29 to May 30, 1862, in Corinth, Mississippi.-Background:...
in late April. Trapier's performance during the 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...
victory at Corinth was highly criticized and Bragg, now the army commander, ordered him relieved of command and sent him home for duty in South Carolina. Trapier was one of the many army officers whose career was badly damaged by the harsh and unfair crticisms of Bragg.
In November 1862, Trapier was given command of the Forth Military District of South Carolina headquarted in Georgetown, SC. This district encompassed the area from the North Carolina line to the Santee River. Trapier strengthened the defense of this district by placing troops in coastal fortifications, notably Battery White
Battery White
Battery White was an artillery battery constructed by the Confederates during the American Civil War. Built in 1862–63 to defend Winyah Bay on the South Carolina coast, the battery was strongly situated and constructed; however, it was inadequately manned, and was captured without resistance...
, which guarded Winyah Bay
Winyah Bay
Winyah Bay is a coastal estuary that is the confluence of the Waccamaw River, the Pee Dee River, the Black River and the Sampit River in Georgetown County in eastern South Carolina...
.
In April 1863, Trapier was called by Gen. P.G.T. Beauregard, who at this time commanded at Charleston, to command the garrison located on Sullivans Island during Union Admiral Samuel DuPonts' naval assault on the city. DuPont's attack failed and with Charleston safe, Trapier reported back to Georgetown.
After April 1863, Trapier performed well in the command of the district although constantly plagued by a lack of supplies and troops. Trapier asked the Confederate government reapeatedly for extra troops to defend this district; however, the government allocated what extra troops it had to more active theaters.
Trapier's district was unmolested until February 25, 1865 when Union Admiral John Dahlgren's fleet sailed into Georgetown's harbor and captured the town. Trapier evacuated the town and its outlying fortifications previous to its occupation in concurrence with the surrender of Charleston. Admiral Dahlgren's flagship, Harvest Moon, struck a torpedo March 1, 1865 in Winyah Bay placed there under orders from Gen. Trapier. The admiral was uninjured but the Harvest Moon sank.
There is no record showing Gen. Trapier was ever captured or paroled. Trapier was not with Confederate forces under Gen. Joseph Johnston in North Carolina at the time of surrender.
Postbellum and death
After the end of the war, Trapier returned to farming in South Carolina. He died at the age of 50 during the winter of 1865 at the home of a friend in Georgetown. He was buried there in the cemetery of Prince George Winyah ChurchyardPrince George Winyah Episcopal Church
Prince George Winyah Church is an Episcopal church in Georgetown, South Carolina. Prince George Winyah is one of the oldest continuous congregations in South Carolina, and the church building is one of the oldest churches in continuous service in South Carolina...
.
See also
- List of American Civil War generals