Richard H. Anderson
Encyclopedia
Richard Heron Anderson (October 7, 1821 – June 26, 1879) was a career U.S. Army
officer, fighting with distinction in the Mexican-American War. He also served as a Confederate
general during the American Civil War
, fighting in the Eastern Theater
of the conflict and most notably during the 1864 Battle of Spotsylvania Court House
. Anderson was also noted for his humility.
at Borough House Plantation (Hill Crest)
, near the town of Stateburg
located in Sumter County, South Carolina. He was the son of Dr. William Wallace Anderson
and his wife, Mary Jane Mackensie, and the grandson of American Revolutionary War
hero and namesake Richard Anderson
.
Anderson graduated 40th out of 56 cadets from the United States Military Academy
in July 1842, and was brevetted
a second lieutenant in the 1st U.S. Dragoons. He served the cavalry
school for practice at the U.S. Army Barracks
in Carlisle, Pennsylvania
, in 1842. Anderson spent 1843 on frontier duty in the American West
, serving first at Little Rock, Arkansas
, and then on garrison
duty at Forts Gibson and Washita
, both located in the Indian Territory
. His regiment escorted the U.S. Indian Agent to Red River
in 1843, and then returned to Fort Washita, remaining there until 1844. Anderson was promoted to second lieutenant on July 16, 1844, and served at Fort Jesup, Louisiana, from 1844 to 1845. His regiment then joined the expedition for the military occupation of Texas
in 1845, and Anderson was on recruiting duty in 1846.
In the Mexican-American War, Anderson took part in the Siege of Veracruz
in March 1847 and then skirmishing near La Hoya on June 9. He fought in the Battle of Contreras
on August 19, the skirmish near San Agustin Altapulco the following day, and the Battle of Molino del Rey
on September 8. For gallantry during the fighting near San Agustin, he was brevetted to the rank of first lieutenant as of August 17. Anderson also participated in the fight for and capture of Mexico City
from September 12–14.
After Mexico, Anderson was promoted to first lieutenant in the 2nd U.S. Dragoons on July 13, 1848, was again on recruiting duty in 1849. He returned to the Carlisle Barracks from 1849 to 1850, and then was recruiting once more until 1852. Next came frontier duty in several Texas installations, including at Fort Graham in 1852 to 1853, at Fort McKavett from 1853 to 1854, at San Antonio in 1854, and at Fort McKavett in 1855. He was promoted to captain on March 3, 1855, and was stationed at Fort Riley, Kansas
, from 1855 to 1856. Anderson was still serving in Kansas during the border troubles
of 1856 and 1857, then was recruiting as well as his last stint at the Carlisle Barracks in 1858. He participated in the Utah War
of 1858 and 1859, and was on duty at Fort Kearny
, Nebraska
, from 1859 to 1861.
, and he resigned from the U.S. Army (accepted on March 3, 1861) to enter service with the Confederate Army. Anderson accepted a commission as colonel
of the 1st South Carolina Infantry Regiment
as of January 28. He was given command of the Charleston
harbor area after the capture of Fort Sumter
that April. He was promoted to brigadier general on July 19 and transferred to Pensacola, Florida
, where he was wounded in the left elbow during the Battle of Santa Rosa Island
on October 9.
After recovering, Anderson joined the Confederate Army of the Potomac in February 1862 (which was absorbed into the Army of Northern Virginia
later in the spring) as a brigade
commander. During the Peninsula Campaign
, he distinguished himself at the Battle of Williamsburg
in May, during the Battle of Seven Pines
, and in the Seven Days Battles
in June and July. At Glendale
, he took temporary command of Maj. Gen. James Longstreet
's division
. Because of his excellent performance on the Peninsula, he was promoted to major general on July 14, 1862, and was given command of the 2nd Division of Longstreet's First Corps
.
At the Second Battle of Bull Run
in August 1862, Anderson launched an attack that broke the Union
lines and sent it retreating back toward the entrenchments around Washington, D.C.
At the Battle of Antietam
in September 1862, he was in overall command at the sunken road, or "Bloody Lane", in the center of the Confederate defense. He was wounded in the thigh and left the battle (his senior brigadier Roger A. Pryor
taking over) without which his division began to falter and eventually succumb to Union flank attacks that routed them from their position. At the Battle of Fredericksburg
that December his division was not heavily engaged.
During the Battle of Chancellorsville
in May 1863, while operating away from Longstreet's command (because Longstreet was on detached duty near Suffolk, Virginia
, at the time), Anderson pressed the Union left while Lt. Gen. Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson
attacked the right. Anderson and Maj. Gen. Lafayette McLaws
left the main battle line on May 3, and struck east to check the advance of Union Maj. Gen.
John Sedgwick
's VI Corps that would have led into Gen. Robert E. Lee
's rear. Following the death of Stonewall Jackson on May 10, Lee reorganized his army from two into three corps
. Anderson was admired enough by Lee to be considered for corps command, but instead his division was assigned to the new Third Corps
, commanded by now Lt. Gen A.P. Hill
.
in July 1863, Anderson's division was third in line of march approaching the town from the west on July 1, so they arrived late and had little involvement in the start of the battle.
On July 2, the second day of battle, Anderson's division attacked near the Union center, following on from attacks by Longstreet (the divisions of Maj. Gens. John B. Hood and McLaws) to his right. Anderson's right was successful attacking Union Brig. Gen. Andrew A. Humphreys
's III Corps division along the Emmitsburg Road. His center, under Ambrose R. Wright
, penetrated the lightly defended Cemetery Ridge
. Carnot Posey
moved haltingly and William Mahone
did not move from Seminary Ridge
at all. Union reinforcements rushed to counter Wright and he was repulsed. Anderson was criticized for his command during this day of battle. He had little effective control of his brigades. On July 3, Anderson's brigades under participated in the waning minutes of Pickett's Charge, but both were driven back.
, Longstreet was severely wounded and Anderson took command of the First Corps, leading it throughout the Overland Campaign
. After the Wilderness he fought well at the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House
. Anderson and his corps executed an all-night forced march on May 7 that secured that important position (reinforcing the Confederate cavalry earlier sent there), and arrived just before Union soldiers did. Reaching and defending this spot denied the Federals a way around Lee's army towards Richmond
, and Anderson held it during heavy fighting from May 8–12.
Anderson then fought at the Battle of Cold Harbor
in early June, and participated in the rest of the Army of Northern Virginia's operations to the south of Petersburg, Virginia
, from mid-June until October. Anderson was promoted to temporary lieutenant general on May 31.
When Longstreet returned from his convalescence on October 19, 1864, Anderson reverted to the rank of major general but led the newly created Fourth Corps
through the Siege of Petersburg
and the retreat
towards Appomattox Court House
in 1865. Because of several attacks by Federal cavalry nipping at his corps, Anderson was forced to slow and even stop from time to time and beat off the attacks. This caused the Confederates to become isolated from the rest of Lee's army moving west, and they were now the army's rear guard
. The corps finally halted and fought at Sayler's Creek
on April 6 which ended in a rout, and as Lee witnessed it he exclaimed "Has the army been dissolved?" As the corps' survivors reformed and rejoined the army, what was left of the Fourth Corps was merged with the Second Corps on April 8. This left Anderson without a command and he proceeded home to South Carolina. Anderson was pardoned on September 27, 1865, although there is no record of his parole.
from 1866 to 1868, attempting to grow cotton. Having no agricultural background this effort ended in bankruptcy. He then became a worker and later an agent of the South Carolina Railroad, working out of Camden
from 1868 to 1878. However Anderson was fired from this position, and next served as a state phosphate
inspector/agent of South Carolina in 1879.
Anderson was married twice. In 1850 he wed Sarah Gibson, and the couple had two children together, a son and a daughter; after her death he married Martha Mellette on December 24, 1874. Five years later Anderson died at the age of 57 in Beaufort, South Carolina
, and is buried there in the churchyard cemetery of St. Helena's Episcopal Church.
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, fighting with distinction in the Mexican-American War. He also served as a Confederate
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...
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...
, fighting in the Eastern Theater
Eastern Theater of the American Civil War
The Eastern Theater of the American Civil War included the states of Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania, the District of Columbia, and the coastal fortifications and seaports of North Carolina...
of the conflict and most notably during the 1864 Battle of Spotsylvania Court House
Battle of Spotsylvania Court House
The Battle of Spotsylvania Court House, sometimes simply referred to as the Battle of Spotsylvania , was the second major battle in Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant's 1864 Overland Campaign of the American Civil War. Following the bloody but inconclusive Battle of the Wilderness, Grant's army disengaged...
. Anderson was also noted for his humility.
Early life and career
Anderson was born in the High Hills of SanteeHigh Hills of Santee
The High Hills of Santee, sometimes known as the High Hills of the Santee, is a long, narrow hilly region in the western part of Sumter County, South Carolina. It has been called "one of the state's most famous areas". The High Hills of Santee region lies north of the Santee River and east of the...
at Borough House Plantation (Hill Crest)
Borough House Plantation
Borough House Plantation, also known as Borough House, Hillcrest Plantation and Anderson Place, is an historic place in Stateburg, in the High Hills of Santee near Sumter, South Carolina....
, near the town of Stateburg
Stateburg, South Carolina
Stateburg is a census-designated place in the High Hills of Santee in Sumter County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 1,264 at the 2000 census. It is included in the Sumter, South Carolina Metropolitan Statistical Area...
located in Sumter County, South Carolina. He was the son of Dr. William Wallace Anderson
William Wallace Anderson
William Wallace Anderson was a medical doctor and was involved in architecture of rammed earth construction in South Carolina. He was the father of Confederate General Richard H. Anderson...
and his wife, Mary Jane Mackensie, and the grandson of American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
hero and namesake Richard Anderson
Richard Anderson
Richard Norman Anderson is an American actor in film and television, known to TV audiences as Steve Austin's and Jaime Sommers' boss, Oscar Goldman, in both The Six Million Dollar Man and The Bionic Woman TV series and their three subsequent TV movies: The Return of the Six-Million-Dollar Man...
.
Anderson graduated 40th out of 56 cadets from 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...
in July 1842, and was brevetted
Brevet (military)
In many of the world's military establishments, brevet referred to a warrant authorizing a commissioned officer to hold a higher rank temporarily, but usually without receiving the pay of that higher rank except when actually serving in that role. An officer so promoted may be referred to as being...
a second lieutenant in the 1st U.S. Dragoons. He served the 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...
school for practice at the U.S. Army Barracks
Carlisle Barracks
Carlisle Barracks is a United States Army facility located in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. It is part of the United States Army Training and Doctrine Command and is the site of the U.S. Army War College...
in Carlisle, Pennsylvania
Carlisle, Pennsylvania
Carlisle is a borough in and the county seat of Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, United States. The name is traditionally pronounced with emphasis on the second syllable. Carlisle is located within the Cumberland Valley, a highly productive agricultural region. As of the 2010 census, the borough...
, in 1842. Anderson spent 1843 on frontier duty in the American West
Western United States
.The Western United States, commonly referred to as the American West or simply "the West," traditionally refers to the region comprising the westernmost states of the United States. Because the U.S. expanded westward after its founding, the meaning of the West has evolved over time...
, serving first at Little Rock, Arkansas
Little Rock, Arkansas
Little Rock is the capital and the largest city of the U.S. state of Arkansas. The Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 699,757 people in the 2010 census...
, and then on garrison
Garrison
Garrison is the collective term for a body of troops stationed in a particular location, originally to guard it, but now often simply using it as a home base....
duty at Forts Gibson and Washita
Fort Washita
Fort Washita is the former United States military post and National Historic Landmark located near Nida, Oklahoma on SH 199. Established in 1842 by General Zachary Taylor to protect citizens of the Choctaw and Chickasaw Nations from the plains indians it was later abandoned by Federal forces at...
, both located in the Indian Territory
Indian Territory
The Indian Territory, also known as the Indian Territories and the Indian Country, was land set aside within the United States for the settlement of American Indians...
. His regiment escorted the U.S. Indian Agent to Red River
Red River (Mississippi watershed)
The Red River, or sometimes the Red River of the South, is a major tributary of the Mississippi and Atchafalaya Rivers in the southern United States of America. The river gains its name from the red-bed country of its watershed. It is one of several rivers with that name...
in 1843, and then returned to Fort Washita, remaining there until 1844. Anderson was promoted to second lieutenant on July 16, 1844, and served at Fort Jesup, Louisiana, from 1844 to 1845. His regiment then joined the expedition for the military occupation of 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...
in 1845, and Anderson was on recruiting duty in 1846.
In the Mexican-American War, Anderson took part in the Siege of Veracruz
Siege of Veracruz
The Battle of Veracruz was a 20-day siege of the key Mexican beachhead seaport of Veracruz, during the Mexican-American War. Lasting from 9-29 March 1847, it began with the first large-scale amphibious assault conducted by United States military forces, and ended with the surrender and occupation...
in March 1847 and then skirmishing near La Hoya on June 9. He fought in the Battle of Contreras
Battle of Contreras
The Battle of Contreras, also known as the Battle of Padierna, took place during August 19–20, 1847, in the final encounters of the Mexican-American War. In the Battle of Churubusco, fighting continued the following day.-Background:...
on August 19, the skirmish near San Agustin Altapulco the following day, and the Battle of Molino del Rey
Battle of Molino del Rey
The Battle of Molino del Rey was one of the bloodiest engagements of the Mexican-American War. It was fought in September 1847 between Mexican forces under General Antonio Léon against an American force under General Winfield Scott at a hill called El Molino del Rey near Mexico City.-Background:On...
on September 8. For gallantry during the fighting near San Agustin, he was brevetted to the rank of first lieutenant as of August 17. Anderson also participated in the fight for and capture of Mexico City
Battle for Mexico City
The Battle for Mexico City refers to the series of engagements from September 8 to September 15, 1847, in the general vicinity of Mexico City during the Mexican-American War...
from September 12–14.
After Mexico, Anderson was promoted to first lieutenant in the 2nd U.S. Dragoons on July 13, 1848, was again on recruiting duty in 1849. He returned to the Carlisle Barracks from 1849 to 1850, and then was recruiting once more until 1852. Next came frontier duty in several Texas installations, including at Fort Graham in 1852 to 1853, at Fort McKavett from 1853 to 1854, at San Antonio in 1854, and at Fort McKavett in 1855. He was promoted to captain on March 3, 1855, and was stationed at Fort Riley, Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
, from 1855 to 1856. Anderson was still serving in Kansas during the border troubles
Bleeding Kansas
Bleeding Kansas, Bloody Kansas or the Border War, was a series of violent events, involving anti-slavery Free-Staters and pro-slavery "Border Ruffian" elements, that took place in the Kansas Territory and the western frontier towns of the U.S. state of Missouri roughly between 1854 and 1858...
of 1856 and 1857, then was recruiting as well as his last stint at the Carlisle Barracks in 1858. He participated in the Utah War
Utah War
The Utah War, also known as the Utah Expedition, Buchanan's Blunder, the Mormon War, or the Mormon Rebellion was an armed confrontation between LDS settlers in the Utah Territory and the armed forces of the United States government. The confrontation lasted from May 1857 until July 1858...
of 1858 and 1859, and was on duty at Fort Kearny
Fort Kearny
Fort Kearny was a historic outpost of the United States Army founded in 1848 in the western U.S. during the middle and late 19th century. The outpost was located along the Oregon Trail near present-day Kearney, Nebraska, which took its name from the fort .-Origins and various missions of the...
, Nebraska
Nebraska
Nebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....
, from 1859 to 1861.
Civil War service
Anderson 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...
, and he resigned from the U.S. Army (accepted on March 3, 1861) to enter service with the Confederate Army. Anderson accepted a commission as 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...
of the 1st South Carolina Infantry 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...
as of January 28. He was given command of the Charleston
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...
harbor area after the capture of Fort Sumter
Battle of Fort Sumter
The Battle of Fort Sumter was the bombardment and surrender of Fort Sumter, near Charleston, South Carolina, that started the American Civil War. Following declarations of secession by seven Southern states, South Carolina demanded that the U.S. Army abandon its facilities in Charleston Harbor. On...
that April. He was promoted to brigadier general on July 19 and transferred to Pensacola, Florida
Pensacola, Florida
Pensacola is the westernmost city in the Florida Panhandle and the county seat of Escambia County, Florida, United States of America. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 56,255 and as of 2009, the estimated population was 53,752...
, where he was wounded in the left elbow during the Battle of Santa Rosa Island
Battle of Santa Rosa Island
The Battle of Santa Rosa Island was an unsuccessful Confederate attempt to take Union-held Fort Pickens on Santa Rosa Island, Florida.- Background :...
on October 9.
After recovering, Anderson joined the Confederate Army of the Potomac in February 1862 (which was absorbed into 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...
later in the spring) as a 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...
commander. During the Peninsula Campaign
Peninsula Campaign
The Peninsula Campaign of the American Civil War was a major Union operation launched in southeastern Virginia from March through July 1862, the first large-scale offensive in the Eastern Theater. The operation, commanded by Maj. Gen. George B...
, he distinguished himself at the Battle of Williamsburg
Battle of Williamsburg
The Battle of Williamsburg, also known as the Battle of Fort Magruder, took place on May 5, 1862, in York County, James City County, and Williamsburg, Virginia, as part of the Peninsula Campaign of the American Civil War...
in May, during the Battle of Seven Pines
Battle of Seven Pines
The Battle of Seven Pines, also known as the Battle of Fair Oaks or Fair Oaks Station, took place on May 31 and June 1, 1862, in Henrico County, Virginia, as part of the Peninsula Campaign of the American Civil War. It was the culmination of an offensive up the Virginia Peninsula by Union Maj. Gen....
, and in the Seven Days Battles
Seven Days Battles
The Seven Days Battles was a series of six major battles over the seven days from June 25 to July 1, 1862, near Richmond, Virginia during the American Civil War. Confederate General Robert E. Lee drove the invading Union Army of the Potomac, commanded by Maj. Gen. George B. McClellan, away from...
in June and July. At Glendale
Battle of Glendale
The Battle of Glendale, also known as the Battle of Frayser's Farm, Frazier's Farm, Nelson's Farm, Charles City Crossroads, New Market Road, or Riddell's Shop, took place on June 30, 1862, in Henrico County, Virginia, on the sixth day of the Seven Days Battles of the American Civil War.The...
, he took temporary command of Maj. Gen. James Longstreet
James Longstreet
James Longstreet was one of the foremost Confederate generals of the American Civil War and the principal subordinate to General Robert E. Lee, who called him his "Old War Horse." He served under Lee as a corps commander for many of the famous battles fought by the Army of Northern Virginia in the...
's 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...
. Because of his excellent performance on the Peninsula, he was promoted to major general on July 14, 1862, and was given command of the 2nd Division of Longstreet's First Corps
First Corps, Army of Northern Virginia
The First Corps, Army of Northern Virginia was a military unit fighting for the Confederate States of America in the American Civil War. It was formed in early 1861 and served until the spring of 1865, mostly in the Eastern Theater. The corps was commanded by James Longstreet for much of its...
.
At the Second Battle of Bull Run
Second Battle of Bull Run
The Second Battle of Bull Run or Second Manassas was fought August 28–30, 1862, as part of the American Civil War. It was the culmination of an offensive campaign waged by Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia against Union Maj. Gen...
in August 1862, Anderson launched an attack that broke 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...
lines and sent it retreating back toward the entrenchments around Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
At the Battle of Antietam
Battle of Antietam
The Battle of Antietam , fought on September 17, 1862, near Sharpsburg, Maryland, and Antietam Creek, as part of the Maryland Campaign, was the first major battle in the American Civil War to take place on Northern soil. It was the bloodiest single-day battle in American history, with about 23,000...
in September 1862, he was in overall command at the sunken road, or "Bloody Lane", in the center of the Confederate defense. He was wounded in the thigh and left the battle (his senior brigadier Roger A. Pryor
Roger Atkinson Pryor
Roger Atkinson Pryor was both an American politician and a Confederate politician serving as a congressman on both sides. He was also a jurist, serving in the New York Supreme Court, a lawyer, and newspaper editor...
taking over) without which his division began to falter and eventually succumb to Union flank attacks that routed them from their position. At the Battle of Fredericksburg
Battle of Fredericksburg
The Battle of Fredericksburg was fought December 11–15, 1862, in and around Fredericksburg, Virginia, between General Robert E. Lee's Confederate Army of Northern Virginia and the Union Army of the Potomac, commanded by Maj. Gen. Ambrose E. Burnside...
that December his division was not heavily engaged.
During 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...
in May 1863, while operating away from Longstreet's command (because Longstreet was on detached duty near Suffolk, Virginia
Suffolk, Virginia
Suffolk is the largest city by area in Virginia, United States, and is located in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 84,585. Its median household income was $57,546.-History:...
, at the time), Anderson pressed the Union left while Lt. Gen. Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson
Stonewall Jackson
ຄຽשת״ׇׂׂׂׂ֣|birth_place= Clarksburg, Virginia |death_place=Guinea Station, Virginia|placeofburial=Stonewall Jackson Memorial CemeteryLexington, Virginia|placeofburial_label= Place of burial|image=...
attacked the right. Anderson and Maj. Gen. Lafayette McLaws
Lafayette McLaws
Lafayette McLaws was a United States Army officer and a Confederate general in the American Civil War.-Early life:...
left the main battle line on May 3, and struck east to check the advance of Union 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...
John Sedgwick
John Sedgwick
John Sedgwick was a teacher, a career military officer, and a Union Army general in the American Civil War. He was the highest ranking Union casualty in the Civil War, killed by a sniper at the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House.-Early life:Sedgwick was born in the Litchfield Hills town of...
's VI Corps that would have led into Gen. Robert E. Lee
Robert E. Lee
Robert Edward Lee was a career military officer who is best known for having commanded the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia in the American Civil War....
's rear. Following the death of Stonewall Jackson on May 10, Lee reorganized his army from two into three corps
Corps
A corps is either a large formation, or an administrative grouping of troops within an armed force with a common function such as Artillery or Signals representing an arm of service...
. Anderson was admired enough by Lee to be considered for corps command, but instead his division was assigned to the new Third Corps
Third Corps, Army of Northern Virginia
The Third Corps of the Army of Northern Virginia was a military organization within the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia during much of the American Civil War. The corps was formed in mid-1863 and served until Lee's surrender April 9, 1865, near the end of the war.-Formation:After the death of...
, commanded by now Lt. Gen A.P. Hill
A. P. Hill
Ambrose Powell Hill, Jr. , was a career U.S. Army officer in the Mexican-American War and Seminole Wars and a Confederate general in the American Civil War...
.
Gettysburg
At the Battle of GettysburgBattle 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...
in July 1863, Anderson's division was third in line of march approaching the town from the west on July 1, so they arrived late and had little involvement in the start of the battle.
On July 2, the second day of battle, Anderson's division attacked near the Union center, following on from attacks by Longstreet (the divisions of Maj. Gens. John B. Hood and McLaws) to his right. Anderson's right was successful attacking Union Brig. Gen. Andrew A. Humphreys
Andrew A. Humphreys
Andrew Atkinson Humphreys , was a career United States Army officer, civil engineer, and a Union General in the American Civil War. He served in senior positions in the Army of the Potomac, including division command, chief of staff, and corps command, and was Chief Engineer of the U.S...
's III Corps division along the Emmitsburg Road. His center, under Ambrose R. Wright
Ambrose R. Wright
Ambrose Ransom Wright was a lawyer, Georgia politician, and Confederate general in the American Civil War.-Early life:...
, penetrated the lightly defended Cemetery Ridge
Cemetery Ridge
Cemetery Ridge is a geographic feature in Gettysburg National Military Park south of the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, that figured prominently in the Battle of Gettysburg, July 1 to July 3, 1863. It formed a primary defensive position for the Union Army during the battle, roughly the center of...
. Carnot Posey
Carnot Posey
Carnot Posey was a Mississippi planter and lawyer, and a Confederate general in the American Civil War. He was mortally wounded at the Battle of Bristoe Station, dying from infection.-Early life and family:...
moved haltingly and William Mahone
William Mahone
William Mahone was a civil engineer, teacher, soldier, railroad executive, and a member of the Virginia General Assembly and U.S. Congress. Small of stature, he was nicknamed "Little Billy"....
did not move from Seminary Ridge
Seminary Ridge
Seminary Ridge is a dendritic ridge which was an area of Battle of Gettysburg engagements during the American Civil War and of military installations during World War II.-Geography:...
at all. Union reinforcements rushed to counter Wright and he was repulsed. Anderson was criticized for his command during this day of battle. He had little effective control of his brigades. On July 3, Anderson's brigades under participated in the waning minutes of Pickett's Charge, but both were driven back.
Wilderness and Spotsylvania
During the spring of 1864, at the Battle of the WildernessBattle of the Wilderness
The Battle of the Wilderness, fought May 5–7, 1864, was the first battle of Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant's 1864 Virginia Overland Campaign against Gen. Robert E. Lee and the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia. Both armies suffered heavy casualties, a harbinger of a bloody war of attrition by...
, Longstreet was severely wounded and Anderson took command of the First Corps, leading it throughout the Overland Campaign
Overland Campaign
The Overland Campaign, also known as Grant's Overland Campaign and the Wilderness Campaign, was a series of battles fought in Virginia during May and June 1864, in the American Civil War. Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, general-in-chief of all Union armies, directed the actions of the Army of the...
. After the Wilderness he fought well at the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House
Battle of Spotsylvania Court House
The Battle of Spotsylvania Court House, sometimes simply referred to as the Battle of Spotsylvania , was the second major battle in Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant's 1864 Overland Campaign of the American Civil War. Following the bloody but inconclusive Battle of the Wilderness, Grant's army disengaged...
. Anderson and his corps executed an all-night forced march on May 7 that secured that important position (reinforcing the Confederate cavalry earlier sent there), and arrived just before Union soldiers did. Reaching and defending this spot denied the Federals a way around Lee's army towards 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 Anderson held it during heavy fighting from May 8–12.
Anderson then fought at the Battle of Cold Harbor
Battle of Cold Harbor
The Battle of Cold Harbor was fought from May 31 to June 12, 1864 . It was one of the final battles of Union Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant's Overland Campaign during the American Civil War, and is remembered as one of American history's bloodiest, most lopsided battles...
in early June, and participated in the rest of the Army of Northern Virginia's operations to the south of Petersburg, Virginia
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...
, from mid-June until October. Anderson was promoted to temporary lieutenant general on May 31.
When Longstreet returned from his convalescence on October 19, 1864, Anderson reverted to the rank of major general but led the newly created Fourth Corps
Fourth Corps, Army of Northern Virginia
The Fourth Corps was a military unit formed in October 1864 within the Army of Northern Virginia of the Confederate Army. It fought for the Confederate States of America during the late stages of the American Civil War. The corps was commanded by Richard H...
through the Siege of Petersburg
Siege of Petersburg
The Richmond–Petersburg Campaign was a series of battles around Petersburg, Virginia, fought from June 9, 1864, to March 25, 1865, during the American Civil War...
and the retreat
Appomattox Campaign
The Appomattox Campaign was a series of battles fought March 29 – April 9, 1865, in Virginia that culminated in the surrender of Confederate General Robert E...
towards Appomattox Court House
Appomattox Court House
The Appomattox Courthouse is the current courthouse in Appomattox, Virginia built in 1892. It is located in the middle of the state about three miles northwest of the Appomattox Court House National Historical Park, once known as Clover Hill - home of the original Old Appomattox Court House...
in 1865. Because of several attacks by Federal cavalry nipping at his corps, Anderson was forced to slow and even stop from time to time and beat off the attacks. This caused the Confederates to become isolated from the rest of Lee's army moving west, and they were now the army's rear guard
Rear guard
A rear guard or rearguard is that part of a military force that protects it from attack from the rear, either during an advance or withdrawal...
. The corps finally halted and fought at Sayler's Creek
Battle of Sayler's Creek
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on April 6 which ended in a rout, and as Lee witnessed it he exclaimed "Has the army been dissolved?" As the corps' survivors reformed and rejoined the army, what was left of the Fourth Corps was merged with the Second Corps on April 8. This left Anderson without a command and he proceeded home to South Carolina. Anderson was pardoned on September 27, 1865, although there is no record of his parole.
Postbellum career and death
After the war Anderson was a planter in StateburgStateburg, South Carolina
Stateburg is a census-designated place in the High Hills of Santee in Sumter County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 1,264 at the 2000 census. It is included in the Sumter, South Carolina Metropolitan Statistical Area...
from 1866 to 1868, attempting to grow cotton. Having no agricultural background this effort ended in bankruptcy. He then became a worker and later an agent of the South Carolina Railroad, working out of Camden
Camden, South Carolina
Camden is the fourth oldest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina and is also the county seat of Kershaw County, South Carolina, United States. The population was an estimated 7,103 in 2009...
from 1868 to 1878. However Anderson was fired from this position, and next served as a state phosphate
Phosphate
A phosphate, an inorganic chemical, is a salt of phosphoric acid. In organic chemistry, a phosphate, or organophosphate, is an ester of phosphoric acid. Organic phosphates are important in biochemistry and biogeochemistry or ecology. Inorganic phosphates are mined to obtain phosphorus for use in...
inspector/agent of South Carolina in 1879.
Anderson was married twice. In 1850 he wed Sarah Gibson, and the couple had two children together, a son and a daughter; after her death he married Martha Mellette on December 24, 1874. Five years later Anderson died at the age of 57 in Beaufort, South Carolina
Beaufort, South Carolina
Beaufort is a city in and the county seat of Beaufort County, South Carolina, United States. Chartered in 1711, it is the second-oldest city in South Carolina, behind Charleston. The city's population was 12,361 in the 2010 census. It is located in the Hilton Head Island-Beaufort Micropolitan...
, and is buried there in the churchyard cemetery of St. Helena's Episcopal Church.
Further reading
- Rickard, J. Richard Heron Anderson, 1821-1879. Accessed August 3, 2010.
- Walker, Cornelius Irvine. The Life of Lieutenant General Richard Heron Anderson. Charleston, SC: Art Publishing Co., 1917. .