Samuel J. Gholson
Encyclopedia
Samuel Jameson Gholson was a U.S. Representative
from Mississippi
, as well as a Confederate
general during the American Civil War
. He also served as a United States federal judge
and a multiple-term member of the Mississippi House of Representatives
.
, Gholson moved with his father to Franklin County, Alabama
, in 1817. He attended the common schools and later read law. He was admitted to the bar at Russellville, Alabama
, in 1829. He moved to Athens, Mississippi
, and commenced the practice of law in 1830. He served as member of the state House of Representatives in 1835, 1836, and 1839.
Gholson was elected as a Jacksonian Democrat to the Twenty-fourth U.S. Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the death of David Dickson
and served from December 1, 1836, to March 3, 1837. His often stormy tenure was marked by a severe dispute with Henry A. Wise
of Virginia
that nearly resulted in a duel. Gholson presented credentials as a Democrat
ic member-elect to the Twenty-fifth Congress and served from July 18, 1837, until February 5, 1838, when the seat was declared vacant. He was later replaced by Thomas J. Word
.
On February 9, 1839, Gholson was nominated by President Martin Van Buren
to a jointly-held seat on both the Northern
and Southern
Districts of Mississippi, both vacated by the resignation of George Adams. Gholson was confirmed by the United States Senate
on February 13, 1839, and received his commission the same day. While on the bench, he was He was a Lieutenant in the Mississippi State Militia in 1846. He served on the bench until his resignation on January 10, 1861, when Mississippi seceded
from the Union
. A fiery advocate of states' rights
, he served as member of the state secession
convention in 1861 and voted for the ordinance of secession
.
in the Monroe Volunteers of Monroe County, Mississippi
, (which became Company I, 14th Mississippi Infantry). He served from 1861 until 1863 in the state troops, rising successively through the ranks to captain, colonel
, and then to brigadier general. During the Battle of Fort Donelson
in Tennessee
, he was badly wounded by a bullet that passed through his right lung. He was among the thousands of troops who were surrendered to the Union forces
under Ulysses S. Grant
. After his exchange, Gholson returned to active duty and fought at Iuka
and then at Corinth
, both in Mississippi.
By mid-1863, Gholson held the rank of major general of Mississippi State Troops. He was awarded the grade of brigadier general in the Provisional Army of the Confederate States to rank from May 6, 1864. He was placed in command of a brigade
of cavalry
attached to the division
of Brig. Gen. James Chalmers
under Maj. Gen. Nathan B. Forrest. While serving in the Department of Mississippi and East Louisiana, Gholson was severely wounded in a fight with Union cavalry on December 27, 1864, at Egypt, Mississippi. His left arm had to be amputated, ending his combat duty for the duration of the war.
.
Samuel J. Gholson died in Aberdeen on October 16, 1883, and was interred in the town's Odd Fellows Cemetery.
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
from Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
, as well 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...
. He also served as a United States federal judge
United States federal judge
In the United States, the title of federal judge usually means a judge appointed by the President of the United States and confirmed by the United States Senate in accordance with Article II of the United States Constitution....
and a multiple-term member of the Mississippi House of Representatives
Mississippi House of Representatives
The Mississippi House of Representatives is the lower house of the Mississippi Legislature, the lawmaking body of the U.S. state of Mississippi....
.
Early life and career
Born near Richmond, KentuckyRichmond, Kentucky
There were 10,795 households out of which 24.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.2% were married couples living together, 12.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 48.6% were non-families. Of all households, 34.7% were made up of individuals and 8.8% had...
, Gholson moved with his father to Franklin County, Alabama
Franklin County, Alabama
Franklin County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. Its name is in honor of Benjamin Franklin, famous statesman, scientist, and printer. As of 2010, the population was 31,704...
, in 1817. He attended the common schools and later read law. He was admitted to the bar at Russellville, Alabama
Russellville, Alabama
Russellville is a city in Franklin County in the U.S. state of Alabama. At the 2000 census, the population of the city was 8,971. The city is the county seat of Franklin County.-History:...
, in 1829. He moved to Athens, Mississippi
Athens, Mississippi
Athens is an unincorporated community in Monroe County, Mississippi, United States.Athens is located at .Among the notable residents of Athens was attorney Samuel J...
, and commenced the practice of law in 1830. He served as member of the state House of Representatives in 1835, 1836, and 1839.
Gholson was elected as a Jacksonian Democrat to the Twenty-fourth U.S. Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the death of David Dickson
David Dickson (politician)
David Dickson was a U.S. Representative from Mississippi.-Biography:Born in Georgia, United States, Dickson moved to Mississippi.He studied medicine and practiced extensively in Pike County....
and served from December 1, 1836, to March 3, 1837. His often stormy tenure was marked by a severe dispute with Henry A. Wise
Henry A. Wise
Henry Alexander Wise was an American politician and governor of Virginia, as well as a general in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War.-Early life:...
of Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
that nearly resulted in a duel. Gholson presented credentials as a Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
ic member-elect to the Twenty-fifth Congress and served from July 18, 1837, until February 5, 1838, when the seat was declared vacant. He was later replaced by Thomas J. Word
Thomas J. Word
Thomas Jefferson Word was a U.S. Representative from Mississippi.Born in Surry County, North Carolina, Word studied law, passed his bar exam, and established a private practice. He served as member of the North Carolina House of Commons in 1832...
.
On February 9, 1839, Gholson was nominated by President Martin Van Buren
Martin Van Buren
Martin Van Buren was the eighth President of the United States . Before his presidency, he was the eighth Vice President and the tenth Secretary of State, under Andrew Jackson ....
to a jointly-held seat on both the Northern
United States District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi
The United States District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi is a federal court in the Fifth Circuit with facilities in Aberdeen, Ackerman, Clarksdale, Cleveland, Corinth, Greenville, and Oxford....
and Southern
United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi
The United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi is a federal court in the Fifth Circuit with facilities in Gulfport, Hattiesburg, Vicksburg, and Jackson....
Districts of Mississippi, both vacated by the resignation of George Adams. Gholson was confirmed by the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
on February 13, 1839, and received his commission the same day. While on the bench, he was He was a Lieutenant in the Mississippi State Militia in 1846. He served on the bench until his resignation on January 10, 1861, when Mississippi seceded
Secession
Secession is the act of withdrawing from an organization, union, or especially a political entity. Threats of secession also can be a strategy for achieving more limited goals.-Secession theory:...
from the Union
Union (American Civil War)
During the American Civil War, the Union was a name used to refer to the federal government of the United States, which was supported by the twenty free states and five border slave states. It was opposed by 11 southern slave states that had declared a secession to join together to form the...
. A fiery advocate of states' rights
States' rights
States' rights in U.S. politics refers to political powers reserved for the U.S. state governments rather than the federal government. It is often considered a loaded term because of its use in opposition to federally mandated racial desegregation...
, he served as member of the state secession
Secession
Secession is the act of withdrawing from an organization, union, or especially a political entity. Threats of secession also can be a strategy for achieving more limited goals.-Secession theory:...
convention in 1861 and voted for the ordinance of secession
Ordinance of Secession
The Ordinance of Secession was the document drafted and ratified in 1860 and 1861 by the states officially seceding from the United States of America...
.
Civil War service
With the subsequent outbreak of war, Gholson enlisted as a privatePrivate (rank)
A Private is a soldier of the lowest military rank .In modern military parlance, 'Private' is shortened to 'Pte' in the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth countries and to 'Pvt.' in the United States.Notably both Sir Fitzroy MacLean and Enoch Powell are examples of, rare, rapid career...
in the Monroe Volunteers of Monroe County, Mississippi
Monroe County, Mississippi
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 38,014 people, 14,603 households, and 10,660 families residing in the county. The population density was 50 people per square mile . There were 16,236 housing units at an average density of 21 per square mile...
, (which became Company I, 14th Mississippi Infantry). He served from 1861 until 1863 in the state troops, rising successively through the ranks to captain, 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...
, and then to brigadier general. During the Battle of Fort Donelson
Battle of Fort Donelson
The Battle of Fort Donelson was fought from February 11 to February 16, 1862, in the Western Theater of the American Civil War. The capture of the fort by Union forces opened the Cumberland River as an avenue for the invasion of the South. The success elevated Brig. Gen. Ulysses S...
in Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
, he was badly wounded by a bullet that passed through his right lung. He was among the thousands of troops who were surrendered to the Union forces
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...
under Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant was the 18th President of the United States as well as military commander during the Civil War and post-war Reconstruction periods. Under Grant's command, the Union Army defeated the Confederate military and ended the Confederate States of America...
. After his exchange, Gholson returned to active duty and fought at Iuka
Battle of Iuka
The Battle of Iuka was fought on September 19, 1862, in Iuka, Mississippi, during the American Civil War. In the opening battle of the Iuka-Corinth Campaign, Union Maj. Gen. William S. Rosecrans stopped the advance of the army of Confederate Maj. Gen. Sterling Price.Maj. Gen. Ulysses S...
and then at 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:...
, both in Mississippi.
By mid-1863, Gholson held the rank of major general of Mississippi State Troops. He was awarded the grade of brigadier general in the Provisional Army of the Confederate States to rank from May 6, 1864. He was placed in command of 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...
of 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...
attached to the 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...
of Brig. Gen. James Chalmers
James Ronald Chalmers
James Ronald Chalmers was an American politician and a brigadier general in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War.-Early life:...
under Maj. Gen. Nathan B. Forrest. While serving in the Department of Mississippi and East Louisiana, Gholson was severely wounded in a fight with Union cavalry on December 27, 1864, at Egypt, Mississippi. His left arm had to be amputated, ending his combat duty for the duration of the war.
Postbellum career
After the war, Gholson was again a member of the Mississippi House of Representatives in 1865, 1866, and 1878, serving as Speaker of the House from 1865–67. He opposed the government's controversial Reconstruction policies, a political move that eventually cost him his position. After leaving the state legislature, he continued the practice of law in Aberdeen, MississippiAberdeen, Mississippi
Aberdeen is a city in Monroe County in the U.S. state of Mississippi. The population was 6,415 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Monroe County....
.
Samuel J. Gholson died in Aberdeen on October 16, 1883, and was interred in the town's Odd Fellows Cemetery.
See also
- List of American Civil War generals