William Lee J. Lowrance
Encyclopedia
William Lee Joshua Lowrance commanded a North Carolina
regiment in the American Civil War
. At the Battle of Gettysburg
he briefly led the brigade of the wounded Alfred M. Scales.
Lowrance was born on July 26, 1836 in Mooresville, North Carolina, the son of John Nichols Lowrance and Jane Kilpatrick. He attended Davidson College
.
Lowrance became a lieutenant in D company of the 34th North Carolina Infantry in September 1861, eventually rising to colonel by December 1862. He led the regiment in the brigade of Brigadier General William Dorsey Pender
, part of MG A. P. Hill
's Light Division at the Battle of Fredericksburg
and possibly at the Battle of Chancellorsville
. After Chancellorsville, Pender became division commander, and Brigadier General Alfred M. Scales took command of the brigade. At Gettysburg, Lowrance was wounded on the first day of fighting, but he later took command of the brigade in place of Scales, who had been severely wounded. Lowrance found the brigade sadly depleted, but he led it in Pickett's Charge
on July 3, 1863. According to his report, the brigade and that of Brigadier General James H. Lane numbered no more than 800 troops. They advanced following the division led by Brigadier General J. Johnston Pettigrew
, but they retreated upon finding themselves nearly alone in front of the federal line on Cemetery Ridge.http://www.civilwarhome.com/lowrancegettysburgor.htm
Col. Lowrance returned to his regiment when Gen Scales rejoined the Army of Northern Virginia
. Lowrance led the regiment in the Bristoe Campaign
and the Mine Run Campaign. He fought in the Battle of the Wilderness
and subsequent actions, including the earlier stages of the Siege of Petersburg
. Col. Lowrance led the brigade briefly when Scales was ill in late May 1864. He led the brigade again when Scales was absent in November 1864.
Col. Lowrance went on sick leave on February 2, 1865 and did not return to the Army.
After the War, Lowrance was a merchant in Oxford, Mississippi
and served in that state's legislature. In 1880, he moved to Texas
and became a minister. He was the pastor of Oak Cliff Presbyterian Church in Dallas, Texas
. Lowrance died in Forestville, Texas on March 24, 1916.
He married Sarah C. Stewart in Atlanta, Georgia
. They had four sons and two daughters.
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
regiment in 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...
. At the Battle of Gettysburg
Battle 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...
he briefly led the brigade of the wounded Alfred M. Scales.
Lowrance was born on July 26, 1836 in Mooresville, North Carolina, the son of John Nichols Lowrance and Jane Kilpatrick. He attended Davidson College
Davidson College
Davidson College is a private liberal arts college in Davidson, North Carolina. The college has graduated 23 Rhodes Scholars and is consistently ranked in the top ten liberal arts colleges in the country by U.S. News and World Report magazine, although it has recently dropped to 11th in U.S. News...
.
Lowrance became a lieutenant in D company of the 34th North Carolina Infantry in September 1861, eventually rising to colonel by December 1862. He led the regiment in the brigade of Brigadier General William Dorsey Pender
William Dorsey Pender
William Dorsey Pender was one of the youngest, and most promising, generals fighting for the Confederacy in the American Civil War. He was mortally wounded at the Battle of Gettysburg.-Early life:...
, part of MG 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...
's Light Division 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...
and possibly at 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...
. After Chancellorsville, Pender became division commander, and Brigadier General Alfred M. Scales took command of the brigade. At Gettysburg, Lowrance was wounded on the first day of fighting, but he later took command of the brigade in place of Scales, who had been severely wounded. Lowrance found the brigade sadly depleted, but he led it in Pickett's Charge
Pickett's Charge
Pickett's Charge was an infantry assault ordered by Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee against Maj. Gen. George G. Meade's Union positions on Cemetery Ridge on July 3, 1863, the last day of the Battle of Gettysburg during the American Civil War. Its futility was predicted by the charge's commander,...
on July 3, 1863. According to his report, the brigade and that of Brigadier General James H. Lane numbered no more than 800 troops. They advanced following the division led by Brigadier General J. Johnston Pettigrew
J. Johnston Pettigrew
James Johnston Pettigrew was an author, lawyer, linguist, diplomat, and a Confederate general in the American Civil War...
, but they retreated upon finding themselves nearly alone in front of the federal line on Cemetery Ridge.http://www.civilwarhome.com/lowrancegettysburgor.htm
Col. Lowrance returned to his regiment when Gen Scales rejoined 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...
. Lowrance led the regiment in the Bristoe Campaign
Bristoe Campaign
The Bristoe Campaign was a series of minor battles fought in Virginia during October and November 1863, in the American Civil War. Maj. Gen. George G. Meade, commanding the Union Army of the Potomac, began to maneuver in an unsuccessful attempt to defeat Gen. Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern...
and the Mine Run Campaign. He fought in the Battle of the Wilderness
Battle 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...
and subsequent actions, including the earlier stages of 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...
. Col. Lowrance led the brigade briefly when Scales was ill in late May 1864. He led the brigade again when Scales was absent in November 1864.
Col. Lowrance went on sick leave on February 2, 1865 and did not return to the Army.
After the War, Lowrance was a merchant in Oxford, Mississippi
Oxford, Mississippi
Oxford is a city in, and the county seat of, Lafayette County, Mississippi, United States. Founded in 1835, it was named after the British university city of Oxford in hopes of having the state university located there, which it did successfully attract....
and served in that state's legislature. In 1880, he moved 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...
and became a minister. He was the pastor of Oak Cliff Presbyterian Church in Dallas, Texas
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
. Lowrance died in Forestville, Texas on March 24, 1916.
He married Sarah C. Stewart in Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
. They had four sons and two daughters.