BRIGADIER GENERAL THOMAS FENWICK DRAYTON
Item #: CWB12033
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Brigadier-General Thomas Fenwick Drayton was born in South
Carolina about 1807, of an ancestral line distinguished in the
history of the State. His grandfather, William Drayton, born
in South Carolina in 1733, was educated in law at the Temple,
London; was appointed chief justice of the province of East
Florida in 1768, and after the revolution was judge of
admiralty, associate justice of the supreme court, and first
United States district judge.
His father, William Drayton, born in 1776, a lawyer, entered
the United States service as lieutenant-colonel in 1812; was
promoted colonel, and later inspector-general; was associated
with Generals Scott and Macomb in the preparation of a system
of infantry tactics; resigned in 1815, afterward served in
Congress 1825-33, and was a warm friend and supporter of
President Jackson.
General Drayton was graduated at the United States military
academy in 1828, in the class of Jefferson Davis, and was in
the service as second lieutenant of Sixth infantry until his
resignation in 1836. Subsequently he was occupied as a civil
engineer at Charleston, Louisville and Cincinnati for two
years, then becoming a planter in St. Luke's parish.
He served as captain of South Carolina militia five years, was
a member of the board of ordnance of the State, a State
senator 1853-61, and president of the Charleston & Savannah
railroad 1853-56.
September 25, 1861, he was commissioned brigadier-general,
provisional army of the Confederate States, and was assigned
to the command of the Third military district of the State.
He was in command of the Confederate forces during the
bombardment and capture of Forts Walker and Beauregard, at
Port Royal entrance, in November, 1861, on which occasion his
brother, Capt. Percival Drayton, commanded the steamer
Pocahontas, one of the Federal vessels under Admiral DuPont.
He was in charge of the Fifth military district, under Gen. R.
E. Lee, and the Sixth and Fourth districts under Pemberton, in
the same region, with headquarters at Hardeeville. During the
Second Manassas and Maryland campaigns he commanded a brigade
composed of the Fifteenth South Carolina, and two Georgia
regiments, which, with Toombs' Georgia brigade, constituted
the division of D. R. Jones, Longstreet's corps, and
participated in the battles of Thoroughfare Gap and Second
Manassas, South Mountain and Sharpsburg.
In August, 1863, he was ordered to report to Gen. T. H.
Holmes, at Little Rock, Ark., and was there assigned to
command of a brigade of Sterling Price's division, consisting
of Missouri and Arkansas troops. From the beginning of 1864
he was in command of this division in Arkansas, until Gen.
Kirby Smith relieved Holmes, when he was transferred to the
command of the West sub-district of Mexico.
He was also in command of the Texas cavalry division composed
of the brigades of Slaughter and H. E. McCullough. In the
spring of 1865 he was a member of the board of inquiry
demanded by General Price after his Missouri expedition.
After the close of hostilities, General Drayton farmed in
Dooly county, GA, until 1872, afterward was an insurance
agent, and in 1878 removed to Charlotte, N. C., as president
of the South Carolina immigration society. He died at
Florence, February 18, 1891.
Shipping Weight:
0.6 lb
Item # CWB12033
$275.00 USD