Bernard Gaines Farrar Jr. (1831–1916) served in the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...

as an officer in the

Union Army During the American Civil War, the Union Army, also known as the Federal Army and the Northern Army, referring to the United States Army, was the land force that fought to preserve the Union (American Civil War), Union of the collective U.S. st ...

. Prior to his service, he was a businessman in St. Louis. Farrar Jr. began his military career on the staff of General Nathanial Lyon and then rose through the ranks until he was brevetted Brigadier-General. Following his time in the military he returned to St. Louis where he was involved in politics and known as a prominent leader in the St. Louis community.

Early life

Farrar was born August 5, 1831 in St. Louis, Missouri to Bernard Gaines Farrar, Sr. and Ann O’Fallon Clark Thruston. His father was the first doctor of American descent set up permanent residence west of the Mississippi and his mother was the niece of William Clark. Farrar Jr. studied at

St. Louis University Saint Louis University (SLU) is a private Jesuit research university with campuses in St. Louis, Missouri, United States, and Madrid, Spain. Founded in 1818 by Louis William Valentine DuBourg, it is the oldest university west of the Mississip ...

, Norwich Military Academy of Vermont, and the

University of Virginia The University of Virginia (UVA) is a Public university#United States, public research university in Charlottesville, Virginia. Founded in 1819 by Thomas Jefferson, the university is ranked among the top academic institutions in the United S ...

. After completing his education, he returned to St. Louis and began his career in local business ventures and real estate. On June 14, 1852, Farrar married Isabel Jerdone Mitchell. The Farrars had four children: Alexander Mitchell Farrar, Frank Jerdone Farrar, Ann Clark Thruston Farrar and Bertie Cecil Farrar.

Military career

In 1861, Farrar enlisted in the Union Army. That May, just as the American Civil War broke out, he was appointed as an aide-de-camp for General Nathaniel Lyon. Early in his service under Lyon, Farrar engaged in a campaign to oust Missouri’s pro-

Confederate Confederacy or confederate may refer to: States or communities * Confederate state or confederation, a union of sovereign groups or communities * Confederate States of America, a confederation of secessionist American states that existed between ...

government. He was also an active participant in the Camp Jackson Affair, personally sent to Confederate General

Frost Frost is a thin layer of ice on a solid surface, which forms from water vapor in an above-freezing atmosphere coming in contact with a solid surface whose temperature is below freezing, and resulting in a phase change from water vapor (a gas) ...

delivering the message to surrender. After the Battle of Wilson’s Creek and General Lyon's death, Farrar was appointed to the staff of General Henry Halleck in October 1861. Farrar served as

Provost Marshal Provost marshal is a title given to a person in charge of a group of Military Police (MP). The title originated with an older term for MPs, '' provosts'', from the Old French ''prévost'' (Modern French ''prévôt''). While a provost marshal i ...

of the Department of the Missouri until October 1862. Then he organized the 30th Missouri Volunteer Infantry and became its Colonel. Serving under General

Ulysses S. Grant Ulysses S. Grant (born Hiram Ulysses Grant ; April 27, 1822July 23, 1885) was an American military officer and politician who served as the 18th president of the United States from 1869 to 1877. As Commanding General, he led the Union Ar ...

in the

Mississippi River campaigns The Mississippi River campaigns, within the Trans-Mississippi Theater of the American Civil War, were a series of military actions by the Union Army during which Union troops, helped by Union Navy gunboats and river ironclads, took control of the ...

; he commanded Francis P. Blair's Brigade in the Siege of Vicksburg. Afterwards he formed an all-black regiment which would later become the 6th U.S. Colored Heavy Artillery. Farrar later commanded the District of Natchez, and was brevetted Brigadier-General on March 9, 1865.

Post-military life

In May 1865, Farrar resigned from the military and came back to reside in St. Louis. A vocal Republican, he served as a representative in Missouri and was appointed by President Harrison as Missouri’s Assistant U.S. Treasurer, a position he held for four years. Farrar died on June 6th, 1916. He is buried at Bellefontaine Cemetery in St. Louis, Missouri.

References

External links

*
Image of Bernard Gaines Farrar, Jr.
from the Missouri History Museum {{DEFAULTSORT:Farrar, Bernard Gaines, Jr. 1831 births 1916 deaths Burials at Bellefontaine Cemetery Military personnel from St. Louis People of Missouri in the American Civil War Union Army colonels