Edward Crossland (June 30, 1827 – September 11, 1881) was a

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 1 ...

army officer 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 ...

and later a

United States representative The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...

from

Kentucky Kentucky ( , ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States and one of the states of the Upper South. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north; West Virginia and Virginia ...

. He commanded a

brigade A brigade is a major tactical military formation that typically comprises three to six battalions plus supporting elements. It is roughly equivalent to an enlarged or reinforced regiment. Two or more brigades may constitute a division. B ...

of cavalry in the Western Theater and served in several battles. Crossland was born in

Hickman County, Kentucky Hickman County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of the 2020 census, the population was 4,521, making it the third-least populous county in Kentucky. Its county seat is Clinton. The county was formed in 1821. It is the le ...

, to Samuel Crossland and his wife Elizabeth Harry. He studied

law Law is a set of rules that are created and are enforceable by social or governmental institutions to regulate behavior,Robertson, ''Crimes against humanity'', 90. with its precise definition a matter of longstanding debate. It has been vario ...

and was admitted to the bar in 1852. He began his practice at

Clinton, Kentucky Clinton is a home rule-class city and the county seat of Hickman County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 1,388 at the 2010 census, a decline from 1,415 in 2000. History Clinton appears to have been named after a riverboat or milit ...

, and also served as sheriff of Hickman County in 1851 and 1852. Crossland was member of the Kentucky House of Representatives in 1857 and 1858. In 1861, at the beginning of the Civil War, he became a captain in the Confederate Army's 1st Kentucky Infantry Regiment. He went to

Northern Virginia Northern Virginia, locally referred to as NOVA or NoVA, comprises several counties and independent cities in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. It is a widespread region radiating westward and southward from Washington, D.C. Wit ...

with his regiment, and in December 1861 they fought in the

Battle of Dranesville The Battle of Dranesville was a small battle during the American Civil War that took place between Confederate forces under Brigadier General J. E. B. Stuart and Union forces under Brigadier General Edward O. C. Ord on December 20, 1861, in ...

under J. E. B. Stuart. The regiment was then assigned to the

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. It was also the primary command structure of the Department of Northern Virginia. It was most oft ...

, where it served until its one-year enlistment expired. Crossland had by then become a lieutenant colonel. Following his discharge, Crossland was elected

colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge o ...

of the 7th Kentucky Infantry and served with them in

Mississippi Mississippi () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States, bordered to the north by Tennessee; to the east by Alabama; to the south by the Gulf of Mexico; to the southwest by Louisiana; and to the northwest by Arkansas. Miss ...

. In 1864, the 7th Kentucky Infantry was mounted and assigned to Maj. Gen. Hylan B. Lyon's Brigade of Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest's Cavalry Corps. Crossland served under Forrest until the war's end in May 1865. His last battle was at Selma, Alabama, on April 2, 1865. In August 1867, Crossland was elected judge of the court of common pleas of the first judicial district of Kentucky for the term of six years. However, he resigned his office on November 1, 1870. He was elected as a Democrat to the Forty-second and Forty-third Congresses (March 4, 1871 – March 3, 1875). He then left Congress and practiced law in Mayfield, Kentucky. In August 1880, he was again elected judge of the circuit court for the first judicial district of Kentucky, and served until his death the following year at the age of 54. He was survived by his wife and five of their thirteen children. Crossland was buried in Maplewood Cemetery in Mayfield, Kentucky. Crossland, Kentucky is named for him.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Crossland, Edward 1827 births 1881 deaths People from Hickman County, Kentucky Democratic Party members of the Kentucky House of Representatives Kentucky state court judges Confederate States Army officers People of Kentucky in the American Civil War People from Mayfield, Kentucky Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Kentucky 19th-century American politicians 19th-century American judges