James Fleming Fagan (March 1, 1828September 1, 1893) was an American farmer, politician, and senior
officer of the
Confederate States Army
The Confederate States Army, also called the Confederate Army or the Southern Army, was the military land force of the Confederate States of America (commonly referred to as the Confederacy) during the American Civil War (1861–1865), fighting ...
during 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 ...
. His brigade distinguished itself in the
Camden Expedition of 1864, helping to drive the
U.S. Army's
Seventh Corps from southwest
Arkansas
Arkansas ( ) is a landlocked state in the South Central United States. It is bordered by Missouri to the north, Tennessee and Mississippi to the east, Louisiana to the south, and Texas and Oklahoma to the west. Its name is from the Osage ...
.
Early life
James Fleming Fagan was born in
Clark County, Kentucky. When he was ten years old, his family moved to
Little Rock
( The "Little Rock")
, government_type = Council-manager
, leader_title = Mayor
, leader_name = Frank Scott Jr.
, leader_party = D
, leader_title2 = Council
, leader_name2 ...
. His father had been hired to work on the
Old State House. His father died during his youth and his mother, Catherine A. Fagan, in 1842 married
Samuel Adams
Samuel Adams ( – October 2, 1803) was an American statesman, political philosopher, and a Founding Father of the United States. He was a politician in colonial Massachusetts, a leader of the movement that became the American Revolution, and ...
, who became acting
governor of Arkansas
A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political r ...
two years later.
After his stepfather's death, Fagan took control of the family farm along the
Saline River in southern Arkansas. Though he was a member of the
Whig Party, he represented the heavily
Democratic Saline County for two terms in the
General Assembly
A general assembly or general meeting is a meeting of all the members of an organization or shareholders of a company.
Specific examples of general assembly include:
Churches
* General Assembly (presbyterian church), the highest court of presby ...
. Fagan served in the
United States Volunteers
United States Volunteers also known as U.S. Volunteers, U.S. Volunteer Army, or other variations of these, were military volunteers called upon during wartime to assist the United States Army but who were separate from both the Regular Army and the ...
during the
Mexican–American War
The Mexican–American War, also known in the United States as the Mexican War and in Mexico as the (''United States intervention in Mexico''), was an armed conflict between the United States and Mexico from 1846 to 1848. It followed the 1 ...
with Company C, Arkansas Mounted Infantry Regiment, under Colonel
Archibald Yell and was promoted to the rank of
second lieutenant
Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces, comparable to NATO OF-1 rank.
Australia
The rank of second lieutenant existed in the military forces of the Australian colonies and Australian Army until ...
.
American Civil War
At the start of the American Civil War, Fagan raised a company for the
Confederate States Army
The Confederate States Army, also called the Confederate Army or the Southern Army, was the military land force of the Confederate States of America (commonly referred to as the Confederacy) during the American Civil War (1861–1865), fighting ...
and became its
captain
Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...
. When his unit was folded in with the
1st Arkansas Infantry Regiment
The 1st Arkansas Infantry (1861–1865) was a Confederate Army infantry regiment during the American Civil War. The regiment was raised in April 1861 by Colonel Thompson B. Flournoy. It moved first to Virginia, but transferred back to Tennessee ...
on May 6, 1861, the very day that
Arkansas
Arkansas ( ) is a landlocked state in the South Central United States. It is bordered by Missouri to the north, Tennessee and Mississippi to the east, Louisiana to the south, and Texas and Oklahoma to the west. Its name is from the Osage ...
seceded from the
Union
Union commonly refers to:
* Trade union, an organization of workers
* Union (set theory), in mathematics, a fundamental operation on sets
Union may also refer to:
Arts and entertainment
Music
* Union (band), an American rock group
** ''Un ...
, he was elected as
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 of ...
of the combined 900-man regiment. They were formally mustered into service in
Lynchburg, Virginia
Lynchburg is an independent city (United States), independent city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. First settled in 1757 by ferry owner John Lynch (1740–1820), John Lynch, the city's populati ...
in May 1861. His regiment was a part of the first wave of Confederate attacks under General
Albert Sidney Johnston
Albert Sidney Johnston (February 2, 1803 – April 6, 1862) served as a general in three different armies: the Texian Army, the United States Army, and the Confederate States Army. He saw extensive combat during his 34-year military career, figh ...
at the
Battle of Shiloh
The Battle of Shiloh (also known as the Battle of Pittsburg Landing) was fought on April 6–7, 1862, in the American Civil War. The fighting took place in southwestern Tennessee, which was part of the war's Western Theater. The battlefield i ...
. He also participated in the
Siege of Corinth, but fell into disfavor with his superior officer, General
Braxton Bragg
Braxton Bragg (March 22, 1817 – September 27, 1876) was an American army officer during the Second Seminole War and Mexican–American War and Confederate general in the Confederate Army during the American Civil War, serving in the Weste ...
.
Fagan was soon transferred to the
Trans-Mississippi Theater, where he fought at the battles of
Cane Hill
Cane Hill Hospital was a psychiatric hospital in Coulsdon in the London Borough of Croydon. The site is owned by GLA Land and Property.
History
The hospital has its origins as the third Surrey County Pauper Lunatic Asylum, designed by Charle ...
and
Prairie Grove in command of the
1st Arkansas Cavalry Regiment.
He was promoted to
brigadier-general
Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...
on September 12, 1862, and assumed command of 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.
Br ...
composed of the
34th Arkansas,
35th Arkansas,
37th Arkansas, and
Hawthorn’s Arkansas infantry regiments. Fagan played a central role in the
Battle of Helena, where he and his Arkansas brigade made repeated
frontal assaults on
United States artillery batteries. During the
Little Rock
( The "Little Rock")
, government_type = Council-manager
, leader_title = Mayor
, leader_name = Frank Scott Jr.
, leader_party = D
, leader_title2 = Council
, leader_name2 ...
Campaign, Fagan was given temporary command of
Sterling Price's
division.
Fagan fought in the
Camden Expedition, including the successful destruction of a Federal supply train at the
Battle of Marks' Mill, which led to the Federal retreat from southern Arkansas. In recognition for his service in the Camden Expedition, he was promoted to
major-general on April 24, 1864, and commanded the Arkansas division of Confederate
cavalry
Historically, cavalry (from the French word ''cavalerie'', itself derived from "cheval" meaning "horse") are soldiers or warriors who fight mounted on horseback. Cavalry were the most mobile of the combat arms, operating as light cavalry ...
during
Price's Missouri Expedition. His division broke in a "disgraceful manner" during the failed assault on
Fort Davidson
Fort Davidson, a fortification near the town of Pilot Knob, Missouri, was the site of the Battle of Fort Davidson during the American Civil War. Built by Union Army soldiers during the American Civil War, the fort repulsed Confederate attack ...
at Pilot Knob, Missouri.
During Price's withdrawal from Missouri and Kansas, Fagan and
John S. Marmaduke
John Sappington Marmaduke (March 14, 1833 – December 28, 1887) was an American politician and soldier. He served as the 25th governor of Missouri from 1885 until his death in 1887. During the American Civil War, he was a senior officer ...
's divisions were overwhelmed at the
Battle of Mine Creek. The end of the war found Fagan in command of the District of Arkansas of the
Trans-Mississippi Department, which was active militarily until late April 1865.
Later life
Fagan was paroled by United States military authorities on June 20, 1865. After his parole, he returned to his farm to make a living. Fagan commanded
Joseph Brooks' militia forces during the so-called
Brooks-Baxter War of 1874, despite Fagan's former service as a Confederate States Army general. He was appointed
United States Marshal
The United States Marshals Service (USMS) is a federal law enforcement agency in the United States. The USMS is a bureau within the U.S. Department of Justice, operating under the direction of the Attorney General, but serves as the enforcem ...
by President
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 1875 and served as a receiver for the United States Land Office in 1877. In 1890, Fagan ran for the office of state railroad commissioner but was defeated.
He died of
malaria
Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease that affects humans and other animals. Malaria causes symptoms that typically include fever, tiredness, vomiting, and headaches. In severe cases, it can cause jaundice, seizures, coma, or death. S ...
in Little Rock, Arkansas, and was buried at the historic
Mount Holly Cemetery in that city.
Personal life
Fagan's first wife was the sister of Confederate States Army general
William N. R. Beall. He was also related by marriage to Arkansas governor
Henry M. Rector
Henry Massie Rector (May 1, 1816August 12, 1899) was an American politician and lawyer who served as the sixth governor of Arkansas from 1860 to 1862.
Early life and education
Henry Massie Rector was born in Louisville, Kentucky, the son of ...
.
Legacy
Chapter No. 280 of the
Military Order of the Stars and Bars (MOSB) in
Jonesboro, Arkansas
Jonesboro is a city located on Crowley's Ridge in the northeastern corner of the U.S. State of Arkansas. Jonesboro is one of two county seats of Craighead County. According to the 2020 Census, the city had a population of 78,576 and is the f ...
, was named after him.
See also
*
List of Confederate States Army generals
References
Further reading
* Eicher, John H., and
David J. Eicher
David John Eicher (born August 7, 1961) is an American editor, writer, and popularizer of astronomy and space. He has been editor-in-chief of ''Astronomy'' magazine since 2002. He is author, coauthor, or editor of 23 books on science and American ...
, ''Civil War High Commands.'' Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2001. .
* Sifakis, Stewart. ''Who Was Who in the Civil War.'' New York: Facts On File, 1988. .
* Warner, Ezra J., ''Generals in Gray: Lives of the Confederate Commanders'', Louisiana State University Press, 1959, .
External links
*
*
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fagan, James Fleming
1828 births
1893 deaths
19th-century American politicians
American military personnel of the Mexican–American War
Arkansas Know Nothings
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Burials at Mount Holly Cemetery
Businesspeople from Little Rock, Arkansas
Confederate States Army major generals
Deaths in Arkansas
Deaths from malaria
Farmers from Arkansas
Grant administration personnel
Infectious disease deaths in Arkansas
Members of the Arkansas House of Representatives
Military personnel from Arkansas
People of Arkansas in the American Civil War
People of the Brooks–Baxter War
People from Clark County, Kentucky
Politicians from Saline County, Arkansas
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