John T. Hughes (July 25, 1817 – August 11, 1862) was a colonel in the Missouri State Guard and

Confederate 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 ...

. He might also have been a

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 ...

at the time of his death but documentation of the appointment is lacking.Allardice, Bruce, ''More Generals in Gray'', LSU Press, page 133

Early life career, and Mexican War

John Taylor Hughes was born July 25, 1817 near

Versailles, Kentucky Versailles () is a home rule-class city in Woodford County, Kentucky, United States. It lies by road west of Lexington and is part of the Lexington-Fayette Metropolitan Statistical Area. Versailles has a population of 9,316 according to 2017 cen ...

to Samuel and Nancy (Price) Hughes.Allardice, Bruce, ''More Generals in Gray'', LSU Press, page 132 His family moved to

Fayette, Missouri Fayette is a city in and the county seat of Howard County, Missouri, United States. It is part of the Columbia, Missouri Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city's population was 2,803 at the 2020 census. History Fayette was laid out in 1823. The ...

when he was very young. He was an 1844 graduate of Bonne Femme College and taught school until the outbreak of the Mexican War in 1846. He enlisted as a private in the 1st Regiment Missouri Mounted Volunteers of Doniphan's expedition and penned his personal account of the trek upon his discharge in 1847. Hughes' book provided national fame and following his move to Plattsburg, Missouri in 1848, he became editor of a

Clinton County, Missouri Clinton County is a county located in the U.S. state of Missouri and is part of the Kansas City metropolitan area. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, the county had a population of 20,743. Its county seat is Plattsburg. The county was organized Januar ...

newspaper, the school superintendent, militia colonel, and state representative in 1854. He was also a planter and slaveowner.

Civil War and death

Hughes was a cousin to Sterling Price and like Price professed Conditional Unionism until the Camp Jackson Affair, after which he joined the Missouri State Guard and was elected colonel of the 1st Regiment, 4th Division. He participated in the Battle of Carthage and the Battle of Wilson's Creek. He was slightly wounded in the

Siege of Lexington The siege of Lexington, also known as the First Battle of Lexington or the Battle of the Hemp Bales, was a minor conflict of the American Civil War. The siege took place from September 13 to 20, 1861 between the Union Army and the pro- Confedera ...

. At the Battle of Pea Ridge in March 1862, Hughes took over command of a brigade from the wounded Brigadier general William Yarnell Slack. Hughes returned to Missouri in the summer of 1862 to recruit for the Confederacy. At this time he may have been appointed as either an acting Confederate or Missouri State Guard brigadier general. No record of the appointment has been found but he was known as "general." He, his recruits, and several other recruiting or partisan bands united to attack the garrison of

Independence, Missouri Independence is the fifth-largest city in Missouri and the county seat of Jackson County, Missouri, Jackson County. Independence is a satellite city of Kansas City, Missouri, and is the largest suburb on the Missouri side of the Kansas City metro ...

on August 11, 1862 with Hughes in overall command. During this battle (the

First Battle of Independence The First Battle of Independence was a minor engagement of the American Civil War, occurring on August 11, 1862, in the city of Independence, located in Jackson County, Missouri. Its result was a Confederate victory, continuing the Southern do ...

), he was killed instantly by a shot to the head while leading a charge, but the city was captured. He is interred at Woodlawn Cemetery in Independence. He left behind a wife, Mary, and five young sons.Eakin, Joanne Chiles, ''Battle of Independence, August 11, 1862'', Two Trails Publishing, 2000, page 46

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hughes, John T. 1817 births 1862 deaths People from Versailles, Kentucky American people of Welsh descent American military personnel of the Mexican–American War People of Missouri in the American Civil War Confederate States Army generals Confederate States of America military personnel killed in the American Civil War Missouri State Guard People from Fayette, Missouri American slave owners

Early life career, and Mexican War

Civil War and death

See also

References