William Felix Brantley (March 12, 1830 – November 2, 1870) was an American lawyer and Confederate combatant. He served as a

Confederate general The general officers of the Confederate States Army (CSA) were the senior military leaders of the Confederacy during the American Civil War of 1861–1865. They were often former officers from the United States Army (the regular army) prior to ...

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 ...

, mainly in the Western Theater during the conflict. He was ambushed and murdered in central Mississippi in November 1870, reportedly as part of a family feud. His older brother, Dr. John Ransom Brantley, was killed in 1859 in Gonzales, Texas. Their younger brother Arnold Brantley was killed in Greensboro, Mississippi in August 1870; his attackers escaped.

Early life and career

William Felix Brantley was born in 1830 in

Greene County, Alabama Greene County is a county located in the west central portion of the U.S. state of Alabama. As of the 2020 census, the population was 7,730, the least populous county in Alabama. Its county seat is Eutaw. It was named in honor of Revolutionar ...

, but moved with his family to

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 ...

while still a child.Warner, p. 32. He was a son of William Brantley, originally from

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States Georgia may also refer to: Places Historical states and entities * Related to the ...

, and his wife Marina (née Jolly) of

Alabama (We dare defend our rights) , anthem = "Alabama" , image_map = Alabama in United States.svg , seat = Montgomery , LargestCity = Huntsville , LargestCounty = Baldwin County , LargestMetro = Greater Birmingham , area_total_km2 = 135,765 ...

. By 1850 Brantley was studying law in

Carroll County, Mississippi Carroll County is a county in the U.S. state of Mississippi. As of the 2020 census, the population was 9,998. Its county seats are Carrollton and Vaiden. The county is named for Charles Carroll of Carrollton, the last surviving signatory of th ...

. Two years later he began practicing as a lawyer in now non-existent city of

Greensboro Greensboro (; formerly Greensborough) is a city in and the county seat of Guilford County, North Carolina, United States. It is the List of municipalities in North Carolina, third-most populous city in North Carolina after Charlotte, North Car ...

Webster County, Mississippi Webster County is a county located in center of the U.S. state of Mississippi, bordered on the south by the Big Black River. As of the 2020 census, the population was 9,926. The county was organized in 1874 during the Reconstruction era; t ...

. On December 27, 1855, Brantley married Cornelia S. Medley, and the couple had three children together. They were: Mary Thomas, born September 5, 1858, in Macon and died June 11, 1943, in

St. Louis, Missouri St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the bi-state metropolitan area, which e ...

; Joseph Ransom, born September 5, 1859, in Choctaw County and died there on September 19, 1869; and an unnamed infant born in 1861 and died on June 7 of that year. By 1860 Brantley was a practicing lawyer in

Choctaw County, Mississippi Choctaw County is a county located in the central part of the U.S. state of Mississippi. As of the 2010 census, the population was 8,547. Its northern border is the Big Black River, which flows southwest into the Mississippi River south of Vi ...

. He and his family lived with one of his brothers, Dr. John Ransom Brantley. In 1861 he represented his county during the Mississippi state secession convention.

Civil War service

When the American Civil War began in 1861, Brantley chose to follow his home state and the Confederate cause. On April 20 he entered his state's forces as a captain in the Mississippi

Militia A militia () is generally an army or some other fighting organization of non-professional soldiers, citizens of a country, or subjects of a state, who may perform military service during a time of need, as opposed to a professional force of r ...

.Eicher, p. 142. On May 21 Brantley joined the Confederate Army when his company (called the Wigfall Rifles) was added to the 15th Mississippi Infantry as Company D, of which he was elected its captain. In the spring of 1862 he was a captain in the 29th Mississippi Infantry, and fought at the Battle of Shiloh on April 6, where he was among 10,000 Confederate casualties. That May Brantley was promoted to lieutenant colonel, and on December 13 he was promoted to

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 ...

in command of th
29th Mississippi
He fought during the

Battle of Stones River The Battle of Stones River, also known as the Second Battle of Murfreesboro, was a battle fought from December 31, 1862, to January 2, 1863, in Middle Tennessee, as the culmination of the Stones River Campaign in the Western Theater of the Am ...

, in which he was wounded again, hit in a shoulder on December 31. Brantley led his regiment (now part of the

Army of Tennessee The Army of Tennessee was the principal Confederate army operating between the Appalachian Mountains and the Mississippi River during the American Civil War. It was formed in late 1862 and fought until the end of the war in 1865, participating in ...

) during the

Battle of Chickamauga The Battle of Chickamauga, fought on September 19–20, 1863, between U.S. and Confederate forces in the American Civil War, marked the end of a Union offensive, the Chickamauga Campaign, in southeastern Tennessee and northwestern Georgia. I ...

from September 19–20, 1863, and with distinction in the Chattanooga Campaign that October and November. In his commander's report about the

Battle of Lookout Mountain The Battle of Lookout Mountain also known as the Battle Above The Clouds was fought November 24, 1863, as part of the Chattanooga Campaign of the American Civil War. Union forces under Maj. Gen. Joseph Hooker assaulted Lookout Mountain, Chattan ...

, Brantley was praised for his conduct: Brantley's wife Cornelia died during 1863. He led the 29th Mississippi into the Atlanta Campaign in the spring and summer of 1864. In the inconclusive

Battle of Resaca The Battle of Resaca, from May 13 to 15, 1864, formed part of the Atlanta Campaign during the American Civil War, when a Union force under William Tecumseh Sherman engaged the Confederate Army of Tennessee led by Joseph E. Johnston. The battle ...

on May 13–15, Brantley was again noted for his performance, "commended for gallantry, after leading a charge on the enemy that repulsed Federal assaults three times." During the

Battle of Atlanta The Battle of Atlanta was a battle of the Atlanta Campaign fought during the American Civil War on July 22, 1864, just southeast of Atlanta, Georgia. Continuing their summer campaign to seize the important rail and supply hub of Atlanta, Un ...

on July 22, his brigade commander, Col.

Samuel Benton Samuel Benton (1820–1864) was an American attorney, newspaper publisher and politician. He served as a colonel in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. He was promoted to brigadier general but died two days later before t ...

, was mortally wounded, hit in his chest and right foot by a shell. Brantley took command of the brigade, and would lead it for the rest of the war. On July 26 Brantley was promoted to the rank of

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 ...

.Wright, p. 144. Appointed from Mississippi on July 26, 1864, to rank from that date, and confirmed by the Confederate Congress on February 20, 1865. He led his brigade during the Franklin-Nashville Campaign in late 1864. At Battle of Franklin on November 30, Brantley's command consisted of the 24th, 27th, 29th, 30th, and the 34th Mississippi Infantry, plus a dismounted cavalry company. In 1865 Brantley's command and the remnant of the Army of Tennessee participated in the

Carolinas Campaign The campaign of the Carolinas (January 1 – April 26, 1865), also known as the Carolinas campaign, was the final campaign conducted by the United States Army (Union Army) against the Confederate States Army in the Western Theater. On January ...

. He surrendered along with Gen.

Joseph E. Johnston Joseph Eggleston Johnston (February 3, 1807 – March 21, 1891) was an American career army officer, serving with distinction in the United States Army during the Mexican–American War (1846–1848) and the Seminole Wars. After Virginia secede ...

North Carolina North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and ...

on April 26.Warner, p. 33. He was paroled on May 1 from

and returned home to Mississippi.

Postbellum and death

After the war ended in 1865, Brantley resumed his law practice in Mississippi. The widower remarried, to a woman named Julia. They had a son born in 1869, but he died on November 10 that same year; no name was recorded for the infant. Brantley was part of a family feud, which resulted in his death by murder. An account of his involvement follows: Brantley was killed by a shotgun blast at Winona, located in Montgomery County. He was buried in a cemetery "behind the church at Old Greensboro, about three miles north of Tomnolen,

Notes

References

* Eicher, John H., and Eicher, David J., ''Civil War High Commands'', Stanford University Press, 2001, . * Warner, Ezra J., ''Generals in Gray: The Lives of the Confederate Commanders'', Louisiana State University Press, 1959, . * Wright, Marcus J., ''General Officers of the Confederate Army'', J. M. Carroll & Co., 1983, .
civilwarreference.com
Civil War Reference Network site biography of Brantley.

, US Gen website entry for General William F. Brantley.

19th Alabama Infantry Regiment site Conf. Franklin Order of Battle.

The 29th Mississippi Infantry Regiment by Jack Taylor, II

Early life and career

Civil War service

Postbellum and death

See also

Notes

References

Further reading