William Henry Forney (November 9, 1823 – January 16, 1894) was an Alabama legislator, a brigadier general in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War and

U.S. 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 c ...

from Alabama from March 4, 1875 to March 3, 1893.

Early life

Forney was born in Lincolnton, North Carolina, on November 9, 1823.Eicher, John H., and David J. Eicher, ''Civil War High Commands.'' Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2001. . p. 240. He moved with his parents to Alabama in 1835. Warner, Ezra J. ''Generals in Gray: Lives of the Confederate Commanders.'' Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1959. . p. 91. He was the grandson of Peter Forney and nephew of David M. Forney. He was the older brother of Confederate Major General

John Horace Forney John Horace Forney (August 12, 1829 – September 13, 1902) was a farmer, civil engineer, and major general in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. Being promoted to the rank of major general on October 27, 1862, Forney part ...

, first cousin of Confederate Brigadier General

Robert Daniel Johnston Robert Daniel Johnston (March 19, 1837 – February 1, 1919) was a brigadier general for the Confederate States of America during the American Civil War. Early life Johnston was born in Mount Welcome, Lincoln County, North Carolina, to Dr. W ...

and second cousin of Confederate Major Generals

Robert F. Hoke Robert Frederick Hoke (May 27, 1837 – July 3, 1912) was a Confederate major general during the American Civil War. He was present at one of the earliest battles, the Battle of Big Bethel, where he was commended for coolness and judgment. Wo ...

and

Stephen Dodson Ramseur Stephen Dodson Ramseur (May 31, 1837 – October 20, 1864) was a Confederate general in the American Civil War, at one point the youngest in the army. He impressed Lee by his actions at Malvern Hill and Chancellorsville, where his brigade led S ...

. Forney pursued an education in

classical studies Classics or classical studies is the study of classical antiquity. In the Western world, classics traditionally refers to the study of Classical Greek and Roman literature and their related original languages, Ancient Greek and Latin. Classics ...

, and graduated from the University of Alabama at Tuscaloosa in 1844. He served in the Mexican War as a first lieutenant in the First Regiment of Alabama Volunteers. Upon returning from the War, Forney studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1848 when he commenced practice in Jacksonville, Alabama. Forney served as a Trustee of the University of Alabama from 1851-1860. In 1859 and 1860, Forney served as a member of the Alabama House of Representatives.

Civil War

During the Civil War Forney entered the Confederate States Army in 1861 as a

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 ...

in the

10th Regiment Alabama Infantry The 10th Alabama Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment that served in the Confederate Army during the American Civil War. Service The 10th Alabama Infantry Regiment was mustered in at Montgomery, Alabama on June 4, 1861. Wilcox's Brigade ...

, and was successively promoted to

major Major (commandant in certain jurisdictions) is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicators ...

on December 20, 1861,

lieutenant colonel Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colone ...

on March 17, 1862, and colonel on June 27, 1862. He was wounded in the leg at 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 F ...

, Virginia, December 20, 1861.Sifakis, Stewart. ''Who Was Who in the Civil War.'' New York: Facts On File, 1988. . p. 224. He was wounded in the right arm and captured at the Battle of Williamsburg on June 27, 1862. He was exchanged on August 31, 1862. He was wounded in the leg at the Battle of Salem Church on May 3, 1863. He was left on the field at Gettysburg with multiple wounds, captured and remained a Union prisoner of war for more than a year from July 5, 1863 to August 4, 1864. Following his parole, on August 21, 1864, he was given command of a brigade in Major General William Mahone's division. Forney was promoted to brigadier general on February 15, 1865. He served as a brigade commander in Mahone's Division until the surrender at Appomattox on April 9, 1865. He was pardoned on July 11, 1866.

Aftermath: Post-War career

After the War, Forney served as a member of the State senate in 1865 and 1866. He was elected as a

Democrat Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (United States) (D) **Democratic ...

to the Forty-fourth and to the eight succeeding Congresses (March 4, 1875 – March 3, 1893).Warner, 1959, p. 92. He served as chairman of the Committee on Expenditures in the Department of the Treasury ( Forty-sixth Congress). He was not a candidate for renomination in 1892. He was appointed by President Grover Cleveland to be a member of the Gettysburg Battlefield Commission and served until his death. Forney died in Jacksonville, Alabama, January 16, 1894 and was interred in City Cemetery, Jacksonville.

Notes

References

* Eicher, John H., and David J. Eicher, ''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.'' Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1959. . Retrieved on 2008-10-19

External links