William Hugh Young (January 1, 1838 – November 28, 1901) was a

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 ...

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 ...

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 ...

(Civil War). He was a university student and received a military education before the Civil War. He was a lawyer and real estate operator in San Antonio, Texas after the Civil War. Young spent nine months at the end of the war as a prisoner of war.

Early life

William H. Young was born January 1, 1838, at Boonville, Missouri.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. . p. 586. His family moved to

Red River County, Texas Red River County is a county in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2010 census, its population was 11,587. Its county seat is Clarksville. The county was created in 1835 and organized in 1837. It is named for the Red River, which forms its n ...

in 1841 and later to

Grayson County, Texas Grayson County is a County (United States), county in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, its population was 135,543. The county seat is Sherman, Texas, Sherman. The county was founded in 1846 and is named ...

. Warner, Ezra J. ''Generals in Gray: Lives of the Confederate Commanders.'' Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1959. . pp. 348–349. His father was Hugh Franklin Young (1808–1888), who was born in Augusta County, Virginia. Evans, Clement A., ed
''Confederate Military History: A Library of Confederate States History''
Volume 11 of 12. Roberts, O. M. ''Texas''. Atlanta: Confederate Publishing Company, 1899. . Retrieved January 20, 2011. pp. 266–267. Hugh F. Young was a county judge in Grayson County, Texas before the war.Allardice, Bruce S.'' More Generals in Gray.'' Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1995. . pp. 257–258. Hugh Franklin Young has been referred to as a Confederate general in some sources, including the "

Official Records of the American Civil War The ''Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies in the War of the Rebellion'', commonly known as the ''Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies'' or Official Records (OR or ORs), is the most extensive collection of Americ ...

," but he was actually a brigadier general of the 15th Brigade of the Texas Militia in 1862, not a general in the Confederate States Army. Young attended

Washington College Washington College is a private liberal arts college in Chestertown, Maryland. Maryland granted Washington College its charter in 1782. George Washington supported the founding of the college by consenting to have the "College at Chester" name ...

in Tennessee, McKenzie College in Texas and, between 1859 and 1861, at the

University of Virginia The University of Virginia (UVA) is a public research university in Charlottesville, Virginia. Founded in 1819 by Thomas Jefferson, the university is ranked among the top academic institutions in the United States, with highly selective ad ...

, where he studied tactics in the military academy after his graduation in June 1861.Longacre, Edward G. "Young, William Hugh" in ''Historical Times Illustrated History of the Civil War'', edited by Patricia L. Faust. New York: Harper & Row, 1986. . pp. 848–849.Sifakis, Stewart. ''Who Was Who in the Civil War.'' New York: Facts On File, 1988. . pp. 737–738. Young married Frances M. Kemper of

Port Republic, Virginia Port Republic is an unincorporated community in Rockingham County, Virginia, United States. The Battle of Port Republic occurred there in the American Civil War. History Port Republic was chartered as a town in 1802, at the confluence of the So ...

.Early, Ruth Hairston
''The family of Early: which settled upon the eastern shore of Virginia''
Lynchburg, Virginia: Brown-Morrison Press, 1920. . Retrieved February 7, 2012. p. 55. They had one son, Dr. Hugh Hampton Young, who was born in

San Antonio, Texas ("Cradle of Freedom") , image_map = , mapsize = 220px , map_caption = Interactive map of San Antonio , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = United States , subdivision_type1= State , subdivision_name1 = Texas , subdivision_t ...

in 1870.

American Civil War service

On July 25, 1861, Young became aide-de-camp to Governor of Texas Edward Clark. Clark was lieutenant governor and became governor when Governor Sam Houston refused to take an oath of allegiance to the Confederacy and was deposed. Clark served as governor between March 18, 1861 and November 7, 1861.Wooster, Ralph A. "CLARK, EDWARD," Handbook of Texas Online (http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/fcl04), accessed February 07, 2012. Published by the Texas State Historical Association. In September 1861, Young became a captain in the 9th Texas Infantry Regiment. As part of the

Army of Mississippi There were three formations known as the Army of Mississippi in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. This name is contrasted against Army of ''the'' Mississippi, which was a Union Army named for the Mississippi River, not ...

at the Battle of Shiloh under

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 ...

James Patton Anderson James Patton Anderson (February 16, 1822 – September 20, 1872) was an American slave owner, physician, lawyer, and politician, most notably serving as a United States Congressman from the Washington Territory, a Mississippi state legislator, ...

and

Major General Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of ...

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 Western ...

, the 9th Texas Infantry Regiment, was decimated and routed by an

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolitan areas include, Peoria and Rockf ...

artillery battery. Soon after the Battle of Shiloh, Young became

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 regiment in April 1862 and was in the defense of

Corinth, Mississippi Corinth is a city in and the county seat of Alcorn County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 14,573 at the 2010 census. Its ZIP codes are 38834 and 38835. It lies on the state line with Tennessee. History Corinth was founded i ...

during the

Siege of Corinth The siege of Corinth (also known as the first Battle of Corinth) was an American Civil War engagement lasting from April 29 to May 30, 1862, in Corinth, Mississippi. A collection of Union forces under the overall command of Major General Henry ...

. Boatner, Mark Mayo, III. ''The Civil War Dictionary.'' New York: McKay, 1988. . First published 1959 by McKay. pp. 953–954. He fought with his regiment at the

Battle of Perryville The Battle of Perryville, also known as the Battle of Chaplin Hills, was fought on October 8, 1862, in the Chaplin Hills west of Perryville, Kentucky, as the culmination of the Confederate Heartland Offensive (Kentucky Campaign) during the ...

. He was wounded in the right shoulder and had two horses shot from under him at 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 ...

(Murfreesboro), December 31, 1862. Young and his men were specially commended by Major General

Benjamin F. Cheatham Benjamin Franklin "Frank" Cheatham (October 20, 1820 – September 4, 1886) was a Tennessee planter, California gold miner, and a general in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. He served in the Army of Tennessee, inflicting ...

. Young was wounded in the right thigh at the

Battle of Jackson, Mississippi The Battle of Jackson was fought on May 14, 1863, in Jackson, Mississippi, as part of the Vicksburg campaign during the American Civil War. After entering the state of Mississippi in late April 1863, Major General Ulysses S. Grant of the Union ...

, July 13, 1863, while fighting with

General A general officer is an officer of high rank in the armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry. In some usages the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colonel."general, adj. and n.". OED ...

Joseph E. Johnston's forces in the

Vicksburg Campaign The Vicksburg campaign was a series of maneuvers and battles in the Western Theater of the American Civil War directed against Vicksburg, Mississippi, a fortress city that dominated the last Confederate-controlled section of the Mississippi Ri ...

. Soon thereafter, on September 20, 1863, he was wounded in the chest at 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 ...

. On July 27, 1864, Young took command of his regiment's brigade in Major General Samuel Gibbs French's division of III Corps,

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 ...

, when its commander, Brigadier General Mathew Ector was seriously wounded. Young held this command until he was captured on October 5, 1864. He was wounded in the neck and jaw at the

Battle of Kennesaw Mountain The Battle of Kennesaw Mountain was fought on June 27, 1864, during the Atlanta Campaign of the American Civil War. It was the most significant frontal assault launched by Union Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman against the Confederate Army of Tenne ...

, Georgia, June 1864. Young was promoted to brigadier general (temporary) on August 15, 1864, to succeed the disabled Brigadier General Ector. He was wounded, lost his left foot, had his horse shot from under him and was captured at the

Battle of Allatoona The Battle of Allatoona, also known as the Battle of Allatoona Pass, was fought October 5, 1864, in Bartow County, Georgia, and was the first major engagement of the Franklin-Nashville Campaign of the American Civil War. A Confederate divisi ...

, Georgia on October 5, 1864. He spent the rest of the war as a

prisoner of war A prisoner of war (POW) is a person who is held captive by a belligerent power during or immediately after an armed conflict. The earliest recorded usage of the phrase "prisoner of war" dates back to 1610. Belligerents hold prisoners of w ...

, four months at Union hospitals and five months at the prisoner of war camp at

Johnson's Island Johnson's Island is a island in Sandusky Bay, located on the coast of Lake Erie, from the city of Sandusky, Ohio. It was the site of a prisoner-of-war camp for Confederate officers captured during the American Civil War. Initially, Johnso ...

, in

Lake Erie Lake Erie ( "eerie") is the fourth largest lake by surface area of the five Great Lakes in North America and the eleventh-largest globally. It is the southernmost, shallowest, and smallest by volume of the Great Lakes and therefore also h ...

near Sandusky, Ohio. Young finally was paroled on July 24, 1865.

Aftermath

After the Civil War, William H. Young returned to Texas. He was a lawyer, real estate agent and editor of the San Antonio ''Express''. William Hugh Young died on November 28, 1901, at San Antonio, Texas. He is buried at the Confederate Cemetery, San Antonio.

Notes

References

* Allardice, Bruce S.'' More Generals in Gray.'' Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1995. . * Boatner, Mark Mayo, III. ''The Civil War Dictionary.'' New York: McKay, 1988. . First published 1959 by McKay. * Early, Ruth Hairston
''The family of Early: which settled upon the eastern shore of Virginia''
Lynchburg, Virginia: Brown-Morrison Press, 1920. . Retrieved February 7, 2012. * Eicher, John H., and

, ''Civil War High Commands.'' Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2001. . * Evans, Clement A., ed
''Confederate Military History: A Library of Confederate States History''
Volume 11 of 12. Roberts, O. M. ''Texas''. Atlanta: Confederate Publishing Company, 1899. . Retrieved January 20, 2011. * Longacre, Edward G. "Young, William Hugh" in ''Historical Times Illustrated History of the Civil War'', edited by Patricia L. Faust. New York: Harper & Row, 1986. . * 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. . * Wooster, Ralph A
"CLARK, EDWARD," Handbook of Texas Online
accessed February 7, 2012. Published by the Texas State Historical Association. {{DEFAULTSORT:Young, William Hugh 1838 births 1901 deaths Confederate States Army brigadier generals People of Texas in the American Civil War

Early life

American Civil War service

Aftermath

See also

Notes

References