William Richard Terry (March 12, 1827 – March 28, 1897) was a merchant, who became

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 ...

in the

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 ...

and later served part-time in the

Virginia Senate The Senate of Virginia is the upper house of the Virginia General Assembly. The Senate is composed of 40 senators representing an equal number of single-member constituent districts. The Senate is presided over by the lieutenant governor of Virg ...

representing Bedford County, and still later was successively superintendent of the state penitentiary and of the soldiers' home in Richmond.

Early and family life

William R. Terry was born in 1827 in rural

Liberty Liberty is the ability to do as one pleases, or a right or immunity enjoyed by prescription or by grant (i.e. privilege). It is a synonym for the word freedom. In modern politics, liberty is understood as the state of being free within society fr ...

in Bedford County, to William Terry Jr. and Lettie Johnson Terry, and would have at least 3 younger sisters and a younger brother. His grandfather, also William Terry had fought in the American Revolutionary War, established a plantation using enslaved labor and helped found Bedford County before his death in 1814. The family's firstborn son entered the

Virginia Military Institute la, Consilio et Animis (on seal) , mottoeng = "In peace a glorious asset, In war a tower of strength""By courage and wisdom" (on seal) , established = , type = Public senior military college , accreditation = SACS , endowment = $696.8 mill ...

in July 1846 and graduated on July 4, 1850, ranking 15th in a class of 17 cadets before attending the

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

. In 1856, Terry married Mary Adelaide Pemberton (died 1910) in

Powhatan County Powhatan County () is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 30,033. Its county seat is Powhatan. Powhatan County is included in the Greater Richmond Region. The James River forms the cou ...

. The couple had eight children together.

Career

Terry then returned home to help his father with the farm, but the 1850 census listed his occupation as "merchant". His father had for years been a prominent citizen of Bedford County, and helped get the

Virginia and Tennessee Railroad The Virginia and Tennessee Railroad was an historic gauge railroad in the Southern United States, much of which is incorporated into the modern Norfolk Southern Railway. It played a strategic role in supplying the Confederacy during the American ...

through the town, owned the only steam mill (a factory that employed 7 or 8 men and made parts for agricultural implements), served as a justice of the peace and advocated for education, although at least one local historian failed to distinguish between the two men. In the 1850 federal census, the elder Terry owned 52 enslaved people. Ten years later, Terry owned a 20 year old Black woman in town, and his father (after dowries to his daughters) only owned 20 enslaved people. One author noted that prices for "Negroes" increased after March 1855, and specifically compared the average amount from the sale of the 42 slaves in William Terry's estate ($752) and that at the 1859-1860 auction of the estate of A. Turner where adult males sold for $1,750 each and females also well above $750.

Confederate officer

After Virginia

seceded Secession is the withdrawal of a group from a larger entity, especially a political entity, but also from any organization, union or military alliance. Some of the most famous and significant secessions have been: the former Soviet republics lea ...

from the Union in early 1861, Terry raised a company of

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 ...

in Bedford County, which became the

2nd Virginia Cavalry The 2nd Virginia Cavalry Regiment was a cavalry regiment raised in Virginia for service in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. It fought mostly with the Army of Northern Virginia. The unit was organized by Colonel Jubal E ...

. His performance as captain at the

First Battle of Manassas The First Battle of Bull Run (the name used by Union forces), also known as the Battle of First Manassas

garnered attention, praise, and a promotion in September 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 of ...

of the

24th Virginia Infantry The 24th Virginia Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment raised in southwestern Virginia for service in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. It fought throughout the conflict, mostly with the Army of Northern Virginia. Th ...

, replacing

Jubal A. Early Jubal Anderson Early (November 3, 1816 – March 2, 1894) was a Virginia lawyer and politician who became a Confederate States of America, Confederate general during the American Civil War. Trained at the United States Military Academy, Early r ...

, who had been promoted to

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 ...

command. Leading a charge at the

Battle of Williamsburg The Battle of Williamsburg, also known as the Battle of Fort Magruder, took place on May 5, 1862, in York County, James City County, and Williamsburg, Virginia, as part of the Peninsula Campaign of the American Civil War. It was the first pitc ...

during the Peninsula Campaign, Terry suffered the worst of his several combat wounds during the Civil War. He was shot in the face and never fully recovered. He missed the

Seven Days Battles The Seven Days Battles were a series of seven battles over seven days from June 25 to July 1, 1862, near Richmond, Virginia, during the American Civil War. Confederate General Robert E. Lee drove the invading Union Army of the Potomac, command ...

, but returned to duty for the Northern Virginia Campaign in August. Later that year, he assumed temporary command of Kemper's Brigade of

infantry Infantry is a military specialization which engages in ground combat on foot. Infantry generally consists of light infantry, mountain infantry, motorized infantry & mechanized infantry, airborne infantry, air assault infantry, and marine i ...

in the

Army of Northern Virginia The Army of Northern Virginia was the primary military force of the Confederate States of America in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War. It was also the primary command structure of the Department of Northern Virginia. It was most oft ...

before returning to his

regiment A regiment is a military unit. Its role and size varies markedly, depending on the country, service and/or a specialisation. In Medieval Europe, the term "regiment" denoted any large body of front-line soldiers, recruited or conscripted ...

al command. Terry was wounded during

Pickett's Charge Pickett's Charge (July 3, 1863), also known as the Pickett–Pettigrew–Trimble Charge, was an infantry assault ordered by Confederate General Robert E. Lee against Major General George G. Meade's Union positions on the last day of the B ...

at the

Battle of Gettysburg The Battle of Gettysburg () was fought July 1–3, 1863, in and around the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, by Union and Confederate forces during the American Civil War. In the battle, Union Major General George Meade's Army of the Po ...

, and later assumed command of the severely wounded James Kemper's brigade. Pickett's rebuilt division was assigned later that year to duty in

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 So ...

, where it participated in the attacks on

New Bern New Bern, formerly called Newbern, is a city in Craven County, North Carolina, United States. As of the 2010 census it had a population of 29,524, which had risen to an estimated 29,994 as of 2019. It is the county seat of Craven County and t ...

. On May 31, 1864, Terry was promoted to brigadier general and led his depleted troops during the

Battle of Cold Harbor The Battle of Cold Harbor was fought during the American Civil War near Mechanicsville, Virginia, from May 31 to June 12, 1864, with the most significant fighting occurring on June 3. It was one of the final battles of Union Lt. Gen. Ulysses S ...

and throughout the

Siege of Petersburg The Richmond–Petersburg campaign was a series of battles around Petersburg, Virginia, fought from June 9, 1864, to March 25, 1865, during the American Civil War. Although it is more popularly known as the Siege of Petersburg, it was not a cla ...

. He suffered his seventh battle wound on March 31, 1865, at the

Battle of Dinwiddie Court House The Battle of Dinwiddie Court House was fought on March 31, 1865, during the American Civil War at the end of the Richmond-Petersburg Campaign and in the beginning stage of the Appomattox Campaign. Along with the Battle of White Oak Road which ...

Postwar career

Following the war, Terry returned to Bedford County and was elected and re-elected to the

, serving for a total of eight years, beginning in the first session after adoption of the Virginia Constitution of 1868. He was also Master of the Liberty Masonic Lodge (1871-1872). Terry moved with his family to Chesterfield County around 1880. He also served briefly as a prison superintendent of the State Penitentiary. He was in charge of the Robert E. Lee Camp of the Confederate Soldiers' Home in

Richmond, Virginia (Thus do we reach the stars) , image_map = , mapsize = 250 px , map_caption = Location within Virginia , pushpin_map = Virginia#USA , pushpin_label = Richmond , pushpin_m ...

, from 1886 until 1893.

Death and legacy

Terry died in

Chesterfield County, Virginia Chesterfield County is located just south of Richmond, Virginia, Richmond in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Virginia. The county's borders are primarily defined by the James River to the north and the Appomattox River to the sout ...

, and is buried in Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond. His family's home, Oakwood, is still standing, his father having dying during the American Civil War, and his will of 1863 gave the property to his daughters Letitia Terry Whitlock and Agnes M. Terry. Although a residential street is now named after the plantation, part of the property may be the location of the Bedford hospital. In 1902, the Bedford Chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy was started and named after him.Parker, Lula Jeter (1988). Parker's History of Bedford County, Virginia. Bedford, Virginia: Hamilton's. p. 47. They recently put a highway marker up at his childhood home of Oakwood in the town of Bedford, Virginia.

Notes

References

* 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. . * Evans, Clement A., ed
''Confederate Military History: A Library of Confederate States History''
12 vols. Volume 3. Hotchkiss, Jed. ''Virginia.'' Atlanta: Confederate Publishing Company, 1899. . Retrieved January 20, 2011. * 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. .
VMI archives

External links

*
Antietam on the Web: Brief biography of Terry and his role at Antietam
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Terry, William Richard Confederate States Army brigadier generals People of Virginia in the American Civil War Virginia Military Institute alumni University of Virginia alumni 1827 births 1897 deaths Burials at Hollywood Cemetery (Richmond, Virginia) Southern Historical Society