Capt. Thomas Davis Ranson (May 19, 1843 – July 21, 1918), was an American lawyer, businessperson, and military officer, from

Staunton, Virginia Staunton ( ) is an independent city (United States), independent city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), U.S. Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 25,750. In Virginia, independent cities a ...

. He was a member of the Confederate States Army, and served in the Stonewall Brigade under General Thomas Jonathan "Stonewall" Jackson during the American Civil War.

Early life and education

Thomas Davis Ranson was born on May 19, 1843 in Homestead House near Charles Town in Virginia (now West Virginia). He was related the prominent Baldwin family of

on his maternal side; his maternal descendants immigrated in the 17th century from England. Ranson attended Jacob Fuller’s classical school in Lexington, and Washington College (now Washington and Lee University) in Lexington.

Military service and career

Ranson joined the Confederate States Army in 1861 during the start of the American Civil War, where he initially served as a

private Private or privates may refer to: Music * " In Private", by Dusty Springfield from the 1990 album ''Reputation'' * Private (band), a Denmark-based band * "Private" (Ryōko Hirosue song), from the 1999 album ''Private'', written and also recorde ...

during the Harpers Ferry fighting in April of the same year. Ranson had fast promotion in the military ranks. After serving in the battle of First Manassas, he was promoted to sergeant major to the 52nd Virginia Infantry Regiment. He was the aide-de-camp to Gen. Edward Johnson at the

Battle of Camp Allegheny The Battle of Camp Allegheny, also known as the Battle of Allegheny Mountain, took place on December 13, 1861, in Pocahontas County, Virginia (now West Virginia), about 3 miles from the mountainous border of Highland County, Virginia, as par ...

. On May 1, 1862, he attained the rank of lieutenant right before the Shenandoah Valley Campaign led by Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson. He was wounded at the

Battle of McDowell The Battle of McDowell, also known as the Battle of Sitlington's Hill, was fought on May 8, 1862, near McDowell, Virginia, as part of Confederate Major General Stonewall Jackson's 1862 Shenandoah Valley campaign during the American Civil War. ...

on May 8, 1862, and again wounded at the

Battle of Cross Keys The Battle of Cross Keys was fought on June 8, 1862, in Rockingham County, Virginia, as part of Confederate Army Maj. Gen. Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson's campaign through the Shenandoah Valley during the American Civil War. Together, the batt ...

on June 8, 1862. By the

Battle of Antietam The Battle of Antietam (), or Battle of Sharpsburg particularly in the Southern United States, was a battle of the American Civil War fought on September 17, 1862, between Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia and Union G ...

on September 17, 1862, Ranson was in better health and had joined the Confederacy States Army's "secret service department as a captain of scouts". In 1863 and 1864, Ranson reported to Gen.

Robert E. Lee Robert Edward Lee (January 19, 1807 – October 12, 1870) was a Confederate general during the American Civil War, towards the end of which he was appointed the overall commander of the Confederate States Army. He led the Army of Nort ...

and Gen.

J. E. B. Stuart James Ewell Brown "Jeb" Stuart (February 6, 1833May 12, 1864) was a United States Army officer from Virginia who became a Confederate States Army general during the American Civil War. He was known to his friends as "Jeb,” from the initials of ...

directly. He joined Gen. J. E. B. Stuart's calvary at the Battle of Brandy Station on June 9, 1863. He also fought in a battle in Upperville and at the Battle of Jack's Shop. Ranson continued fighting battles until his capture by the Union Army and imprisoned at Fort McHenry. He was released from the military on July 1865, and tried to return to farming in Charles Town. He left farming to attend law school, Ranson graduated in 1868 from the University of Virginia. After graduation he moved to Staunton, Virginia and practiced law; as well as serving as the director of the

Virginia School for the Deaf and the Blind The Virginia School for the Deaf and the Blind, located in Staunton, Virginia, United States, is an institution for educating deaf and blind children, first established in 1839 by an act of the Virginia General Assembly. The school accepts child ...

. He also served as a trustee of Washington and Lee University, and of Stuart Hall School. In 1906, he was the vice president of the Tidewater Railway Company. Ranson was the commander of the Stonewall Jackson Camp of Confederate Veterans, and lieutenant commander of the Grand Camp of Virginia. He died on July 21, 1918 after experiencing a

stroke A stroke is a medical condition in which poor blood flow to the brain causes cell death. There are two main types of stroke: ischemic, due to lack of blood flow, and hemorrhagic, due to bleeding. Both cause parts of the brain to stop functionin ...

five days earlier.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ranson, Thomas R. 1843 births 1918 deaths 19th-century American lawyers Confederate States Army officers People from Charles Town, West Virginia People from Staunton, Virginia Stonewall Brigade Washington and Lee University alumni University of Virginia School of Law alumni