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William Thomas Poague (December 20, 1835 – September 8, 1914) was a
at www.aphillcsa.com
Poague returned to Virginia and entered the Confederate Army as a Second Lieutenant#United States, second lieutenant in the famous 1st Rockbridge Artillery, Rockbridge Virginia Artillery. Poague was promoted to captain (United States), captain of the unit by April 1862. With the battery, Poague fought at the battles of First Manassas, Romney, Battle of Kernstown II, Kernstown, Battle of McDowell, McDowell, and later with the Army of Northern Virginia in the Seven Days Battles and at Battle of Cedar Mountain, Cedar Mountain, Battle of Second Bull Run, Second Manassas, the Battle of Harper's Ferry, Harper's Ferry, Battle of Antietam, Antietam, and Battle of Fredericksburg, Fredericksburg. Poague was promoted to major (United States), major on March 2, 1863. He served as an executive officer to David G. McIntosh at the Battle of Chancellorsville, then was given his own battalion upon the formation of the Third Corps.
Poague commanded the battalion at Battle of Gettysburg, Gettysburg, Battle of Bristoe Station, Bristoe Station, Battle of Mine Run, Mine Run, the Battle of the Wilderness, Wilderness, Battle of Spotsylvania Courthouse, Spotsylvania, Battle of North Anna, North Anna, and Battle of Cold Harbor, Cold Harbor. Poague's greatest service to the Confederacy probably occurred at the Wilderness, where he was able to hold off Winfield S. Hancock's II Corps (ACW), II Corps on the morning of the second day, firing over the heads of wounded Confederates, long enough for General officers in the United States#American Civil War era, Lt. Gen. James Longstreet to arrive and "save the day". Lt. Gen. A.P. Hill turned to Poague, firing double charges, because things were so desperate that it could not be even delayed to allow wounded Confederates to get out of the way. Hill himself helped man Poague's guns.
Poague was wounded twice at the Battle of Cold Harbor and later took part in the Battle of Petersburg, defense of Petersburg, before finally surrendering at the Battle of Appomattox Court House.
Web biography from And Then A.P. Hill Came Up.
*Poague, William Thomas. ''Gunner with Stonewall:Reminiscences of William Thomas Poague,'' Bison Books, 1991,
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 ...
officer serving in the artillery during the American Civil War. He later served as Treasurer of the Virginia Military Institute.
Early life
Born in Rockbridge County, Virginia, to John Barclay and Elizabeth Stuart Paxton Poague, Poague attended and graduated from Washington and Lee University, Washington College where he was a member of the Virginia Beta Chapter of Phi Kappa Psi. Poague was practicing law in St. Joseph, Missouri when the Civil War began.And Then A.P. Hill Came Up – Biography of William Thomas Poagueat www.aphillcsa.com
Civil War
Poague returned to Virginia and entered the Confederate Army as a Second Lieutenant#United States, second lieutenant in the famous 1st Rockbridge Artillery, Rockbridge Virginia Artillery. Poague was promoted to captain (United States), captain of the unit by April 1862. With the battery, Poague fought at the battles of First Manassas, Romney, Battle of Kernstown II, Kernstown, Battle of McDowell, McDowell, and later with the Army of Northern Virginia in the Seven Days Battles and at Battle of Cedar Mountain, Cedar Mountain, Battle of Second Bull Run, Second Manassas, the Battle of Harper's Ferry, Harper's Ferry, Battle of Antietam, Antietam, and Battle of Fredericksburg, Fredericksburg. Poague was promoted to major (United States), major on March 2, 1863. He served as an executive officer to David G. McIntosh at the Battle of Chancellorsville, then was given his own battalion upon the formation of the Third Corps.
Poague commanded the battalion at Battle of Gettysburg, Gettysburg, Battle of Bristoe Station, Bristoe Station, Battle of Mine Run, Mine Run, the Battle of the Wilderness, Wilderness, Battle of Spotsylvania Courthouse, Spotsylvania, Battle of North Anna, North Anna, and Battle of Cold Harbor, Cold Harbor. Poague's greatest service to the Confederacy probably occurred at the Wilderness, where he was able to hold off Winfield S. Hancock's II Corps (ACW), II Corps on the morning of the second day, firing over the heads of wounded Confederates, long enough for General officers in the United States#American Civil War era, Lt. Gen. James Longstreet to arrive and "save the day". Lt. Gen. A.P. Hill turned to Poague, firing double charges, because things were so desperate that it could not be even delayed to allow wounded Confederates to get out of the way. Hill himself helped man Poague's guns.
Poague was wounded twice at the Battle of Cold Harbor and later took part in the Battle of Petersburg, defense of Petersburg, before finally surrendering at the Battle of Appomattox Court House.
Post-war career, death and legacy
After the War, Poague worked as a farmer, teacher, and lawyer. He represented Rockbridge County in the Virginia House of Delegates. He served Washington College, later Washington and Lee University as a Trustee from 1865 to 1885. He served as the treasurer of the Virginia Military Institute under superintendents Francis H. Smith and Battle of New Market hero Scott Shipp from 1884 until his death on September 8, 1914. He also served as Secretary of the Board of Visitors for VMI. He wrote a set of memoirs entitled ''Gunner With Stonewall.'' Poague's papers are collected at VMI. A home Poague built in 1885 is still structurally sound and remains in private use as a residence to this day, on Main Street in Lexington, Virginia. Poague is buried at Oak Grove Cemetery (Lexington, Virginia), Oak Grove Cemetery in Lexington.Notes
References
Web biography from And Then A.P. Hill Came Up.
*Poague, William Thomas. ''Gunner with Stonewall:Reminiscences of William Thomas Poague,'' Bison Books, 1991,
External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:Poague, William T. Confederate States Army officers 1835 births 1914 deaths People of Virginia in the American Civil War Washington and Lee University alumni