Edward Asbury O'Neal (September 20, 1818 – November 7, 1890) was a
Confederate
A confederation (also known as a confederacy or league) is a political union of sovereign states united for purposes of common action. Usually created by a treaty, confederations of states tend to be established for dealing with critical issu ...
officer during the
American Civil War
The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...
and the
26th Governor of Alabama.
Early life and career
O'Neal was born in
Madison County, Alabama
Madison County is a County (United States), county located in the north central portion of the U.S. state of Alabama. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 Census, the population was 388,153, and according to a 2023 population estimate the ...
, to Edward and Rebecca Wheat O'Neal. His father was a native of
Ireland
Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...
, and his mother was a South Carolinian of French
Huguenot
The Huguenots ( , ; ) are a Religious denomination, religious group of French people, French Protestants who held to the Reformed (Calvinist) tradition of Protestantism. The term, which may be derived from the name of a Swiss political leader, ...
ancestry.
[Brown, pp. 295-296.] O'Neal's father died when his son was three months old. After receiving an academic education, including English literature and the classics, O'Neal graduated from LaGrange College (the predecessor of the
University of North Alabama
The University of North Alabama (UNA) is a public university in Florence, Alabama, United States. It is the state's oldest university. Occupying a campus in a residential section of Florence, UNA is located within a four-city area that also ...
) in 1836 at the top of his class with a bachelor of arts.
[ In 1838, he married Olivia Moore, the daughter of Dr. Alfred Moore, and they had nine children.][McDonald, pp. 50-52.] O'Neal studied law with James W. McClung and was admitted to the bar in 1840.[
In 1841 O'Neal was elected to Alabama's fourth judicial circuit to fill out an unexpired term and served four years. He strongly believed in ]secession
Secession is the formal withdrawal of a group from a Polity, political entity. The process begins once a group proclaims an act of secession (such as a declaration of independence). A secession attempt might be violent or peaceful, but the goal i ...
and advocated that Alabama should secede from the United States during the secession crisis of 1860.[
]
Civil War
In June 1861, O'Neal was commissioned as a captain
Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader or highest rank officer of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police depa ...
and commanded three companies of soldiers. Upon reaching Richmond
Richmond most often refers to:
* Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada
* Richmond, California, a city in the United States
* Richmond, London, a town in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, England
* Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town ...
, he was appointed major
Major most commonly refers to:
* Major (rank), a military rank
* Academic major, an academic discipline to which an undergraduate student formally commits
* People named Major, including given names, surnames, nicknames
* Major and minor in musi ...
of the 9th Regiment Alabama Infantry and was promoted to lieutenant colonel in the fall.[ In March 1862, he was appointed ]colonel
Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), 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 colon ...
of the 26th Alabama infantry; he commanded this regiment during the Peninsula Campaign
The Peninsula campaign (also known as the Peninsular campaign) of the American Civil War was a major Union operation launched in southeastern Virginia from March to July 1862, the first large-scale offensive in the Eastern Theater. The oper ...
.[White, p. 437.] At the Battle of Seven Pines
The Battle of Seven Pines, also known as the Battle of Fair Oaks or Fair Oaks Station, took place on May 31 and June 1, 1862, in Henrico County, Virginia as part of the Peninsula Campaign of the American Civil War.
The Union's Army of the Po ...
, his horse was killed under him, and a shell fragment severely wounded him. He received high praise for his performance at the Battle of Chancellorsville
The Battle of Chancellorsville, April 30 – May 6, 1863, was a major battle of the American Civil War (1861–1865), and the principal engagement of the Chancellorsville campaign.
Confederate General Robert E. Lee's risky decision to divide h ...
.
In 1863, he commanded a brigade in Maj. Gen. Robert E. Rodes
Robert Emmett (or Emmet) Rodes (March 29, 1829 – September 19, 1864) was a Confederate general in the American Civil War, and the first of Robert E. Lee's divisional commanders not trained at West Point. His division led Stonewall Jackson ...
's division, and led it at the Battle of Gettysburg
The Battle of Gettysburg () was a three-day battle in the American Civil War, which was fought between the Union and Confederate armies between July 1 and July 3, 1863, in and around Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The battle, won by the Union, ...
. General Robert E. Lee became displeased with O'Neal's performance at Gettysburg and relieved him of command, putting Cullen A. Battle in his place. O'Neal returned to command of the 46th Alabama for the Bristoe Campaign and the Mine Run Campaign in the autumn and early winter.
Early in 1864, his regiment was sent back to Alabama to recruit its depleted ranks but was quickly ordered to Dalton, Georgia
Dalton is a city and the county seat of Whitfield County, Georgia, Whitfield County, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia, United States. It is also the principal city of the Dalton metropolitan area, Dalton Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encomp ...
, where O'Neal took command of Brig. Gen. James Cantey's brigade in the Army of Tennessee
The Army of Tennessee was a Field army, field army of the Confederate States Army in the Western theater of the American Civil War, Western Theater of the American Civil War. Named for the Confederate States of America, Confederate state of Tenn ...
.[ O'Neal commanded this brigade during the remainder of the Atlanta Campaign. After Lt. Gen. ]John Bell Hood
John Bell Hood (June 1 or June 29, 1831 – August 30, 1879) was a Confederate general during the American Civil War. Hood's impetuosity led to high losses among his troops as he moved up in rank. Bruce Catton wrote that "the decision to replace ...
was given command of the Army of Tennessee, O'Neal was relieved and served on detached duty for the remainder of the war. He was appointed brigadier general on June 6, 1863. However, this appointment was held up by Gen. Robert E. Lee
Robert Edward Lee (January 19, 1807 – October 12, 1870) was a general officers in the Confederate States Army, Confederate general during the American Civil War, who was appointed the General in Chief of the Armies of the Confederate ...
. The promotion was canceled by Confederate President Jefferson Davis
Jefferson F. Davis (June 3, 1808December 6, 1889) was an American politician who served as the only President of the Confederate States of America, president of the Confederate States from 1861 to 1865. He represented Mississippi in the Unite ...
.[Eicher, p. 606; White, p. 437, claims that "he was made a brigadier general before the end of the war."]
Postbellum career
After the war, O'Neal resumed his law career. In August 1875, he was elected to the Alabama Constitutional Convention and served in that convention as chairman of the Committee on Education. In 1880, O'Neal was an elector on the Winfield Scott Hancock
Winfield Scott Hancock (February 14, 1824 – February 9, 1886) was a United States Army officer and the Democratic nominee for President of the United States in 1880. He served with distinction in the Army for four decades, including service ...
campaign for president and made speeches throughout the state advocating Hancock's election. O'Neal served as the Democratic governor of Alabama from 1882 to 1886.[Warner, p. 226.]
Death and legacy
O'Neal died in Florence, Alabama
Florence is a city in, and the county seat of, Lauderdale County, Alabama, Lauderdale County, Alabama, United States, in the state's northwestern corner, and had a population of 40,184 in the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Florence is l ...
. His son, Emmet O'Neal, followed in his footsteps and served two terms as Governor of Alabama
A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of a state's official representative. Depending on the type of political region or polity, a ''governor'' ma ...
from 1911 to 1915.[ The O'Neal Bridge, spanning the ]Tennessee River
The Tennessee River is a long river located in the Southern United States, southeastern United States in the Tennessee Valley. Flowing through the states of Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, and Kentucky, it begins at the confluence of Fren ...
between Florence and Sheffield, Alabama, is named in his honor.
See also
* List of American Civil War Generals (Acting Confederate)
Notes
References
* Brown, William Garrott, and Albert James Pickett. ''A History of Alabama, for Use in Schools: Based as to Its Earlier Parts on the Work of Albert J. Pickett''. New York: University Publishing Co., 1900. .
* Eicher, John H., and David J. Eicher, ''Civil War High Commands.'' Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2001. .
* McDonald, William Lindsey. ''Walk Through the Past - People and Places of Florence and Lauderdale County, Alabama''. Killen, AL: Heart of Dixie Publishing, 2003. .
* 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. .
* White, J. T
''National Cyclopaedia of American Biography''
New York: J. T. White, 1900.
National Governors Association biography
{{DEFAULTSORT:Oneal, Edward A.
1818 births
1890 deaths
University of North Alabama alumni
Confederate States Army officers
People of Alabama in the American Civil War
Politicians from Huntsville, Alabama
Democratic Party governors of Alabama
American people of Irish descent
19th-century Alabama politicians
Military personnel from Huntsville, Alabama
Fire-Eaters