James E. Harrison Explained

James E. Harrison
Birth Date:	24 April 1815
Birth Place:	Greenville District, South Carolina
Death Place:	Waco, Texas
Placeofburial:	Waco, Texas
Allegiance:	Confederate States of America
Serviceyears:	1861 - 1865
Rank:	Brigadier General, CSA
Battles:	American Civil War

James Edward Harrison (April 24, 1815 – February 23, 1875) was a Confederate States Army brigadier general during the American Civil War. He served in the Trans-Mississippi Department and fought in campaigns in Louisiana. Before the war, he was a two-term Mississippi state senator before moving to Texas in 1857. After the war, he was a trustee of Baylor University.

Early life

James Edward Harrison was born on April 24, 1815, in Greenville District, South Carolina.^{[1] [2]} The Harrison family moved to Alabama and then to Mississippi when Harrison was a boy.^[2]

James Harrison served two terms in the Mississippi Senate.^{[2] [3] [4] [5]}

Harrison moved to Texas, near Waco, in 1857.^[2] He was a commissioner for the State of Texas in negotiations with Native Americans (Indians).^{[2] [4]} These negotiations were undertaken upon the order of Texas Governor Edward Clark, who replaced the deposed Sam Houston when Houston refused to swear allegiance to the Confederacy.^[3] The negotiators tried to persuade the Five Civilized Tribes to join with the Confederacy in the event of war with the United States.^[3] The negotiators returned with an optimistic report.^{[3] [6]} Upon his return from the negotiations, Harrison became a member of the Texas secession convention.^{[2] [3]}

American Civil War

James E. Harrison's Confederate States Army service was almost entirely west of the Mississippi River.^[2] He began his service with the 15th Texas Infantry Regiment.^[2] He was lieutenant colonel of the regiment in May 1862.^[4] He participated in the Louisiana campaign of 1863 (First Bayou Teche Campaign) under Brigadier General Thomas Green.^{[2] [4]} He commanded a cavalry brigade in the District of West Louisiana at this time.^[4] The 15th Texas Infantry made a successful charge on the Union force's rear in an operation along the Atchafalaya River in September 1863.^[3] Harrison also fought in the Second Bayou Teche Campaign.^{[7] [8]}

In 1864, Harrison was promoted to colonel of the 15th Texas Infantry.^[4] He participated in the 1864 (Red River Campaign) under Lieutenant General Richard Taylor.^[2] He received favorable mention in the reports of the commanders in both Louisiana campaigns.^[2]

On January 6, 1865, Harrison was appointed and confirmed as a brigadier general to rank from December 22, 1864, by Confederate President Jefferson Davis.^{[2] [9]}

James Harrison commanded a brigade in the District of Texas, New Mexico and Arizona of the Confederate Trans-Mississippi Department from March to April 7, 1865, in Major General Camille A. J. M. de Polignac's Division and the 1st Brigade, Brigadier General Samuel B Maxey's Division in the same district from April 7, 1865, through May 26, 1865.^{[3] [4] [10]}

Aftermath

Harrison was a prominent member of the Waco, Texas community after the Civil War.^[2] He was active in education and served as a trustee of Baylor University.^{[2] [4]}

Family

James Edward Harrison was the son of Isham Harrison (November 4, 1788 Greenville County, South Carolina - September 30, 1863) and Harriet Kelly (February 11, 1789, Greenville County, South Carolina - July 1, 1856 Aberdeen, Mississippi). He was a brother of Confederate Brigadier General Thomas Harrison^[2] and a second cousin of Wade Hampton III.

James Edward Harrison died February 23, 1875, in Waco, Texas, and is buried in First Street Cemetery in Waco.^[2]

See also

List of American Civil War generals (Confederate)

References

• Boatner, Mark Mayo, III. The Civil War Dictionary. New York: McKay, 1988. . First published New York, McKay, 1959.
• Eicher, John H., and David J. Eicher. Civil War High Commands. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press, 2001. .
• Faust, Patricia L. "Harrison, James Edward" in Historical Times Illustrated History of the Civil War, edited by Patricia L. Faust. New York: Harper & Row, 1986. .
• Faust, Patricia L. "Indians, Confederate" 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. .
• United States War Department, The Military Secretary's Office, Memorandum relative to the general officers appointed by the President in the armies of the Confederate States--1861-1865 (1908) (Compiled from official records) Caption shows 1905 but printing date is February 11, 1908. Retrieved August 5, 2010.
• Warner, Ezra J. Generals in Gray: Lives of the Confederate Commanders. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1959. .

Notes and References

1. Eicher, John H., and David J. Eicher. Civil War High Commands. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press, 2001. . p. 283
2. Warner, Ezra J. Generals in Gray: Lives of the Confederate Commanders. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1959. . pp. 126-127
3. Faust, Patricia L. "Harrison, James Edward" in Historical Times Illustrated History of the Civil War, edited by Patricia L. Faust. New York: Harper & Row, 1986. . pp. 345-346
4. Sifakis, Stewart. Who Was Who in the Civil War. New York: Facts On File, 1988. . pp. 287-288
5. Sifakis, p. 287, states that James Harrison served in the Alabama state senate which is inconsistent with Faust and Warner, and also with Warner's statement that the family moved on to Mississippi and that Harrison's younger brother Thomas was brought up in Mississippi.
6. Although Indian troops did fight for the Confederacy, they did not do so in the numbers the Confederates expected or in many major engagements. Their main contributions were as scouts and raiders, as soldiers at the Battle of Pea Ridge, and as soldiers under the command of General Stand Watie at various minor battles and raids. Faust, Patricia L. "Indians, Confederate" in Historical Times Illustrated History of the Civil War, edited by Patricia L. Faust. New York: Harper & Row, 1986. . pp. 345-346
7. Boatner, Mark Mayo, III. The Civil War Dictionary. New York: McKay, 1988. . First published New York, McKay, 1959. p. 379
8. Boatner names a fight at Bayou Bourbon on November 1, 1863, which occurred during this campaign.
9. Sifakis, pp. 287-288 and Boatner, p. 379, show the date of rank as November 22, 1864. However, the list compiled by General Marcus J. Wright for the U. S. War Department shows an appointment and confirmation date of January 6, 1865 with a rank date of December 22, 1864. United States War Department, The Military Secretary's Office, Memorandum relative to the general officers appointed by the President in the armies of the Confederate States--1861-1865 (1908) (Compiled from official records) Caption shows 1905 but printing date is February 11, 1908. Retrieved August 5, 2010.
10. Maxey was assigned to command as a major general by General E. Kirby Smith but was not appointed to that grade by Confederate President Jefferson Davis.