James Hagan (Confederate colonel) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
James Hagan (Confederate colonel)
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| Born | June 17, 1822 County Tyrone, Ireland, U.K. |
| Died | November 6, 1901 (aged 79) Mobile, Alabama |
| Buried |
Magnolia Cemetery
Mobile, Alabama |
| Allegiance |  United States of America Confederate States of America |
| Service/ |
United States Army Confederate States Army |
| Years of service | 1846–1848 (USA) 1861–1865 (CSA) |
| Rank |  Captain Colonel, CSAActing Brigadier General |
| Unit | Hays's Texas Rangers 3rd U.S. Dragoons 1st Mississippi Cavalry |
| Commands held | 3rd Alabama Cavalry 1st Brigade, Martin's Cavalry Division Hagan's Cavalry Brigade |
| Battles/wars | American Civil War |
| Other work | Plantation manager |
James Hagan (born June 17, 1822 – died November 6, 1901) was an important military leader. He served as a captain in the United States Army during the Mexican–American War. Later, he became a colonel in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War.
Between these wars, Hagan was a successful businessman and plantation owner in Mobile, Alabama. Even though he led a group of soldiers called a brigade for much of the Civil War, he was never officially made a general.
Early Life and First Military Service
James Hagan was born in County Tyrone, Ireland, on June 17, 1822. When he was young, his family moved to a farm near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He went to school at Clermont Academy in Philadelphia. In 1837, he moved to Alabama. His rich uncle, John Hagan, helped him start a business in Mobile, Alabama. James managed the family's business there.
During the Mexican–American War, Hagan joined Hays's Texas Rangers. This was a cavalry unit, which means they fought on horseback. They were part of General Zachary Taylor's army. Hagan was praised for his bravery at the Battle of Monterrey. In 1848, he became a captain in the 3rd U.S. Dragoons. He left the army on July 31, 1848. After the war, he went back to Mobile. Instead of staying in the family business, he bought and managed his own plantation.
In 1854, James Hagan married Bettie Oliver. Her father was the attorney general of Alabama.
American Civil War Service
When the Civil War began, James Hagan formed a cavalry company. This group of soldiers on horseback was called the "Mobile Dragoons." They guarded the Gulf Coast for the Alabama Militia. On October 26, 1861, he became a major in the 1st Mississippi Cavalry Regiment. This regiment fought in the Battle of Shiloh in April 1862. Hagan led his men in a brave charge at the Battle of Perryville. His commander, General Joseph Wheeler, highly praised his actions.
On July 1, 1862, Hagan was promoted to colonel. He led a new group of soldiers called the 3rd Alabama Cavalry Regiment. This regiment fought in all the major battles of the Army of Tennessee. In July 1863, Hagan was given command of a brigade. This was a larger group of soldiers, part of General William T. Martin's Division. This brigade used to be General Joseph Wheeler's.
During 1863, Hagan's brigade protected the front lines of General Braxton Bragg's army. General Wheeler suggested that Hagan should be promoted to brigadier general. However, General Bragg stopped the promotion. Hagan was wounded twice during this time. He was hurt near Franklin, Tennessee, in late 1862. He was wounded again near Kingston, Tennessee, in November 1863. After these injuries, he resigned from the army and went back to Mobile to recover.
After he got better, Hagan asked to rejoin the army. His request was approved, and he returned to his regiment for the Atlanta campaign. During this campaign, his cavalry regiment fought as infantry, meaning they fought on foot in trenches. When General William Wirt Adams took command of the Division, Hagan was given permanent command of his brigade. This brigade included five regiments and one battalion of Alabama cavalry.
Hagan's brigade was part of General Wheeler's forces. They tried to stop General William Tecumseh Sherman during his March to the Sea and Carolinas Campaign. Hagan was wounded two more times near the end of the war. He was hurt at the Battle of Monroe's Crossroads on March 10, 1865. The very next day, he was wounded again at Fayetteville, North Carolina.
Even though Hagan acted as a brigadier general in early 1865, he never officially received the rank. Confederate President Jefferson Davis never formally appointed him, and the Confederate Senate never confirmed him as a general. General Wheeler later said that he heard unofficial news that Hagan was supposed to become a general. However, the official papers were never delivered before the war ended.
After the War
After the Civil War, Hagan returned to Mobile. He had lost all his money because his wealth was in Confederate currency, which became worthless. In the 1870s and early 1880s, he worked as a manager on a plantation along the Alabama River. In 1885, President Grover Cleveland appointed him as a crier for the United States District Court in Alabama. This job involved making announcements in court.
James Hagan passed away on November 6, 1901, in Mobile, Alabama. He is buried in Magnolia Cemetery in Mobile.
See also
In Spanish: James Hagan (coronel confederado) para niños
