John Hugh Means facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Hugh Means
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John Hugh Means
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| 64th Governor of South Carolina | |
| In office December 16, 1850 – December 1, 1852 |
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| Lieutenant | Joshua John Ward |
| Preceded by | Whitemarsh Benjamin Seabrook |
| Succeeded by | John Lawrence Manning |
| Personal details | |
| Born | August 18, 1812 Fairfield County, South Carolina |
| Died | September 1, 1862 (aged 50) Prince William County, Virginia |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Sarah Rebecca Stark |
| Alma mater | Mount Zion College South Carolina College |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  Confederate States of America South Carolina |
| Branch/service |  Confederate States ArmySouth Carolina militia |
| Years of service | 1860–1862 |
| Rank |  Colonel (CSA)Brigadier General (state militia) |
| Unit | 17th South Carolina Infantry Regiment |
| Battles/wars | American Civil War |
John Hugh Means (born August 18, 1812 – died September 1, 1862) was an important leader in South Carolina. He served as the 64th Governor of South Carolina from 1850 to 1852. Later, during the American Civil War, he became a colonel in the Confederate States Army. Sadly, he was killed in battle at the Second Battle of Manassas. He was one of the few well-known politicians from before the war who died fighting in the conflict.
Early Life and Political Career
John Hugh Means was born in the Fairfield District of South Carolina. He went to Mount Zion College in Winnsboro. In 1832, he graduated from South Carolina College. After college, he became a planter, which means he owned and managed a large farm.
Means was a strong supporter of States' rights. This idea meant that individual states should have more power than the national government. Because of his strong beliefs, he was elected to the South Carolina General Assembly, which is the state's law-making body.
In 1850, Means was elected as the Governor of South Carolina. During his time as governor, there was a lot of talk about states leaving the United States, a process called secession. In 1852, Governor Means led a state meeting. At this meeting, South Carolina passed a resolution. This resolution stated that South Carolina had the right to secede if the national government tried to interfere with the state's laws or way of life. Governor Means also got the state ready for possible conflict by increasing money for the state's militia, which was like a local army.
Service in the Civil War
In 1860, John Hugh Means signed the Ordinance of Secession, which was the official document for South Carolina to leave the United States. Soon after, he joined the Confederate States Army. He was chosen to be a colonel and led the 17th South Carolina Infantry regiment. A regiment is a large group of soldiers.
His regiment fought in Virginia during the war. They saw action at the Battle of Malvern Hill as part of the Peninsula Campaign. Later, they fought at Rappahannock Station. This battle happened just before the Second Battle of Manassas.
On August 29, 1862, Means's 17th Regiment arrived at the Second Battle of Manassas. They were part of Longstreet's corps, which is a very large military unit. Their job was to stop an attack by Union Army forces on the Confederate side. They successfully stopped the attack. After that, the Confederates launched a counterattack. Sadly, Colonel John Hugh Means was badly injured during this fighting and died on September 1, 1862.
