Robert Plunket Maclay facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Robert Plunket Maclay
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| Born | February 19, 1820 Armagh, Pennsylvania |
| Died | May 20, 1903 (aged 83) Pointe Coupee Parish, Louisiana |
| Buried | |
| Allegiance | United States of America Confederate States of America |
| Service/ |
United States Army Louisiana Militia Confederate States Army |
| Years of service | 1840–1860 1861–1862 1862–1865 |
| Rank |  Captain (USA) Major (Louisiana Militia) Major (CSA)Assigned to duty as: Brigadier General |
| Unit | 8th US Infantry Pointe Coupee Militia Regiment |
| Commands held | 1st Brigade / Walker's Texas Division 2nd Brigade / Walker's Texas Division |
| Battles/wars | Seminole Wars Mexican–American War American Civil War |
| Other work | planter |
Robert Plunket Maclay (born February 19, 1820 – died May 20, 1903) was a military officer. He served as a major in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. He was later given the role of a brigadier general by General E. Kirby Smith. However, this promotion was never officially approved by the Confederate President.
Contents
Early Life and Military Training
Robert Plunket Maclay was born in Armagh, Pennsylvania on February 19, 1820. His family had a history of public service. Both his grandfather and granduncle were United States Senators. An uncle also served as a United States Congressman.
Maclay attended Lewiston Academy. In 1836, he joined the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York. He graduated in 1840. After graduating, he became a second lieutenant in the 8th United States Infantry Regiment.
Early Military Service
In the early 1840s, Maclay fought in the Second Seminole War. This was a conflict between the United States and the Seminole people in Florida.
Later, he served under Major General Zachary Taylor during the Mexican–American War. In 1846, Maclay was wounded at the Battle of Resaca de la Palma in Texas. After recovering, he returned to duty. He helped defend Puebla, Puebla, a city in Mexico that the U.S. Army occupied.
On January 22, 1849, Maclay was promoted to captain. He spent eleven years on duty in Texas. For a time, he was the commander of Fort Inge.
Life Before the Civil War
In 1853, Maclay married Virginia Medora Nutt. She passed away in 1856. From her, he inherited large farms, called plantations, in Louisiana and Mississippi. To manage these properties, Maclay resigned from the U.S. Army on December 31, 1860.
Service in the American Civil War
Robert P. Maclay was born in the North. He even had relatives who fought for the Union Army. However, he chose to support his neighbors and family in the South. On December 16, 1861, he joined the Pointe Coupee Militia Regiment in Louisiana as a captain. By March 1, 1862, he was promoted to major. He also became the inspector general for the 6th Louisiana Militia Brigade.
On October 31, 1862, Maclay officially joined the Confederate States Army. He became a major of artillery. He worked under Lieutenant General Theophilus H. Holmes. General Holmes later assigned Maclay to the staff of Major General John George Walker on January 2, 1863. Walker commanded an infantry division from Texas.
Key Roles and Battles
Maclay served as an assistant adjutant general and inspector general for General Walker. He later became the chief of staff for Walker's division. This division fought in important battles in Louisiana and Arkansas. These included the Battle of Milliken's Bend, the Red River Campaign, and the Battle of Jenkins' Ferry in 1863 and 1864.
On May 13, 1864, General E. Kirby Smith assigned Maclay to duty as a brigadier general. This was a high-ranking position. Smith gave Maclay command of the 1st Brigade in John G. Walker's division. Later, Maclay commanded Horace Randal's division. However, General Smith did not have the authority to make this promotion official. So, Maclay was never formally appointed by Confederate President Jefferson Davis or approved by the Confederate Senate.
This unofficial promotion caused some problems. Other colonels were unhappy that a staff major was given command over them. In January 1865, General Smith gave Maclay a 60-day leave. There is no record that Maclay returned to duty after this leave.
Life After the War
After the Civil War ended, Maclay returned to his plantations in Mississippi and Louisiana. He worked as a planter, managing his farms. He lived near New Roads, Louisiana in Pointe Coupee Parish, Louisiana. He was also active in the Episcopal Church.
Robert Plunket Maclay passed away on May 20, 1903. He died at his daughter's home, Levy Plantation, in Pointe Coupee Parish. He is buried near Fordoche, Louisiana.
