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Samuel A'Court Ashe
Samuel A'Court Ashe.png
Born (1840-09-13)September 13, 1840
Wrightsville Sound, near Wilmington, North Carolina
Died August 31, 1938(1938-08-31) (aged 97)
North Carolina
Place of burial
Oakwood Cemetery, Raleigh, North Carolina
Allegiance  Confederate States of America
Service/branch  Confederate States Army
Years of service 1861-1863
Rank Confederate States of America Captain.png Captain
Spouse(s)
Hannah Emerson Willard
(m. 1871)
Signature Signature of Samuel A'Court Ashe.png

Samuel A'Court Ashe (born September 13, 1840 – died August 31, 1938) was an important person in North Carolina history. He was a captain in the Confederate Army during the American Civil War. After the war, he became a well-known writer, historian, and politician.

Samuel Ashe was the last living officer from the Confederate Army when he passed away in 1938. His father, William Shepperd Ashe, was also a politician. In 1936, Samuel Ashe was given the honorary title of Brigadier General. He also wrote a book about the war called A Southern View of the Invasion of the Southern States and War of 1861-65.

Early Life and Education

Samuel A'Court Ashe Monument
Samuel A'Court Ashe Memorial in Raleigh, NC

Samuel Ashe was born in 1840 in Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina. He grew up near Wilmington. Later, he spent much of his life in Raleigh.

He studied at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis. There, he met Alfred Thayer Mahan, who would become a famous naval historian. They remained friends for life.

Samuel Ashe's Occupations

When the Civil War began, Samuel Ashe joined the Confederate Army. He served throughout the war and rose to the rank of captain. One of his jobs was at Fort Caswell. This fort is located on Oak Island.

Life After the War

After the war ended, Samuel Ashe married Hannah Emerson Willard in 1871. They had nine children together. One of their children was William Willard Ashe, who became a famous botanist.

Samuel Ashe studied law in Wilmington and started his own law practice there. He was also active in the Democratic Party. He worked for the government and served in the North Carolina House of Representatives. As a legislator, he helped change North Carolina's tax laws. These changes helped the state manage its debt.

Editor and Historian

Samuel Ashe became the editor of the Raleigh Daily News newspaper. Later, he bought another newspaper, the Raleigh Daily Observer. He combined the two papers and became the editor of both.

He was a very busy writer. Between 1908 and 1935, he wrote many books and articles. These writings covered topics like North Carolina history, the Civil War, and the South after the war.

His most famous book was A Southern View of the Invasion of the Southern States and War of 1861-65. In this book, he wrote about why the Southern states decided to leave the United States. He also wrote about Abraham Lincoln and the war.

Later Years and Legacy

Samuel Ashe passed away on August 31, 1938, when he was 97 years old. He was buried at Oakwood Cemetery in Raleigh.

On September 13, 1940, a special memorial was put up in his honor. This monument is located on Capitol Square in Raleigh. It remembers him as a "patriot, soldier, historian, legislator, editor, and Christian citizen."

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