John B. Gordon

Confederate General John B. Gordon

Library of Congress

Quick Facts

Significance:

Confederate General

Place of Birth:

Upson County, Georgia

Date of Birth:

February 6, 1832

Place of Death:

Miami, Florida

Date of Death:

January 9, 1904

Place of Burial:

Atlanta, Georgia

Cemetery Name:

Oakland Cemetery

Though he had no prior military training or experience prior to the Civil War, John Brown Gordon became a leading Confederate General. His memoirs narrate several battles, including those in the Shenandoah Valley. They contradict official reports. Which source do you trust to be most accurate? 

Pre-Civil War 

Gordon's family lived in western Georgia. His father, Zachariah, was a prominent member of the community, serving as a minister. In 1840 the family enslaved 18 people. Gordon studied law at the University of Georgia. His professional career was just beginning when Civil War divided the nation. 

From the Peninsula to Maryland to Higher Command 

Gordon joined the Confederate army. As Colonel of the 6th Alabama he distinguished himself during the 1862 Peninsula campaign outside of Richmond. Gordon's soldiers defended the famous sunken road at Antietam. Surviving several wounds, was promoted to Brigadier General. He commanded a brigade during the Gettysburg campaign. 

To the Valley 

In June 1864, Gordon, now a division commander, was part of General Jubal Early's Army of the Valley District. In June and July the Confederates cleared the Shenandoah Valley of US forces, invaded Maryland, fought the Battle of Monocacy, reached the outskirts of Washington, D.C., and safely withdrew back to Virginia. During the larger 1864 Shendandoah Valley campaign, Gordon played a key role in Third Battle of Winchester and the Battle of Cedar Creek. Early and Gordon had several battlefield disagreements that became a war of words decades after the war. 

War's End

Gordon rejoined Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia. He replaced Jubal Early as corps commander. Gordon's soldiers fought until the very end, from the trenches of Petersburg to the surrender at Appomattox Courthouse. 

Post War Fame

Civil War celebrity made Gordon a polarizing figure in the decades following the war. Georgia voters elected him to Congress, making him the first ex-Confederate to preside over the Senate. He also served as Governor of Georgia. In his politics, Gordon worked to undermine Reconstruction policies in the south. His public service corresponded with the rise of Jim Crow laws that enforced racial segregation.

Gordon was also a leader of the United Confederate Veterans group, published his Civil War memoirs, and toured the nation as a lecturer. More than 75,000 people attended his funeral and memorial ceremonies in 1904.