Person Record
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Metadata
Name |
Meade, Richard Kidder, Jr. |
Born |
8/1835 |
Birthplace |
Brunswick County, Virginia |
Places of residence |
Petersburg, Virginia West Point, New York Charleston, South Carolina |
Father |
Richard Kidder Meade |
Mother |
? Haskins |
Education |
United States Military Academy at West Point |
Notes |
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=11930185: Civil War Confederate Officer. A devoted son of United States Congressman Richard Kidder Meade, he was a member of the 1857 graduating class of the United States Military Academy at West Point. As an engineer officer in the United States Army, he was assigned to Charleston, South Carolina, the epicenter of the growing crisis of 1860-1861. With the nation on the edge of war, he played a pivotal role in the relocating of Major Robert Anderson’s command from Fort Moultrie to Fort Sumter on December 26, 1860 and was commanding Castle Pinckney at the time that future Confederate General James Johnston Pettigrew demanded its surrender. The blunt Meade interrupted Pettigrew’s reading of South Carolina Governor Francis Pickens orders stating that he will not recognize the authority of the Governor. The Lieutenant subsequently declined Pettigrew’s "parole" offer and returned to Fort Sumter. There, he witnessed the January 9, 1861 firing on the "Star of the West" and would command an artillery gun crew during the opening shots of the war on April 12th. Loyal to his native state of Virginia, he pledged allegiance to her and resigned from the United States Army. The Southerner offered his services to the newly formed Confederacy and was commissioned a Major in the Provisional Army of the Confederate States (PACS) to rank from March 16, 1861. He served on the staffs of Generals John B. Magruder and James Longstreet respectively. On July 31, 1862, a disease ended his life in Petersburg, Virginia. http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Gazetteer/Places/America/United_States/Army/USMA/Cullums_Register/1761*.html Richard Kidder Meade, Jr.: Born August, 1835. Military History. — Cadet at the Military Academy, July 1, 1853, to July 1, 1857, when he was graduated and promoted in the Army to Bvt. Second Lieut., Corps of Engineers, July 1, 1857. Served: at the Military Academy as Asst. Professor of Engineering, Dec. 8, 1857, to Aug. 31, 1859; as Asst. Engineer in the construction of (Second Lieut., Corps of Engineers, July 29, 1858) the Defenses of New York Harbor, 1859-60; and in repairing and building the Fortifications of Charleston Harbor, S. C., 1860. Served during the Rebellion of the Seceding States, 1860-61: as Asst. Engineer on the Fortifications of Charleston Harbor, S. C., Nov., 1860, to Apr. 14, 1861, being engaged in strengthening the works in anticipation of attack upon them, Nov.-Dec., 1860, — and in Defense of Ft. Sumter, Dec. 27, 1860, to Apr. 14, 1861, including its Bombardment, Apr. 12-14, when it was Surrendered and Evacuated. Resigned, May 1, 1861. Joined in the Rebellion of 1861-66 against the United States.a Died, July 31,b 1862, at Petersburg, Va.: Aged 26. Buried, Blandford Cemetery, Petersburg, VA. |
Occupation |
Military Assistant Professor of Engineering, West Point |
Role |
Military |
Spouse |
none |
Children |
none |
