Gabriel C. Wharton

Infobox Military Person
name= Gabriel Colvin Wharton
born= July 23, 1824
died= May 12, 1906


caption= Gabriel Colvin Wharton
nickname= Gabe
placeofbirth= Culpeper County, Virginia
placeofdeath= Radford, Virginia
allegiance= Confederate States of America
branch=
branch=
serviceyears= 1861–65
rank= Brigadier General
unit=
commands=
battles= American Civil War
awards=
relations=
laterwork= state legislator, mining engineer

Gabriel Colvin Wharton (July 23, 1824 – May 12, 1906) was an American civil engineer and soldier who served as a general in the Confederate Army during the American Civil War. After the war he was a politician and later resumed his engineering work.

Early life and career

Wharton was born in Culpeper County, Virginia, in the summer of 1824. He entered Virginia Military Institute in Lexington on September 1, 1845. Wharton graduated on July 5, 1847, finishing 2nd out of 12 cadets as a "distinguished graduate."cite web|url=http://www.vmi.edu/archives.aspx?id=5675|title="VMI Archives biography of Wharton"|publisher="www.vmi.edu"|accessdate=2008-09-14]

After leaving VMI he then became a civil engineer. Later Wharton moved to the Arizona Territory and took up work as a mining engineer.Eicher, p. 562.]

Civil War service

Wharton chose to follow his home state of Virginia and the Confederate cause, and entered the Confederate Army at the start of the American Civil War in 1861. He was appointed a major in the 45th Virginia Infantry on July 1, and soon afterwards was given command of the 51st Virginia on July 17, with the rank of colonel.

Wharton was then sent to the Western Theater in 1862, and commanded several brigades in various Confederate departments from February 9, 1862 to September 20, 1864. During this time Wharton was promoted to brigadier general, effective July 8, 1863. Also during 1863 he married Nannie Radford, and they would have one son together named William.

Wharton then returned to the Eastern Theater and was given divisional command in Lt. Gen. Jubal Early's Second Corps, Army of Northern Virginia. Early was operating in the Shenandoah during the Valley Campaigns from May to October 1864. Wharton fought during the campaign's Battle of New Market on May 15. His brigade was part of Maj. Gen. John C. Breckinridge's force, fighting on the left in the Confederate victory.

Warton participated in the Overland Campaign of 1864, fighting in Breckinridge's division during the Confederate victory at Battle of Cold Harbor from May 31 – June 12. His brigade also participated in the Battle of Monocacy July 9.cite web|url=http://www.nps.gov/archive/mono/mo_units_confederate.htm|title="NPS Monocacy Confederate order of battle"|publisher="www.nps.gov"|accessdate=2008-09-14]

After the Confederate defeat at the Battle of Cedar Creek on October 9, 1864, Wharton led his division until May 2, 1865. He was paroled at the end of the war from Lynchburg, Virginia, on June 4.

Postbellum

Wharton became a legislator in the Virginia General Assembly and then returned to his pre-war career as a mining engineer. He was also instrumental in building the railroad in Southwest Virginia in New River Valley.

Wharton died in the spring of 1906 at Radford, Virginia, at the age of 85, and was buried in the Wharton Family Cemetery located in Redford.

References

* Eicher, John H., and Eicher, David J., "Civil War High Commands", Stanford University Press, 2001, ISBN 0-8047-3641-3.
* [http://www.vmi.edu/archives.aspx?id=5675 www.vmi.edu] VMI Archives biography of Wharton
* [http://www.nps.gov/archive/mono/mo_units_confederate.htm www.nps.gov] U.S. National Park Service Monocacy Confederate order of battle.

Notes

External links

* [http://www.wvrailroads.net/index.php/Norfolk_&_Western_Railway www.wvrailroads.net] Wharton's participation in New River Valley rail construction

Persondata
NAME= Wharton, Gabriel C.
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
SHORT DESCRIPTION= American soldier & engineer, Confederate general officer
DATE OF BIRTH= July 23, 1824
PLACE OF BIRTH= Culpeper County, Virginia
DATE OF DEATH= May 12, 1906
PLACE OF DEATH= Radford, Virginia