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John Mercer Brockenbrough | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1830-08-01)August 1, 1830 |
| Died | August 24, 1892(1892-08-24) (aged 62) Richmond, Virginia, U.S. |
| Buried | |
| Allegiance | Confederate States of America |
| Branch | Confederate States Army |
| Service years | 1861–1864 (CSA) |
| Rank | Colonel (CSA) |
| Commands | 40th Virginia Infantry (CSA) |
| Conflicts | American Civil War |
| Spouses | AustinaBrockenbrough (cousin) Kate CorneliaMallory |
John Mercer Brockenbrough (August 1, 1830 – August 24, 1892) was a farmer and acolonel in theConfederate States Army during theAmerican Civil War.
Johnathan Brockenbrough, the son of Moore Fauntleroy Brockenbrough and his wife Sarah Waller Smith, was born August 1, 1830, inRichmond County, Virginia. John Brockenbrough was a second cousin ofJohn White Brockenbrough and his sister, Civil War diarist, Judith White (Brockenbrough) McGuire. He graduated from theVirginia Military Institute in 1850.[1]
At the start of the Civil War, Brockenbrough was appointedcolonel of the40th Virginia Infantry, which served attached to Brig. Gen.Charles W. Field's Virginiabrigade inMaj. Gen.A.P. Hill's Light Division and later Maj. Gen.Henry Heth's division in the Third Corps,Army of Northern Virginia. Brockenbrough led hisregiment through theSeven Days Battles, a punishing series of battles that caused 50% casualties in his regiment.
Brockenbrough assumed command of the brigade after Field was wounded at theSecond Battle of Bull Run and led it two days later atChantilly. During theMaryland Campaign, Brockenbrough took part in the capture ofHarpers Ferry, and then marched with the rest of the Light Division to the rescue of Gen.Robert E. Lee's army atSharpsburg; his brigade was deployed on the far right of A.P. Hill's line and did not see any direct action there. AtFredericksburg, his brigade was ordered to plug a hole in the Confederate line that was being exploited byUnion troops under Maj. Gen.George G. Meade. Brockenbrough lost control of his brigade during this action and two of his regiments split off with him and never reached the fighting. Lee apparently was not impressed with Brockenbrough's leadership qualities. Even though months had passed, the unit was still called Field's Brigade and Brockenbrough was still considered its temporary commander. Lee did not recommend John for promotion.
In early 1863, Lee brought Brig. Gen.Henry Heth from assignment inTennessee to replace Brockenbrough in command of the brigade (soon called "Heth's Brigade"), hoping to restore it to fighting shape. During theBattle of Chancellorsville, Heth took over command of the division when Hill was wounded on May 2, 1863, which meant that Brockenbrough was back in command of the brigade on May 3, when it lost around 300 men storming the enemy line. After the battle, Brockenbrough was given a rare commendation for leading the attack by General Heth. Brockenbrough remained in brigade command when Heth was promoted to command a new division.
At theBattle of Gettysburg, Brockenbrough's brigade was in the rear of Heth's column during the march on the Chambersburg Pike, July 1, 1863, and thus missed the morning attacks against theUnion cavalry and theI Corps. In the afternoon attacks, his men advanced on a line withJ. Johnston Pettigrew's North Carolina brigade, and although the latter brigade fought fiercely, suffering over a thousand casualties, Brockenbrough's brigade was hesitant and fought ineffectively against the Pennsylvanians of Col.Roy Stone and a portion of theIron Brigade, as may be inferred from their casualty rate of 100. The brigade rested on July 2, but on July 3 participated in the bloody assault known asPickett's Charge. There is no record that Brockenbrough marched with his men towardCemetery Ridge that day, however, and Col.Robert M. Mayo of the47th Virginia Infantry was in temporary command. It is possible that the death of Brockenbrough's brother during the battle on July 1 left him distraught and unable to step up to his responsibilities. Assigned to the far left flank of Pettigrew's divisional line, the brigade was subjected to heavy shelling from Union artillery onCemetery Hill and when the8th Ohio Infantry came up on their left flank, the Virginians turned and ran.
During the Confederate retreat back to Virginia, Brockenbrough attempted to reclaim some of his damaged reputation by making a reckless advance against Union troops atFalling Waters on July 14, suffering numerous casualties. Five days later, Brockenbrough's former regimental lieutenant colonel, Brig. Gen.Henry Harrison Walker, was given command of the brigade, returning Brockenbrough to the 40th Virginia, which he led atBristoe andMine Run. On January 21, 1864, Brockenbrough resigned from the Confederate States Army. He retained his rank of colonel in the reserves until late 1864.
After the war, Brockenbrough lived inNorfolk andRichmond.