MAGRUDER, John Bankhead, 1807-
Soldier. Final Class, 1826.
General Magruder was a native of Virginia. having been born in Caroline County, in that State, on the 15th of August, 1807.
He entered the University of Virginia in 1825, where he remained two years. Upon leaving the University he entered the Military Academy at West Point, from which he was graduated in 1830. He entered the Mexican War and served with distinction as a Captain of Artillery. For gallantry at Cerro Gordo he was brevetted Major, and at Chapultepec, where he was wounded, he was brevetted Lieutenant Colonel. After the war he was stationed at Newport where his elegant manners and splendid personal appearance made him exceedingly popular. At the outbreak of the Civil War he came South and offered his services to his native State. He was in command of the Confederate forces in the Peninsula, and made a great reputation for efficiency there, with a small command, having greatly deceived his opponent, and having won the Battle of Big Bethel. For services there rendered he was made Major General, and took part in the fights around Richmond, having been in the terrible fight at Malvern Hill. In the fall of 1862 be was given command of the Department of Texas, and in 1863 recovered Galveston, capturing the United States ship "Harriet Lane" with land forces alone. After the close of the war he went to Mexico and took service as Major General under the ill-fated Maximilian, upon whose downfall he returned to Houston, Texas, where he died.
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[Note of Caution:Date does not match other sources. More research is needed to determine which is correct.]
