Henry Watkins Allen

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Henry Watkins Allen (April 29, 1820 – April 22, 1866) was an American soldier and politician, and a general in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. He served as the Confederate Governor of Louisiana late in the war.

Allen was born in Prince Edward County, Virginia, He was educated at Marion College, Missouri, taught school and practiced law in Mississippi, and served in the Texas Revolution against Mexico. He was a member of the Texas state house of representatives in 1853. After studying law at Harvard and traveling in Europe, he came home with the eruption of the Civil War.

He joined the Confederate army as a lieutenant colonel in 1861. He was wounded at Baton Rouge and at Shiloh. Allen became a brigadier general in 1864, and was elected Governor of Louisiana in 1864, losing office when the Confederacy collapsed in 1865.

After the war, he moved to Mexico City, edited the Mexico Times, and wrote Travels of a Sugar Planter. He assisted in the opening of trade between Texas and Mexico. He died in Mexico City and was buried in the Old State Capitol in Baton Rouge.

The Henry Watkins Allen Camp #133 of the Sons of Confederate Veterans was named in his honor, as was Allen Parish, Louisiana. Henry W. Allen Elementary School, a public school in New Orleans, is also named for him.