James H. Lane (general)
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James Henry Lane (July 28, 1833 – September 21, 1907) was a university professor and Confederate general in the American Civil War. Ironically, another man with the identical name, James Henry Lane, was also prominent in the Civil War era, but on the opposite side: an anti-slavery advocate, U.S. Army general, and senator from Kansas.
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[edit] Early life
Lane was born in Mathews Court House, Virginia. He graduated from Virginia Military Institute (VMI) in 1854 and the University of Virginia in 1857. He was a professor of mathematics at VMI and then of natural philosophy at the North Carolina Military Institute until the start of the War.
[edit] Civil War
Lane was commissioned as a major in the Confederate States Army and assigned to the 1st North Carolina Infantry regiment on May 11, 1861. Promotions came quickly and he was a colonel and commander of the 28th North Carolina by September 15. In the Seven Days Battles of 1862 he was twice wounded leading his regiment. He served in Maj. Gen. A.P. Hill's division of Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson's Corps for Second Bull Run and received his own brigade for the Battle of Antietam. He was promoted to brigadier general in November 1862, and assumed command of the 2nd Brigade in Pender's Division of Hill's Third Corps of the Army of Northern Virginia the following May, during the beginning of the Gettysburg Campaign.
At the Battle of Gettysburg, Lane assumed command of Pender's division following that officer's mortal wounding on July 2, 1863. The division fought in Pickett's Charge, but Lane was wounded when his horse was shot out from under him and division command passed temporarily to Maj. Gen. Isaac R. Trimble.
In 1864 and 1865, Lane continued in division command, through the Overland Campaign, Siege of Petersburg, and the retreat to Appomattox Court House. At the Battle of Cold Harbor, he was wounded in the groin.
[edit] Postbellum
Lane was paroled at Appomattox and returned to the academic life, as professor of civil engineering and commerce at Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical College (VAMC)—founded in 1872, name changed to Virginia Polytechnic Institute (VPI) in 1896—and from 1881 until his death, professor of civil engineering at Alabama Polytechnic Institute (Auburn University). General Lane served as the first Commandant of Cadets at VAMC. The original cadet barracks at VAMC is named after General Lane. He died in Auburn, Alabama, and is buried there in Pine Hill Cemetery.
[edit] References
- Eicher, John H., and Eicher, David J., Civil War High Commands, Stanford University Press, 2001, ISBN 0-8047-3641-3.
- Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets
