| Arthur P. Bagby, Jr. | |
|---|---|
| Born | May 17, 1833 Claiborne, Monroe County, Alabama |
| Died | February 21, 1921 (aged 87) Hallettsville, Texas |
| Allegiance | United States of America, Confederate States of America |
| Service/branch | Confederate States Army |
| Years of service | 1852–53 (USA), 1861–65 (CSA) |
| Rank | Brigadier General |
| Battles/wars | American Civil War - Battle of Galveston |
| Other work | Lawyer |
Arthur Pendleton Bagby, Jr. (May 17, 1833 – February 21, 1921) was a lawyer, editor, and Confederate general during the American Civil War.
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Bagby was born in Claiborne, Monroe County, Alabama. He was a son of Alabama governor Arthur P. Bagby. He attended school in Washington, D.C., and the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York. At age 19, he was the youngest graduate to be commissioned a second lieutenant of infantry. He was stationed at Fort Columbus in 1852-53, and he saw frontier duty at Fort Chadbourne in 1853. Bagby resigned in 1853 to study law and was admitted to the bar in Alabama in 1855. He practiced in Mobile, Alabama, until 1858, when he moved to Gonzales, Texas. There, he married Frances Taylor in June 1860.
At the outbreak of the Civil War, Bagby joined the Confederate Army, serving as a major in the 7th Regiment of Texas Mounted Volunteers in Henry Hopkins Sibley's Army of New Mexico. He quickly moved up the ranks, first to lieutenant colonel and later to colonel.
In the Battle of Galveston, Bagby led his "Horse Marines" in the capture of the USS Harriet Lane. Bagby's cavalry brigade was renowned as one of the best in the Trans-Mississippi Department. Bagby commanded a brigade under Gen. Hamilton P. Bee for a time before replacing Bee in command in mid-May 1864. Following the surrenders of Robert E. Lee and Joseph E. Johnston, Bagby was promoted to major general in 1865 by E. Kirby Smith. However, Bagby's promotion was not approved by the Confederate War Department, so Bagby was a general only by temporary appointment.
After the war, Bagby settled in Victoria, Texas, resumed practicing law, and was in 1870-71 assistant editor of the local newspaper. He later moved to Hallettsville, Texas, where he continued his law practice, and died on February 21, 1921. He had two children, William T. Bagby and A. P. Bagby.