John Horace Forney

John Horace Forney
Born August 12, 1829
Lincolnton, North Carolina
Died September 13, 1902 (aged 73)
Jacksonville, Alabama
Place of burial City Cemetery, Jacksonville, Alabama
Allegiance United States United States of America
Confederate States of America Confederate States of America
Service/branch  United States Army
 Confederate States Army Infantry
Years of service 1852 – 1861 (USA)
1861 – 1865 (CSA)
Rank First Lieutenant (USA)
Major General (CSA)
Battles/wars

American Civil War

  • Battle of First Bull Run
  • Battle of Vicksburg
Other work civil engineer
farmer

John Horace Forney (August 12, 1829 – September 13, 1902) was a major general in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War.

Early life

John Horace Forney was born in Lincolnton, North Carolina to Jacob and Sabina Swope Hoke Forney. He was the younger brother of Confederate Brigadier General William H. Forney, first cousin of Confederate Brigadier General Robert Daniel Johnston, and second cousin of Confederate Major Generals Robert F. Hoke and Stephen Dodson Ramseur. His parents moved to Alabama in 1835. John Horace Forney was appointed to the United States Military Academy at West Point, NY and graduated in 1852, twenty-second in his class. Forney was commissioned brevet second lieutenant of the 7th U.S. Infantry. He was promoted to second lieutenant on October 24, 1853, and transferred to the 10th Infantry on March 3, 1855. He was promoted to first lieutenant in 1855.

Civil War

Forney resigned his commission on January 23, 1861, and entered the Confederate Army as colonel of the 10th Alabama Infantry and took part in the First Battle of Manassas. He was wounded at Dranesville, Virginia, in December 1861. Forney was promoted to brigadier general on March 10, 1862, and to major general on October 27—a rise in rank that probably outran his abilities. After brief service as commander of the Departments of Alabama and Florida he was given a division of Lt. Gen. John C. Pemberton's army defending Vicksburg and was captured there when the city fell in July 1863. After being exchanged, Forney was sent to the Department of the Trans-Mississippi, where he followed John George Walker as commander of the Texas Division.

Post-war and death

At the end of the war, he returned to Alabama, where he was a farmer and civil engineer until his death in Jacksonville on September 13, 1902. He was interred at City Cemetery.

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