Contributed by: Diane Siniard Name: Bryan Grimes State Served: North Carolina Highest Rank: Major-Gen Birth Date: 1828 Death Date: 1880 Birth Place: Pitt County, North Carolina Army: Confederacy Promotions: Promoted to Full Major (4th NC Inf) Promoted to Full Colonel Promoted to Full Brig-Gen Promoted to Full Major-Gen Biography: GRIMES, BRYAN NORTH CAROLINA Major, Fourth North Carolina Infantry (State troops), July 16, 1861 Colonel, Fourth North Carolina Infantry, June 19, 1862. Brigadier general, P. A. C. S., May 19, 1864. Major general, P. A. C. S., February 15, 1865. Died August 14, 1880. Commands. Brigade composed of the Thirty-second, Forty-third, Forty- fifth and Fifty-third North Carolina Regiments Infantry, and the Second North Carolina Battalion of Infantry, formerly Brigadier General Daniels' Brigade. Division composed of his own brigade and the brigades of Battle, Cook and Cox, Army of Northern Virginia, from September 19, 1864, to April 9, 1865. Source: Generals of the Confederate States Army Major-General Bryan Grimes was born at Grimesland, Pitt county, N. C., November 2, 1828, the youngest son of Bryan and Nancy Grimes. He was graduated at the university of North Carolina in 1848, then made his home upon a plantation in Pitt county, and in April, 1851, was married to Elizabeth Hilliard, daughter of Dr. Thomas Davis, of Franklin county. This lady died a few years later, and in 1860 he traveled in Europe, but returned home soon after the national election. He hastened to the scene of conflict at Fort Sumter as soon as he heard of the bombardment, and then visited Pensacola and New Orleans, returning to take a seat in the convention of his State which adopted the ordinance of secession. In the latter part of May he resigned his seat in this body and accepted appointment as major of the Fourth infantry regiment, in organization at Garysburg under Col. George B. Anderson. He reached Virginia after the battle of First Manassas; May 1, 1862, was promoted lieutenant-colonel, and thereafter commanded his regiment with promotion to colonel June 19th. At Seven Pines every officer of the regiment but himself, and 462 out of 520 men, were killed or wounded. His horse's head was blown off by a shell, and the animal fell upon him, but he waved his sword and shouted, "Forward!" and when released from his painful position, seized the regimental flag and led his men in their successful charge. At Mechanicsville the remnant of the command was again distinguished. At this time General Anderson declared, "Colonel Grimes and his regiment are the keystone of my brigade." He was disabled by typhoid fever until the Maryland campaign, and as he went into that his leg was so injured by the kick of a horse that amputation was considered necessary; but nevertheless he took the field at Sharpsburg, and another horse was killed under him, the third of the seven which he thus lost during his career. General Anderson was mortally wounded in this battle, and in November Grimes was assigned to temporary command of the brigade, which he led at the battle of Fredericksburg. At Chancellorsville he and his regiment were distinguished on all three days of battle, on the third driving the enemy from their breastworks at the point of the bayonet, but at the cost of many lives. In this fight the gallant colonel again narrowly escaped death. In the Pennsylvania campaign he and his men were in the advance of Ewell's corps, and on picket eight miles from Harrisburg; and at Gettysburg on the first day they were the first to enter the village and drive the enemy to the heights beyond, only pausing in obedience to orders. During the retreat from Pennsylvania he served efficiently on the rear guard. At Spottsylvania Court House, after General Ramseur was wounded, he led the brigade in an impetuous charge which recovered much of the ground gained by Hancock at the "bloody angle," in recognition of which General Lee told the brigade "they deserved the thanks of the countryÄthey had saved his army." General Daniel having been mortally wounded in this fight, Colonel Grimes was put in command of his brigade. On May 19th, after he had made an effective fight in a flank movement upon the enemy, General Rodes declared: "You have saved Ewell's corps, and shall be promoted, and your commission shall bear date from this day. " This promise was fulfilled early in June, and soon afterward he took his men to the Shenandoah valley, and joined in the movement through Maryland to Washington. In the fall campaign in the valley, though in impaired health, he did his duty gallantly and desperately against the overwhelming numbers of the Federals, and had many remarkable escapes from death or capture. When Ramseur fell at Cedar Creek, he took command of the division, which he held until the end, being promoted major- general in February, 1865. In spite of their terrible reverses, he infused such spirit in his men that they were able to rout 4,000 Federal cavalry at Rude's hill, November 22nd. In the spring of 1865 he fought in the Petersburg trenches, and participated with great gallantry in the fight at Fort Stedman, in which he rode a captured horse, and was a conspicuous target to the enemy, but still seemed to bear a charmed life. When his line was broken April 2nd, he rushed down his line on foot, and seizing a musket joined in the fire upon the enemy, until his troops, encouraged by his coolness, were able to recover the greater part of their lines. During the retreat from Petersburg he was almost constantly in battle; at Sailor's Creek saved himself by riding his horse through the stream and up the precipitous banks amid a shower of bullets, and on the next day led his division in a splendid charge which captured the guns taken from Mahone and many Federal prisoners, winning the compliments of General Lee. Bushrod Johnson's division was now added to his command, and on April 9th the other two divisions of the corps, Evans' and Walker's, were put under his command, he having volunteered to make the attack to clear the road toward Lynchburg. He was successful in driving the enemy from his front, but after receiving repeated orders to withdraw fell back to his original line, and was then informed of the proposed surrender. At first refusing to submit to this, he was about to call upon his men to cut their way out, when General Gordon reminded him of the interpretation which might be put upon such action during a truce, and he was compelled by his sense of honor to acquiesce. As an estimate of his character as a soldier, the words of Gen. D. H. Hill in March, 1863, are exact and comprehensive: "He has been in many pitched battles and has behaved most gallantly in them all. His gallantry, ripe experience, admirable training, intelligence and moral worth constitute strong claims for pro motion. " After the close of hostilities he returned to his plantation. He had married in 1863, Charlotte Emily, daughter of Hon. John B. Bryan, of Raleigh, and several children were born to them. His life went on in quiet and honor until August 14, 1880, when he was shot by an assassin and almost instantly killed. Source: Confederate Military History, vol. V, p. 314 |