Contributed by: Diane Siniard Name: Laurence Simmons Baker State Served: North Carolina Highest Rank: Brig-Gen Birth Place: Gates County, North Carolina Army: Confederacy Promotions: Promoted to Full Colonel (1st NC Cav) Promoted to Full Brig-Gen Biography: Brigadier-General Lawrence S. Baker, distinguished as a cavalry officer in the service of the Confederate States, was born in Gates county, N. C., in May, 1830. His family is an old and honorable one, founded in America by Lawrence Baker, who came to Virginia from England early in the seventeenth century and became a member of the house of burgesses. His descendant, Gen. Lawrence Baker, of North Carolina, was a leader in the movement for independence, served in the Revolutionary war, and was one of the two representatives of North Carolina in the Continental Congress. His son, John B. Baker, M. D., father of Gen. L. S. Baker, was a well known physician and prominent citizen of North Carolina, in the legislature of which he sat as a member from Gates county. General Baker received his early education in his native State and at Norfolk academy, and then entered the United States military academy at West Point, where he was graduated in the class of 1851. At his graduation he was promoted second lieutenant of the Third cavalry, and by meritorious and gallant service he had passed the grade of first lieutenant, and had been promoted captain, when he resigned after his State had announced its adherence to the Confederacy, in order that he might tender his services for the defense of North Carolina. He was commissioned lieutenant-colonel, Confederate States cavalry, to date from March 16, 1861, and on May 8th was appointed lieutenant-colonel of the Ninth North Carolina regiment, afterward known as the First North Carolina cavalry. With this command he joined the cavalry brigade of Gen. J. E. B. Stuart, in 1861, and on March 1, 1862, he was promoted colonel of his regiment. During the opening of the Seven Days' battles which followed, he served upon the right wing of the army, and on June 29th commanded the Confederate cavalry in the affair on the Charles City road, which was, in fact, a reconnaissance in which the Federal cavalry were driven back until reinforced by heavy bodies of infantry, when Colonel Baker was compelled to retire. After this campaign the cavalry division was organized and Colonel Baker and his regiment were assigned to the brigade of Gen. Wade Hampton. With the active and heroic work of this brigade through the campaigns of Manassas and Sharpsburg, Colonel Baker was gallantly identified. He fought with his regiment at Frederick City, Md., and in defense of the South Mountain passes; took part in the battle of Sharpsburg, and subsequently skirmished with the enemy at Williamsport. During the many cavalry affairs that preceded and followed the battles of Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville, he rendered valuable service. Particularly at the battle of Fleetwood Hill, preceding the movement into Pennsylvania, he displayed his soldierly qualities. Here, on June 9, 1863, in command of his regiment and supported by the Jeff Davis legion, he charged upon the enemy, and after what may truly be said to have been in point of the number of men who crossed sabers, the most important hand-to-hand contest of cavalry in the war, drove the Federals from their position. At Upperville he was again distinguished, and it was to his regiment that Hampton turned in the moment of greatest peril, drawing his saber and crying, "First North Carolina, follow me!" The regiment participated in Stuart's Pennsylvania raid, and reaching the field of Gettysburg on July 3rd, engaged in the desperate hand-to-hand cavalry fight on the right of the army. In this bloody action Hampton was twice wounded, and Colonel Baker was given command of the brigade during the subsequent important work of protecting the retreat of the army, including fighting about Hagerstown and Falling Waters. After the army had crossed into Virginia, Colonel Baker was assigned the duty of picketing the Potomac from Falling Waters to Hedgesville, and had frequent skirmishes with the enemy until withdrawn to the line of the Rappahannock. Here, on July 31st, the Federal cavalry crossed the river in force and advanced toward Brandy Station, stubbornly resisted by Hampton's brigade of cavalry under command of Colonel Baker, General Stuart also being at the front. In his report of this affair, Gen. R. E. Lee wrote: "Hampton's brigade behaved with its usual gallantry and was very skillfully handled by Colonel Baker. Our loss was small, but among our wounded, I regret to say, are those brave officers, Colonel Baker, commanding the brigade; Colonel Young, of Cobb's legion, and Colonel Black, of the First South Carolina cavalry." On the same day General Lee recommended Colonel Baker for promotion to the rank of brigadier-general, which was promptly confirmed, and in the subsequent reorganization of the cavalry he was assigned to the command of a brigade composed exclusively of North Carolina regiments, the First, Second, Fourth and Fifth. But the wound he had received at Brandy Station was a serious one -- the bones of his arm being completely shattered, and the use of it lost to him, in consequence of which he was unable to continue his service with the cavalry. When General Wade Hampton became chief of the cavalry in the spring of 1864, he desired General Baker to accept division command under him with promotion to major-general, but the disability prevented, and he was assigned by the war department to the responsible command of the Second military district of South Carolina, in which capacity he had the duties of a major-general, in charge of the forces at Goldsboro, Kinston, Wilmington, Plymouth and Weldon, and was particularly intrusted with the protection of the Weldon railroad. Later he was called to confront Sherman's advance in the vicinity of Savannah and Augusta, GA, and then being recalled to North Carolina by Bragg, he commanded in the final campaign the First brigade of Junior reserves, in Hoke's division of Hardee's corps. He surrendered at Raleigh, after the capitulation of Johnston, and then, having spent all his life, so far, in military employment, was confronted by the difficult task of finding a place in civil life in a country ravaged by war. He lived at New Bern for awhile, and near Norfolk, Va., carried on a trucking business, after which he returned to North Carolina, and was engaged in insurance until 1877. At the latter date he was offered the position of agent of the Seaboard Air Line railroad at Suffolk, Va., a position he has since occupied. General Baker is held in warm remembrance by Confederates everywhere, particularly in Virginia and North Carolina, where his bravery and devotion are most intimately known. He maintains a membership in Tom Smith camp, United Confederate Veterans, at Suffolk, and keeps alive his comradeship with the survivors of the great struggle. In 1855 he was married to Elizabeth E., daughter of Dr. Alex. Henderson, of North Carolina, and they have three children living: Alexander Baker, sheriff of Nansemond county, Va.; Stuart A. Baker, of Richmond, and Elizabeth E. Baker. Source: Confederate Military History, vol. V, p291 |