History of Clinton, (Davie County) North Carolina United States of America

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Theophilus Hunter Holmes, soldier, was born in Clinton, N.C., Nov. 13, 1804; son of Gabriel and Mary (Hunter) Holmes. His father was governor of North Carolina, 1821-24. He was graduated at the U.S. Military academy in 1829 and assigned to the 7th U.S. infantry. He was on frontier service, was a lieutenant in the Seminole war and in the occupation of Texas, was captain in the war with Mexico, and was brevetted major for gallantry at Monterey. He received promotion to the rank of major, March 3, 1855; served on the Navajo expedition of 1858-59, and in 1861 was on recruiting service at Fort Columbus, Governor's Island, New York harbor. While there he resigned from the U.S. army, April 22, 1861, and went to North Carolina, where he assisted Governor Ellis in organizing the state militia and in selecting competent officers. When North Carolina seceded, May 20, 1861, he accepted a commission as brigadier-general in the Confederate army and joined the force in Virginia, June, 1861, commanding a brigade of 2500 men and six guns at Aquia Creek and afterward forming the reserve brigade under Beauregard in the battle of Bull Run and in the campaign of northern Virginia. He gained promotion to the rank of major-general and in the seven days' battles before Richmond he commanded a division in Magruder's command. After the change of McClellan's base, General Holmes was transferred to the command of the trans-Mississippi army and established his headquarters at Little Rock, Ark., Aug. 12, 1862. He was at the same the promoted to the rank of lieutenant-general and on Nov. 11, 1862, he was ordered to abandon his proposed Missouri expedition and send 10,000 men to Vicksburg to oppose the attack by General Grant. In February, 1863, acting on a suggestion made by General Holmes, President Davis placed Gen. E. Kirby Smith in command of the department to organize a government and open communication with Europe by way of Galveston, Texas, and thus provide for a confederacy beyond the Mississippi in case of defeat in the Atlantic states. General Holmes assumed active field service and by order of General Smith conducted the advance on Helena, where he behaved with great gallantry, July 3, 1863. He was defeated by Gen. B. M. Prentiss, commander of the post, and continued to serve under General Smith. He witnessed a general commercial prosperity in the district, with the re-establishment of factories and furnaces and a considerable trade with Europe in cotton and machinery. In 1864 he was placed in command of the North Carolina senior and junior reserves with headquarters at Raleigh. After the surrenders of Lee and Johnston, finding no support to come from the east, the western army was the last to capitulate. General Holmes returned to his home in North Carolina, and died near Fayetteville, N.C., June 21, 1880.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

History of Clinton, (Davie County) North Carolina

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