# James Patton Anderson

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American politician (1822–1872)

James Patton Anderson Deputy from Florida to the Provisional Congress of the Confederate States In office February 4, 1861 – February 17, 1862 Preceded by New constituency Succeeded by Constituency abolished Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Washington Territory's At-large district In office March 4, 1855 – March 3, 1857 (Delegate) Preceded by Isaac Stevens Succeeded by Columbia Lancaster Member of the Mississippi House of Representatives In office 1850 Personal details Born (1822-02-16)February 16, 1822 Franklin County, Tennessee, U.S. Died September 20, 1872(1872-09-20) (aged 50) Memphis, Tennessee, U.S. Resting place Elmwood Cemetery, Memphis, Tennessee, U.S. Party Democratic Spouse Henrietta Adair (m. 1853) Alma mater Jefferson College Occupation Lawyer, farmer Military service Allegiance United States Confederate States Branch/service United States Volunteers Confederate States Army Years of service 1847–1848 1861–1865 Rank Lieutenant Colonel (USA) Major General (CSA) Commands 1st Florida Infantry Anderson's Brigade Anderson's Division Battles/wars Mexican–American War American Civil War Battle of Shiloh Battle of Perryville Battle of Stones River Battle of Chickamauga Battle of Missionary Ridge Battle of Ezra Church Battle of Utoy Creek Battle of Jonesboro

**James Patton Anderson** (February 16, 1822 – September 20, 1872) was an American slave owner,[1] physician,[2] lawyer, and politician, most notably serving as a [United States Congressman](/source/United_States_Congressman) from the [Washington Territory](/source/Washington_Territory), a [Mississippi](/source/Mississippi) state legislator, and a delegate at the [Florida](/source/Florida) state [secession](/source/Secession) convention to withdraw from the United States. He also served in the [American Civil War](/source/American_Civil_War) as a [general](/source/General_officers_in_the_Confederate_States_Army) in the [Confederate States Army](/source/Confederate_States_Army), serving in the [Army of Tennessee](/source/Army_of_Tennessee).

## Early life and career

James Patton Anderson was born near [Winchester](/source/Winchester%2C_Tennessee) in [Franklin County, Tennessee](/source/Franklin_County%2C_Tennessee). He was the son of Col. [William P. Anderson](/source/William_Preston_Anderson) and his second wife, Margaret L. (Adair) Anderson.[3] As a young boy, he moved with his family to [Kentucky](/source/Kentucky) in 1831, where he lived for most of his childhood, and then to [Mississippi](/source/Mississippi) in 1838. He attended the medical school of [Jefferson College](/source/Washington_%26_Jefferson_College) in [Canonsburg, Pennsylvania](/source/Canonsburg%2C_Pennsylvania) in 1840, before a family financial crisis forced him to withdraw a short time before graduation in 1842. Soon after his return home, Anderson began practicing medicine.

He studied law at Montrose Law School in [Frankfort, Kentucky](/source/Frankfort%2C_Kentucky), and was admitted to the bar in 1843, establishing a practice in [Hernando](/source/Hernando%2C_Mississippi) in [DeSoto County, Mississippi](/source/DeSoto_County%2C_Mississippi). He also entered the state's [militia](/source/Militia) forces with the rank of [captain](/source/Captain_(United_States_O-3)) in 1846. He later served in the [Mexican–American War](/source/Mexican%E2%80%93American_War), commanding the [2nd Battalion, Mississippi Rifles](/source/2nd_Battalion%2C_Mississippi_Rifles) with the rank of [lieutenant colonel](/source/Lieutenant_colonel_(United_States)) as of February 22, 1848.[3] That July he was mustered out of the volunteer service.[4] J. Patton Anderson lived, likely as a boarder, in the household of [Nathan Bedford Forrest](/source/Nathan_Bedford_Forrest) in [De Soto County, Mississippi](/source/De_Soto_County%2C_Mississippi) at the time of the [1850 U.S. census](/source/1850_U.S._census). Anderson had organized the company in which Bedford's brother [John N. Forrest](/source/John_N._Forrest) had served during the Mexican War.[5][6]

Anderson later entered politics, serving in the [Mississippi House of Representatives](/source/Mississippi_House_of_Representatives) and befriending [Jefferson Davis](/source/Jefferson_Davis), a fellow former Mississippi volunteer officer in the [U.S. Army](/source/United_States_Army). He also found work as a gold prospector. When Davis became [Secretary of War](/source/United_States_Secretary_of_War) under President [Franklin Pierce](/source/Franklin_Pierce), he appointed Anderson as [U.S. Marshal](/source/United_States_Marshals_Service) for the [Washington Territory](/source/Washington_Territory). Anderson relocated there to [Olympia](/source/Olympia%2C_Washington) and served as marshal for several years before being selected to represent the territory in the [34th Congress](/source/Thirty-fourth_United_States_Congress) as a [Democrat](/source/Democratic_Party_(United_States)).[3]

After his two-year term, concerned that the [Union](/source/Union_(American_Civil_War)) was collapsing, he moved back to the [South](/source/Southern_United_States) to the state of [Florida](/source/Florida). His aunt Ellen Adair White Beatty, who owned the "Casa Bianca" plantation outside [Monticello](/source/Monticello%2C_Florida) in Jefferson County, Florida, invited him and his family to live at the plantation and manage it for her.[7] He was an active participant in the [Florida Secession Convention](/source/List_of_signers_of_the_Florida_Ordinance_of_Secession).

## American Civil War

Just prior to the start of the American Civil War, Anderson was appointed a [captain](/source/Captain_(United_States_O-3)) of the Jefferson Rifles[8][a] in the Florida Militia on January 11, 1861. Soon after Florida's secession, Anderson was one of three deputies (delegates) from Florida to the [Provisional Congress of the Confederate States](/source/Provisional_Congress_of_the_Confederate_States), beginning February 4 and resigned on May 2. He accepted a commission as the [Colonel](/source/Colonel_(United_States)) of the [1st Florida Infantry](/source/1st_Florida_Infantry_Regiment) on April 1, and initially served under [Braxton Bragg](/source/Braxton_Bragg) in [Pensacola](/source/Pensacola%2C_Florida). There he commanded the 2nd Brigade in the Army of Pensacola from October 12 to January 27, 1862.[4]

He was promoted to the rank of [Brigadier general](/source/Brigadier_general_(CSA)) on February 10, 1862, and was assigned to the [Western Theater](/source/Western_Theater_of_the_American_Civil_War), commanding a brigade in the [Battle of Shiloh](/source/Battle_of_Shiloh) in April. He fought with the [Army of Tennessee](/source/Army_of_Tennessee) during the battles of [Perryville](/source/Battle_of_Perryville), [Stones River](/source/Battle_of_Stones_River), [Chickamauga](/source/Battle_of_Chickamauga), and [Chattanooga](/source/Chattanooga_Campaign).

Anderson was promoted to [Major general](/source/Major_general_(CSA)) on February 17, 1864,.[4] He served a brief stint (March–July 1864) commanding the Confederate District of Florida, before leaving to rejoin the [Army of Tennessee](/source/Army_of_Tennessee) during the [Atlanta campaign](/source/Atlanta_campaign). On July 29, he assumed command of [division](/source/Division_(military)) previously commanded by to Maj. Gens. [Jones M. Withers](/source/Jones_M._Withers) and [Thomas C. Hindman](/source/Thomas_C._Hindman). Anderson would lead the division, in Lt. Gen. [Stephen D. Lee](/source/Stephen_D._Lee)'s Corps at the [Utoy Creek](/source/Battle_of_Utoy_Creek), and in the early stages of the [Battle of Jonesboro](/source/Battle_of_Jonesboro) before suffering a serious jaw wound on the evening of August 31.[4] Temporarily unfit for duty, he was relieved of his command and sent home to Monticello.

He later returned to duty in April 1865 during the [Carolinas campaign](/source/Carolinas_campaign), against his physicians' orders, and served with his men for the remainder of the war until their surrender to [federal forces](/source/United_States_Army) at [Greensboro, North Carolina](/source/Greensboro%2C_North_Carolina), in the spring of 1865. He was paroled on May 1, and would be pardoned by the U.S. Government on December 2, 1866.[4]

## Later life

Following the war, Anderson resided in [Memphis, Tennessee](/source/Memphis%2C_Tennessee), although he faced difficulty working due to his injuries sustained during the war. He sold insurance for a while and eventually became the editor of a small [agricultural newspaper](/source/Agricultural_journalism). He was collector of delinquent state taxes for [Shelby County](/source/Shelby_County%2C_Tennessee).

Anderson died in relative poverty at his home in Memphis at the age of 50, due primarily to lingering effects of his old war wound. He was buried there in the city's [Elmwood Cemetery](/source/Elmwood_Cemetery_(Memphis%2C_Tennessee)), Memphis, Tennessee.

## See also

- [List of American Civil War generals](/source/List_of_American_Civil_War_generals_(Confederate))

## Notes

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** The Jefferson Rifles were eventually mustered in as Company H of the [3rd Florida Infantry Regiment](/source/3rd_Florida_Infantry_Regiment) in July 1861. However, Anderson had already been promoted by that time and was no longer leading the unit.

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["Congress slaveowners"](https://github.com/washingtonpost/data-congress-slaveowners), *The Washington Post*, January 13, 2022, retrieved January 15, 2022

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** Hewitt, p. 23.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:0_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:0_3-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-:0_3-2) "[Anderson, James Patton](https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_Biographical_Dictionary_of_America/Anderson,_James_Patton)". *[The Biographical Dictionary of America](/source/The_Biographical_Dictionary_of_America)*. Vol. 1. 1906. pp. 108–109.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Eicher104_4-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Eicher104_4-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Eicher104_4-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-Eicher104_4-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-Eicher104_4-4) Eicher, p. 104.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Hurst, Jack (1993). *Nathan Bedford Forrest: A Biography*. New York: Alfred A. Knopf. p. 26. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-307-78914-3](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-307-78914-3). [LCCN](/source/LCCN_(identifier)) [92054383](https://lccn.loc.gov/92054383). [OCLC](/source/OCLC_(identifier)) [26314678](https://search.worldcat.org/oclc/26314678).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["Entry for Bedford Forrest and Mary Ann Forrest, 1850"](https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M4LH-RSM), *United States Census, 1850* – via FamilySearch

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["Ledger containing handwritten autobiography of J. Patton Anderson"](https://original-ufdc.uflib.ufl.edu/UF00085793/00001/30x?search=autobiography). *original-ufdc.uflib.ufl.edu*. Retrieved November 6, 2022.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** Bittle, George C. (October 1972). ["Florida Prepares for War, 1860-1861"](http://palmm.digital.flvc.org/islandora/object/ucf%3A25417). *The Florida Historical Quarterly*. **51** (2): 144. Retrieved June 14, 2023.

## Further reading

- Eicher, John H., and [David J. Eicher](/source/David_J._Eicher), *Civil War High Commands.* Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2001. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-8047-3641-1](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-8047-3641-1).

- Hewitt, Lawrence L. "James Patton Anderson." In *The Confederate General*, vol. 1, edited by [William C. Davis](/source/William_C._Davis_(historian)) and Julie Hoffman. Harrisburg, PA: National Historical Society, 1991. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-918678-63-3](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-918678-63-3).

- Linedecker, Clifford L., ed. *Civil War, A-Z: The Complete Handbook of America's Bloodiest Conflict*. New York: Ballantine Books, 2002. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-89141-878-4](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-89141-878-4).

- Raab, James W. J. Patton Anderson, Confederate General: A Biography. Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland & Co., 2004.

- Sifakis, Stewart. *Who Was Who in the Civil War.* New York: Facts On File, 1988. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-8160-1055-4](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-8160-1055-4).

- *Sketch of General Anderson's Life*, Special Collections, Robert Manning Strozier Library, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida.

- Uhler, Margaret Anderson (1982). ["Well and Strong and Fearless: Etta Anderson in Washington Territory, 1853–1856"](https://www.jstor.org/stable/4518675). *Montana: The Magazine of Western History*. **32** (3): 32–39. [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0026-9891](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0026-9891).

- [Warner, Ezra J.](/source/Ezra_J._Warner_(historian)) *Generals in Gray: Lives of the Confederate Commanders.* Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1959. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-8071-0823-9](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-8071-0823-9).

## External links

- [The James Patton Anderson Papers](http://ufdc.ufl.edu/jpa) at the [University of Florida](/source/University_of_Florida)

- United States Congress. ["James Patton Anderson (id: A000192)"](http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=A000192). *[Biographical Directory of the United States Congress](/source/Biographical_Directory_of_the_United_States_Congress)*.

Offices and distinctions U.S. House of Representatives Preceded by Columbia Lancaster Delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives from Washington Territory 1855–1857 Succeeded by Isaac Stevens Political offices New constituency Deputy from Florida to the Provisional Congress of the Confederate States 1861–1862 Constituency abolished

Articles related to James Patton Anderson v t e Signatories of the Provisional Constitution of the Confederate States President of the Congress Howell Cobb South Carolina Robert Barnwell Rhett R. W. Barnwell James Chesnut, Jr. C. G. Memminger Wm. Porcher Miles Laurence M. Keitt William W. Boyce Tho. J. Withers Georgia R. Toombs Francis S. Bartow Martin J. Crawford E. A. Nisbet Benjamin H. Hill Augustus R. Wright Thos. R. R. Cobb A. H. Kenan Alexander H. Stephens Florida Jackson Morton Jas. B. Owens J. Patton Anderson Alabama Richard W. Walker Robt. H. Smith Colin J. McRae Jno. Gill Shorter William Parish Chilton Stephen F. Hale David P. Lewis Tho. Fearn J. L. M. Curry Mississippi W. P. Harris Alexander M. Clayton W. S. Wilson James T. Harrison Walker Brooke William S. Barry J. A. P. Campbell Louisiana John Perkins, Jr. Alex. de Clouet C. M. Conrad Duncan F. Kenner Edward Sparrow Henry Marshall Texas Thomas N. Waul Williamson S. Oldham John Gregg John H. Reagan W. B. Ochiltree John Hemphill Louis T. Wigfall Category Commons v t e Signatories of the Confederate States Constitution President of the Congress Howell Cobb South Carolina Robert Barnwell Rhett C. G. Memminger Wm. Porcher Miles James Chesnut Jr. R. W. Barnwell William W. Boyce Laurence Keitt T. J. Withers Georgia R. Toombs Francis S. Bartow Martin J. Crawford Alexander H. Stephens Benjamin H. Hill Thos. R. R. Cobb E. A. Nisbet Augustus R. Wright A. H. Kenan Florida Jackson Morton J. Patton Anderson Jas. B. Owens Alabama Richard W. Walker Robt. H. Smith Colin J. McRae William P. Chilton Stephen F. Hale David P. Lewis Tho. Fearn Jno. Gill Shorter J. L. M. Curry Mississippi Alexander M. Clayton James T. Harrison William S. Barry W. S. Wilson Walker Brooke W. P. Harris J. A. P. Campbell Louisiana John Perkins Jr. Alex. de Clouet C. M. Conrad Duncan F. Kenner Henry Marshall Edward Sparrow Texas John Hemphill Thomas N. Waul John H. Reagan Williamson S. Oldham Louis T. Wigfall John Gregg William Beck Ochiltree Category Commons

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