{{Short description|Confederate Army general}} {{Other uses|Joseph Finnegan (disambiguation)}} {{Use American English|date=February 2026}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox military person | birth_name = | birth_date = {{birth date|1814|11|17}} | death_date = {{death date and age|1885|10|29|1814|1|19}} | birth_place = [[Clones, County Monaghan|Clones]], [[County Monaghan]], [[Ireland]] | death_place = [[Rutledge, Florida]], U.S. | image = FineganJoseph63 (cropped).jpg | caption = | nickname = | allegiance = {{flagicon|CSA|1862}} [[Confederate States of America]] | service_years = 1862–65 | branch = {{army|CSA}} | rank = [[File:Confederate States of America General-collar.svg|35px]] [[Brigadier general]] (CSA) | commands = [[Florida Brigade of the Army of Northern Virginia|Florida Brigade]] | battles = [[American Civil War]] *[[Battle of Olustee]] | relatives = | awards = | other_work = }}

'''Joseph Finegan''', sometimes '''Finnegan''' (November 17, 1814 – October 29, 1885), was an American businessman and [[brigadier general]] for the [[Confederate States Army]] during the [[American Civil War]]. From 1862 to 1864 he commanded Confederate forces operating in Middle and East [[Florida]], ultimately leading the Confederate victory at the [[Battle of Olustee]], the state's only major battle. He subsequently led the [[Florida Brigade of the Army of Northern Virginia|Florida Brigade]] in the [[Army of Northern Virginia]] until near the end of the war.

Before the war, Finegan was a politician, attorney, lumber mill operator, slave owner, and railroad builder. He returned to business after the war, and worked as a [[cotton]] broker.

==Early life and career== Finegan was born on 17 November 1814 at [[Clones, County Monaghan|Clones]], a small town in the west of [[County Monaghan]] in [[Ireland]].<ref name="IGI">[http://www.familysearch.com International Genealogical Index at]</ref> He came to Florida in the 1830s, first establishing a sawmill at [[Jacksonville]] and later a law practice at [[Fernandina Beach, Florida|Fernandina]]. At the latter place, he became the business partner of [[David Levy Yulee]] and began construction of the [[Florida Railroad]] to speed transportation of goods and people from the new state's east coast to the [[Gulf of Mexico]].<ref>Blakey, Arch Frederic, Ann Smith Lainhart, and Winston Bryant Stephens, Jr.,, ed. ''Rose Cottage Chronicles: Civil War Letters of the Bryant-Stephens Families of North Florida,'' Gainesville, FL: University Press of Florida, 1998. Page 129.</ref>

Finegan's successes are perhaps attributable to his first marriage on July 28, 1842, to the widow Rebecca Smith Travers.<ref name="IGI"/> Her sister Mary Martha Smith was the wife of Florida's territorial governor [[Robert Raymond Reid]], an appointee of President [[Martin Van Buren]].<ref>Klug, Mimi. "Guide to the Mary Martha Reid Papers (1821-1890)". Cocoa, FL: Florida Historical Society Library, 2004.</ref>

At a courthouse auction in 1849, Finegan paid just twenty-five dollars ($25) for five miles of shoreline along [[Lake Monroe (Florida)|Lake Monroe]].<ref>Robison, Jim and Mark Andrews. ''Flashbacks: The Story of Central Florida's Past''. Orlando, FL: Orange County Historical Society, 1995. Page 34.</ref>

In 1852, he was a member of the Committee of Vigilance and Safety of Jacksonville, Florida.<ref>"Public Meetings," Jacksonville News, June 5, 1852, 1.</ref>

By the outbreak of the [[American Civil War]], Finegan had built his family a forty-room mansion in Fernandina, bounded by 11th and 12th Streets and Broome and Calhoun Avenues, the site of the modern Atlantic Elementary School. His family included his three stepdaughters Maria, Margaret, and Martha Travers;<ref name="Litrico">Litrico, Charles. [https://web.archive.org/web/20080708141313/http://www.amelianow.com/fall98finegan.htm "Joseph Finegan: Fernandina's Confederate General".] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080708141313/http://www.amelianow.com/fall98finegan.htm |date=2008-07-08 }}</ref> and children Rutledge, Agnes, Josephine, and Yulee Finegan.<ref>1860 Census, Fernandina, Nassau County, Florida, page 403.</ref>

At Florida's [[secession]] convention, Finegan represented [[Nassau County, Florida|Nassau County]] alongside James G. Cooper.<ref>Blakey et al., page 128.</ref>

==Civil War== In April 1862, Finegan assumed command of Middle and East Florida from Brigadier General [[James H. Trapier]].<ref>Blakey et al., page 129.</ref> Soon thereafter, he suffered some embarrassment surrounding the wreck of the [[blockade runner]] ''Kate'' at Mosquito Inlet (the modern [[Ponce de Leon Inlet]]). Her cargo of rifles, ammunition, medical supplies, blankets, and shoes was plundered by civilians. Attempts to recover these items took months before he issued a public appeal. Eventually, most of the rifles were found, but the other supplies were never recovered.<ref>Taylor, Robert A. ''Rebel Storehouse: Florida in the Confederate Economy''. Tuscaloosa, AL: The University of Alabama Press, 1995. Pages 34-35.</ref> Also in 1862, recognizing the importance of Florida beef to the Confederate cause, Finegan gave cattle baron [[Jacob Summerlin]] permission to select thirty men from the state troops under his command to assist in rounding up herds to drive north.<ref>Akerman, Jr. Joe A. and J. Mark Akerman. ''Jacob Summerlin: King of the Crackers''. Cocoa, FL: Florida Historical Society Press, 2004. Page 53.</ref>

At this time, the principal Confederate military post in east Florida was dubbed "Camp Finegan" to honor the state's highest-ranking officer. It was about {{convert|7|mi|km|spell=in}} west of [[Jacksonville]], south of the rail line near modern [[Marietta, Jacksonville|Marietta]].<ref>Blakey et al., page 126.</ref>

In 1863, Finegan complained of the large quantity of [[rum]] making its way from the [[West Indies]] into Florida. Smugglers were buying it in [[Cuba]] for a mere seventeen cents per gallon, only to sell it in the blockaded state for twenty-five dollars per gallon. He urged Governor [[John Milton (Florida politician)|John Milton]] to confiscate the "vile article" and destroy it before it could impact army and civilian morals.<ref>Taylor, page 40.</ref>

In February 1864, General [[P.G.T. Beauregard]] began rushing reinforcements to Finegan after Confederate officials became aware of a build-up of Federal troops in the occupied city of Jacksonville. As Florida was a vital supply route and source of beef to the other southern states, they could not allow it to fall completely into Union hands.<ref>Taylor, pages 146-148.</ref>

On February 20, 1864, Finegan stopped a Federal advance from Jacksonville under General [[Truman Seymour]] that was intent upon capturing the state capitol at [[Tallahassee]]. Their two armies clashed at the [[Battle of Olustee]], where Finegan's men defeated the [[Union Army]] and forced them to flee back beyond the [[Saint Johns River]]. Critics have faulted Finegan for failing to exploit his victory by pursuing his retreating enemy, contenting himself by salvaging their arms and ammunition from the battlefield. But, his victory was one rare bright spot in an otherwise gloomy year for the dying Confederacy.<ref>Taylor, page 150.</ref>

Some Finegan detractors believe he did little more to contribute to the Confederate victory at Olustee than to shuttle troops forward to General [[Alfred H. Colquitt]] of [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]], whom they credit for thwarting the Federal advance. They point out that Finegan was quickly relieved of his command over the state troops, replaced by Major General [[James Patton Anderson]]. But this change in command was necessary as Finegan was ordered to lead the [[Florida Brigade of the Army of Northern Virginia|Florida Brigade]] in the [[Army of Northern Virginia]], where he served effectively until near the end of the war.<ref>Blakey et al., page 164.</ref> [[Image:JFinneganCWJX.jpg|thumb|right|205px|The grave of Joseph Finegan in the Old City Cemetery of [[Jacksonville, Florida]].]]Col [[David Lang (Civil War)|David Lang]] was the brigade's last commander before the surrender after the [[Battle of Appomattox Court House]].

==Postbellum career== Brigadier General Finegan returned to Fernandina after the war to discover his mansion had been seized by the [[Freedmen's Bureau]] for use as an orphanage and school for black children. It took some legal wrangling, but he was eventually able to recover this property. He had to sell most of his lands along Lake Monroe to [[Henry Sanford]] for $18,200 to pay his attorneys and other creditors. He did retain a home site at [[Silver Lake, Florida|Silver Lake]]. Adding to his sorrows was the untimely death of his son Rutledge who died April 4, 1871, precipitating a move to [[Savannah, Georgia]]. There, Finegan felt at home with the large Irish population and worked as a cotton broker.<ref name="Litrico"/>

It was while living in Savannah that Finegan married his second wife, the widow Lucy C. Alexander, a [[Tennessee]] belle. They eventually settled on a large orange grove in [[Orange County, Florida]].<ref>1880 Census, 2nd Division, Orange County, Florida, page 408.</ref> Finegan died October 29, 1885, at Rutledge, his orange grove named after his late son in Orange (now Seminole) County, Florida.<ref>{{cite news |title=Death of Gen. Finnegan |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/92047229/ |newspaper=Memphis Avalanche |date=5 November 1885 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=McCabe |first1=Dermot |title=A Famous Clones General |journal=Clogher Record |date=1994 |volume=15 |issue=1 |page=124 |doi=10.2307/27699381 |jstor=27699381}}</ref> According to the ''Florida Times Union'', his death was the result of "severe cold, inducing chills, to which he succumbed after brief illness." The paper described him as "hearty, unaffected, jovial, clear-headed, and keen-witted." He was buried at the Old City Cemetery in Jacksonville.<ref name="Litrico"/>

==See also== {{portal|American Civil War|Biography}} *[[List of American Civil War generals (Confederate)]]

==References== {{reflist}}

==Sources== * Akerman Jr. Joe A. and J. Mark Akerman. ''Jacob Summerlin: King of the Crackers''. Cocoa, FL: Florida Historical Society Press, 2004. * Blakey, Arch Frederic, Ann Smith Lainhart, and Winston Bryant Stephens Jr., ed. ''Rose Cottage Chronicles: Civil War Letters of the Bryant-Stephens Families of North Florida,'' Gainesville, FL: University Press of Florida, 1998. * Eicher, John H., and [[David J. Eicher]], ''Civil War High Commands.'' Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2001. {{ISBN|978-0-8047-3641-1}}. * Klug, Mimi. "Guide to the Mary Martha Reid Papers (1821-1890)". Cocoa, FL: Florida Historical Society Library, 2004. * Litrico, Charles. [https://web.archive.org/web/20080708141313/http://www.amelianow.com/fall98finegan.htm "Joseph Finegan: Fernandina's Confederate General".] * Robison, Jim and Mark Andrews. ''Flashbacks: The Story of Central Florida's Past''. Orlando, FL: Orange County Historical Society, 1995. * Sifakis, Stewart. ''Who Was Who in the Civil War.'' New York: Facts On File, 1988. {{ISBN|978-0-8160-1055-4}}. * Taylor, Robert A. ''Rebel Storehouse: Florida in the Confederate Economy''. Tuscaloosa, AL: The University of Alabama Press, 1995. * [[Ezra J. Warner (historian)|Warner, Ezra J.]] ''Generals in Gray: Lives of the Confederate Commanders.'' Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1959. {{ISBN|978-0-8071-0823-9}}.

==External links== *{{Commons category-inline}} *[http://battleofolustee.org/finegan.html General Finegan at the Battle of Olustee]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Finegan, Joseph}} [[Category:1814 births]] [[Category:1885 deaths]] [[Category:Confederate States Army brigadier generals]] [[Category:Irish soldiers in the Confederate States Army]] [[Category:Military personnel from Florida]] [[Category:People of Florida in the American Civil War]] [[Category:People from Clones, County Monaghan]] [[Category:Politicians from County Monaghan]] [[Category:American slave owners]]