Yesterday we discussed George D. Alexander, a promising officer who was serving under “Stonewall” Jackson during the Bath-Romney Campaign in the winter of 1862.  Jackson was fortunate to have many promising officers under his command, and another man who he praised was William A. Forbes of the 14^th Tennessee.  Forbes had much in common with Alexander as well as Jackson as we’ll see as we profile Forbes and continue to follow the campaign which unfolded further 150 years ago today.

Forbes was a native Virginia, born in Richmond in 1824.  Growing up, he lost his father at an early age which left himself and his mother with very little resources.  An opportunity for a good education opened up when the Virginia Military Institute was founded in 1839, and he was able to attend with aid from the commonwealth.  Forbes was in VMI’s first graduating class in 1842.  After graduation Forbes did not enter the military, but was employed as a professor in Virginia, including some time teaching at VMI.  In the late 1840’s he moved west to teach at a small military college in Kentucky, until finally settling in Clarksburg, Tennessee on the faculty of Stewart College.

Above: William A. Forbes in the 1850’s from the collections of the Virginia Military Institute.

When the Civil War broke out Forbes’ history as a VMI graduate and military instructor propelled him to a commission in the Provisional Army of Tennessee.  He was made colonel of the 14^th Tennessee Infantry, and in September of 1861 was sent east to join the Confederate Army of the Northwest operating near the modern border of Virginia and West Virginia.  By January of 1862 Forbes was under the command of fellow professor “Stonewall” Jackson as he moved his army west from Winchester to push federal forces out of the vicinity of Romney, (West) Virginia.

As we’ve discussed in the last two posts, the Bath-Romney Campaign did not result in a major battle, but there were many small skirmishes.  150 years ago today Forbes was on the south side of the Potomac River across from Hancock, Maryland.  Jackson was preparing to cross the Potomac and occupy Hancock but needed a bridge to move his men across.  Jackson chose Forbes to oversee the construction of the bridge which was never complete or put into use as the next day Union reinforcements arrived at Hancock and discouraged a Confederate advanced.  Jackson summarized these and other events which took place on January 5^th, 1861 in his report covering the Bath-Romney Campaign.

In this section of the report we learn that the railroad bridge alluded to in yesterday’s post was destroyed.  Toward the bottom of the excerpt is where Jackson mentions Forbes.  He gave the colonel high praise and seems to have respected his fellow college professor with VMI ties.  As we stated Union reinforcements discouraged use of the bridge to capture Hancock.  Romney, (West) Virginia was Jackson’s real target, and he wanted to save his supplies and manpower for an eventual advance there.

By the spring of 1862 the 14^th Tennessee was sent to Richmond and joined what would soon become known as the Army of Northern Virginia.  Forbes led the 14^th through most of the Peninsula Campaign, being wounded during the Seven Day’s Battles.  He quickly recovered and was with his regiment as it joined the rest of Jackson’s Wing of the army to counter the threat of John Pope’s Army of Virginia, and fought at Cedar Mountain and Second Manassas in August of 1862.  At the latter battle Forbes led the 14^th in a desperate defense against Union assaults along a railroad grade on August 29^th.  The following day, with the arrival of James Longstreet’s Wing from Thoroughfare Gap, the Confederate launched crushing counterattacks which routed the Union forces there.  While leading his men in an assault against a line of federal artillery batteries, Forbes was struck and seriously wounded.

Forbes lived for a short while after receiving his wound, but would die the following day on August 31^st, 1862.  He was initially buried near the battlefield where his remains would lay until 1866, when they were reinterred to Shockoe Hill Cemetery in Richmond, Virginia.