A Vicksburg newspaper reporter once referred to Van Dorn as “the terror of ugly husbands.” (Van Dorn pictured left)
The apparently handsome Earl Van Dorn was born near Port Gibson, Mississippi, on September 17, 1820. He graduated from West Point in 1842 and later served in the Mexican War. Van Dorn resigned his commission in the US Army in January of 1861 in order to accept command in the Confederate service as a colonel. After being promoted to major general and named to command the Trans-Mississippi Department, his abilities as a commander came under scrutiny after defeats at Pea Ridge (1862) and Corinth (1862). Van Dorn was relieved of his command and reassigned to command a troop of cavalry. He later achieved his only real success when he attacked a Union supply depot at Holly Springs, Mississippi (December 20, 1862), forcing Gen. Ulysses S. Grant to retreat to Memphis, Tennessee.
But this is not why I am discussing Earl Van Dorn. The reason? The good general was one of the three murdered during the American Civil War. The others were Union Major General William “Bull” Nelson, shot as the result of a feud with then Brigadier General Jefferson C. Davis in September 1862; and Confederate Major General John A. Wharton, shot as the result of an argument with Colonel George Wythe Baylor in April 1865.
Van Dorn was killed in May of 1863 at his headquarters at Spring Hill, Tennessee, by Dr. James B. Peters. Van Dorn was known as a womanizer (hence the Vicksburg reporter) and Peters had accused Van Dorn of having carried on an affair with his wife Jessie. Thus in a fit of rage, or from an impassioned sense of honor, Peters entered the general’s office, walked up behind and coolly shot him in the back of the head. No challenge to a duel or some sort of more honorable confrontation does in context make the act look rather cowardly, nonetheless the results were surprising!
Peters, who had his home/residence confiscated some time before the shooting, was arrested, briefly held, but released and never tried, and later his land was returned back to him! Apparently the accusations were true and some sort of evidence provided???
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earl_Van_Dorn
Chris,
There is at least one more general officer killing I know of offhand. Well, actually, I guess it’s applicability to your post depends on if one wants to consider a duel between two brig. generals ‘murder’. John S. Marmaduke mortally wounded Lucius “Marsh” Walker in a duel stemming from a 1863 Little Rock Campaign dispute.
Drew, thanks for posting!! I hope all is well. I was aware of their scuffle at one time, and I will say I did not think of it until I read your comment. I don’t know if I would have included it.
Chris