Samuel Houston Letcher

(1828 - 1868)
Home State: Virginia
Command Billet: Regimental Commander
Branch of Service: Infantry
Unit: 58th Virginia Infantry

Before the Antietam Campaign:
He was a lawyer and newspaper editor in Lexington. He enlisted in the Rockbridge Rifles, Company H, 27th Virginia Infantry in Lexington 18 April 1861, and was elected Captain. The Rifles had been organized after the John Brown raid on Harpers Ferry in 1859. It was assigned to the 5th Virginia Infantry at the organization of the Stonewall Brigade at Harpers Ferry. The company transferred to the 4th Virginia and fought at First Manassas. It was then assigned as Company "H" in the 27th Virginia Regiment. 1

Letcher continued with the 27th until promoted Lieutenant Colonel of the 58th Virginia Infantry 31 October 1861. He was promoted Colonel of the 58th on 1 May 1862.2

In the Antietam Campaign:
He was relieved in command, probably due to illness, by Major Kasey before the unit crossed into Maryland in September 1862.

The remainder of the War:
He resigned his commission on 30 October 1862, and returned to his career as a newspaper editor until his death.2

References, Sources, and other notes:
He was grandson of Sam Houston, of Texas, and his brother John was a US Congressman (1851-59) and Governor of Virginia (1860-64).

Birth Date: 2/23/1828    Birth State: VA
College: Washington College (Lexington - Law)    Graduating Year: 1850
Death Date: 11/11/1868    Death Place: Lexington, VA    Burial Place: Stonewall Jackson Cemetery, Lexington, VA

Notes

1 United Confederate Veterans, Lee-Jackson Camp, and J.P. Moore, J. Scott Moore, W.T. Poague, oversight committee, Muster Rolls of Confederate Units Organized in Rockbridge County (Va), Lexington (Va): Rockbridge County Court, 1903, pp. 45-49, 51 [AotW citation 387]

2 Driver, Robert J. Jr., 58th Virginia Infantry, Lynchburg (Va): H. E. Howard, Inc., 1990, pp. 1, 117 [AotW citation 388]

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