Alexander Galt Taliaferro

(1808 - 1884)
Home State: Virginia
Command Billet: Commanding Regiment
Branch of Service: Infantry
Unit: 23rd Virginia Infantry

Before the Antietam Campaign:
Before the War (1860 or earlier), he was Major of the 2nd Virginia Cavalry Militia. He was elected Lt Colonel and mustering officer of the 23rd Virginia Infantry as it was forming in May 1861. The unit's first commanding officer was Colonel William B. Taliaferro (1822-98). Col William B was wounded in action at Groveton (Va) in March 1862 , relieved by Lt Colonel Alexander G. in command of the Regiment, and was promoted to Brigadier General and then led the Brigade. Later Colonel Alexander was himself wounded at Second Manassas (28-30 Aug 1862) and relieved by Major Walton.1

In the Antietam Campaign:
He is often listed in Orders of Battle in command of the Regiment at Sharpsburg, but was probably not present on the Maryland Campaign.

The remainder of the War:
He was later in command of a post at Charlottesville, Va.

After the War:
He wrote his "Reminiscences" in about 1878 about his War service and whether or not he was appointed Brigadier General, CSA.2 He is not listed as such in Warner3 or the OR.

References, Sources, and other notes:
Family geneologist Velma L. Parmerton notes online that his full name was John James Alexander Galt Taliaferro and his wife Agnes Harwood Marshall was grandaughter of Chief Justice John Marshall.
Additional family geneological data online here and here used for birth and death places and dates.

Thanks to David Spearman, for doing the research and Robert C. Moss, webmaster, both of the modern 23rd Virginia Infantry, for their work in making the history of the Taliaferros and the Regiment available on their excellent website.

Birth Date: 9/1808    Place of Birth: Churchill (Gloucester Co.), VA
College: William and Mary College
Death Date: 6/29/1884    Death Place: Gloucester Co., VA

Notes

1 Rankin, Thomas M., 23rd Virginia Infantry, Lynchburg: H.E. Howard, Inc., 1985, rosters [AotW citation 22]

2 Taliaferro, Alexander Galt, Reminiscences, Southern Historical Collection, Chapel Hill: Manuscripts Department, Library of the University of North Carolina, 1878, pp. 1-11 [AotW citation 23]

3 Warner, Ezra J., Generals in Gray, Lives of the Confederate Commanders, Baton Rouge, LA: Louisiana State University Press, 1959, --- [AotW citation 24]

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