Asbury Coward

With Citadel classmate Micah Jenkins he founded the King's Mountain Military Academy at Yorkville in 1855. He was volunteer aide-de-camp to General D.R. Jones at First Manassas in July 1861, and was appointed Captain and Assistant Adjutant General to Jones on 15 August 1861. He was promoted to Major on 11 July 1862. He was appointed Colonel of the 5th South Carolina Infantry on 12 August 1862, but remained for the time on General Jones' staff.

From General Jones' Report:

To my staff I am particularly indebted. Major Coward, my assistant adjutant-general, displayed on all occasions that cool courage and discrimination which predict for him a brilliant military career. I am much gratified at his well-merited promotion.

He assumed command of the 5th South Carolina in November 1862. He was wounded in action in the Wilderness, VA in 1864, and was at the surrender at Appomattox Court House, VA on 9 April 1865.

He later reopened King's Mountain Military Academy, and ran it to 1886. He was also State Superintendent of Instruction 1884-86. He was appointed Superintendent of The Citadel in 1890, and retired in 1908.

Service from Krick.1 His gravesite is on Findagrave, source of additional details.

09/19/1835; Charleston, SC

04/28/1925; York County, SC; burial in Rose Hill Cemetery, York, SC