Richard Heron Anderson

USMA Class of 1842 graduated 40th in class of 56, Army service on the frontier and in Mexico. Resigned US Army as Captain on 3 May 61. Made Major 1st SC Inf as of 16 Mar 61. Service as commander at Charleston SC and at Pensacola FL.Led brigade under Longstreet on the Penninsula campaign.

Made Major General 14 July 62 and assumed command of (then) Huger's division which he led at Maryland Heights (Harpers Ferry), and at Antietam.

Led Anderson's Division of Longstreet's Corps. With McLaws at Maryland Heights in capture of Harpers Ferry VA (now WVa). Arrived at Sharpsburg just before sunrise on 17 Sep after all-night march and assigned duty as reserve force in a position just west of the town near R. E. Lee's HQ.

At about 1030 he was ordered to move his division of about 3400 men up to the Sunken Road as reinforcements in support of D. H. Hill. Took numerous casualties from Federal artillery while coming up across the Piper farm, and was himself seriously wounded before reaching Hill's line in the lane. He was relieved by one of his brigade commanders, Brigadier General Roger Pryor. His division was largely destroyed in the fighting in and near the Sunken Road between 1030 and about noon.

Anderson returned to the command of his division leading it at Fredericksburg Chancellorsville Gettysburg and in the Wilderness campaign. He relieved the wounded Longstreet as Corps commander and made Lieutenant General in May 1864, he led the corps at Spotsylvania, Cold Harbor, and in battles around Richmond. In Oct 64, at Longstereet's return, he was placed in charge of part of the defenses of Richmond.

Near the end of the war he again led a (which?)division in the field until its destruction at Sayler's Creek in April 65.

Failing as a farmer at the family home in Sumter County SC and enduring poverty Anderson died at 57 in 1879.

10/7/1821; Sumter County, SC

6/26/1879; Beaufort, SC; burial in St. Helena Episcopal Churchyard, Beaufort, SC