April 24, 1914
THE YOUNGEST COLONEL
James R. Hagood of South Carolina Commanded a Regiment at 19
South Carolina had the distinction of having the youngest regimental commander in the Confederate States army. This was James R. Hagood, commanding the First South Carolina regiment of Micah Jenkin’s dauntless brigade. He was less than 19 years of age when he was commissioned colonel.
There are just from the press two books in which two Hagoods are discussed. One is Johnson Hagood’s Memoirs, edited by U. R. Brooks, and the other is “The Recollection of a Private Soldier, C. S. A.,” written by F. M. Mixon, and edited and compiled by John W. Holmes of Bavawell.
Col. Hagood is declared to have been a remarkable soldier. He succeeded two such men as Johnson Hagood and Thos. J. Glover and on account of notable ability as well as the most conspicuous courage was promoted over the heads of all the field officers and several of the ranking captains, and so pronounced were his characteristics as a great soldier that there was no dissention among those over whom he was promoted.
Of him Gen. Lee wrote as follows: “It gives me great pleasure to state that Col. J. R. Hagood, during the whole [unreadable phrase] of Northern Virginia was conspicuous for gallantry, efficiency and good conduct. By his merit consistently exhibited, he arose from a private in the regiment to its command, and showed by his actions that he was worthy of the position.”
J. R. Hagood volunteered as a private in the above named regiment just before its departure to Virginia in the summer of 1862 under the command of Thos. P. Glover, who had succeeded Johnson Hagood to the colonelcy of the regiment upon the latter’s promotion to brigadier general.
J. R. Hagood was promoted sergeant-major of the regiment November 16, 1862. He was promoted to captain of company K January 1863. He was promoted to colonel of the regiment on the 16th of November 1862, the commission being dated within 10 days of his 19th birthday, he was doubtless the youngest colonel commanding a regiment in the Confederate army.
This rapid promotion came to him while serving in and forming part of that incomparable infantry which bore upon its bayonets the falling fortunes of the Confederacy for four long years.
[Transcribed by Sharon Strout]