Campaigns · Big Bethel, Malvern Hill, Seven Days and Galveston
HistoryCentral · Primary Source & History GENERAL JOHN BANKHEAD MAGRUDER, CSA VITAL STATISTICS BORN: 1807 in Port Royal, VA. DIED: 1871 in Houston, TX. CAMPAIGNS: Big Bethel, Malvern Hill, Seven Days and Galveston. HIGHEST RANK ACHIEVED: Major General BIOGRAPHY John Bankhead Magruder was born in Port Royal, Virginia, on May 1, 1807. Graduating from West Point in 1830, he fought in the Seminole and Mexican Wars.
He commanded an artillery battery in Washington until the Civil War began, at which point he resigned from the US Army. As a colonel in the Confederate infantry, he fought at Big Bethel. The battle, a Confederate victory, helped establish Magruder's reputation. Nicknamed "Prince John," he was fond of lavish living, fashionable military dress and courtly behavior toward ladies. Held as "the picture of the Virginia gentleman, the...
representative of... chivalry," he was promoted to brigadier general on June 17, 1861 and major general on October 7, 1997. At Malvern Hill, however, Magruder performed poorly, due to drunkenness and recklessness. This led to his losing his command and falling into public disfavor. He was recalled to Richmond to defend his actions in the Seven Days' Campaign, and was finally sent to the District of Texas, where he remained until the end of the war.
Magruder rescued his military reputation somewhat by capturing the Union ship "Harriet Lane," and later recapturing Galveston, Texas in January of 1863. He refused to apply for parole, and fled to Mexico when the war ended. In Mexico, he fought under Maximilian, then settled in Houston, Texas when Maximilian was defeated. Magruder died in Houston on February 18, 1871.