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jkBluesman -> Brig. Gen. Birkett D. Fry (3/5/2008 12:15:08 PM)
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Brig. Gen. Birkett Davenport Fry (b. 1822, d. 1891). His fourth wound in the war finally persuaded his superiors to promote Fry–who had started the war as colonel–to brigadier general. Born in Kanawha then not yet Western Virginia but still Virginia, he entered the Virginia Military Institute in Lexington in 1840. One year later however he left the school to enter the United States Military Academy. A deficiency in mathematics led to his dismissal before graduation. He returned to Virginia and began to study law. Admitted to the bar he interrupted his career as lawyer and volunteered for the Mexican-American War in which he served as first lieutenant of voltigeurs. The gold rush brought him to California after the war. He stayed until 1856 when he followed William Walker in his expedition to Nicaragua. When the attempt to capture the South American state failed, Fry returned to California and in 1859 moved to Alabama where he entered the cotton business. When the Yellowhammer State seceded in 1861 Fry offered his service to the Confederate government and was commissioned colonel of the 13th Alabama Infantry. Sent to Virginia he saw his first fight of the war during the Peninsula Campaign in spring of 1862. Fry was wounded at Seven Pines, the inconclusive battle that stopped the Federal advance on Richmond and resulted in Gen. Robert E. Lee taking command when army commander Gen. Joseph E. Johnston was wounded. Fry did recover in time for the Maryland Campaign in fall, where he fought at Antietam on September 17 and was again wounded. He rejoined his regiment the following spring and led it in early May at Chancellorsville where he received his third wound. However, he was able to serve through the ensuing Pennsylvania invasion. At Gettysburg, his unit belonged to the first Confederate regiments to be engaged on July 1. When his brigadier general James Archer was captured with most of his men, Fry assumed command of the remaining brigade. On the third day during Pickett’s Charge he brought his men close to the Union line but was then wounded and captured. Exchanged in May 1864 he fought under Gen. P.G.T. Beauregard around Richmond and was rewarded with the promotion to brigadier general dating from May 24. After the beginning of the siege of Petersburg he was sent to South Carolina and Georgia to command a military district. In March 1865 he surrendered to the Federals at Augusta, Georgia. After the war he chose to live in Cuban exile before returning to Alabama in 1868. He again engaged in the cotton business before retiring in 1881 when he moved to Richmond. There he died ten years later on January 21.
Ldr: 4
Tact: 3
Init: 2
Cmd: 2
Cav: 0
Teaches: Chargers
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