Archibald C. Godwin
Archibald C. Godwin | |
|---|---|
Brigadier General (unconfirmed) | |
| Battles/wars | American Civil War
|
Archibald Campbell Godwin (1831 – September 19, 1864), a
brigadier general
.
Early life
Archibald C. Godwin was born in
California Gold Rush.[3]
Life in California
Godwin was able to build wealth on cattle, timber, real estate and mining in Northern California. In 1854, he was residing at Godwin's Place west of the
Russian River in the Sonoma County, present-day Geyserville. He owned 640 acres of nearby land and was engaged in mercantile and livestock business. Since approximately 150 Native Americans lived on the Russian River, the Federal government appointed the 6'6" Godwin as an Indian agent, and Charles F. Winslow after visiting the area wrote that they were "under Mr. Godwin's complete control."[4] There were hot springs on the property which later became known as The Geysers, and Godwin built The Geysers Resort Hotel to encourage visitors.[5] He discovered that his land possessed rich cinnabar ore deposits and in 1859 filed mining claims, which he had to defend in court as others disputed his right to mine quicksilver. Godwin obtained a legal license after passing exams and successfully represented himself in court in Santa Rosa. He became involved in local politics, and was elected a Justice of the Peace in 1855. He served on the board of directors of the Geyser Road committee. There are accounts that in 1860 Godwin lost the Democratic Party nomination for governor of California by one vote[3][4] that are not confirmed by documents.[4] After Virginia seceded from the Union, Godwin placed an advertisement in Petaluma Journal looking for a renter of his business interests in The Geysers, and turned his other property holdings to friends.[4]
Civil War
Provost's duties
Godwin returned to his native state when the
captain and then major in the provost's department and was assistant provost marshal in charge of Libby Prison. Later Jefferson Davis assigned to him the task of running the prison stockade in Salisbury, North Carolina, for anticipated Union prisoners. Godwin, who became the second prison commandant,[6] had acquired a reputation for being quite cruel to Union captives. There had been some discussion after the war of prosecuting Godwin until it was discovered that he was already dead.[7] Major John Henry Gee, one of nine commandants of Salisbury Prison Camp, was put on trial in 1866 in Raleigh on the charges of cruelty and conspiracy regarding his management of the prison but was acquitted on all charges.[8]
In the front line
Godwin was transferred to the front lines taking the
Confederate Senate and therefore his promotion did not become legally effective.[9]
Death
On September 19 he was killed at the Third Battle of Winchester.[10] Godwin is buried at Stonewall Cemetery in Winchester, Virginia.[10] There is also a monument for him at Cedar Grove Cemetery in Portsmouth, Virginia.
See also
Notes
- ^ Godwin, Archibald Campbell. In Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, 6 volumes, edited by William S. Powell, Volume 2 D-G, Chapel Hill, N.C.: The University of North Carolina Press, Chapel Hill, 1979-1996.
- ^ Gen. Archibald Campbell Godwin, Confederate Veteran, Volume 28, p. 133-135.
- ^ a b c Tucker, Spencer, James R. Arnold, Roberta Wiener, Paul G. Pierpaoli, and David Coffey. American Civil War: The Definitive Encyclopedia and Document Collection. Santa Barbara, California: ABC-CLIO, 2013.
- ^ a b c d Pelanconi, Joe. A Character of the Time: Archibald Campbell Godwin. In Quicksilver Mining in Sonoma County: Pine Flat Prospect Fever. Charleston, S.C.: The History Press, 2014, pp. 12-17.
- ^ A Geysers Album: Five eras of Geothermal History, California Department of Conservation Division of Oil, Gas, and Geothermal Resources, Sacramento, 2010, p. 7.
- ^ Salisbury Prison, The American Civil War
- ISBN 978-0-8160-2204-5
- ^ Sharing Their Stories (Salisbury Prisoner Of War Camp)
- ISBN 978-0-8047-3641-1. pp. 598-599.
- ^ a b Eicher, 2001, p. 599.
References
- Salisbury Prison, The American Civil War
- A Geysers Album: Five eras of Geothermal History, California Department of Conservation Division of Oil, Gas, and Geothermal Resources, Sacramento, 2010, p. 7.
- Gen. Archibald Campbell Godwin, Confederate Veteran, Volume 28, p. 133-135.
- Eicher, John H., and ISBN 978-0-8047-3641-1.
- Pelanconi, Joe. A Character of the Time: Archibald Campbell Godwin. In Quicksilver Mining in Sonoma County: Pine Flat Prospect Fever. Charleston, S.C.: The History Press, 2014.
- Powell, William S., ed. Godwin, Archibald Campbell. In Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, 6 volumes, edited by William S. Powell, Volume 2 D-G, Chapel Hill, N.C.: The University of North Carolina Press, Chapel Hill, 1979–1996.
- Sharing Their Stories (Salisbury Prisoner Of War Camp)
- Sifakis, Stewart. Who Was Who in the Civil War. New York: Facts On File, 1988. ISBN 978-0-8160-1055-4.
- Sifakis, Stuart. Who Was Who in the Confederacy. Facts on File, 1989. ISBN 978-0-8160-2204-5.
- Tucker, Spencer, James R. Arnold, Roberta Wiener, Paul G. Pierpaoli, and David Coffey. American Civil War: The Definitive Encyclopedia and Document Collection. Santa Barbara, California: ABC-CLIO, 2013.
- ISBN 978-0-8071-0823-9.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Archibald Campbell Godwin.
- Godwin, Archibald Campbell, NCpedia