William Ruffin Cox
This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (July 2021) |
William R. Cox | |
---|---|
North Carolina's 4th district | |
In office March 4, 1881 – March 3, 1887 | |
Preceded by | Joseph J. Davis |
Succeeded by | John Nichols |
Circuit Superior Court Judge of the 6th Judicial District | |
In office January 1877–1881 | |
Chairman of the North Carolina Democratic Party | |
In office 1874–1877 | |
Personal details | |
Born | March 11, 1831 Scotland Neck, North Carolina | /1832
Died | December 26, 1919 Edgecombe County, North Carolina | (aged 87–88)
Military service | |
Allegiance | Confederate States of America |
Branch/service | Confederate States Army |
Years of service | 1861-65 |
Rank | Brigadier general |
Battles/wars | American Civil War |
William Ruffin Cox (March 11, 1831/1832 – December 26, 1919) was an American soldier and politician from the state of
Early life and career
William R. Cox was born in Scotland Neck, Halifax County, North Carolina, to an aristocratic family that lived in North Carolina since the colonial days. His father died when Cox was only four years old. His mother and his siblings subsequently moved to Nashville, Tennessee, where he was raised and educated. He graduated from Tolbert Fanning's Franklin College in Franklin, Tennessee[1] and studied law at Cumberland University.[2] After passing his bar exam, Cox formed a partnership with a prominent Nashville attorney, and his practice flourished.
In 1857, Cox ceased his practice, married, moved back to North Carolina, and owned a
Civil War
With North Carolina's secession and the outbreak of the Civil War in early 1861, Cox raised and outfitted the "Ellis Artillery Company". He soon afterwards raised an infantry company and was appointed as the major of the 2nd North Carolina Infantry Regiment by Governor Ellis. He fought in the Battle of Antietam, and was given a promotion to lieutenant colonel, as he and the officer previously holding that rank were promoted with the death of the regiment's first colonel, Charles C. Tew, in that battle. Not long afterwards, the new colonel resigned and Cox assumed command of the veteran regiment. He was formally commissioned as the colonel of the 2nd North Carolina in March 1863. In May of that year, Cox was wounded three times in the fighting at the Battle of Chancellorsville. Despite his painful wounds, he stayed in command until late in the fighting when exhaustion forced him to retire to a field hospital to be treated.
Missing the
, Cox's brigade played a prominent role in the day-long fighting.Returning to the
Postbellum career
After the war, Cox resumed his legal practice in Raleigh and became President of the Chatham Railroad. He spent six years as the solicitor (prosecuting attorney) for metropolitan Raleigh, and was chairman of the
He remarried and retired to his plantation in Edgecombe County, but was appointed Secretary of the U.S. Senate to replace former Union army general Anson G. McCook in 1893. He served until the turn of the century, when he again retired, this time for good, to his plantation.
At the time of his death in 1919, he was one of the last surviving generals of the Confederate army. He is buried in Raleigh's Historic Oakwood Cemetery.
Namesake
In World War II the United States liberty ships SS William R. Cox (November 1943), William R. Cox (December 1943), and William Cox were all named in his honor.
See also
Notes
- ^ Brown, Ray C. (December 2, 2014). "Tennessee Colleges that have Closed, Merged, Changed Names". Ray C. Brown. Retrieved February 7, 2015.
- ^ "William R. Cox". bioguide.congress.gov. Retrieved January 31, 2022.
- ^ Compiled Service Records for William R. Cox, Colonel, 2nd North Carolina Infantry; National Archives
- ^ NCpedia: William Ruffin Cox
References
- Eicher, John H., and ISBN 978-0-8047-3641-1.
- Evans, Clement A., Confederate Military History. Volume IV, Atlanta, Georgia: Confederate Publishing Company, 1899.
- Sifakis, Stewart. Who Was Who in the Civil War. New York: Facts On File, 1988. ISBN 978-0-8160-1055-4.
- ISBN 978-0-8071-0823-9.
Further reading
- A sketch of the life and service of General William Ruffin Cox; including the address of Hon. Frank S. Spruill at the Presentation of Portrait of General William Ruffin Cox to the State of North Carolina. Richmond, Va. : Whittet & Shepperson, 1921.
- United States Congress. "COX, William Ruffin (id: c000841)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved on 2008-10-19