Sterling Alexander Martin Wood (March 17, 1823 – January 26, 1891) commonly referred to as S.A.M. Wood, was an American lawyer and newspaper editor from Alabama. He served as a Confederategeneral during the American Civil War until 1863, and resumed practicing law, served as a state legislator, and later taught law.
Wood's father was Alexander Hamilton Wood (1796-1860), a veteran of the War of 1812 and the first mayor of Florence, Alabama. Wood's mother was Mary Ester Evans Wood (1796-1871).[1] Wood was born in Florence, Alabama, in the spring of 1823. He attended St. Joseph's College in Kentucky in 1841, and then moved to Tennessee and became a lawyer there. In 1851 Wood returned to Alabama, where he served in the state legislature.[2] Wood also held the position of "solicitor" of Alabama's fourth judicial court from 1851 to 1857. He was editor of Florence's Gazette newspaper in 1860, during which he actively supported John C. Breckinridge's unsuccessful bid for President of the United States.
Wood's most notable Confederate service came on October 8, 1862, when he and his brigade fought at Perryville, Kentucky, in the Battle of Perryville. His brigade was part of Maj. Gen.Simon B. Buckner's division in Maj. Gen. William J. Hardee's II Corps and participated in Buckner's attack on a Union position. The Confederates desired to force the Federals back and cut off their escape route at the Dixville Crossroads, effectively surrounding them.
Union infantry and an artillery battery posted on a hill close to the Benton Road shot up Wood's men and forced them back to fall back. Wood reformed his brigade at the base of the hill and renewed the assault. The Federal guns ran low on ammunition and withdrew, and the Confederate attack pushed the Union infantry back towards the crossroads. After the charge Wood's men withdrew and were replaced by Brig. Gen. St. John Richardson Liddell's reserve brigade. In this fight Wood was wounded in the head and would be out of action until November,[2] by which the Army of Mississippi was now called the Army of Tennessee.
Remaining campaignsedit
Wood resumed command of his brigade on November 20, 1862,[2] and fought in the Army of Tennessee's campaigns during the rest of 1862 and into 1863, including the bloody Battle of Stones River at year's end, throughout the Tullahoma Campaign in the summer of 1863 and the Battle of Chickamauga that September. However Wood resigned his commission on October 17, just prior to the Battles for Chattanooga in November.[2]
Postbellumedit
Wood resumed his law practice following his resignation from the Confederate Army, and was pardoned by the U.S. Government after the war on November 4, 1865. He then served again in the Alabama Legislature, and was a professor of law at the University of Alabama from 1889 to 1890.[2]
Sifakis, Stewart. Who Was Who in the Civil War. New York: Facts On File, 1988. ISBN978-0-8160-1055-4.
Warner, Ezra J.Generals in Gray: Lives of the Confederate Commanders. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1959. ISBN978-0-8071-0823-9.
Wright, Marcus J., General Officers of the Confederate Army: Officers of the Executive Departments of the Confederate States, Members of the Confederate Congress by States. Mattituck, NY: J. M. Carroll & Co., 1983. ISBN0-8488-0009-5. First published 1911 by Neale Publishing Co.
October 26, 2023
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Sterling Alexander Martin Wood March 17 1823 January 26 1891 commonly referred to as S A M Wood was an American lawyer and newspaper editor from Alabama He served as a Confederate general during the American Civil War until 1863 and resumed practicing law served as a state legislator and later taught law Sterling Alexander Martin WoodNickname s S A M WoodBorn 1823 03 17 March 17 1823Florence AlabamaDiedJanuary 26 1891 1891 01 26 aged 67 Tuscaloosa AlabamaPlace of burialEvergreen Cemetery Tuscaloosa AlabamaAllegiance United States Confederate StatesService wbr branch Confederate States ArmyYears of service1861 1863RankBrigadier GeneralCommands held7th Alabama Infantry RegimentBattles warsAmerican Civil War Battle of Shiloh Battle of Perryville Battle of Stones River Tullahoma Campaign Battle of ChickamaugaOther worklawyer state legislator university professorS A M Wood and his staff Contents 1 Early life and career 2 Civil War 2 1 Early service 2 2 Perryville 2 3 Remaining campaigns 3 Postbellum 4 See also 5 Notes 6 ReferencesEarly life and career editWood s father was Alexander Hamilton Wood 1796 1860 a veteran of the War of 1812 and the first mayor of Florence Alabama Wood s mother was Mary Ester Evans Wood 1796 1871 1 Wood was born in Florence Alabama in the spring of 1823 He attended St Joseph s College in Kentucky in 1841 and then moved to Tennessee and became a lawyer there In 1851 Wood returned to Alabama where he served in the state legislature 2 Wood also held the position of solicitor of Alabama s fourth judicial court from 1851 to 1857 He was editor of Florence s Gazette newspaper in 1860 during which he actively supported John C Breckinridge s unsuccessful bid for President of the United States Civil War editEarly service edit Wood chose to follow his home state of Alabama and the Confederate cause and entered the state forces as a captain in the Alabama state forces as part of the Florence Guard on April 3 1861 3 He was elected colonel of the 7th Alabama Infantry Regiment on May 18 and Wood and his regiment then served in Pensacola Florida 4 Wood was then given brigade command in the Western Theater in October 1861 joining the Army of Central Kentucky 2 He was promoted to brigadier general on January 7 1862 5 Wood then commanded a brigade in the Army of Mississippi during the Battle of Shiloh in Tennessee on April 6 1862 and was wounded when his horse dragged him 2 Perryville edit nbsp Buckner s attack at PerryvilleWood s most notable Confederate service came on October 8 1862 when he and his brigade fought at Perryville Kentucky in the Battle of Perryville His brigade was part of Maj Gen Simon B Buckner s division in Maj Gen William J Hardee s II Corps and participated in Buckner s attack on a Union position The Confederates desired to force the Federals back and cut off their escape route at the Dixville Crossroads effectively surrounding them Union infantry and an artillery battery posted on a hill close to the Benton Road shot up Wood s men and forced them back to fall back Wood reformed his brigade at the base of the hill and renewed the assault The Federal guns ran low on ammunition and withdrew and the Confederate attack pushed the Union infantry back towards the crossroads After the charge Wood s men withdrew and were replaced by Brig Gen St John Richardson Liddell s reserve brigade In this fight Wood was wounded in the head and would be out of action until November 2 by which the Army of Mississippi was now called the Army of Tennessee Remaining campaigns edit Wood resumed command of his brigade on November 20 1862 2 and fought in the Army of Tennessee s campaigns during the rest of 1862 and into 1863 including the bloody Battle of Stones River at year s end throughout the Tullahoma Campaign in the summer of 1863 and the Battle of Chickamauga that September However Wood resigned his commission on October 17 just prior to the Battles for Chattanooga in November 2 Postbellum editWood resumed his law practice following his resignation from the Confederate Army and was pardoned by the U S Government after the war on November 4 1865 He then served again in the Alabama Legislature and was a professor of law at the University of Alabama from 1889 to 1890 2 Wood also was the attorney for the Alabama Great Southern Railway from its beginnings in 1877 until his death In early 1891 at the age of 67 Wood died and was buried in Tuscaloosa Alabama 6 See also edit nbsp American Civil War portal nbsp Biography portalList of American Civil War generals Confederate Notes edit Northern Alabama Historical and Biographical by T A Deland and A Davis Smith 1988 1988 a b c d e f g Eicher p 579 Eicher p 579 Warner p 344 Warner p 344 Wright p 68 Appointed from Alabama on January 7 1862 to rank from that date and confirmed by Confederate Congress on January 14 Warner p 345 References editEicher John H and David J Eicher Civil War High Commands Stanford Stanford University Press 2001 ISBN 978 0 8047 3641 1 Sifakis Stewart Who Was Who in the Civil War New York Facts On File 1988 ISBN 978 0 8160 1055 4 Warner Ezra J Generals in Gray Lives of the Confederate Commanders Baton Rouge Louisiana State University Press 1959 ISBN 978 0 8071 0823 9 Wright Marcus J General Officers of the Confederate Army Officers of the Executive Departments of the Confederate States Members of the Confederate Congress by States Mattituck NY J M Carroll amp Co 1983 ISBN 0 8488 0009 5 First published 1911 by Neale Publishing Co Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title S A M Wood amp oldid 1163011350, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
