The Civil War in South Carolina
Young, Pierce M. B. (15 NOV 1839 -
Major-General Pierce M. B. Young was born at Spartanburg, S.C., November 15, 1839. His father, Dr. R. M. Young, was a son of Capt. William Young, a gallant soldier under Washington. When Pierce was a small boy his father removed to Bartow county, Ga., and at the age of thirteen years he entered the Georgia military institute at Marietta. Five years later he was appointed to the United States military academy, but he did not conclude his course there on account of the secession of his State. Returning to Georgia and promptly tendering his services to the State, he was appointed second lieutenant in the First Georgia infantry regiment, but de. clined that commission for the same rank in the artillery. In July he was promoted to first lieutenant. He was attached to the staff of General Bragg at Pensacola, at the same time was aide-de-camp to Gen. W. H. T. Walker, was appointed adjutant of the Georgia legion commanded by Thomas R. R. Cobb in July, promoted to major of the same command in September, and to lieutenant-colonel in November, 1861. In command of the cavalry of the legion he was attached to Hampton's brigade of Stuart's cavalry, army of Northern Virginia, in 1862, and at once became distinguished for "remarkable gallantry," as Stuart expressed it, in the Maryland campaign. He did brilliant service at Fleetwood, or Brandy Station, June 9, 1863, and participated in the cavalry operations attending the Gettysburg campaign until early in August, when he was wounded in another fight of his brigade near Brandy Station. At that time he held the rank of colonel, and in October following he was promoted to brigadier-general and assigned to the command of Hampton's old brigade, consisting of the First and Second South Carolina regiments, the Cobb legion, Jeff Davis legion and Phillips legion, and forming a part of Hampton's division of cavalry. He was actively engaged during the Bristoe and Mine Run campaigns, on October 12th, by fearless fighting and adroit maneuvers, compelling a division of the enemy to recross the Rappahannock. Said Stuart in his report: "The defeat of an expedition which might have proved so embarrassing entitles the officers who effected it to the award of distinguished skill and generalship." In the great struggle beginning in the spring of 1864 his command was mainly composed of Georgians, the two Carolina regiments being replaced by the Seventh Georgia cavalry and Millen's Twentieth battalion, later the brigade consisting of the Seventh, Ninth and Tenth Georgia regiments and the Davis legion. General Young played a prominent part in the campaigning of 1864 in Virginia, and when Hampton succeeded Stuart in general command of cavalry, he temporarily took the place of the famous South Carolinian as division commander. In November he was sent to Augusta to gather reinforcements and aid in the defense of that city, threatened by Sherman. Subsequently, with promotion to major-general, December 30, 1864, he was actively engaged in the defense of Savannah and the campaign in the Carolinas under General Hampton until the close of the war, when he retired with a record as one of the most dashing cavalry leaders developed in the great conflict. His civil career, which followed, was no less conspicuous. He was the first representativand assigned to the command of Hampton's old brigade, consisting of the First and Second South Carolina regiments, the Cobb was sent to Petersburg as consul-general; and in 1893 was appointed minister of the United States to Guatemala and Honduras. While holding the latter office he was taken sick, and endeavored to reach his home, but died in New York city en route July 6, 1896. In 1892 he was appointed major-general commanding the Georgia division, United Confederate veterans.
REF:
Evans - Confederate Military History
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The Civil War in Georgia
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