Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 7.djvu/423

400 wounded and captured at Bluff Spring, Fla. From 1866 he resumed his law practice, and was the great leader of the Democratic party in his State until his death at Knoxville, Tenn., September 26, 1871, where he was shot down on the street by the son of Hon. T. A. R. Nelson, an ex-Union officer. His remains were carried to Montgomery, the capital of Alabama, where they lay in state, and were followed to the grave by the whole population. The demonstrations of grief and respect that came from every part of the State, showed the high esteem in which Alabama held this gallant soldier and honored citizen.

Major-General Henry DeLamar Clayton was born in Pulaski county, Ga,, March 7, 1827. He was graduated at Emory and Henry college, Virginia, after which he read law under John G. and Eli S. Shorter in Eufaula. In 1849 he was licensed as an attorney, and began the practice of law in Clayton. He devoted himself so completely to business that he kept entirely out of politics until 1857, when he was chosen to represent Barbour county in the Alabama legislature. He served as a member of the house of representatives until 1861. Upon the very first threat of war he urged Governor Moore to accept the volunteer regiment of trained companies of which he was colonel. Two of the companies were accepted in February, and he enlisted in one of them as a private, but was not allowed to remain in this position. He was ordered to go at once to Pensacola and take command of the Alabama troops as they should arrive. On March 28, 1861, the Pirst Alabama regiment was organized, with him as colonel. He remained at Pensacola in this service, part of the time in command of a brigade, for a year, and then organized a new regiment, the Thirty-ninth Alabama, which he led as colonel in the Kentucky campaign and in the sanguinary battle of Murfreesboro. In this last-named battle he was severely wounded, and immediately