James P. Simms

James Phillip Simms (January 16, 1837 – May 30, 1887) was a Confederate States Army brigadier general during the American Civil War (Civil War). He was a lawyer in Covington, Georgia, before and after the war. He served two non-consecutive terms in the Georgia legislature after the war.

James Phillip Simms
Born(1837-01-16)January 16, 1837
Covington, Georgia
DiedMay 30, 1887(1887-05-30) (aged 50)
Covington, Georgia
Buried
Covington, Georgia
Allegiance Confederate States of America
Service/branch Confederate States Army
Years of service1862–1865
RankBrigadier General
Battles/warsAmerican Civil War

Early life

James P. Simms was born January 16, 1837, at Covington, Georgia.[1] He was a lawyer and a brigadier general in the Georgia militia before the Civil War.[2] Not much else is known about his life before the Civil War.[3]

American Civil War service

James P. Simms started his Confederate States Army service as a second lieutenant C.S.A. with the 6th Georgia Militia on October 21, 1861.[2] By April 1862, he was a first lieutenant with the 42nd Georgia Infantry Regiment.[2][4] On August 20, 1862, he was promoted to captain.[2] On September 23, 1862, he became a major of the 53rd Georgia Infantry Regiment and on October 8, 1862, after the resignation of Colonel Leonard T. Doyal, he was promoted to colonel.[2][3][4][5]

Simms commanded his regiment at the Battle of Fredericksburg[6] and the Battle of Salem Church, where they captured the flag of the 2nd Rhode Island Infantry Regiment.[1][3][7] The regiment fought at the Battle of Gettysburg, especially on July 2, 1863.[1][3][4][7]

The regiment went with Lieutenant General James Longstreet's corps to the Western Theater and fought in the Chattanooga Campaign and Knoxville Campaign.[1][3][4][7] On November 29, 1863, Simms was wounded at the Battle of Fort Sanders (former Confederate Fort Loudon) at Knoxville, Tennessee.[1][2]

Although the Eichers show Simms as next serving between September 30, 1864, and April 6, 1865, as commander of a brigade in Kershaw's division of the I Corps of the Army of Northern Virginia, Warner and Sifakis say he commanded his regiment during the Overland Campaign and Sifakis says he commanded Brigadier General Goode Bryan's old brigade from June 2, 1864, because Goode Bryan relinquished command due to ill health on that date, until April 1865 except for a short period of time in early 1865.[1][2][3][4] In the fall of 1864, Simms was transferred to the Shenandoah Valley in Major General Joseph Brevard Kershaw's division.[2][4] In command of Goode Bryan's old brigade after Bryan's resignation on September 20, 1864,[8] Simms commanded the brigade in the Valley Campaigns of 1864, distinguishing himself at the Battle of Cedar Creek.[1][3]

During this period, on December 8, 1864, Simms was promoted to brigadier general.[2] Returning from the Shenandoah Valley, Simms served during the Siege of Petersburg that winter.[1][3][4]

After the Confederates evacuated Richmond, Virginia and Petersburg, Virginia, Simms was captured at the Battle of Sayler's Creek on April 6, 1865.[1][2][3][4] Simms was paroled from the Union prisoner of war facility at Fort Warren (Massachusetts) on July 24, 1865.[2][3]

Aftermath

Simms returned to Covington, Georgia, after the war.[2][3] He resumed his law practice and served in the Georgia legislature in 1865–1866 and for the term starting in 1877.[1][2][3][7] James Phillip Simms died on May 30, 1887, at Covington, Georgia, and was buried in Southview Cemetery at Covington.[2][3]

See also

Notes
  1. Warner, Ezra J. Generals in Gray: Lives of the Confederate Commanders. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1959. ISBN 0-8071-0823-5. pp. 277–278
  2. Eicher, John H., and David J. Eicher. Civil War High Commands. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press, 2001. ISBN 0-8047-3641-3. p. 489
  3. Stanchak, John E. "Simms, James Phillip" in Historical Times Illustrated History of the Civil War, edited by Patricia L. Faust. New York: Harper & Row, 1986. ISBN 978-0-06-273116-6. p. 690
  4. Sifakis, Stewart. Who Was Who in the Civil War. New York: Facts On File, 1988. ISBN 0-8160-1055-2. p. 596 says that Simms served in the Seven Days Battles but the records are silent whether he fought at the Battle of Antietam or the Battle of Fredericksburg.
  5. Warner, 1959, p. 277 presumes Simms fought at the Battle of Second Bull Run and the Battle of Antietam although based on the date of his appointment as major in the 53rd Georgia Infantry, it seems Simms could have been in transit during the period when those battles occurred. Warner said that the date of Simms's enlistment was in doubt and does not mention service with the 42nd Georgia Infantry so he seems not to have had the information the Eichers show on his previous service.
  6. According to Warner, 1959, p. 777 and Stanchak, 1986, p. 690, but Sifakis, 1988, p. 596 says the record is unclear on this.
  7. Boatner, Mark Mayo, III. The Civil War Dictionary. New York: McKay, 1988. ISBN 0-8129-1726-X. First published New York, McKay, 1959. p. 762
  8. Eicher, 2001, p. 169

References
  • Boatner, Mark Mayo, III. The Civil War Dictionary. New York: McKay, 1988. ISBN 978-0-8129-1726-0. First published 1959 by McKay.
  • Eicher, 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.
  • Stanchak, John E. "Simms, James Phillip" in Historical Times Illustrated History of the Civil War, edited by Patricia L. Faust. New York: Harper & Row, 1986. ISBN 978-0-06-273116-6.
  • Warner, Ezra J. Generals in Gray: Lives of the Confederate Commanders. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1959. ISBN 978-0-8071-0823-9.
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