In today’s post, I’d like to educate you about General Micah Jenkins, a famous Confederate General during the Civil War.
Although you might not know much about him, he played an important role in the Civil War and had a superb military record. After scouring the internet for several hours, here are 10 cool facts I learned about him.
General Micah Jenkins: Top 10 Cool Facts
# 1: Birth
Micah Jenkins was born in 1835 on Edisto Island, South Carolina. Edisto Island is part of the Charleston metropolitan area. The island is now considered a huge tourist location.
# 2: Attended Military Academy
Micah had a military mind and attended the South Carolina Military Academy where he graduated first in his class. The South Carolina Military Academy is now known as The Citadel and is one of the top Senior Military Colleges in the United States.
# 3: Founded A Military School
After graduating from the South Carolina Military Academy, Micah and his friend, Asbury Coward founded the Kings Mountain Military School in Yorkville, South Carolina.
Micah Jenkins and Asbury Coward, graduates of The Citadel in Charleston, founded this Yorkville school in 1855. Closed during the Civil War, it was re-opened in 1866 by Coward, who later became head of S.C. Military Academy. The school closed permanently shortly before 1909, when the property was sold to the Episcopal Church Home. ~ WayMarking.com
# 4: Micah The Recruiter
At the start of the Civil War, Micah recruited many students and peers from his years teaching and formed the 5th South Carolina Infantry Regiment. He was the commanding officer. Colonel Jenkins and the 5th fought under General David Jones at the First Battle of Bull Run and soon after, Jenkins and his troops were put under General Richard Anderson.
# 5: Brigade Command
During the Battle of Seven Pines, General Anderson was temporarily given division command so Colonel Jenkins was given command of the Brigade. This included:
- The 5th
- 6th
- and the Palmetto Sharpshooters
Colonel Jenkins showed magnificent leadership abilities even after being wounded in the knee.
# 6: A Young General
At 26-years old, in 1862, Jenkins was promoted to the rank of Brigadier General.
# 7: Battles
Jenkins served with much distinction. These are the battles he and his troops participated in…
- First Battle of Bull Run
- Battle of Seven Pines
- Second Battle of Bull Run (Jenkins was wounded in the shoulder and chest)
- Battle of Chickamauga
- and the Battle of the Wilderness
# 8: Friendly Fire
It was at the Battle of the Wilderness… In a similar way that General “Stonewall” Jackson was killed…
Brigadier General Jenkins and Lieutenant General James Longstreet were riding together and Confederate soldiers mistook them for the enemy. Jenkins was shot in the head and died a few hours later. Longstreet survived his wounds.
# 9: Micah Jr.
Jenkins and his wife had five children. One of those children was also named Micah and he followed in his Father’s military footsteps.
- He graduated from West Point in 1879.
- He served with Teddy Roosevelt’s “Rough Riders” in the Spanish – American War.
- He passed away in 1912.
# 10: Burial & Memory
One thing that should be noted is General Jenkins always had his Bible with him. When he had free time, he read it.
He is buried in Magnolia Cemetery in Charleston, SC. The Citadel also has Jenkins Hall named after him.
Final Thoughts
What more can I add? How can we not respect a man such as General Micah Jenkins?
What did I forget and leave out? Leave a comment below to let me know what you think. I look forward to hearing from you. If you’d like to learn more about General Micah Jenkins, check out the book you see below, or click here.
Suggested Reading
- Top Robert E. Lee Quotes
- General Joshua Chamberlain
- Colonel Robert Howard Tribute
- The Congressional Medal of Honor
- Top Civil War Confederate Generals
Chuck Holmes
Former Army Major (resigned)
Publisher, Part-Time-Commander.com
Email: mrchuckholmes@gmail.com
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Thank you so much for your research and sharing. I have today ordered three publications relative to Brigadier General Micah Jenkins. My grandfather, born September 29, 1890 (d. 11/12/57) was born in Charleston and was a descendant of Micah Jenkins. My grandfather, too, attended The Citadel, but graduated Clemson. He went on to teach chemistry at Louisiana Tech University until suffering a stroke. A building was also named in his honor on campus. So many stories I now read of my ancestors still ring true, such as Micah always known to carry a bible close. The Jenkins men carried on with great faith. I am now 74, and a proud Charleston Jenkins offspring. Thank you again for sparking a renewed interest in my family history! I certainly must be related to a person from an earlier comment!
Thank you for this information on my Ancestor! Brig. Gen. Micah Jenkins was my 5th Great Grandpa and love learning all about him!
That’s awesome. He sounded like an amazing man and leader. You should be proud to be his ancestor.
We are certainly distantly related, as I, too, am a descendant of Micah Jenkins. My grandfather was born in Charleston, 9/29/1890, Edward Swinton Jenkins, attended both The Citadel and graduated Clemson!
Great bit of history and points! One note, BG Jenkins is not buried on the campus of The Citadel – he is buried in Magnolia Cemetery in Charleston, SC.
Thanks for letting us know. We updated the post to reflect that.