Albert Pike
| Albert Pike | |
|---|---|
|
|
| Born |
August 15, 1809 Boston, Massachusetts |
| Died | April 2, 1891 (aged 81) Washington, D.C. |
| Place of burial | Oak Hill Cemetery, Washington, D.C. |
| Allegiance |
 United States Confederate States
|
| Service/branch |
United States Volunteers Confederate States Army
|
| Years of service | 1846–47 (USA) 1861–62 (CSA) |
| Rank |
 Captain (USA) Brigadier-General (CSA) |
| Battles/wars |
Mexican–American War American Civil War |
Albert Pike (December 29, 1809 – April 2, 1891) was an attorney, soldier, writer, and Freemason. Albert Pike is the only Confederate military officer with an outdoor statue in Washington, D.C.
Pike was born in Boston, Massachusetts, the son of Ben and Sarah (Andrews) Pike, and spent his childhood in Byfield and Newburyport, Massachusetts. His colonial ancestors settled the area in 1635, and included John Pike (1613–1688/1689), the founder of Woodbridge, New Jersey. He attended school in Newburyport and Framingham until he was 15. In August 1825, he passed entrance exams at Harvard University, though when the college requested payment of tuition fees for the first two years he chose not to attend. He began a program of self-education, later becoming a schoolteacher in Gloucester, North Bedford, Fairhaven and Newburyport.
Pike was an imposing figure; six feet tall and 300 pounds with hair that reached his shoulders and a long beard. In 1831, he left Massachusetts to travel west, first stopping in Nashville, Tennessee and later moving on to St. Louis, Missouri. There he joined an expedition to Taos, New Mexico, hunting and trading. During the excursion his horse broke and ran, forcing Pike to walk the remaining 500 miles to Taos. After this he joined a trapping expedition to the Llano Estacado in New Mexico and Texas. Trapping was minimal and, after traveling about 1,300 miles (650 on foot), he finally arrived at Fort Smith, Arkansas.
...
Wikipedia