Gabriel C. Wharton
| Gabriel Colvin Wharton | |
|---|---|
Gabriel Colvin Wharton
|
|
| Nickname(s) | Gabe |
| Born |
July 23, 1824 Culpeper County, Virginia |
| Died | May 12, 1906 (aged 81) Radford, Virginia |
| Place of burial | Radford Family Cemetery Radford, Virginia |
| Allegiance |
 Confederate States of America
|
| Service/branch |
 Confederate States Army
|
| Years of service | 1861–65 |
| Rank |
 Brigadier General
|
| Battles/wars | American Civil War |
Gabriel Colvin Wharton (July 23, 1824 – May 12, 1906) was an American civil engineer and soldier who served as a general in the Confederate Army during the American Civil War. After the war he was a politician and later resumed his engineering work.
Wharton was born in Culpeper County, Virginia, in the summer of 1824. He entered Virginia Military Institute in Lexington on September 1, 1845. Wharton graduated on July 5, 1847, finishing 2nd out of 12 cadets as a "distinguished graduate."
After leaving VMI he then became a civil engineer. Later Wharton moved to the Arizona Territory and took up work as a mining engineer.
At the start of the American Civil War in 1861, Wharton chose to follow his home state of Virginia and the Confederate cause, and entered the Confederate Army. He was appointed a major in the 45th Virginia Infantry on July 1, and soon afterward was given command of the 51st Virginia Infantry on July 17, with the rank of colonel.
The 51st Virginia was part of Maj. Gen. John B. Floyd's operations in western Virginia, and escaped with Floyd on February 14, 1862, during the Battle of Fort Donelson. Wharton was then sent to the Western Theater, and commanded several brigades in various Confederate departments from February to September 1864. During this time Wharton was promoted to brigadier general, effective July 8, 1863.
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