James Cantey

James Cantey
Brig. Gen. James Cantey
Born	(1818-12-30)December 30, 1818 Camden, South Carolina
Died	June 30, 1874(1874-06-30) (aged 55) Fort Mitchell, Alabama
Buried at	Fort Mitchell, Alabama
Allegiance	United States of America  Confederate States of America
Service/branch	United States Army  Confederate States Army
Years of service	1846–1848 (USA) 1861–1865 (CSA)
Rank	Captain (USA) Brigadier General (CSA)
Unit	Palmetto Regiment (USV)
Commands held	15th Alabama Infantry Regiment Cantey's Brigade
Battles/wars	Mexican-American War American Civil War
Other work	Planter

James Cantey (December 30, 1818 – June 30, 1874), was a Confederate States Army brigadier general during the American Civil War. He was a lawyer, planter, state legislator in South Carolina and officer in the Mexican-American War before the war and a planter in Alabama both before and after the war.

James Cantey was born on December 30, 1818 in Camden, South Carolina. After graduating from South Carolina College, he studied law and practiced law in Camden. Cantey was a two-term state legislator in South Carolina. Cantey was an officer in the Palmetto Regiment in the Mexican-American War, rising to the grade of captain. He was wounded during the war. After the end of the Mexican-American War, Cantey became a planter in Russell County, Alabama.

James Cantey helped form and was elected colonel of the 15th Alabama Volunteer Infantry Regiment in 1861. In 1862, he led the regiment in Stonewall Jackson's Valley Campaign. At the First Battle of Winchester, on May 25, 1862, Cantey's regiment fought in Brigadier General Isaac Trimble's brigade of Major General Richard S. Ewell's division and helped turn back the Union Army advance. At the Battle of Cross Keys, the 15th Alabama Infantry was nearly cut off from the main force but fought their way back. Later, as part of Trimble's attack, the 15th Regiment Alabama Infantry helped flank the Union force and drive them back.