James E. Harrison

James E. Harrison
James Edward Harrison
Born	(1815-04-24)April 24, 1815 Greenville District, South Carolina
Died	February 23, 1875(1875-02-23) (aged 59) Waco, Texas
Buried at	Waco, Texas
Allegiance	Confederate States of America
Service/branch	Confederate States Army
Years of service	1861–1865
Rank	Brigadier General, CSA
Battles/wars	American Civil War

James Edward Harrison (April 24, 1815 - February 23, 1875) was a Confederate States Army brigadier general during the American Civil War. He served in the Trans-Mississippi Department and fought in campaigns in Louisiana. Before the war, he was a two-term Mississippi state senator before moving to Texas in 1857. After the war, he was a trustee of Baylor University.

James Edward Harrison was born on April 24, 1815 in Greenville District, South Carolina. The Harrison family moved to Alabama and then to Mississippi when Harrison was a boy.

James Harrison served two terms in the Mississippi Senate.

Harrison moved to Texas, near Waco, in 1857. He was a commissioner for the State of Texas in negotiations with Native Americans (Indians). These negotiations were undertaken upon the order of Texas Governor Edward Clark, who replaced the deposed Sam Houston when Houston refused to swear allegiance to the Confederacy. The negotiators tried to persuade the Five Civilized Tribes to join with the Confederacy in the event of war with the United States. The negotiators returned with an optimistic report. Upon his return from the negotiations, Harrison became a member of the Texas secession convention.

James E. Harrison's Confederate States Army service was almost entirely west of the Mississippi River. He began his service with the 15th Texas Infantry Regiment. He was lieutenant colonel of the regiment in May 1862. He participated in the Louisiana campaign of 1863 (First Bayou Teche Campaign) under Brigadier General Thomas Green. He commanded a cavalry brigade in the District of West Louisiana at this time. The 15th Texas Infantry made a successful charge on the Union force's rear in an operation along the Atchafalaya River in September 1863. Harrison also fought in the Second Bayou Teche Campaign.