James Fleming Fagan

Major General James Fleming Fagan
Maj. Gen. James Fagan
Born	(1828-03-01)March 1, 1828 Louisville, Kentucky
Died	September 1, 1893(1893-09-01) (aged 65) Little Rock, Arkansas
Buried at	Mount Holly Cemetery, Little Rock, Arkansas
Allegiance	United States Confederate States of America
Service/branch	United States Army Confederate States Army
Years of service	1846–1847 1861–1865
Rank	Second Lieutenant (USA) Major General (CSA)
Commands held	1st Arkansas Infantry
Battles/wars	Mexican-American War American Civil War Battle of Shiloh Siege of Corinth Battle of Cane Hill Battle of Prairie Grove Battle of Helena Red River Campaign Camden Expedition Price's Raid
Other work	United States Marshal

James Fleming Fagan (March 1, 1828 – September 1, 1893) was a planter, public official, and a major general in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. His Arkansas brigade distinguished itself in the Red River campaign of 1864, helping to drive the Union army from southern Arkansas.

James F. Fagan was born in Louisville, Kentucky. When he was ten years old, his family moved to Little Rock, the capital of the recently created State of Arkansas. His father had been hired to work on the Old State House. His father died during his youth and his mother, Catherine A. Fagan, in 1842 married Samuel Adams, who became Governor of Arkansas two years later.

After his stepfather's death, Fagan took control of the family farm along the Saline River in southern Arkansas. Though he was a member of the Whig Party, he represented the heavily Democratic Saline County for one term in the Arkansas state legislature. Fagan served in the United States Army during the Mexican-American War in the 1st Arkansas Mounted Infantry under Archibald Yell and was promoted to the rank of lieutenant.

At the start of the Civil War, Fagan raised a company for the Confederate Army and became its captain. When his unit was folded in with the 1st Arkansas Infantry on May 6, 1861, the very day that Arkansas seceded from the Union, Fagan was elected as colonel of the combined 900-man regiment. They were formally mustered into service in Lynchburg, Virginia in May 1861. His regiment was a part of the first wave of Confederate attacks under Albert Sidney Johnston at the Battle of Shiloh. He also participated in the battle at Farmington, Mississippi, on May 9 and the Siege of Corinth, but fell into disfavor with his superior officer, Braxton Bragg. He was soon transferred to the Trans-Mississippi District, where he fought at Cane Hill and Prairie Grove in command of the 1st Arkansas Cavalry.