James M. Goggin

James Monroe Goggin
James Monroe Goggin
Born	(1820-10-23)October 23, 1820 Bedford County, Virginia
Died	October 10, 1889(1889-10-10) (aged 68) Austin, Texas
Place of burial	Austin, Texas
Service/branch	Army of the Republic of Texas Confederate States Army
Years of service	1842–1848 1861–65

James Monroe Goggin (October 23, 1820 – October 10, 1889) was a Confederate States Army major and Assistant Adjutant General during the American Civil War (Civil War). He began his service as a major in the 32nd Virginia Volunteer Infantry Regiment until May 21, 1862. Although he was a staff officer for most of the rest of his war service, he commanded a brigade at the Battle of Cedar Creek on October 13, 1864. On December 4, 1864, he was appointed as a (special) brigadier general. The appointment was soon cancelled and he returned to his duties as a staff officer for Major General Joseph B. Kershaw for the remainder of the war.

James Monroe Goggin was born on October 23, 1820 in Bedford County, Virginia. He was married to Elizabeth Nelson Page.

Goggin entered the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York in the Class of 1842 but left before graduating. After leaving West Point, Goggin relocated to Texas, where he joined the Army of the Republic of Texas as a first lieutenant. Goggin also began purchasing real estate in Waller County, Texas.

In 1848, Goggin moved to California where he took a job establishing mail routes. Goggin then moved to Memphis, Tennessee, where he began working as a cotton broker. He was engaged in this business until the beginning of the Civil War.

In 1861, Goggin moved back to Virginia, entering the Confederate States Army on July 1, 1861 as a major in the 32nd Virginia Volunteer Infantry Regiment where he was assigned to lead a battalion. Goggin and the 32nd Virginia Infantry served under Maj. Gen. John B. Magruder in 1861 and into 1862 during the Peninsula Campaign. Goggin joined the First Corps, Army of Northern Virginia in April 1862, serving on the staff of Maj. Gen. Lafayette McLaws as his assistant adjutant general. He served in this capacity during all of the First Corps' engagements, in both the Army of Northern Virginia and the Army of Tennessee, until the spring of 1864. During the Battle of Fort Sanders in November 1863, Goggin carried a message from McLaws to Lt. Gen. James Longstreet, informing him that the attack was beginning to fail and it was futile to carry in on. When McLaws was replaced with Maj. Gen. Joseph B. Kershaw in May 1864, Goggin served as his assistant adjutant general as well. His service in this post was highly praised by Goggin's superiors.