John Arthur Campbell
| John Arthur Campbell | |
|---|---|
| Personal details | |
| Born |
August 4, 1824 Washington County, Virginia U.S. |
| Died |
June 17, 1886 (aged 62) Abingdon, Virginia, U.S. |
| Political party | Whig |
| Education | Virginia Military Institute, Emory & Henry College |
| Occupation | lawyer, soldier, judge |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |
 Confederate States of America
|
| Service/branch |
 Confederate States Army
|
| Years of service | 1861-1862 |
| Rank |
 Colonel
|
| Unit | 48th Virginia Infantry |
| Battles/wars | First Battle of Winchester |
John A. Campbell (October 3, 1823 – June 17, 1886) was a Virginia lawyer, who represented Washington County at the Virginia Secession Convention of 1861, where he voted for secession and then recruited the 48th Virginia Infantry, which he led for a year before resigning and becoming a circuit judge.
Born in October 1823 to Rhoda Trigg Campbell at Hall's Bottom, the plantation established by his grandfather and owned by his father Edward McDonald Campbell (1781–1833), the long time Commonwealth's attorney of Washington County, Virginia. He had brothers Jos. T. Campbell and Dr. E.M.Campbell. During his childhood, two of his uncles held important posts. Merchant and Whig politician David Campbell was the 27th Governor of Virginia, and served from 1837 to 1840. His brother John Campbell (1787 or 1788 – by 29 January 1867) served as treasurer of the United States from 1829 to 1839. This John Campbell was educated at Abingdon Academy and then Emory & Henry College before entering the Virginia Military Institute in Lexington, Virginia. He graduated from VMI in 1844, and then studied law for one term at the University of Virginia.
He married Mary Branch (1827-1908) in 1848. She was the daughter of the clerk of the county court, Peter Branch, who lived with them by 1860.. They had one daughter, Elizabeth Campbell, in 1850, but she did not survive to adulthood. They did own slaves.
Admitted to the bar in 1846, Campbell practiced law in Nashville, Tennessee for a short time before returning to Abingdon, Virginia. He ran for election to the Virginia House of Delegates as a Whig in 1852 but lost to John Orr.
Washington County voters did, however, overwhelmingly elect him and fellow Unionist Robert E. Grant as their delegates to the Virginia Secession Convention of 1861, defeating pro-secessionists William Y.C. White and Ben Rush Floyd.. Campbell initially supported Union, but changed his vote at the end to support secession.
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