John W. Frazer

John Wesley Frazer
John Wesley Frazer
Born	(1827-01-06)January 6, 1827 Hardin County, Tennessee
Died	March 16, 1906(1906-03-16) (aged 79) New York City, New York
Place of burial	Clifton Springs, New York
Allegiance	United States of America  Confederate States of America
Service/branch	United States Army  Confederate States Army
Years of service	1849–61 (USA) 1861–65 (CSA)
Rank	Captain (USA) Brigadier General (CSA)
Battles/wars	American Civil War

John Wesley Frazer (January 6, 1827 – March 16, 1906) was an American soldier, planter, and businessman. He was a career officer in the United States Army, and then served as a Confederate general during the American Civil War.

Frazer's most notable action during the Civil War was when he surrendered the Cumberland Gap and was captured in the autumn of 1863. He was held as a prisoner of war until after hostilities ended in the spring of 1865, and then took up work in farming and business.

Frazer (variously written as Fraser or Frazier) was born in 1827 in Hardin County, Tennessee. He was a brother of Charles W. Frazer, who also would serve as a Confederate general. In 1845 Frazer entered the United States Military Academy at West Point, and graduated four years later standing 34th out of 43 cadets. He was appointed a brevet second lieutenant in the 2nd U.S. Infantry Regiment on July 1, 1849. Frazer was promoted to second lieutenant on June 30 the following year, and to first lieutenant in the 9th U.S. Infantry on March 3, 1855. Two years later he was promoted to the rank of captain on May 1.

Frazer had spent his U.S. Army career on "routine garrison duty at various points" across the United States, until resigning his commission, which was accepted on March 15, 1861.

When the American Civil War began, Frazer chose to follow the Confederate cause. At the time he was likely living in Mississippi, the state that had appointed Frazer to West Point and to the Confederate Army in 1861. On March 16 Frazer was commissioned a captain in the Confederacy's regular army infantry. On April 5 was ordered to Louisiana to supervise the regular army recruiting for Baton Rouge and for New Orleans, Frazer's headquarters. On May 11 he was ordered to end his recruiting duties and proceed to Baton Rouge and directly command the city's barracks. On June 17 he was appointed to the provisional army in the 8th Alabama Infantry with the rank of lieutenant colonel. Frazer chose to resign from the Confederate Army in March 1862, but re-entered the service as colonel and commander of the 28th Alabama Infantry on November 2.