Louis T. Wigfall
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The Honorable Louis Wigfall |
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Confederate States Senator from Texas |
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In office February 18, 1862 – May 10, 1865 |
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| Preceded by | Constituency established |
| Succeeded by | Constituency abolished |
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United States Senator from Texas |
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In office December 5, 1859 – March 23, 1861 |
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| Preceded by | Matthias Ward |
| Succeeded by | James Flanagan |
| Member of the Texas Senate from District 8 | |
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In office 1857-1859 |
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| Preceded by | William Scott |
| Succeeded by | E.A. Blanch |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
April 21, 1816 Edgefield, South Carolina, U.S. |
| Died | February 18, 1874 (aged 57) Galveston, Texas, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Alma mater |
University of Virginia University of South Carolina, Columbia |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |
 Confederate States
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| Service/branch |
 Confederate States Army
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| Years of service | 1861–1862 |
| Rank |
 Brigadier-General
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| Battles/wars | American Civil War |
Louis Trezevant Wigfall (April 21, 1816 – February 18, 1874) was an American politician from Texas who served as a member of the Texas Legislature, United States Senate, and Confederate Senate. Wigfall was among a group of leading secessionists known as Fire-Eaters, advocating the preservation and expansion of an agricultural society based on slave labor. He briefly served as a Confederate Brigadier General of the Texas Brigade at the outset of the American Civil War before taking his seat in the Confederate Senate. Wigfall's reputation for oratory and hard-drinking, along with a combative nature and high-minded sense of personal honor, made him one of the more imposing political figures of his time.
Wigfall was born on a plantation near Edgefield, South Carolina, to Levi Durant and Eliza Thomson Wigfall. His father, who died in 1818, was a successful Charleston merchant before moving to Edgefield. His mother was of the French Huguenot Trezavant family. She died when young Louis was 13. An older brother, Hamden, was killed in a duel. Another, Arthur, became a bishop in the Episcopal Church.
Tutored by a guardian until 1834, he then spent a year at Rice Creek Springs School, a military academy near Columbia, South Carolina, for children of elite aristocrats. He then entered the University of Virginia. A perceived insult by another student prompted the first of many dueling challenges he would make, but the affair was resolved peaceably.
In 1836 he entered South Carolina College (now the University of South Carolina) to complete his studies, but his attendance was erratic. He developed an interest in the law, participated in debating clubs, and wrote epistles on student rights. Most of his time however, was spent at off-campus taverns rather than at his studies. He abandoned academics altogether for three months to fight in the Third Seminole War in Florida, achieving the rank of Lieutenant of volunteers. Despite these distractions he managed to graduate in 1837. A fellow graduate considered to be his closest friend was John Lawrence Manning, who would later become a governor of South Carolina.
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Wikipedia