Mark Perrin Lowrey

Mark Perrin Lowrey
Mark Perrin Lowrey, Brigadier General in the Confederate Army
Nickname(s)	"Preacher General" "The Gallant Preacher Soldier"
Born	(1828-12-30)December 30, 1828 McNairy County, Tennessee
Died	February 27, 1885(1885-02-27) (aged 56) Middleton, Tennessee
Place of burial	Old Macedonia Cemetery, Blue Mountain, Mississippi
Allegiance	United States of America Confederate States of America
Rank	Private (USA) Brigadier General (CSA)
Battles/wars	Mexican-American War American Civil War
Other work	Preacher Founder and President of the Blue Mountain Female Institute which is now called the Blue Mountain College.

Mark Perrin Lowrey (December 30, 1828 – February 27, 1885) was a Southern Baptist preacher otherwise known as the "Preacher General". He is known for being a Confederate brigadier general during the Civil War, for his works in the Mississippi Southern Baptist Convention, and for founding the Blue Mountain College.

Mark Perrin Lowrey was born in 1828, in McNairy County, Tennessee, to Adam and Marguerite (Doss) Lowrey. His parents had immigrated to America from England and Ireland, and Lowrey received no formal education. His father died from yellow fever in Natchez Mississippi, when Lowrey was young. In 1843, he moved with his family to Mississippi, where he became a bricklayer. During the Mexican War, Lowrey enlisted as a private in the 2nd Mississippi Volunteers in 1847. Neither he nor his regiment ever saw action in the conflict, and Lowrey was mustered out in July 1848.

After the war with Mexico ended, Lowrey married Sarah R. Holmes in 1849. Beginning in 1853, he became a Southern Baptist preacher, serving primarily around the village of Kossuth, Mississippi. After preaching for eight years, the American Civil War broke out and his congregation urged him to join the Confederacy. Lowrey also served as a captain in the Mississippi State Militia in 1861.

Lowrey entered the Confederate service in 1861 as the colonel of the 4th Mississippi Militia. On December 6, 1861, Lowrey was appointed colonel of the 4th Mississippi Infantry and, on April 3, 1862, he became commander of the 32nd Mississippi Infantry. He fought in, and was praised at, the Battle of Shiloh, Battle of Perryville, the Kentucky Campaign, and the Battle of Chickamauga. At the Battle of Perryville in October 1862, Lowrey was shot in the left arm but stayed on the battlefield. During the retreat which began the next day, he had great difficulty keeping up with the army. He then obtained leave and traveled to his brother's house for safety. After six weeks of recuperation, Lowrey joined back with his forces and fought at the Battle of Murfreesboro on January 1, 1863.