Lieut. Gen. John C. Pemberton
Born: August 10, 1814
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
​
​
​
​
​
​
Died: July 13, 1881
Penllyn, Pennsylvania
Pemberton as Commander
of the Army at Vicksburg
1837: West Point Graduate
1837: 2nd Lieutenant
March 19, 1842: 1st Lieutenant
July 7, 1846: Brevet Captain
September 8, 1847: Brevet Major
September 16, 1850: Captain
April 29, 1861: Resigned U.S. Army
Lieutenant Colonel CSA
May 8, 1861: Colonel
June 17, 1861: Brigadier General
January 14, 1862: Major General
October 10, 1862: Lieutenant General
​
1837: West Point Graduate - 27th out of 50
July 1, 1837: Commissioned 2nd Lieutenant in 4th U.S. Artillery Regiment
1837-1838: 2nd Seminole War
January 24, 1838: Battle of Lozahatchee
1838-1839: Garrison duty at Fort Columbus, New York
1839: Camp of Instruction near Trenton, New Jersey
1840: Fort Mackinac in Upper Great Lakes in Michigan
March 19, 1842: Promoted to 1st Lieutenant
Returned to Garrison Duty at Fortress Monroe
1842-1843: U.S. Army Cavalry School at Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania
1844-1845: Returned to Fortress Monroe
Mexican-American War
May 8, 1846: Battle of Pale Alto
May 9, 1846: Battle of Resaca de la Palma
July 7, 1846: Battle of Monterry
Appointed Brevet Captain for Gallant Conduct in several conflicts
March 9-29, 1847: Siege of Veracruz
April 18, 1847: Battle of Cerro Gordo
August 20, 1847: Battle of Churubusco
September 8, 1847: Battle of Molino del Rey
Appointed Brevet Major for performance at Molino del Rey
September 13, 1847: Battle of Chapultepec
September 13-14, 1847: Battle of Mexico City
August 4, 1846 - May 1849: aide-de-camp to Brevet Brigadier General William J. Worth
1849: Garrison Duty at Fort Pickens, Florida
1849-1850: Seminole War
1850: Garrison Duty at New Orleans Barracks
September 16, 1850: Promoted to Captain
1851-1852: Served at Fort Washington, Maryland
1852-1856: Fort Hamilton, New York
1856-1857: Seminole War
1857-1858: Fort Hamilton, New York
1858: Utah War
1859: Fort Kearny, New Mexico
1859-1861: Fort Ridgely, Minnesota
April 29, 1861: Resigned his commission due to the influence of his Virginia born wife and many years of service in the South
​
Appointed Lieutenant Colonel, CSA, and made assistant adjuntant general of forces around Richmond
May 8, 1861: Promoted to Colonel
May 9, 1861: Took commission as Lieutenant Colonel in Artillery Provisional Army of Virginia
June 17, 1861: Promoted to Brigadier General
January 14, 1862: Promoted to Major General
Received command of the Confederate Department of South Carolina and Georgia lasting from March 14 till August 29
Due to the mistrust of his Northern birth, governors in both states requested he be reassigned. Was reassigned to the new Department of Mississippi
October 10, 1862: Promoted to Lieutenant General
Assigned to defend the fortress city of Vicksburg and the Mississippi River known as the Department of Mississippi and East Louisiana
October 14, 1862: Arrived at his new headquarters at Jackson, Mississippi
May 16, 1863: Battle of Champion Hill
May 17, 1863: Battle of Big Black River
July 2, 1863: Pemberton asked his four division commanders if they could survive the marches to accomplish a successful evacuation. All four division commanders stated they could not accomplish an evacuation.
July 4, 1863: Surrendered the city of Vicksburg to Maj. Gen. Grant
Surrendered 2, 166 officers, 27,230 men, 172 cannons and almost 60,000 muskets and rifles to Grant
October 13, 1863: Exchanged as a prisoner
May 9, 1864: Resigned as a General Officer
President Davis offered him a commission as a Lieutenant Colonel of Artillery
Commanded the Artillery defenses of Richmond until January 9, 1865
January 7, 1865: Inspector General of the Artillery - held this position until his capture
April 12, 1865: Captured in Salisbury, North Carolina
​
Boatner, Mark M. III. The Civil War Dictionary. New York: David McKay, 1967. p 631
John C. Pemberton. 30 April 2021. web. 7 May 2021
Warner, Ezra J. Generals in Gray Lives of the Confederate Commander. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State, 1992. p 232-233
​