Gen. Archibald Gracie, CSA
A New York native who led the 43rd Alabama regiment in the Civil War
Archibald Gracie, Jr. was from a prominent New York City family that owned cotton interests in Mobile, AL. He attended West Point when Robert E. Lee was commandant.
Archibald Gracie, Jr. was born in New York on 1 December 1832 of a prominent Scottish family. He was sent to Heidelberg, Germany, for his studies, and to the US Military Academy at West Point where he graduated (#14) in 1854. Following graduation, Gracie served for a time on the northwestern frontier but then resigned in 1856 to enter business with his father, now in Mobile, AL.
Gracie joined the Washington Light Infantry company of Mobile, and when the Civil War came, Gracie was appointed captain of the company. He allied himself with Governor Andrew Barry Moore and seized the federal arsenal at Mount Vernon, AL when so ordered. Later, the Washington Light Infantry was incorporated into the 3rd Alabama Infantry, which went into service in Virginia. Gracie's military skills were quickly recognized, and on 12 July 1861, he was promoted major of the 11th Alabama regiment. Early in 1862, Gracie returned to Mobile and organized his own regiment, the 43rd Alabama. Gracie brought with him two other officers of the 11th Alabama: Captain Young Moody (Marengo County) and Assistant Surgeon Matthew Arnold Jolly (Greene County).
Ten companies of men were enlisted in the spring of 1862 from Greene, Jefferson, Marengo, Mobile, Tuscaloosa, and Walker counties. The 43rd was officially established in May at Mobile. Gracie was appointed its colonel. Young Moody was appointed the regiment's lieutenant colonel. Company C of the 43rd was recruited in Greene County. Its first captain was John J. Jolly, the younger brother of the surgeon.
Gracie then courageously led the unit in the fighting in East Tennessee, and Kentucky with Kirby-Smith's corps. As a reward, he was promoted to brigadier general (to date from 4 November 1862) and led his brigade at Chickamauga, the siege of Knoxville, and at Bean's Station where he was severely wounded on 14 December 1863.
While recovering, Gracie was re-assigned to General P. G. T. Beauregard's Virginia command (May 1864) in time for the siege operations in the defense of Petersburg. He was later killed by Union artillery on 2 December 1864, while observing enemy movements.
After the war, Gracie's remains were moved to New York City. He was to have been promoted to Major General. Upon his death, he was eulogized in a poem, "Gracie of Alabama" by Francis O. Ticknor, MD. He is buried in the Gracie family plot in Section 23/24, Catalpa Plot, Lot 971-974 at Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx.
