BRAGG, BRAXTON (1817-76). An eminent Confederate general in the American Civil War. Ile was born in Warren County, N. C.; graduated at West Point in 1837, and served in the Semi nole War in 1837-39, and again in 1841-42. During the Mexican War he served under General Taylor, and for "gallant and distinguished con duct" at Fort Brown. Monterey, and Buena Vista was brevetted captain, major, and lieutenant-col onel, respectively. Ile was on duty in variousgar risons until January, 1859, when he left the ser vice to become a sugar-planter in Louisiana. From 1839 to 1861 he was commissioner of the Louisiana Board of Public Works. Ile joined the Confederate Army on the outbreak of the Civil War. was made brigadier-general early in 1861, and soon afterwards was placed in command at Pensacola, Fla., of the Confederate forces which operated against Fort Pickens. He was promoted to be major-general in February. 1862; joined the Army of Mississippi; took a conspicuous part in the battle of Shiloh (April 6-7) ; and, after the death of A. S. Johnston, was raised to the rank of general. On June 20, 1862, after the evacuation of Corinth, he replaced General Beauregard as commander of the Western De partment, and in August, at the head of a force of 45,000, invaded Kentucky, with the intention of winning over that State to the Confederate cause. An exciting race for Louisville ensued between him and'Buell, but Buell arrived first and by skillful marueuvring gradually forced him to retreat. The two armies met at Perry ville. Ky.. on October 8. and Bragg, defeated. withdrew hastily into Tennessee. His appar ent failure in this campaign brought upon him the bitter eriticisin of the South, and for a time his removal was seriously contemplated; but his campaign. according to General T. A. Dodge,
"had really placed him in a position in iluell's front far superior to the one he had oceupied before he marched for the Ohio, morally and ma terially." At or Stone River, on December 31, 1862, and January 2, 1863, 1w was again worsted by the Federal Army, now under P,oseerans, and fell back upon Tullahoma. Out of this city, early in September, 1863, he was skillfully manceuvred by Rosecrans, whom. how ever, he defeated decisively in the great battle of Chickamauga (September 19-20). Soon after wards lie was utterly defeated, in turn. by Grant in the three days' battle of Chattanooga (No vember 23-25). and. in deference to the grow ing dissatisfaction of his army, he was replaced by Hardee ou December 2. On February 24, 1864. he was summoned to Richmond, where, under the direction of President Davis,he was charged with "the conduct of military operations in the armies of the Confederacy." He was placed in command of the Department of North Carolina in November. and led an tutsu•cessful expedition into Georgia to eo6perate against Sherman. then on his march to the sea. In February. 1$65, he was assigned to active service under J. E. Johnston, and remained with that officer until his surrender. After the war Bragg was for some time chief engineer for the State of Alabama, and as such had charge of the improve ments in Alobile Bay. He was a hard fighter, and as an officer was brave and resourceful ; but he was also a stern martinet, was sometimes dilatory in his movements, and was frequently lax in supervising the execution of his orders.