Charles Marshall (October 3, 1830 – April 19, 1902) was a Confederate military officer during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

. Marshall served as an aide de camp, assistant adjutant general and military secretary to Gen.

Robert E. Lee Robert Edward Lee (January 19, 1807 – October 12, 1870) was a general officers in the Confederate States Army, Confederate general during the American Civil War, who was appointed the General in Chief of the Armies of the Confederate ...

, and later worked to establish the Lost Cause and monuments to his former comrades.

Early and family life

Marshall was born on October 3, 1830, in

Warrenton, Virginia Warrenton is a town in Fauquier County, Virginia, United States. It is the county seat. The population was 10,057 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, an increase from 9,611 at the 2010 United States Census, 2010 census and 6,670 at ...

, to Alexander John Marshall (1803-1882) and his first wife, the former Maria Rose Taylor (1808-1844). A distant relative of Chief Justice

John Marshall John Marshall (September 24, 1755July 6, 1835) was an American statesman, jurist, and Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father who served as the fourth chief justice of the United States from 1801 until his death in 1835. He remai ...

, Charles Marshall was also a cousin of

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

General George C. Marshall. His sister Catherine Taylor Marshall (1832-1866) would marry Fendall Dade Marbury of Prince George's County, Maryland. He received a private education at the Richard M. Smith School and the Warren Green Academy (both in Warrenton) before entering the

University of Virginia The University of Virginia (UVA) is a Public university#United States, public research university in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States. It was founded in 1819 by Thomas Jefferson and contains his The Lawn, Academical Village, a World H ...

in Charlottesville. He graduated with a

Master's Degree A master's degree (from Latin ) is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities or colleges upon completion of a course of study demonstrating mastery or a high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional prac ...

with high honors in 1848. In December 1856, Charles Marshall married Emily Andrews, daughter of Mexican War hero

Colonel Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, a colon ...

Timothy Patrick Andrews and sister of Richard Snowden Andrews. Marshall and his wife had one daughter. Emily Andrews Marshall, who died in 1858. Marshall remarried in December 1866, to Sara Rebecca Nicholls Snowden, daughter of Col. Thomas Snowden. They had five sons, including Attorney Hudson Snowden Marshall, and daughter Emily Rosalie Snowden (wife of Judge Somerville Pinkney Tuck).

Early career

He taught

mathematics Mathematics is a field of study that discovers and organizes methods, Mathematical theory, theories and theorems that are developed and Mathematical proof, proved for the needs of empirical sciences and mathematics itself. There are many ar ...

as a professor at

Indiana University Indiana University (IU) is a state university system, system of Public university, public universities in the U.S. state of Indiana. The system has two core campuses, five regional campuses, and two regional centers under the administration o ...

from 1850 to 1852. Returning to

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States between the East Coast of the United States ...

, Marshall read law. In 1853, he moved to

Baltimore, Maryland Baltimore is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland. With a population of 585,708 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census and estimated at 568,271 in 2024, it is the List of United States ...

, where he was admitted to the bar and began practice at the law firm of William Schley. In 1860, he and his wife were living with his Irish-born father-in-law and architect brother-in-law and his family in a large household which employed six white domestic servants but no slaves.

Civil War

Lee, a long-time family friend, appointed Marshall to his personal staff on March 21, 1862, with the rank of

captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader or highest rank officer of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police depa ...

. Marshall served as Lee's aide-de-camp and was present with Lee during all the major battles of the

Army of Northern Virginia The Army of Northern Virginia was a field army of the Confederate States Army in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War. It was also the primary command structure of the Department of Northern Virginia. It was most often arrayed agains ...

. He was subsequently promoted to

major Major most commonly refers to: * Major (rank), a military rank * Academic major, an academic discipline to which an undergraduate student formally commits * People named Major, including given names, surnames, nicknames * Major and minor in musi ...

, lieutenant colonel and

colonel Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, a colon ...

. He was responsible for the writing of Lee's after-action reports during the War. Marshall accompanied Lee at the surrender at the Battle of Appomattox Courthouse and drafted Lee's acceptance of the terms of surrender. He also located the Wilmer McLean house where the surrender meeting took place and drafted Lee's "Farewell Order" to the Army of Northern Virginia.

Postbellum activities

Following the War, Marshall returned to Baltimore and continued his legal practice, becoming one of Baltimore's leading attorneys. Marshall delivered the dedication addresses for the monuments to Lee in

Richmond, Virginia Richmond ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the Commonwealth (U.S. state), U.S. commonwealth of Virginia. Incorporated in 1742, Richmond has been an independent city (United States), independent city since 1871. ...

, and

Ulysses S. Grant Ulysses S. Grant (born Hiram Ulysses Grant; April 27, 1822July 23, 1885) was the 18th president of the United States, serving from 1869 to 1877. In 1865, as Commanding General of the United States Army, commanding general, Grant led the Uni ...

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

.Hall, pp.673–74

Death and legacy

Marshall died in Baltimore, Maryland, in 1902 from a

stroke Stroke is a medical condition in which poor cerebral circulation, blood flow to a part of the brain causes cell death. There are two main types of stroke: brain ischemia, ischemic, due to lack of blood flow, and intracranial hemorrhage, hemor ...

, and was buried in the city's Green Mount cemetery. His papers were later published in a book called ''Lee's Aide-de-Camp'', edited by Sir Frederick Maurice and in a later edition by Gary W. Gallagher. Henry B. Walthall played Marshall in the 1930 film, ''

Abraham Lincoln Abraham Lincoln (February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was the 16th president of the United States, serving from 1861 until Assassination of Abraham Lincoln, his assassination in 1865. He led the United States through the American Civil War ...

,'' directed by D.W. Griffith. Tim Ruddy portrayed Marshall in the film ''Gettysburg'' and John D. Bert held the role in the related film ''Gods and Generals''. Marshall is a supporting character in the 1992

science fiction Science fiction (often shortened to sci-fi or abbreviated SF) is a genre of speculative fiction that deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts. These concepts may include information technology and robotics, biological manipulations, space ...

alternate history Alternate history (also referred to as alternative history, allohistory, althist, or simply A.H.) is a subgenre of speculative fiction in which one or more historical events have occurred but are resolved differently than in actual history. As ...

novel '' The Guns of the South'' by

Harry Turtledove Harry Norman Turtledove (born June 14, 1949) is an American author who is best known for his work in the genres of alternate history, historical fiction, fantasy, science fiction, and mystery fiction. He is a student of history and completed his ...

. Harris Katleman played Marshall in '' The Rebel'', episode "Johnny Yuma at Appomattox".

Notes

References

*Hall, Clayton Colman. ''Baltimore: Its History and Its People,'' Lewis Historical Publishing Company, 1912.

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Marshall, Charles 1830 births 1902 deaths Confederate States Army officers People of Virginia in the American Civil War People of Maryland in the American Civil War University of Virginia alumni Indiana University faculty Military personnel from Baltimore People from Warrenton, Virginia Marshall family (politics)