James Bankhead (1783–1856) was a U. S. Army

officer An officer is a person who has a position of authority in a hierarchical organization. The term derives from Old French ''oficier'' "officer, official" (early 14c., Modern French ''officier''), from Medieval Latin ''officiarius'' "an officer," fro ...

who rose to the rank of brevet brigadier general and served in the

War of 1812 The War of 1812 was fought by the United States and its allies against the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, United Kingdom and its allies in North America. It began when the United States United States declaration of war on the Uni ...

Second Seminole War The Second Seminole War, also known as the Florida War, was a conflict from 1835 to 1842 in Florida between the United States and groups of people collectively known as Seminoles, consisting of Muscogee, Creek and Black Seminoles as well as oth ...

, and

Mexican–American War The Mexican–American War (Spanish language, Spanish: ''guerra de Estados Unidos-México, guerra mexicano-estadounidense''), also known in the United States as the Mexican War, and in Mexico as the United States intervention in Mexico, ...

Biography

James Bankhead was born on May 24, 1783, in

Port Royal Port Royal () was a town located at the end of the Palisadoes, at the mouth of Kingston Harbour, in southeastern Jamaica. Founded in 1494 by the Spanish, it was once the largest and most prosperous city in the Caribbean, functioning as the cen ...

, in

Caroline County, Virginia Caroline County is a United States county located in the eastern part of the Commonwealth of Virginia. The northern boundary of the county borders on the Rappahannock River, notably at the historic town of Port Royal. The Caroline county se ...

. Bankhead joined the U. S. Army in 1808, as a captain in the 5th Infantry Regiment. Bankhead and

Winfield Scott Winfield Scott (June 13, 1786May 29, 1866) was an American military commander and political candidate. He served as Commanding General of the United States Army from 1841 to 1861, and was a veteran of the War of 1812, American Indian Wars, Mexica ...

entered the army on the same day and they remained lifelong friends. Before the War of 1812, Bankhead served in various commands and staff assignments. During the war he was 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 ...

. Later he was on the staff of General

Wade Hampton Wade Hampton may refer to the following people: People *Wade Hampton I (1752–1835), American soldier in Revolutionary War and War of 1812 and U.S. congressman * Wade Hampton II (1791–1858), American plantation owner and soldier in War of 1812 * ...

, and received a brevet promotion to lieutenant colonel. His duties as an Army officer took him to Charleston, South Carolina where he met and married the fourth daughter of John Pyne, Ann Smith Pyne, in her mother's home on Church Street on 25 June 1817. He attained the rank of lieutenant colonel of the 3rd Artillery Regiment, on April 26, 1832. He saw active service during the Second Seminole War and received a brevet promotion to

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 ...

in 1838 to recognize his bravery. Col. Bankhead was in command of the garrison of the Buffalo Barracks from October 1838 to August 1841. Bankhead served in the

, at Vera Cruz commanding the 2nd Artillery Regiment and was promoted to brevet Brigadier General for distinguished service in the reduction of Vera Cruz where Bankhead, the senior field officer, acted as chief of artillery, in command of the batteries. From January 1848 he commanded the Department of Orizaba, Mexico. Bankhead was appointed commander of the

Department of the East The Department of the East was a military administrative district established by the U.S. Army several times in its history. The first was from 1853 to 1861, the second Department of the East, from 1863 to 1873, and the last from 1877 to 1913. ...

in 1854, and made his headquarters at

Fort McHenry Fort McHenry is a historical American Coastal defense and fortification, coastal bastion fort, pentagonal bastion fort on Locust Point, Baltimore, Locust Point, now a neighborhood of Baltimore, Maryland. It is best known for its role in the War ...

, where he served until his death. He died and was buried, in

Green Mount Cemetery Green Mount Cemetery is a historic rural cemetery in Baltimore, Maryland, United States. Established on March 15, 1838, and dedicated on July 13, 1839, it is noted for the large number of historical figures interred in its grounds as well as ma ...

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 ...

on November 11, 1856.

Notes

External links

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Print of James Bankhead, Colonel 2d Artillery
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bankhead, James United States Army colonels 1783 births 1856 deaths United States Army personnel of the War of 1812 American people of the Seminole Wars American military personnel of the Mexican–American War People from Port Royal, Virginia