Robert Vinkler Richardson (November 4, 1820 – January 6, 1870) was a

brigadier general Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed t ...

in the

Confederate States Army The Confederate States Army, also called the Confederate Army or the Southern Army, was the military land force of the Confederate States of America (commonly referred to as the Confederacy) during the American Civil War (1861–1865), fighting ...

during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by state ...

Early life

Richardson was born in

Granville County, North Carolina Granville County is a county located on the northern border of the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 60,992. Its county seat is Oxford. Granville County encompasses Oxford, NC Micropolitan Statistical Ar ...

, on November 4, 1820. His family moved to

Hardeman County, Tennessee Hardeman County is a county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2020 census, the population was 25,462. Its county seat is Bolivar. History Hardeman County was created by the Tennessee General Assembly in 1823 from parts of Ha ...

, when Richardson was a child. Richardson was admitted to the bar and moved to

Memphis, Tennessee Memphis is a city in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the County seat, seat of Shelby County, Tennessee, Shelby County in the southwest part of the state; it is situated along the Mississippi River. With a population of 633,104 at the 2020 Uni ...

, in 1847 to practice there. He made business connections with

Nathan Bedford Forrest Nathan Bedford Forrest (July 13, 1821October 29, 1877) was a prominent Confederate Army general during the American Civil War and the first Grand Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan from 1867 to 1869. Before the war, Forrest amassed substantial wealth ...

and

Gideon J. Pillow Gideon Johnson Pillow (June 8, 1806 – October 8, 1878) was an American lawyer, politician, speculator, slaveowner, United States Army major general of volunteers during the Mexican–American War and Confederate brigadier general in the Ameri ...

Civil War

During the early part of the War, Richardson served under Pillow and recruited the

12th Tennessee Cavalry 1 (one, unit, unity) is a number representing a single or the only entity. 1 is also a numerical digit and represents a single unit of counting or measurement. For example, a line segment of ''unit length'' is a line segment of length 1. ...

(also known as the 1st Tennessee Partisan Rangers) and was elected that unit's

colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military 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 colonel was typically in charge ...

. Richardson engaged in the Battle of Shiloh and the

Siege of Corinth The siege of Corinth (also known as the first Battle of Corinth) was an American Civil War engagement lasting from April 29 to May 30, 1862, in Corinth, Mississippi. A collection of Union forces under the overall command of Major General Henry ...

. He was attached to Forrest's command in the fall of 1863. On December 3, he was appointed brigadier general; however, after being confirmed his nomination was returned by the

Confederate Senate The Confederate States Congress was both the provisional and permanent legislative assembly of the Confederate States of America that existed from 1861 to 1865. Its actions were for the most part concerned with measures to establish a new nat ...

at the request of President Jefferson Davis on February 9, 1864. From then to the remainder of the War, his regiment was attached to

James R. Chalmers James Ronald Chalmers (January 11, 1831April 9, 1898) was an American politician and senior officer of the Confederate States Army who commanded infantry and cavalry in the Western Theater of the American Civil War. After the war, Chalmer ...

' command. A communication from Richardson dated October 28, 1863 at Water Valley, MS indicated the difficult living conditions experienced during the War: "For God and the country's sake, make your fair promising, but never complying Quartermaster send me skillets, ovens, pots, or anything else that will bake bread or fry meat. I want clothing, shoes and blankets for my naked and freezing men. . . . I cannot fight any more until I get something to cook in."

Post-War and murder

After the War, Richardson travelled abroad and lived overseas. He returned to Memphis and worked in

levee A levee (), dike (American English), dyke (Commonwealth English), embankment, floodbank, or stop bank is a structure that is usually earthen and that often runs parallel to the course of a river in its floodplain or along low-lying coastl ...

and

railroad Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport that transfers passengers and goods on wheeled vehicles running on rails, which are incorporated in tracks. In contrast to road transport, where the vehicles run on a pre ...

construction with Forrest. After stopping at a

tavern A tavern is a place of business where people gather to drink alcoholic beverages and be served food such as different types of roast meats and cheese, and (mostly historically) where travelers would receive lodging. An inn is a tavern that h ...

Clarkton, Missouri Clarkton is a city in Dunklin County, Missouri, United States. The population was 1,288 at the 2010 census. Clarkton is the oldest city in Dunklin County. History Originally called Beech, the town site was platted as Clarkton in 1876. The pres ...

, on January 5, 1870, he was shot by an unknown assailant who fired a

shotgun A shotgun (also known as a scattergun, or historically as a fowling piece) is a long-barreled firearm designed to shoot a straight-walled cartridge known as a shotshell, which usually discharges numerous small pellet-like spherical sub- p ...

at him from behind a wagon in the tavern yard. He died the next day and is buried in Elmwood Cemetery in Memphis.Warner, p. 256-57.

Notes

References

* Civil War Centennial Commission of Tennessee. ''Tennesseans in the Civil War: A Military History of Confederate and Union Units with Available Rosters of Personnel''. In Two Parts. Part 1. Nashville: Civil War Centennial Commission, 1964, 1965. Reprinted Knoxville: University of Tennessee Press, 1981, 1984. . * Eicher, John H., and

David J. Eicher David John Eicher (born August 7, 1961) is an American editor, writer, and popularizer of astronomy and space. He has been editor-in-chief of ''Astronomy'' magazine since 2002. He is author, coauthor, or editor of 23 books on science and American ...

, ''Civil War High Commands.'' Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2001. .
Memphis Public Ledger January 11, 1870. p.3

Loving, Waldon. 2002. Coming Like Hell: The Story of the 12th Tennessee Cavalry, Richardson’s Brigade, Forrest’s Cavalry Corps, Confederate States of America, 1862-1865.
NY: Writer's Club Press. * Sifakis, Stewart. ''Who Was Who in the Civil War.'' New York: Facts On File, 1988. .

Tennessee Gen Web. * Warner, Ezra J. ''Generals in Gray: Lives of the Confederate Commanders.'' Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1959. . {{DEFAULTSORT:Richardson, Robert V. 1820 births 1870 deaths Confederate States Army generals Deaths by firearm in Missouri People murdered in Missouri People of North Carolina in the American Civil War People of Tennessee in the American Civil War

Early life

Civil War

Post-War and murder

See also

Notes

References