Background
Bernard Bee was born on February 8, 1824, at Charleston, South Carolina, the son of Barnard E. Bee, who in 1835 removed to Texas, and later became secretary of state of the short-lived Republic.
Bernard Bee was born on February 8, 1824, at Charleston, South Carolina, the son of Barnard E. Bee, who in 1835 removed to Texas, and later became secretary of state of the short-lived Republic.
Barnard was appointed a cadet "at large" at West Point, entered in 1841, and graduated in 1845.
Barnard Bee was commissioned in the 3rd Infantry and at once returned to his adopted state with Gen. Taylor's army of occupation. He served with this army in the early part of the Mexican War, being engaged in the battles of Palo Alto and Resaca de la Palma. After a brief period of recruiting duty, he returned to the front with Gen. Scott's army, went through the entire campaign against the City of Mexico, was wounded at Cerro Gordo, and received brevets for gallant and meritorious conduct there and at Chapultepec. In 1854 his native state presented him with a sword of honor for "patriotic and meritorious conduct" in the war. The rest of his service in the army was on the frontier. He was promoted to first lieutenant in 1851, and upon the organization of the 10th Infantry in 1855 was appointed captain in the new regiment.
Resigning on March 3, 1861, he was commissioned a major of infantry in the Confederate army, and on June 17, 1861, was appointed brigadier-general and assigned to a brigade in Gen. Johnston's army. His brigade was one of those that bore the brunt of the first attack at Bull Run on July 21. It suffered heavily, and finally broke up, but had held back the Union advance long enough for the defense to be organized in the rear. Pointing to Jackson's brigade, "standing like a stone wall, " he reformed the remnant of his command in line with it, and held his ground. To hold the raw and undisciplined troops up to their work required desperate exertions and reckless exposure on the part of the officers. Having lost nearly all of his field officers, Bee himself at last fell mortally wounded. He died the next day.
As a general officer who lost his life in a heroic and successful fight, he naturally became a popular hero in the South. He is chiefly remembered now as the man who gave Stonewall Jackson the name by which he is known in history. He showed a capacity for command that was not usual in the early days of the war, and it is fair to suppose that he would have risen high if he had lived.