Albert Gallatin Jenkins was an attorney, planter, representative to the United States Congress and First Confederate Congress. He also served as a Confederate brigadier general during the American Civil War.
Background
Jenkins was born on November 10, 1830, in Cabell County, West Virginia, United States. His father, Captain William Jenkins operated a line of sailing vessels from the James River to South America; his mother, Janetta McNutt, was of Highland Scotch extraction. In 1825 Captain Jenkins moved to Cabell County, West Virginia, where he acquired an estate of 4, 441 acres. On this property, in 1830, his second son, Albert Gallatin, was born.
Education
Albert attended Virginia Military Institute, graduated from Jefferson College, Pennsylvania, in 1848 and from Harvard Law School in 1850.
After practicing law at Charleston, Virginia, and farming, Albert Jenkins was chosen a delegate to the National Democratic Convention at Cincinnati, 1856, and served in the Thirty-fifth and Thirty-sixth congresses, 1857-1861. Though Jenkins was a slaveholder and Southern Democrat, he had a bitter mental struggle before he decided to bear arms against the Union.
Resigning his seat in Congress in April 1861, he went to western Virginia and was elected captain of a cavalry company. Like many of the new officers, he had received no military training; so he proceeded to master "Hardee's" military manual. In June Jenkins attracted notice by raiding Point Pleasant, Virginia, and capturing some prominent Unionists. But in August his men were badly routed, despite his brave effort to rally them. This defeat, however, was probably due as much to the incompetence of his commander, Floyd, as to Jenkins' inexperience, and seems to have little affected his reputation. As lieutenant-colonel and, later, colonel of the 8th Virginia, he continued his demoralizing raids through the mountain counties, winning enduring fame as a leader of independent cavalry. Early in 1862 he was elected a representative to the first Confederate Congress but was soon sent back to western Virginia with a brigadier-generals commission.
In late August and September, Albert led his brigade on his most famous raid, a daring five-hundred-mile ride through western Virginia and into Ohio, where he was the only Confederate general, except Morgan, to unfurl the Stars and Bars. He captured 300 prisoners, destroyed the official records in many counties, 5,000 stand of arms, and many stores. In 1863 his brigade was chosen to lead the advance guard into Pennsylvania. They captured Chambersburg and reconnoitered to Harrisburg before being ordered to Gettysburg. At Gettysburg Jenkins was severely wounded.
Returning to his mountain command in the fall of 1863, on May 9, 1864, Jenkins was opposed to Crook's superior force at Cloyd's Mountain, Virginia. While he, with drawn sword, was trying to prevent the retreat of a Virginia regiment, they fled. Left behind, he was wounded and captured.
Achievements
Religion
Albert was a member of the Presbyterian church.
Connections
In 1858 Jenkins was married to Virginia Southard Bowlin Hilliard.