Biography of General Nathaniel Harrison Harris

Another one of the hard-fighters in the Third Corps from Mississippi was General Nathaniel Harris.

Born in Natchez on August 22, 1834, Harris graduated from law school at the University of Louisiana (now Tulane) and settled in Vicksburg, Mississippi where he practiced his profession. Harris organized a company, the Warren Rifles, and with it was mustered into Confederate service as captain of Company C, 19th Mississippi Infantry. He eventually rose to be colonel of the regiment.

Harris was slightly wounded at the battle of Williamsburg, but was back in command by the end of May. He was wounded again at Frayser's Farm and then again at Second Manassas. Because of this wound he missed the battle of Sharpsburg.

Harris was commissioned as a general on January 20, 1864 and was assigned to command a brigade in Mahone's Division of the Third Corps. He fought with great gallantry at Spotsylvania, during the siege of Petersburg, and in particular during the Federal assaults on Forts Gregg and Whitworth. Harris was with the Army to the end, eventually being paroled at Appomattox.

After the War, Harris resumed his legal practice in Vicksburg, later becoming the president of the Mississippi Valley & Ship Island Railroad. He also served for a period as register of the U.S. Land Office in Aberdeen, South Dakota. After 1890, he made his home in California in business with John Hays Hammond. A life-long bachelor, General Harris died on a business trip in Malvern, England on August 23, 1900.

By his own request, he was cremated and the ashes were buried in Green-wood Cemetery in Brooklyn, New York.

This officer was a member of Posey's Brigade in Anderson's / Mahone's Division.

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This page is an officer biography that is part of a large index of officers who served in the Third Corps, Army of Northern Virginia. This officer index is contained on a website devoted to Confederate General A.P. Hill titled And Then A.P. Hill Came Up. The site is copyright 1997 - 2007 by Jennifer Goellnitz. Email Jenny at jgoellnitz [@] gmail.com.