Biography of General William Mahone

William Mahone was born on December 1, 1826 in South-hampton country Virginia. The son of a tavern keeper, Mahone attended the Virginia Military Institute ("VMI"), graduating in 1847. Mahone claimed to have gone to VMI with money won gambling. As he related the story, his father lost most of his money gambling against a wealthy man with a set of lovely horses and a servant. Mahone's father told his son to play the next hand -- he was going to sleep. By the time his father returned, Mahone had won back all the money his father had lost, and had won money from the wealthy man and his horses. The father told Mahone to give him the money. Mahone returned the father's part and said, "Here is what you lost. I am going to keep my winnings and educate myself." With that money he went to VMI.

Subsequently, he studied engineering at Rappahannock Military Academy where he also taught. Mahone was successful with engineering in the railroads, and by 1861 he was the president of the Norfolk and Petersburg Railroad. He was appointed to command of the 6th Virginia in 1861. He took part in the capture of the Norfolk Naval Yard and commanded the Norfolk Division until it was evacuated. He then aided in the construction of the defenses around Drewry's Bluff. He was promoted general on November 16, 1861; he was made major general to date from July 30, 1864 (a reward for his service at the battle of the Crater at Petersburg).

Mahone joined the Army of Northern Virginia around the time of Seven Pines. He was severely wounded at Second Manassas. Upon hearing the news of his wounding, his wife was distraught and the courier tried to calm her by saying it was "only a flesh wound." To which Mahone's wife replied "now I know it is serious for William has no flesh whatsoever."

Mahone returned to the Army of Northern Virginia after recovering from his wound at Second Manassas, fighting in all its major battles and surrendering with Lee at Appomattox. A rather mediocre brigade commander who turned in a lackluster performance at Gettysburg, he reversed the Peter Principle and became a superb division leader, succeeding R.H. Anderson when that officer was given command of the First Corps. Mahone was particularly valuable around Petersburg, likely because of his great knowledge of the area. His best day was probably at the Crater where he was able to turn the tide of battle in the Confederate favor.

Mahone was held in high regard by R.E. Lee, who termed him of all the young men who survived the one that made the largest contribution to organization and command. Nevertheless, Mahone was unliked by his men, many who thought he was a tyrant. He had soldiers convicted of stealing lashed with a horsewhip thirty times. When the wielders of the whip did not put enough into it for Mahone, he had them arrested.

Mahone was an extremely thin man who wore a long beard and had a cadaverous looking appearance that made him seem older than he was. "He was every inch a soldier, though there were not many inches of him" as one of his soldiers put it. It seems that he had serious stomach problems; he kept a cow at his headquarters to provide milk upon which he subsisted for he could eat nothing other than tea, crackers, eggs, and fresh milk. He had a high, piping voice and dressed the part. One of his soldiers recalled him as looking "like the image of a bantam rooster or gamecock." Mahone was a feisty general, a drinker and a gambler. He got into at least one dispute with equally cranky D.H. Hill that almost resulted in a challenge to a duel.

After the War, "Little Billy" Mahone became involved in Republican politics and the railroads. He dominated Republican politics in Virginia, being elected in 1880 to the Senate on the "Readjuster" ticket. He died in Washington on October 8, 1895. He is buried at Blandford Church, Petersburg, the site of many of his best days in the War Between the States. For further reading try: Blake, Nelson M. William, Mahone of Virginia: Soldier and Political Insurgent, Richmond, 1935.

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

The webmaster likely has no information about this officer beyond what is contained here. If you would like to contribute additional information about this officer, please email the webmaster.

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.