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Osceola, WI: Motorbooks International, 1995.PELHAM, JOHN
Pelham, John
(September 14, 1838–March 17, 1863)
Confederate Army Officer
“G
allant Pelham”
was the Confe-
deracy’s youn-
gest artillerist and among
its most distinguished.
Despite his age, he had an
uncanny knack for sizing
up tactical situations at a
glance, dashing to the
nearest unfettered ter-
rain, and raining a deadly
fire upon enemy forces.
Tragically, Pelham was
the distinguished veteran
of more than 60 engage-
ments when he lost his
life in a minor skirmish.
John Pelham was born
in Benton (now Calhoun)
County, Alabama, on Sep-
tember 14, 1838. In 1856,
he was admitted to West
Point under the aegis of
an experimental five-year program estab-
lished by Secretary of War Jefferson Davis.
This was implemented to produce better-
trained officers. Pelham, despite his rudimen-
tary education, proved an able student and
was about to graduate near the middle of his
class when Southern states began seceding
from the Union in the spring of 1861. Pelham
resigned from the acad-
emy that April, just two
months prior to graduat-
ing, and tendered his ser-
vices to the Confederacy.
He was initially posted at
Lynchburg, Virginia, as a
second lieutenant of ord-
nance but subsequently
transferred to Winchester
as an artillery drillmaster.
In this capacity he first
came to the attention of
Col. J.E.B. “Jeb” Stu-
artof the First Virginia
Cavalry. Both Pelham and
Stuart were then as-
signed to serve in the
army of Gen. Joseph E.
Johnston in western Vir-
ginia. On July 21, 1861,
Pelham singularly distin-
guished himself during
the Battle of Bull Run, providing essential fire
support for Gen. Thomas J. “Stonewall”
Jackson’s brigade at Henry House Hill. That
fall, Stuart arranged Pelham’s promotion to
captain and authorized him to organize the
South’s first horse artillery, or “flying battery.”
This unit, subsequently known as the Stuart
Horse Artillery, differed from regular batter-John Pelham
Alabama Archives