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ALEXANDER, EDWARDPORTER

Alexander, Edward Porter

(May 26, 1835–April 28, 1910)
Confederate General

T

he versatile Alexan-
der was the South’s
ablest artillerist and
did much to enhance the
efficiency of the Confeder-
ate artillery arm. His ser-
vices proved so valuable
that he became one of a
handful of officers that
Gen. Robert E. Leere-
fused to transfer from his
staff. After the Civil War,
Alexander distinguished
himself in a variety of en-
gineering, educational, and
diplomatic capacities.
Edward Porter Alex-
ander was born in Wash-
ington, Georgia, into a
relatively affluent family.
He gained admittance to
West Point in 1853 and
four years later gradu-
ated third in his class of 38 as a second lieu-
tenant of engineers. He also studied at a time
when cadets were under the aegis of Superin-
tendent Robert E. Lee. Alexander showed
great promise as a young officer, and for sev-
eral months thereafter he functioned as an
academy instructor. In October 1858, he rose
to first lieutenant and traveled west as part of
Col. Albert Sidney Johnston’s expedition

against the Mormons, but

he subsequently returned

to the academy when that

maneuver was canceled.

Back at West Point, Alex-

ander next cooperated

with Maj. Albert J. Myer

and helped pioneer a new

system of signaling. The

“wigwam,” or semaphore,

system employed a series

of flags or lanterns to

communicate informa-

tion between army units

and over vast distances.

Although primitive by

today’s standards, it

proved perfectly func-

tional and was widely

employed by both sides

during the Civil War.

Shortly after, Alexander

transferred to the West

Coast and spent several months performing

garrison duty at Fort Steilacoom, Washington

Territory. By this time the first wave of South-

ern secessions began wracking the American

polity. Alexander never advocated secession

from the Union, but once the process began in

the spring of 1861, he resigned his commis-

sion and tendered his services to the Confed-

eracy. “My people are going to war,” he de-

Edward Porter Alexander

Library of Congress