Despite a rather vivid imagination, he was an
active and intelligent officer who rendered
valuable service during the War of 1812.
Bibliography
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Amateurs to Arms! A Military History of the War of
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Hold: The Battle of Chateauguay.Ottawa: Canadian
War Museum, 1986.MAGRUDER, JOHNBANKHEAD
Magruder, John Bankhead
(May 1, 1807–February 18, 1871)
Confederate General
“P
rince John” was
a dashing sol-
dier and cut an
impressive figure on
horseback. However, his
military leadership proved
inconsistent, and he
wound up employed in
secondary theaters out
West.
John Bankhead Ma-
gruder was born in Port
Royal, Virginia, on May 1,
1807, and in 1826 he en-
tered the U.S. Military
Academy at West Point.
He graduated four years
later fifteenth in a class of
42, although his penchant
for heavy drinking nearly
led to his expulsion. Ma-
gruder was initially posted
as a second lieutenant
with the Seventh U.S. In-
fantry in July 1830, and the following year he
transferred over to the First U.S. Artillery. He
served well, gained a promotion to first lieu-
tenant in March 1836, and
rendered capable service
during the Second Semi-
nole War (1836–1842). Ma-
gruder was next billeted
in Texas, where he served
under Gen. Zachary Taylor
in the Army of Occupa-
tion. Once the Mexican-
American War com-
menced in 1846, he
accompanied Taylor’s in-
vasion of northern Mex-
ico and won brevet pro-
motion to captain for
gallantry at Palo Alto in
June 1846. In 1847, he
transferred to the army of
Gen. Winfield Scott and
garnered further distinc-
tion at Cerro Gordo and
Chapultepec, winning bre-
vet promotions to major
and lieutenant colonel. In
these encounters he served a battery of light
artillery under the immediate direction of Gen.
Gideon Johnson Pillow and was twiceJohn Bankhead Magruder
Library of Congress