Robert H. Anderson

This article is about the Confederate officer in the American Civil War. For the Union officer in the same war, see Robert Anderson (Civil War). For other uses, see Robert Anderson (disambiguation).

Robert Houstoun Anderson
File:GenRHAndersonColor.jpg Robert Houstoun Anderson
Born	(1835-10-01)October 1, 1835 Savannah, Georgia
Died	Savannah, Georgia
Place of burial	Bonaventure Cemetery, Savannah, Georgia
Allegiance	United States of America Confederate States of America
Service/branch	United States Army Confederate States Army
Years of service	1857–1861 (USA) 1861–1865 (CSA)
Rank	First Lieutenant (USA) Brigadier General (CSA)
Unit	Army of Tennessee
Commands held	5th Georgia Cavalry
Battles/wars	American Civil War Battle of Fort McAllister (1863) Battle of Atlanta Savannah Campaign Carolinas Campaign
Other work	U.S. Army officer, police chief, Board of Visitors US Military Academy at West Point

Robert Houstoun Anderson (October 1, 1835 – February 8, 1888) was a cavalry and artillery officer in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War.

Early life and career

Born in Savannah, Georgia, Anderson was educated in the local schools. He received an appointment to the United States Military Academy. After graduation in 1857, as a brevet second lieutenant, he was stationed in upstate New York. He later served as an infantry first lieutenant at Fort Walla Walla in the Washington Territory.

Civil War service

In early 1861, shortly before the official secession of his home state, Anderson accepted a commission as a lieutenant in the artillery. In September of that year, he was promoted to major in the CSA. In September 1862 he was wounded at the Battle of Antietam. He was appointed assistant adjutant general to Maj. Gen. W. H. T. Walker of the Georgia State militia. In April 1862 Major Anderson formed the Georgia Sharpshooters seeing action at the Battle of Fort McAllister (1863) before his transfer to the frontlines as colonel of the 5th Georgia Cavalry.

Commissioned a brigadier general on July 26, 1864, Anderson was attached to the Army of Tennessee as a cavalry officer during the Atlanta Campaign. After the death of commanding officer Brig. Gen. John H. Kelly near Franklin, Tennessee, Anderson assumed temporary command of the division before resuming his former position as brigade commander following the fall of Atlanta. He would later lead his brigade against advancing Union forces during Sherman's March to the Sea and the Carolinas Campaign before the collapse of the Confederacy in April 1865. He was wounded at the Battle of Brown's Mill near Newnan, Georgia on July 30, 1864 during the Atlanta Campaign and at Fayetteville, North Carolina during the Carolinas Campaign, on March 11, 1865.

Postbellum career

File:Bonaventure cemetery - robert anderson 7360.JPG

Bust of General Anderson, by Alexander Dole

Following the war, Anderson served as the police chief of Savannah from 1867-1888, and was appointed by President Rutherford B. Hayes to the Board of Visitors for the US Military Academy at West Point. While there he helped reunite old friends and reconciliation efforts. He was appointed again to the Board by President Grover Cleveland in 1887. As Chief of Police for the city of Savannah, he brought order and through his leadership made the force one of the most effective in the nation. He died at the age of 52, and is still remembered with much affection by the Savannah Police Department. He is buried in Bonaventure Cemetery with his wife and children beside him. His son Robert Houstoun Anderson Jr. also served in the US Army with distinction on the border, and in China before his death due to disease in the Philippines in 1901.

• GenRHAnderson.jpg

  General R H Anderson

• AndersonFamilyGravesite.jpg

  Anderson Family Gravesite

• RAHhussars.jpg

  RAH GA Hussars 1880

• BrigGenRAH.jpg

  BG R H Anderson 1864

See also

• List of American Civil War generals

References

• Brown, Russell K., ed. Our Connection with Savannah - A History of the 1st Battalion Georgia Sharpshooters. Macon, GA: Mercer University Press, 2004. ISBN 0-86554-916-8.
• Linedecker, Clifford L., ed. Civil War, A-Z: The Complete Handbook of America's Bloodiest Conflict. New York: Ballantine Books, 2002. ISBN 0-89141-878-4.
• Welsh, Jack D. Medical Histories of Confederate Generals. Kent, OH: Kent State University Press, 1995. ISBN 978-0-87338-505-3. Retrieved June 20, 2015.  – via Questia (subscription required)

External links

• Bio of Robert H. Anderson