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CLINGMAN’S BRIGADE.

. L. Clingman, Brigadier-General. _ : :
Wilk 8. Buig wy: Captain, Acting Assistant Adjutant General,

Brigade. : :
Hal. H. Puryear, 1st Lt., Aid-de-camp on General Clingman’s staff.

Clingman’s

CLINGMAN’S BRIGADE.

By CAPTAIN W. H. S. BURGWYYN, A. A. G.

Believing his paramount allegiance was to his State, when
North Carolina seceded from the Union—20 May, 1861—
Senator Thomas Lanier Clingman left his seat in the United
States Senate and*tendered his services to his State as a sol-
dier to defend his country from invasion, and was Volunteer
Aide to General Johnston at the first battle of Manassas 21
July, 1861. This was his first experience in war.

He was then 49 years of age and had borne an honoratle
and prominent part in his State’s civil history. A first
honor graduate (1832) of the State University, he was a
member (1835) of its House of Commons; thence, he was ad-
vanced to the State Senate of which he was a conspicuous
member for years. Elected to the United States Congress in
1843 as a Whig, he continued to represent his district in Con-
gress as an adherent of that political party until 1852, when
he gave his support to the Democratic Presidential nominee
(General Pierce) and was again elected to Congress, and this
time as a candidate on the Democratic ticket. Appointed in
1858 by the Governor to fill an unexpired term in the United
States Senate, which appointment was ratified by the ensu-
ing Legislature, in 1860 he was re-elected United States Sen-
ator, and at the special session of the Senate 5 March, 1861,
he was sworn in for a six year’s term. Both in the House
of Representatives and in the Senate of the United States, he
had attained conspicuous prominence by his ability, acumen
and fearlessness in debate, his learning and scholarly attain-

ments.
In August following, he was elected Colonel of the Twen-

ty-fifth Regiment North Carolina Troops, infantry, a regi-
ment composed of companies organized in the counties of
Buncombe, Cherokee, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson and
Transylvania, counties in the western part of the State, which

he had represented in Congress.

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