Col. Edmund W. Rucker (CSA)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edmund_Rucker

Edmund Winchester Rucker (1835 – 1924) was a Confederate officer during the American Civil War. He was given the title of "General" as an honorary award after the war, when he became an industrial leader of Birmingham, Alabama. Fort Rucker, Alabama was named in honor of him. He is buried in Birmingham's Oak Hill Cemetery.

Civil War service

Rucker was a colonel in the Confederate Army of Tennessee. He fought at the Battle of Franklin and the Battle of Nashville, commanding a brigade of cavalry. He was wounded and captured during the Battle of Nashville.

Industrial career

Rucker came to Birmingham in the 1880s, building his home in the neighborhood that is now called Five Points.

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Rucker, born in 1834, was a self taught surveyor and engineer. He started his Confederate service in May 1861 as a private in a company of Sappers and Miners, engineers, eventually becoming a 2nd lieutenant.

He was next assigned to command a group of Illinoisans who joined the Confederacy and formed a heavy artillery unit, Stewart's Invincibles. The unit became part of Company E of the 1st Tennessee Heavy artillery with Rucker named captain on 10 May 1862. He commanded the company at Island #10 and escaped with part of his command when the island fell. He was sent to Fort Pillow and remained there until he was transferred to the cavalry in October 1862 as a major in the 16th Tennessee cavalry battalion. He was assigned to rounding up conscripts. He was promoted to colonel in February 1863 and took part in John Pegram's Kentucky raid. Rucker was assigned command of Rucker's Legion, an organization comprised of the 12th and 16th cavalry battalions on 1 June 1863. The Legion fought at Chickamauga. 

In February 1864 Rucker was transferred to Mississippi and given command of the 6th brigade in Abraham Buford's division which he led at Brice's Crossroads and Tupelo until he was wounded. Rucker returned to duty on 14 July 1864 in command of the 6th brigade of James Chalmer's division in Forrest's Cavalry Corps. The brigade was assigned to the Army of Tennessee and saw action at Nashville where Rucker lost his left arm. In February 1865 Forrest's cavalry was reorganized and Rucker lost his brigade on 13 February 1865. He was commissioned a brigadier general but the commission did not arrive before the war ended.

Following the war Rucker worked with Forrest on a railroad project in Alabama. Rucker then settled in Birmingham, Alabama where he became a leader in industry and in Confederate veteran affairs. He died in 1924.

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Civil War Confederate Army Officer. Served in the Civil War first as Colonel and commander of Rucker's legion, then as commander of a brigade during the Civil War. Originally from Tennessee, he served under Lieutenant General Nathan B. Forrest. He brilliantly commanded a brigade during the famous battle of Brice's Crossroads in Northern Mississippi. He lost his left arm during the Battle of Nashville.

After the war, he worked with General Forrest on a railroad project in Alabama. Over the following years, Edmund Rucker settled in the new city of Birmingham and became one of the city's pioneer industrial leaders. In January 1942, the War Department announced that a new camp being built in southeast Alabama would be named "Camp Rucker" for Edmund W. Rucker.

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