Alexander Travis HAWTHORN
(1825-1899)

Alexander Travis Hawthorn was born near Evergreen, in Conecuh County, Alabama, January 10, 1825, and was educated at Evergreen Academy and Mercer University in that state. He then studied law at Yale University for two years, from 1846 to 1847, and located in Camden, Arkansas, where he commenced his practice. When the 6th Arkansas Infantry was organized in 1861, he was elected its lieutenant colonel. By the spring of 1862 he had been appointed colonel of the gallant regiment, which he led at the battle of Shiloh, up to that time the greatest conflict of arms that the New World had ever seen. The soldiers of the South stormed and captured the camp of the victors of Fort Donelson, drove them in complete rout to the protection of their gunboats, and, had not the advance been stayed, would probably have annihilated the army of Grant before Buell could get to its assistance. After Shiloh, the 6th Arkansas was reorganized and re-elected officers in accordance with the April 25, 1862 Conscription Act. Hawthorn was not re-elected, and was reassigned to Arkansas in the Department of the Trans-Mississippi. When the large army of Grant and his powerful fleet were besieging Vicksburg, General Holmes was ordered by Kirby Smith to create a diversion, if possible, in favor of Pemberton, by attacking the strong post of Helena, Ark. This was done, but without success. During the joint campaign against Banks and Steele, in April, 1864, Hawthorn, who on the 28th of February, 1864, had been commissioned brigadier-general, led a brigade (consisting of the 29th, 34th, and 35th Arkansas regiments) in the division of General T.J. Churchill, and made a gallant fight at Jenkins' Ferry, April 30th, during a fierce engagement of several hours' duration. He continued in command of his brigade, under General Churchill, until the close of hostilities.

General Hawthorn emigrated to Brazil after the demise of the Confederacy, but returned to the United States in 1874 and engaged in business in Atlanta. Six years later General Hawthorn entered the Baptist ministry and was ordained, after which he lived in Texas until his death, on May 31, 1899, in Dallas. He is buried in Marshall, Texas.