Richard C . Gatlin Richard Caswell Gatlin ( January 18 , 1809 – September 8 , 1896 ) was a Confederate general during the American Civil War . Early life . Gatlin was born in Kinston , Lenoir County , North Carolina , the son of John Slade Gatlin and Susannah Caswell Gatlin . His mother was the daughter of Richard Caswell , first governor of North Carolina . Gatlin was educated at the United States Military Academy , where he graduated 35th in his class in 1832 , along with Philip St . George Cooke , Erasmus D . Keyes , George B . Crittenden , Randolph B . Marcy , and Humphrey Marshall . Personal life . Gatlin married Scioto Sandford . Scioto died after complications from childbirth in January 1852 . Gatlin married Mary Ann Gibson of Arkansas on January 20 , 1857 . Military service . He was commissioned a second lieutenant in the 7th infantry , and served on frontier duty in Native American Territory , in the Seminole Wars from 1839 – 42 , and was then stationed in Louisiana until 1845 , when he served in Texas , and was promoted to captain . He served in the Mexican War , serving in the defense of Fort Brown in May 1846 . Gatlin was wounded during an assault at the Battle of Monterey , and received the Brevet of major . In 1847 he was tendered the commission of colonel , First North Carolina volunteers , but declined it . He then served in Missouri and Louisiana , took part in the Seminole Wars of 1849 - 50 , and served on frontier duty in Kansas , Native American Territory , Arkansas and Dakota until he marched with Albert Sidney Johnston to Utah to take part in the Utah War . In 1860 he marched to New Mexico and was stationed at Fort Craig , and was promoted major of Fifth infantry in February , 1861 . While on a visit to Fort Smith , Arkansas , on April 23 , 1861 , he was captured by the Arkansas militia , and released on parole , after which he resigned his commission and offered his services to North Carolina . Civil War . Gatlin was appointed adjutant general of North Carolina , with the rank of major general of militia , and received the commission of colonel of infantry in the regular army of the Confederate States of America . He was then given command of the Southern department , coastal defense , with headquarters at Wilmington , North Carolina . He was promoted to brigadier general in August 1861 and was assigned to command the department of North Carolina and the coastal defenses of the State . Soon after Gatlin was promoted to command , Fort Hatteras was captured by the Union . Gatlin then made preparations for the defense of New Bern . He made his headquarters at Goldsboro in September and there organized troops and prepared for the defense of the area . Upon his suggestion an additional coastal district was formed and General Daniel H . Hill was made commander of the new district . Gatlin repeatedly requested reinforcements , but none were available and in March 1862 , New Bern fell . Gatlin was suffering from a severe illness and on March 19 , 1862 , he was relieved from duty . In his final report he stated that " we failed to make timely efforts to maintain the ascendency on Pamlico sound , and thus admitted Burnside ' s fleet without a contest ; we failed to put a proper force on Roanoke island , and thus lost the key to our interior coast , and we failed to furnish General Branch with a reasonable force , and thus lost the important town of New Bern . What I claim is that these failures do not by right rest with me . " Gatlin resigned in September , 1862 but subsequently served as adjutant and inspector general of North Carolina . Post - War . After the end of the War , Gatlin moved to Sebastian County , Arkansas and farmed there until 1881 . He then moved to Fort Smith . He died at Mount Nebo on September 8 , 1896 . He and his wife Mary Ann Gibson Gatlin are buried at Fort Smith National Cemetery .