James H . Trapier James Heyward Trapier ( November 24 , 1815 – December 21 , 1865 ) was a career United States Army officer who fought during the Mexican – American War . He also served as a Confederate general during the American Civil War , dying shortly after its conclusion . Early life and career . Trapier was born in 1815 at a plantation called " Windsor " located along the Black River near the city of Georgetown , South Carolina . In 1834 he attended the United States Military Academy at West Point , and graduated four years later standing third out of 45 cadets . P . G . T . Beauregard , whom Trapier would serve under later in life , placed second in this same class . He was commissioned a second lieutenant in the 1st U . S . Artillery on July 1 , 1838 . Six days later Trapier transferred to the Engineer Corps , and he was promoted to the rank of first lieutenant on July 1 , 1839 . In his work for the Engineers , Trapier helped in the construction of defenses on the coastline of the United States . He also served in the Mexican – American War from 1846 – 1848 , and he would resign his commission on February 28 , 1848 . After tendering his resignation , Trapier moved back to his plantation in South Carolina and became a planter . He also was active in the South Carolina State Militia , rising to the rank of colonel and serving as the militia ' s aide - de - camp . As the chief of ordnance of South Carolina , Trapier " ensured that the state was well - armed . " Civil War service . At the start of the American Civil War in 1861 , Trapier chose to follow his home state and the Confederate cause . He entered the Confederate Army in January , assigned as a captain in the Engineers as well as aide - de - camp to South Carolina ' s Governor Francis W . Pickens . He then began his service under Brig . Gen . Beauregard , becoming part of his staff in April and Chief Engineer of the newly formed Department of South Carolina until November . While there he aided Beauregard in the construction of artillery batteries within Charleston Harbor , and on June 19 he was promoted to major and was assigned assistant quartermaster . Trapier was promoted to the rank of brigadier general on October 21 , 1861 . He was given command the District of Middle and Eastern Florida from November 5 until March 14 of the following year . He then was ordered to the Western Theater and Gen . Albert Sidney Johnston ' s Army of the Mississippi , with Brig . Gen . Joseph Finegan taking over his district command in April . Trapier was assigned to lead the 4th Brigade of the 2nd Division in Maj . Gen . Braxton Bragg ' s II Corps in March . Gen . Beauregard assumed command of the Army of the Mississippi upon Johnston ' s death at Shiloh and led it during the First Battle of Corinth in late April . Trapier was then temporarily given command the 1st Division of the I Corps on April 14 when it ' s commander , Charles Clark , fell ill . When Clark recovered , Trapier was then given temporary command of the 2nd Division of Bragg ' s II Corps , and led it in this capacity during the Battle of Farmington . Trapier ' s performance during the Union siege at Corinth was highly criticized and Bragg , now the army commander , ordered him relieved of command and sent him home for duty in South Carolina . Trapier was one of the many army officers whose career was badly damaged by the harsh and unfair criticisms of Bragg . In November 1862 , Trapier was given command of the Forth Military District of South Carolina , headquartered in Georgetown . This district encompassed the area from the North Carolina line to the Santee River . Trapier strengthened the defense of this district by placing troops in coastal fortifications , notably Battery White , which guarded Winyah Bay . In April 1863 , Trapier was called by Gen . P . G . T . Beauregard , who at this time commanded at Charleston , to command the garrison located on Sullivans Island during Union Admiral Samuel DuPonts ' naval assault on the city . DuPont ' s attack failed and with Charleston safe , Trapier reported back to Georgetown . After April 1863 , Trapier performed well in the command of the district although constantly plagued by a lack of supplies and troops . Trapier asked the Confederate government repeatedly for extra troops to defend this district ; however , the government allocated what extra troops it had to more active theaters . Trapier ' s district was unmolested until February 25 , 1865 when Union Admiral John Dahlgren ' s fleet sailed into Georgetown ' s harbor and captured the town . Trapier evacuated the town and its outlying fortifications previous to its occupation in concurrence with the surrender of Charleston . Admiral Dahlgren ' s flagship , " Harvest Moon " , struck a torpedo March 1 , 1865 in Winyah Bay placed there under orders from Gen . Trapier . The admiral was uninjured but the " Harvest Moon " sank . There is no record showing Gen . Trapier was ever captured or paroled . Trapier was not with Confederate forces under Gen . Joseph Johnston in North Carolina at the time of surrender . Postbellum and death . After the end of the war , Trapier returned to farming in South Carolina . He died at the age of 50 during the winter of 1865 at the home of a friend in Georgetown . He was buried there in the cemetery of Prince George Winyah Churchyard .