Theophilus T . Garrard Theophilus Toulmin Garrard ( June 7 , 1812 – March 15 , 1902 ) was a politician , Union general in the American Civil War , farmer , and businessman . Early life and career . Garrard was born in Clay County , Kentucky near Manchester at the Goose Creek Salt Works ( later Union Salt Works ) to Colonel Daniel Garrard ( 1780 – 1886 ) and Lucinda Jane Toulmin ( 1790 – 1849 ) . He was a grandson of Kentucky Governor James Garrard and cousin of Israel Garrard , Jeptha Garrard , and Kenner Garrard . Garrard attended Centre College in Danville , Kentucky . On March 26 , 1832 , Garrard married Nancy Brawner , who died on March 31 , just five days after their wedding . He then married Lucinda " Lucy " Burnham Lees on March 9 , 1849 ; together they had eleven children , six boys and five girls . Garrard ran for office in the Kentucky House of Representatives in 1841 and 1842 , but was defeated both times . He ran again in 1843 , beating his opponent General Elijah Combs . He was reelected in 1844 with no opposition . During the Mexican - American War he served as a captain of Company E , 16th U . S . Infantry , from March 5 , 1847 until August 5 , 1849 , but never saw combat . Four companies , Garrard ' s included , were stationed at Cerralvo , Mexico on the Rio Grande , with the remaining six companies at Monterrey . Garrard stated , " I think the 8 months I stayed there were the most pleasant part of my life . The Mexicans were fond of us . We had no trouble with them . The climate was pleasant and everything went well . " Garrard left Kentucky in 1849 to seek his fortune in the California Gold Rush , but returned to Kentucky in 1850 , not having found a fortune . He won a seat in the Kentucky Senate in 1857 and resigned in 1859 to run for the United States Congress , but was defeated by Green Adams . He was elected again to the Kentucky Senate on August 4 , 1861 , but declined to serve as he had received his commission as colonel July 27 , 1861 . Although a staunch Unionist , Garrard was a slave owner . The 1840 U . S . Census shows that he owned 11 slaves . By 1860 , his total worth was $ 20 , 000 ( over $ 694 , 000 in 2007 dollars ) , and he owned nine slaves thus making him the sixth wealthiest citizen of Clay County . Civil War . At the outbreak of the Civil War Garrard was authorized to raise a regiment of infantry . He personally recruited eight companies : two from Clay County , two from Laurel County , two from Knox County , and two from Whitley County . Garrard was appointed colonel of the 7th Kentucky Infantry on September 22 , 1861 . He commanded the 7th Kentucky Infantry at the Battle of Camp Wildcat , during the Cumberland Gap Campaign , and a detachment of men at the Battle of Perryville from the 7th Kentucky , 32nd Kentucky Infantry , and 3rd Tennessee Infantry who had escaped the Battle of Richmond . Garrard remained with the 7th Kentucky until winter 1862 when he was assigned to the staff of Brigadier General Samuel P . Carter . Garrard was promoted to brigadier general to date from November 29 , 1862 , and ordered to report to Major General Benjamin M . Prentiss at Helena , Arkansas . While at Milliken ' s Bend , Louisiana , near the end of March 1863 , Garrard lost central vision in his left eye . His attending surgeon suggested that he had some " obscure disease " behind the eye and advised Garrard to see another physician . Garrard reported to the Union Army medical director at Cincinnati in July 1863 . The surgeon there determined he had a rupture within the eye and that it was incurable . Garrard remained at Cincinnati until leaving for Memphis on September 12 , 1863 . Garrard was assigned command of the District of Somerset , which included four other nearby towns , August 1863 - January 17 , 1864 ; this command was broken into the Subdistrict of Somerset , which he also commanded November 6 - December 1863 . On January 17 , 1864 , he was placed in command of the District of the Clinch , a mixed brigade of infantry and cavalry , posted at Cumberland Gap . His primary responsibilities included supervision of the construction of military roads within his jurisdiction . Garrard was honorably mustered out of the service on April 4 , 1864 due to his vision issues . He returned to home in Clay County , where he farmed and operated the salt works . Pension records indicate that he had lost complete sight in his left eye and nearly all in his right eye . Later life . Garrard spent the remainder of his life in Clay County farming and operating the Union Salt Works , which he rebuilt after they were burned by Union soldiers during the war to prevent their use by Confederate forces . He died on March 15 , 1902 in the same home in which he was born . Garrard is buried in the family cemetery at Garrard , Kentucky . Honors . The Brigadier General Theophilus T . Garrard Camp # 4 , Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War is named in his honor .