Samuel McGowan (general)

Samuel McGowan (August 19, 1819 – August 9, 1897) was a prominent lawyer, politician, and Confederate general during the American Civil War.

Born in Laurens District, South Carolina, McGowan graduated from South Carolina College (now the University of South Carolina) in 1841. He studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1842, establishing a successful legal practice.

Before the Civil War, McGowan served in the South Carolina legislature and participated in the Mexican-American War as a captain in the Palmetto Regiment. He actively supported secession and played a key role in South Carolina's decision to leave the Union.

At the outset of the Civil War, McGowan entered the Confederate Army as a lieutenant colonel. He quickly rose through the ranks, becoming a colonel in 1862 and brigadier general in 1863. He commanded a brigade in the Army of Northern Virginia, seeing action in numerous major battles, including Second Bull Run, Antietam, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, the Wilderness, Spotsylvania Court House, and Petersburg. He was wounded several times during the war but remained a determined and respected commander.

After the war, McGowan returned to South Carolina and resumed his law practice. He remained active in state politics, serving as a state senator and later as an associate justice of the South Carolina Supreme Court from 1879 to 1893. He was a staunch advocate for states' rights and a prominent figure in the post-Reconstruction South. McGowan died in Laurens, South Carolina, and is buried there. He is remembered for his military service and his contributions to law and politics in South Carolina.