Notes for John Mercer Brockenbrough, Col.: (Who was Who in the Confederacy page 34)
A farmer and Virginia Military institute alumnus, John Brockenbrough was one of those temporary Confederate brigade commanders who was found wanting. He was appointed colonel, 40th Virginia on May 25, 1861. He commanded Field's Virginia Brigade, A.P. Hill's Division, Jackson's Corps, Army of Northern Virginia (August 29, 1862-March 05, 1863 and May 02-30, 1863) and same brigade, Heth's Division, A.P. Hill's Corps (May 30-July 1863) but was never promoted to the appropriate grade of brigadier general. During the Seven Days he led his regiment at Mechanicsville, Gaines' mill, Frayser's Farm and later at 2nd Bull Run, where he assumed command of the Brigade upon the wounding of General Field. He led the brigade at Chantilly, the capture of Harpers Ferry, Antietam, and Fredericksburg before being relieved by the assignment of General Heth to command the brigade. Brockenbrough commanded the regiment until Heth took command of the division and Brockenbrough the brigade during the fight at Chancellorsville. At Gettysburg he led his brigade on the first day and took part in driving the enemy back through town. For some unexplained reason he was not with his brigade when it took part in Pickett's Charge on third day. Later in July 1863, he was relieved of brigade command and resumed command of the 40th Virginia, which he led at Bristoe Station and Mine Run. On January 21, 1864, Brockenbrough resigned his commission, probably at least in part because he lieutenant colonel, Henry H. Walker, had been promoted to brigadier general and given command of the brigade over him. He is buried in Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond, Virginia.
At about 4:30 p.m., as the Union line began to break, Lee and Hill stood atop Seminary Ridge and watched the Federals retreating through Gettysburg and up Cemetery Hill. While they were thrilled by the Rebel success, they were also stunned by the cost of that victory. Hill had thrown seven brigades into the battle and suffered terrible losses. Archer and Davis, who opened the fray, had taken about 1,400 casualties, one-third of their original number. Their troops lay exhausted on Herr Ridge. Brockenbrough and Pettigrew had lost 648 men, 20 percent of the force that had charged the Union troops on McPherson's Ridge. Their brigades were strewn along the dearly bought ground. Brigadier Generals Abner Perrin, James H. Lane and Alfred Scales, who had pushed the attack against the Federals on Seminary Ridge, had seen more than 1,000 of their men, one-fourth of their commands, fall in the fight. Only Perrin had continued the pursuit of the enemy troops into Gettysburg.
More About John Mercer Brockenbrough, Col. and Austina Brockenbrough: Marriage: December 10, 1856, Virginia.67
More About John Mercer Brockenbrough, Col. and Kate Cornelia Mallory: Marriage: November 08, 1877, Norfolk, Virginia.
Children of John Mercer Brockenbrough, Col. and Austina Brockenbrough are:
Col. John Mercer Brockenbrough, Col. (b. August 01, 1830, d. August 25, 1892)
Notes for John Mercer Brockenbrough, Col.: