440:. In September, Gantt became the general superintendent of the Freedmen's Bureau for the Southwest District of Arkansas. In this role, he oversaw the relation between freed slaves and white Arkansans in his district; he spent much time reviewing and mediating labor contracts. Gantt also organized fundraising for a hospital, supported education for former slaves, and encouraged African Americans in his district to have formal marriages. He also attempted to end "bodily coercion" as a means of enforcing labor contracts in his district.
447:. His work with the Bureau had made him unpopular with Arkansas's class of white elites, which would block his hopes for higher political office. From 1868 to 1870, he was the regional prosecuting attorney. In this role, he integrated juries with African Americans, and tried to make the judicial system fair for both races. Gantt received death threats, sometimes carried seven weapons on his person, and kept his house dark after sundown. In 1868 or 1869, he had been badly beaten for his stances. Gantt opposed the activities of the
424:, and surrendered. He met with Lincoln the next month, and then returned to Arkansas, where he advocated for Arkansans to reject the Confederacy. On December 11, he received the first pardon given by Lincoln to a Confederate officer, Gantt spoke against the Confederacy, slavery, and secession, and in 1863 and 1864 gave speeches in the northern United States designed to strengthen support in the Union for continuing the war. Lincoln proposed the
338:, and Gantt began canvassing northern and western Arkansas with secessionist speeches. Gantt's speeches focused on the claimed risks that the culture of the northern United States presented to southern ideals of honor, pride, and freedom, although the historian Randy Finley questions whether Gantt actually believed his rhetoric. In November, both he and Hindman made inflammatory speeches to the
28:
435:
was formed, and the war was mostly over by the next month. According to Finley, with the war over, Gantt opposed giving many
Arkansas Confederates pardons; Finley suggests that Gantt was still unhappy over his lack of promotions in Confederate service. However, the historian Carl Moneyhon states that
415:
Back home in
Arkansas, Gantt awaited another military assignment, but did not receive one. Rumors of a drinking problem had spread, and there were also claims that he flirted with the wives of other officers. Believing that the Confederacy no longer offered him a chance at prominence, Gantt made his
300:, where he also practiced law. Gantt had ambitions to become a prominent figure, and did not believe that Tennessee or eastern Arkansas gave him an adequate opportunity for that. Gantt was elected as
428:
for returning the seceded states to the Union, and Gantt promoted this plan in
Arkansas; his defection from the Confederacy and support for the Union earned him the disgust of many southerners.
268:
in 1863, becoming an opponent of slavery, secession, and the
Confederacy. From late 1865 to 1866, he was an agent of the Freedmen's Bureau in southwest Arkansas. After moving to
373:, but Gantt was badly wounded during an artillery duel. In December, another regiment was added to Gantt's command, and he and his men were transferred to the defenses of the
272:, he was a regional prosecuting attorney from 1868 until he resigned in 1870. At the time of his death in 1874, Gantt was working on a compilation of Arkansas state law.
463:, tasked Gantt in 1873 with compiling Arkansas's legal code. While continuing this work, Gantt died in Little Rock of a heart attack on June 10, 1874, and was buried in
404:
appointed Gantt as an acting brigadier general early the next year. In early April, the
Confederate defenses at Island Number 10 collapsed, and Gantt surrendered at
999:
398:
436:
Gantt advocated pardoning some
Arkansas Confederates to build support for the Unionist government of the state, with Gantt specifically asking for the pardon of
304:
for the Sixth
Judicial District of Arkansas in 1854, 1856, and 1858. He married Margaret Reid in 1855; the couple had four children. Her family was prominent in
264:
for several months, Gantt returned to
Arkansas but failed to receive another command appointment amid rumors of alcoholism and womanizing. He defected to the
994:
929:
Finley, Randy (2002). ""This
Dreadful Whirlpool" of Civil War: Edward W. Gantt and the Quest for Distinction". In Finley, Randy; DeBlack, Thomas A. (eds.).
1004:
335:
230:
1009:
455:'s presidential election campaign. Gantt resigned his role as prosecuting attorney in 1870, although he continued to prosecute occasional cases.
313:
234:
865:
394:
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888:
857:
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246:
149:
309:
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222:
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296:. Gantt was one of the convention's youngest delegates and did not participate extensively. In 1854 or 1853, he moved to
957:
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308:. In 1858, he was reported to own three carriages, eight slaves, and $ 10,000 of real estate. As an opponent of
539:
229:, which he felt allowed him more opportunities to gain prominence. He spread secessionist rhetoric after the
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285:
281:
214:
106:
47:
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in May. Gantt never took office in the United States House of
Representatives, and was also elected to the
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269:
63:
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535:
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350:. He preferred a military command to a legislative office though. In late July, he was elected
284:
in 1829. His father, George, was a preacher and teacher. Becoming a lawyer, Gantt practiced in
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861:
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909:
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331:
74:
954:
The Impact of Civil War and Reconstruction on Arkansas: Persistence in the Midst of Ruin
850:
456:
978:
382:
359:
448:
898:
Dougan, Michael (1970). "A Look at the "Family" in Arkansas Politics, 1858–1865".
328:, so both candidates ran. Gantt won the general election, polling at 54 percent.
931:
The Southern Elite and Social Change: Essays in Honor of Willard B. Gatewood Jr
249:. He was wounded in an artillery duel while his regiment was in reserve at the
27:
205:
soldier who defected to the Union during the American Civil War and was a
226:
921:
351:
242:
136:
913:
443:
In 1866, Gantt left his role with the Freedmen's Bureau and moved to
253:, and in April 1862 was captured when the Confederate defenses of
369:. On November 7, the 12th Arkansas remained in reserve at the
767:
765:
704:
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288:, and was along with his brother was a delegate to the
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but did not take his seat. After the outbreak of the
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was unable to decide on a nominee between Gantt and
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155:
145:
129:
115:
97:
81:
69:
53:
41:
18:
849:
342:. Arkansas seceded in early 1861, and joined the
358:; Gantt had previously requested to be made a
316:in 1860. His campaign received the support of
8:
217:, in 1829, Gantt was a delegate to the 1850
26:
15:
708:
679:
494:
877:With Fire and Sword: Arkansas, 1861–1874
807:
783:
412:until August 27, when he was exchanged.
365:He and his regiment were transferred to
336:1860 United States presidential election
231:1860 United States presidential election
619:
476:
1000:Politicians from Little Rock, Arkansas
831:
819:
795:
771:
756:
744:
732:
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667:
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314:United States House of Representatives
235:United States House of Representatives
7:
310:Arkansas's ruling political "Family"
34:Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper
995:People from Maury County, Tennessee
408:, on April 8. He was imprisoned at
395:Confederate States Secretary of War
385:, recommended him for promotion to
225:. Later in the decade, he moved to
14:
1005:Confederate States Army officers
858:Louisiana State University Press
389:, but the request was denied by
534:Finley, Randy (June 16, 2023).
451:and in 1867 and 1868 supported
356:12th Arkansas Infantry Regiment
247:12th Arkansas Infantry Regiment
201:was an American politician and
150:12th Arkansas Infantry Regiment
312:, Gantt ran for a seat in the
1:
901:Arkansas Historical Quarterly
536:"Edward W. Gantt (1829-1874)"
344:Confederate States of America
89:Confederate States of America
958:University of Arkansas Press
935:University of Arkansas Press
881:University of Arkansas Press
848:Allardice, Bruce S. (1995).
280:Edward W. Gantt was born in
1010:Freedmen's Bureau personnel
952:Moneyhon, Carl H. (2002) .
875:DeBlack, Thomas A. (2003).
348:Confederate States Congress
174:Battle of Island Number Ten
1026:
956:. Fayetteville, Arkansas:
933:. Fayetteville, Arkansas:
879:. Fayetteville, Arkansas:
856:. Baton Rouge, Louisiana:
381:, area. Gantt's superior,
292:in 1850, which considered
241:in 1861, Gantt became the
340:Arkansas General Assembly
25:
540:Encyclopedia of Arkansas
233:. He was elected to the
306:Dallas County, Arkansas
286:Williamsport, Tennessee
282:Maury County, Tennessee
215:Maury County, Tennessee
107:Confederate States Army
48:Maury County, Tennessee
422:Vicksburg, Mississippi
406:Tiptonville, Tennessee
32:Gantt, as depicted in
852:More Generals in Gray
116:Years of service
64:Little Rock, Arkansas
461:governor of Arkansas
379:New Madrid, Missouri
302:prosecuting attorney
298:Washington, Arkansas
290:Nashville Convention
219:Nashville Convention
438:Augustus H. Garland
431:In March 1865, the
402:P. G. T. Beauregard
221:, which considered
937:. pp. 53–73.
367:Columbus, Kentucky
326:Charles B. Mitchel
239:American Civil War
163:American Civil War
867:978-0-8071-3148-0
822:, pp. 70–71.
798:, pp. 69–70.
774:, pp. 68–69.
747:, pp. 66–67.
694:, pp. 62–63.
682:, pp. 95–96.
658:, pp. 61–62.
610:, pp. 59–60.
574:, pp. 55–56.
562:, pp. 54–55.
433:Freedmen's Bureau
391:Judah P. Benjamin
387:brigadier general
371:Battle of Belmont
318:Thomas C. Hindman
255:Island Number Ten
251:Battle of Belmont
207:Freedmen's Bureau
196:
195:
190:Freedmen's Bureau
168:Battle of Belmont
61:(aged 44–45)
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426:ten percent plan
375:Island Number 10
322:Democratic Party
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332:Abraham Lincoln
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199:Edward W. Gantt
185:Other work
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75:Tulip, Arkansas
70:Place of burial
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20:Edward W. Gantt
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709:Allardice 1995
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680:Allardice 1995
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588:
586:, p. 103.
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495:Allardice 1995
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457:Powell Clayton
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260:Imprisoned at
211:Reconstruction
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908:(2): 99–111.
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784:Moneyhon 2002
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759:, p. 68.
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735:, p. 65.
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383:Leonidas Polk
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360:major general
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543:. Retrieved
449:Ku Klux Klan
442:
430:
414:
364:
330:
279:
259:
198:
197:
156:Battles/wars
59:(1874-06-10)
33:
990:1874 deaths
985:1829 births
832:Finley 2002
820:Finley 2002
796:Finley 2002
772:Finley 2002
757:Finley 2002
745:Finley 2002
733:Finley 2002
721:Finley 2002
692:Finley 2002
668:Finley 2002
656:Finley 2002
644:Finley 2002
632:Finley 2002
608:Finley 2002
596:Finley 2002
584:Dougan 1970
572:Finley 2002
560:Finley 2002
545:17 February
445:Little Rock
416:way to the
410:Fort Warren
270:Little Rock
262:Fort Warren
203:Confederate
979:Categories
471:References
213:. Born in
188:Attorney,
82:Allegiance
420:lines at
294:secession
276:Biography
223:secession
122:1861–1863
922:40019277
334:won the
227:Arkansas
146:Commands
98:Service/
842:Sources
399:General
354:of the
352:colonel
245:of the
243:colonel
137:Colonel
36:in 1864
964:
941:
920:
887:
864:
459:, the
393:, the
320:. The
257:fell.
100:branch
918:JSTOR
465:Tulip
418:Union
266:Union
192:agent
170:(WIA)
962:ISBN
939:ISBN
885:ISBN
862:ISBN
547:2024
377:and
130:Rank
54:Died
45:1829
42:Born
910:doi
981::
960:.
916:.
906:29
904:.
883:.
860:.
764:^
699:^
538:.
502:^
479:^
467:.
397:.
362:.
970:.
947:.
924:.
912::
893:.
870:.
549:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
