William R. Cox, Confederate General
Edgecombe County, Edgecombe County, North Carolina
Marker Inscription
William R. Cox. Confederate general. His brigade fought in last infantry action at Appomattox. Later Congressman; Secretary U.S. Senate. Home here.
Erected by North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources
The Story
William R. Cox rose to become a Confederate general whose brigade is remembered for taking part in one of the last infantry actions at Appomattox in April 1865, in the final hours before Lee's surrender. After the war he returned to public life as a congressman and later served as Secretary of the U.S. Senate. His home stood here in the Edgecombe County countryside.
Why it matters
Cox's career traces the arc of many Southern leaders who fought in the Civil War and then helped shape the region's political life in the decades that followed.
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Related people
- · William R. Cox
Related events
- · Surrender at Appomattox (1865)
Themes & tags
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