Thomas L. Clingman

Thomas L. Clingman
Clingman photographed byMathew Brady,c. 1860-65
United States Senator fromNorth Carolina
In office May 7, 1858 – March 11, 1861
Preceded by	Asa Biggs
Succeeded by	John Pool(1868)
Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromNorth Carolina
In office March 4, 1853 – May 7, 1858
Preceded by	Edward Stanly
Succeeded by	Zebulon Vance
Constituency	8th district
In office March 4, 1847 – March 3, 1853
Preceded by	James Graham
Succeeded by	Henry Shaw
Constituency	1st district
In office March 4, 1843 – March 3, 1845
Preceded by	Kenneth Rayner
Succeeded by	James Graham
Constituency	1st district
Personal details
Born	Thomas Lanier Clingham (1812-07-27)July 27, 1812 Huntsville,North Carolina,U.S.
Died	October 3, 1897(1897-10-03)(aged 85) Morganton,North Carolina,U.S.
Resting place	Riverside Cemetery
Political party	Democratic
Education	University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill(BA)
Military service
Allegiance	Confederate States
Branch/service	Confederate States Army(Infantry)
Years of service	1861–1865
Rank	Brigadier General
Battles/wars	See list American Civil War Peninsula Campaign Battle of Goldsborough Bridge Battery Wagner Drewry's Bluff Battle of Cold Harbor Siege of Petersburg Battle of Globe Tavern Fort Fisher Battle of Bentonville

Thomas Lanier Clingman(July 27, 1812 – November 3, 1897), known as the "Prince of Politicians," was aDemocraticmember of theUnited States House of Representativesfrom 1843 to 1845 and from 1847 to 1858, andU.S. senatorfrom the state ofNorth Carolinabetween 1858 and 1861. During theCivil War,he refused to resign his Senate seat and was one of the many southern senators subsequentlyexpelledfrom the Senatein absentia.He then served as a general in theConfederate States Army.

Early life

Clingman, was born in Huntsville, a small community in present-dayYadkin County, North Carolina.His parents were Jacob and Jane Poindexter Clingman and he was named for Dr. Thomas Lanier, his half uncle.He was educated by private tutors and in the public schools inIredell County, NC.Clingman graduated from theUniversity of North Carolinain 1832, where he was a member of the Dialectic Senate of theDialectic and Philanthropic Societies.He then studied law and was admitted to thebarin 1834 and began practice in Huntsville.

Political career

Clingman in uniform.

Clingman was elected to theNorth Carolina State House of Commonsin 1835. In 1836 he moved toAsheville, North Carolina.He was a member of theNorth Carolina State Senatein 1840. In 1843 Clingman ran as aWhigand was elected to the28th United States Congress,however he was defeated in his reelection bid in 1845.In 1845 he fought a duel with a fellow congressmanWilliam Lowndes YanceyofAlabama.In Yancey's maiden speech on the House floor, he had impugned his opponent's integrity. Both duelists had missed. In 1847 he regained the seat and won reelection in 1849, 1851, 1853, 1855 and 1857. On May 7, 1858, he resigned after becoming aUnited States senatoras aDemocratthe previous day,replacing the resigningAsa Biggs.He was reelected but was expelled from the Senate for support of theConfederacy.

Civil War

When he first entered the War, Clingman was the commander of the 25th North Carolina Infantry and took part in thePeninsula Campaign.He later commanded abrigadeofinfantry.Clingman's Brigade consisted of the 8th, 31st, 51st and 61st North Carolina Infantry. Clingman's Brigade fought atGoldsborough,Battery Wagner,Drewry's Bluff,Cold Harbor,Petersburg,Globe Tavern,Fort Fisher,andBentonville.

Clingman in his later years

Post-war career

After the Civil War, Clingman explored and measured mountains in western North Carolina andTennessee.Kuwohi,Tennessee's highest mountain, also partly in North Carolina, was renamed Clingman's Dome in his honor from 1859 to 2024 as Kuwohi was one of the mountains he had accurately measured, being said to be the first person to due so.He died inMorganton, North Carolina,and was buried in theRiverside Cemeteryin Asheville, North Carolina.

See also

• List of American Civil War generals (Confederate)
• List of United States senators expelled or censured

Further reading

• Eicher, John H., andDavid J. Eicher,Civil War High Commands.Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2001.ISBN978-0-8047-3641-1.
• Sifakis, Stewart.Who Was Who in the Civil War.New York: Facts On File, 1988.ISBN978-0-8160-1055-4.
• Warner, Ezra J.Generals in Gray: Lives of the Confederate Commanders.Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1959.ISBN978-0-8071-0823-9.
• Jeffrey, Thomas E., “Thomas Lanier Clingman: Fire Eater from the Carolina Mountains”ISBN978-0820320236

External links

• Thomas L. ClingmanatFind a Grave

• United States Congress."Thomas L. Clingman (id: C000524)".Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
• "Clingman, Thomas Lanier".New International Encyclopedia.1905.
• Clingman, Thomas L."[Letter] 1855 Jan. 9, Ho[use of] Rep[resentatives to] W[illia]m H. Thomas / T[homas] L. Clingman".Southeastern Native American Documents, 1730-1842.Digital Library of Georgia.Retrieved21 February2018.