Randall L. Gibson

Randall L. Gibson
United States Senator from Louisiana
In office 1883–1892
Preceded by	William P. Kellogg
Succeeded by	Donelson Caffery
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Louisiana's 1st district
In office 1875–1883
Preceded by	Effingham Lawrence
Succeeded by	Carleton Hunt
Personal details
Born	(1832-09-10)September 10, 1832 Versailles, Kentucky
Died	December 15, 1892(1892-12-15) (aged 60) Hot Springs, Arkansas
Political party	Democratic
Alma mater	Yale University
Military service
Allegiance	Confederate States of America
Service/branch	Confederate States Army
Years of service	1861-1865
Rank	Brigadier General
Battles/wars	American Civil War

Randall Lee Gibson (September 10, 1832 – December 15, 1892) was a U.S. Senator and a member of the House of Representatives from Louisiana. He was also a brigadier general in the Confederate States Army, a regent of the Smithsonian Institution, and a president of the board of administrators of Tulane University.

Early life

Gibson was born at "Spring Hill", Versailles, Kentucky, the son of a plantation owner. He was educated in leading Louisiana schools. In 1853 he graduated from Yale University, where he was a member of the Scroll and Key society, after which he received a bachelor of laws (LL.B) from the University of Louisiana, later Tulane University.

Civil War

Soon after the state's secession from the Union, Gibson became an aide to Gov. Thomas O. Moore. In March 1861, he left the capital to join the 1st Louisiana Artillery. Later in the year, he was commissioned as colonel of the 13th Louisiana Infantry. Gibson fought at the Battle of Shiloh and subsequent actions. With the Army of the Mississippi, he took part in the 1862 Kentucky Campaign and the Battle of Chickamauga. After being promoted to brigadier general on January 11, 1864, he fought in the Atlanta Campaign and the Franklin-Nashville Campaign; he then was assigned to the defense of Mobile, Alabama. He inspired his troops to hold Spanish Fort, which was under siege, until the last moment, after which they escaped at night on April 8, 1865.

Postbellum career

Gibson served Louisiana as a Democrat in the House of Representatives from 1875 to 1883; at the freshman's prompting on December 10, 1875, the Committee on the Mississippi Levees was created to inquire into building and repairing levees. The committee's name was changed to the Levees and Improvements of the Mississippi River on November 7, 1877. He also served as a senator from 1883 to 1892. He died while still a senator in Hot Springs, Arkansas, and is buried at Lexington Cemetery in Lexington, Kentucky.

In memoriam

Gibson Hall on the campus of Tulane University is named for Senator Gibson, who was instrumental after the war in helping fund and continue the public University of Louisiana as the private Tulane University of Louisiana.

See also

• List of American Civil War generals

References

• Eicher, John H., and Eicher, David J., Civil War High Commands, Stanford University Press, 2001, ISBN 0-8047-3641-3.
• Richard Owen; James Owen (1997). Generals at Rest: The Grave Sites of the 425 Official Confederate Generals. Shippensburg, PA: White Mane Publishing Co. ISBN 1-57249-045-4. 

External links

• Congressional biography
• "Randall L. Gibson". Find a Grave. Retrieved 2009-05-01. 

United States House of Representatives
Preceded by Effingham Lawrence	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Louisiana's 1st congressional district 1875–1883	Succeeded by Carleton Hunt
United States Senate
Preceded by William P. Kellogg	United States Senator (Class 2) from Louisiana 1883–1892 Served alongside: Benjamin F. Jonas, James B. Eustis, Edward D. White	Succeeded by Donelson Caffery