Born: 1828 in Ireland Died: Nov. 20, 1864 Military Record: Served with: Company F, 1st Ark. State Troops - 15th Ark. - 2nd Brig., 1st Div. Army of Central Kentucky - 2nd Brig., Hardee's Div., Army of Miss. - 2nd Brig., Buckner's Div., Left Wing, Army of Miss. - 2nd Brig., Hardee-Breckenridge Corps, Army of Tenn. - Commanding Cheatham's Corps, Army of Tenn. Biography: Born in County Cork, on St. Patrick's Day in 1828, Patrick R. Cleburne was the only person born in Ireland to ever become a Confederate Major General during the Civil War. Known as the "Stonewall of the West", Cleburne was one of the most popular Confederate division commanders. He had wanted to be a druggist in Ireland, but was unable to pass the language tests, so instead, at the age of 22, he served with the British 41st Regiment of Foot. After a number of years, he was able to purchase his way out of the British Army. He then emigrated to America where he became a druggist, and later a highly successful property attorney. In early 1861 he joined the Confederate Army, serving as Captain in Company F, of the 1st Arkansas State Troops. At the head of the Yell Rifles, he served in Arkansas before being named commander of the state unit. He was later transferred with William J. Hardee to central Kentucky, where he was promoted to Brigadier General and fought at Shilo during the siege of Cornith. As part of the Kentucky Campaign, he was wounded while fighting in Richmond and again in Perryville. After that campaign, he was promoted to Major General, and commanded a division at Murfreesboro, during the Tullahoma Campaign, and at Chickamauga. Cleburne, a favorite of Confederate President Jefferson Davis, is credited with covering the retreat from Chattanooga after his splendid defense of Tunnel Hill. That winter he proposed that in order to reinforce the Confederate armies, slavery would have to be abolished in a "reasonable time", and blacks be recruited for military service on the promise of their freedom. This proposal was rejected by the Richmond authorities and wouldn't be passed by the Confederate Congress until a few months after the death of Cleburne. Cleburne went on to command his division, and briefly the corps, through the Atlanta Campaign, and then later with Hood, into middle Tennessee. Patrick R. Cleburne was killed Nov. 20, 1864 during the battle of Franklin. He became the senior of 6 Confederate generals to die in this campaign, which was little more than mass suicide. His death was a calamity to the Confederate cause perhaps only exceeded by the death of Stonewall Jackson. Cleburne was first buried in Franklin, however, his remains were later transferred and he was interred in Helena, Arkansas.