Bio:  Gen. Henry Gray, Red River Parish
Source:  Source: Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Northwest Louisiana
The Southern Publishing Company, Chicago & Nashville, 1890
Submitted for the LA GenWeb Archives by: Gwen Moran-Hernandez, Feb 2000.

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Gen. Henry Gray was born January 19, 1816, in Lawrence District, S. C., of
Prussian extraction.  His ancestors, who emigrated from Prussia in the early
settlement of the American colonies, many of them distinguished themselves in
the service of their adopted country.  His father was prominent in politics in
South Carolina, and served for many years in the Legislature.  Young Gray was
graduated from South Carolina College in  1834 with distinguished honor.  He
immediately entered upon the study of the law, and was admitted to the bar in
1838.  He completed his legal studies in the office of Col. William Murphy, of
Greensboro, Ala., he located temporarily in Winston County, Miss., where he
met Mr. S. S. Prentiss, who induced him to make that State his home.  In 1839
he was elected district attorney, and served until 1845, when he declined
renomination.  In 1841, he married Miss Ellen Howard, a young lady of rare
attainments, who contributed greatly in furthering the intellectual pursuits
and political aspiration of her husband.  In 1846 he was elected to the
Legislature and served for on session and resigned.  In 1850 he was a
candidate for Congress on the Whig ticket and was defeated by a small
majority.   In 1851 he moved to Louisiana and settled in Bienvelle Parish,
where he continued the practice of his profession and engaged largely in
agriculture.  In the campaign of 1856 (having left the Whig ranks) he was an
elector on the Democratic ticket.  In this memorable campaign he and Judah P.
Benjamin canvassed the State together and were strong political friends.  He
was elected to the Legislature in 1860.  I the same year he was a candidate of
the United States Senate against Mr. Benjamin, and was defeated by one vote. 
When the war came on he enlisted in the Confederate service as a private in a
Mississippi regiment.  His ability was well known to President Davis, with
whom he was on the most intimate terms.  He was sent by President Davis from
Virginia, where his regiment was then in service to Louisiana, to organize a
regiment.  Accordingly he organized the Twenty-eighth Louisiana Infantry, of
which he was elected Colonel.  The conspicuous part that this regiment played,
and the distinguished services rendered in the Toche country, and in the
battles of Mansfield and Pleasant Hill, are familiar in the military annals of
the times.  At the battle of Mansfield, on of the greatest achievements  of
the late war, Gen. Mouton was mortally wounded, and Gen. Gray was promoted to
brigadier-general and placed in command of his brigade.  He commanded the
troops in the Red River District and then in Arkansas, when he was elected to
the Confederate Congress.  This closed his military career.  He proceeded
immediately to Richmond and represented the North Louisiana District
Confederate Congress in the last days of the Confederacy.  After the war was
ended by the Confederate surrender Gen. Gray returned to his home, only to
find his hard-earned competency swept away.  He was elected to the State
Senate soon after and took an active and conspicuous part.  As an orator he
had but few equals.  About this time he lost his wife, which appears to have
chilled his political aspirations.  He resigned his seat in the Senate, and
retired from politics, since which time he has persistently declined to become
a candidate for any office.  Though he engaged energetically in agricultural
pursuits, he , like many of his compatriots in the Confederacy, was never able
to rebuild his shattered fortunes.  He lives in retirement near, Coushatta
La., with his only child, the wife of W. J. Stothart

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