Cabarrus County, NC - Rufus Barringer

Rufus Barringer (1821-1895)

Brigadier-General Rufus Barringer was born in Cabarrus county, N. C., 
December 2, 1821. He was of sturdy German stock, a grandson of John 
Paul Barringer, who was born in Wurtemburg, June 4, 1721, and emigrated 
to this country, arriving at Philadelphia, in the ship Phoenix, 
September 30, 1743.

John Paul or Paulus Barringer, as he was called, married Catharine, 
daughter of Caleb Blackwelder and Polly Decker of Germany. Of their ten 
children by this (second) marriage, the eldest, Paul Barringer, was 
prominent in the service of the State and was commissioned a brigadier-
general during the war of 1812. During his infancy his grandfather 
Blackwelder, and his father Paulus Barringer, a captain in the colonial 
militia and a conspicuous member of the committee of safety, were taken 
prisoners by the tories and carried to Cheraw, S. C.

Paul Barringer married Elizabeth, daughter of Jean Armstrong and 
Matthew Brandon, who was with Joseph Graham and Colonel Locke in the 
repulse of the British near Charlotte, and also served with Col. John 
Brandon at Ramseur's mill.

Gen. Rufus Barringer, son of the above, was born in 1821, and was 
graduated at North Carolina University in 1842. He studied law with his 
brother Moreau, then with Chief Justice Pearson, settling in Concord. A 
Whig in politics, in 1848 he served in the lower house of the State 
legislature, and here was in advance of his time in advocating a 
progressive system of internal improvements.

The following session he was elected to the State senate. He then 
devoted himself to his practice until he was made in 1860 a Whig 
elector in behalf of Bell and Everett. He was tenacious of his 
principles, and not to be swerved from duty by any amount of ridicule 
or opposition; was devotedly attached to the Union and the 
Constitution, and with rare discernment saw that the consequence of 
secession would be war, the fiercest and bloodiest of modern times, and 
he was so outspoken with his convictions that he was once caricatured 
in the streets of Charlotte.

However, when he saw that war was inevitable, his duty to his State 
came uppermost, and even before the final ordinance of secession was 
passed he urged the legislature, then in session, to arm the State and 
warn the people that they must now prepare for war.

He himself was among the first to volunteer. He raised in Cabarrus 
county a company of cavalry, of which he was chosen captain and which 
became Company F, First North Carolina cavalry, his commission bearing 
date May 16, 1861.

He was promoted to major, August 26, 1863, and three months later to 
lieutenant-colonel. In June, 1864, he was commissioned brigadier-
general, and succeeded to the command of the North Carolina cavalry 
brigade, consisting of the First, Second, Third and Fifth regiments.
General Barringer was in seventy-six actions and was thrice wounded, 
most severely at Brandy Station. He had two horses killed under him at 
other engagements. He was conspicuous at the battles of Willis' Church, 
Brandy Station, Auburn Mills; Buckland Races, where he led the charge; 
Davis' Farm, where he was commander; and he was in command of a 
division at Reams' Station. 

His brigade was distinguished at Chamberlain Run, March 31, 1865, when 
it forded a stream one hundred yards wide, saddle- girth deep, under a 
galling fire, and drove back a division of Federal cavalry, this being 
the last decisive Confederate victory on Virginia soil.

On April 3, 1865, at Namozine church, he was taken prisoner by a party 
of "Jesse scouts" disguised as Confederates, Colonel Young and Captain 
Rowland among them, and sent to City Point along with General Ewell.

President Lincoln, then at City Point, was at Colonel Bowers' tent and 
asked that General Barringer be presented to him, jocosely adding, "You 
know I have never seen a real live rebel general in uniform. " The 
President greeted him warmly, and was pleased to recall acquaintanceship 
with his elder brother, D. M. Barringer, with whom he served in Congress.

General Barringer was then sent on to the old Capitol prison, and 
afterward transferred to Fort Delaware, where he was detained till 
August, 1865. While there, he had the opportunity of ascertaining the 
current of public sentiment in regard to the results of the war, and as 
he had foreseen that war would follow secession, he now realized that 
the conquerors decreed free suffrage, and believed the wisest action of 
the South would be to accept the consequences.

With his accustomed directness and fearlessness of action, he advocated 
the acceptance of the reconstruction acts of 1867, and urged his fellow 
citizens to the policy he believed best suited to the country. Of 
course he suffered from the violent animosity incident to political 
differences, yet the appreciation of his home people was shown by his 
election in 1875 to the State constitutional convention, as a 
Republican from a Democratic county, and though defeated for 
lieutenant- governor in 1880, his own Democratic county gave him a 
majority of its votes. 

In 1865 General Barringer removed to Charlotte, and resumed the 
practice of law till 1884; at first in partnership with Judge Osborne. 
After his retirement from the bar he devoted himself to his farming 
interests, striving to imbue the farmer with ambition for improvement 
in himself and his circumstances.

For this purpose he often had recourse to the press, the last week of 
his life contributing to the papers an article protesting against the 
farmers' desertion of their homes for the towns. He had abiding faith 
in the power of the press and in its influence for good.

Among his latest pleasures were talking with the old veterans and 
contributing to the history of the war. In 1881 he wrote a series of 
cavalry sketches describing the battles of Five Forks and Chamberlain 
Run, Namozine Church, and other notable engagements, which are 
preserved to-day among the most interesting and valuable historical 
data of the war; and again he made valuable contributions to " The War 
Between the States," published by John A. Sloane.

He was ever interested in history, and zealous of the fame of North 
Carolina. He wrote sketches of "The Dutch Side," a history of the 
"Battle of Ramseur's Mill," "A History of the North Carolina Railroad," 
etc.

On November 19, 1894, came a plea from Judge Clark for a history of the 
Ninth regiment, State troops (First North Carolina cavalry), saying, 
"You are very busy, and that is one reason you are selected. Only busy 
men have the energy and talent to do this work. Your record as a 
soldier satisfies me that you will not decline the post of duty."
Already confined to bed, he called for books and papers, and with the 
zeal and haste of one impressed with the importance of the work and the 
shortness of time, he put on the finishing touches not many days before 
the end. It was a labor of love.

The purpose of his thought, which never seemed to weaken, was the 
uplifting of his fellow men, the prosperity of his beloved church, and 
care for his old comrades. One of his last injunctions to his son was, 
"Remember Company F; see that not one of them ever suffers want. They 
ever loved me, they were ever faithful to me, and Paul, always stand by 
our Confederate soldiers, and North Carolina. Let her never be 
traduced."

He died February 3, 1895, leaving a wife and three sons; the eldest, 
Dr. Paul Barringer, now chairman of the university of Virginia; the 
youngest, Osmond Long Barringer, with his mother in Charlotte. His 
first wife was Eugenia Morrison, sister of Mrs. T. J. (Stonewall) 
Jackson; the second Rosalie Chunn, of Asheville; the surviving one 
Margaret Long of Orange County.

Source: Confederate Military History, vol. V, p294

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