Brigadier-General James H. Trapier, a native of South Carolina, was graduated in the United States military academy, third in the class of 1838, of which General Beauregard was second and William J. Hardee, Edward Johnson and Carter L. Stevenson were other famous members. As a lieutenant of engineers in the United States service he assisted in the construction of defenses at Charleston harbor and Fort Pulaski, and was promoted first lieutenant in 1839. Subsequently he was constructing engineer of repairs at Forts Macon and Caswell, and Forts Ontario, Niagara and Porter, New York; served in the war with Mexico in 1847, and was assistant engineer connected with the fortification of New York harbor until his resignation in 1848. Returning to South Carolina he was engaged as a planter at Georgetown until the organization of the Confederacy, serving also as chief of ordnance of the State in 1851-52, and as aide-de-camp, with the rank of colonel, on the staff of Governor Means. With the rank of captain of engineers he rendered valuable service in the construction of the Confederate batteries for the attack on Fort Sumter, and was engineer-in-chief on Morris island. Soon afterward he was promoted major of engineers, and in October was promoted brigadier-general and assigned to command of the department of Eastern and Middle Florida, with especial care of Cumberland sound. Asking to be relieved in March, 1862, he was ordered to report to General Johnston in Alabama. He commanded the First division of General Polk's corps at Corinth and in the battle of Farmington, May 9, 1862, and in November following was assigned to command of the Fourth district of South Carolina, with headquarters at Georgetown. In the spring of 1863 he was in command on Sullivan's island during the attack by the Federal fleet, April 7th, and not long afterward resumed his duties at Georgetown. Surviving the war he died at Mansfield, S. C, January 2, 1866, at the age of fifty-one years.
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Brigadier-General John Bordenave Villepigue was born at Camden, S. C, July 2, 1830, of French descent. He was graduated at the United States military academy in 1854, with a brevet lieutenancy in the dragoons; a year later was promoted to second lieutenant, and in 1857 to first lieutenant. His military service of about seven years in the old army was rendered in the Second dragoons, mainly on the frontier in Kansas and Nebraska, participating in the Sioux expedition of 1855 and the march to Fort Lookout, Dakota, in 1856. He took part in the Utah campaign of 1857-58, and then after a period spent at the Carlisle cavalry school, was on duty in Utah until he resigned, March 31, 1861, to enter the service of the Southern Confederacy. He received the commission of captain of artillery from the government at Montgomery, and soon afterward was promoted colonel in the provisional army, and assigned to the Thirty-sixth Georgia regiment. In command of Georgia and Mississippi soldiers he first attracted attention by his heroic defense of Fort McRee, Pensacola harbor, during the bombardment of November 22, 1861. General Bragg reported at that time that for the number and caliber of guns brought into action it would rank with the heaviest bombardment of the world. The buildings of the fort were several times on fire, and Villepigue was seriously wounded, but his coolness inspired his volunteers to fight with the tenacity of veterans. Said Bragg: "An educated soldier, possessing in an eminent degree the love and confidence of his officers and men, he had been specially selected for this important and perilous post. The result fully vindicates the fortunate choice, and presents for our admiration, blended in perfect harmony, the modest but heroic soldier with the humble but confiding Christian." Villepigue was appointed chief of engineers and artillery on the staff of General Bragg, was for a time in command at Pensacola, then was at Mobile, and joining Bragg was promoted brigadier-general early in 1862. He was assigned to command at Fort Pillow on the Mississippi, General Beauregard sending him there as "the most energetic young officer" at his command. Week after week he held the open batteries, and kept back the enemy's superior land and naval forces until ordered to retire, when he blew up his fortifications and brought off his command in safety, June 4th. He was given command of a brigade of the army in Mississippi, under General Van Dorn, and at the battle of Corinth in October was distinguished both in the attack and in the protection of the rear during the retreat. Soon after this arduous and dispiriting campaign the young soldier was prostrated by a severe illness, which resulted in his death at Port Hudson, November 9, 1862.
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Brigadier-General William Henry Wallace was born in Laurens county, March 24, 1827, son of Daniel Wallace, for several terms a member of the legislature, a major-general of militia, and from 1849 to 1853 representative in Congress. His grandfather was Jonathan Wallace, a native of Virginia who removed to South Carolina before the war of the revolution, in which he was a patriot soldier. General Wallace was graduated at the South Carolina college in December, 1849, and in the following spring was married to Sarah, daughter of Robert Dunlap, of Newberry. She was the niece of James Dunlap, appointed governor of Florida by Andrew Jackson, and granddaughter of William Dunlap, a revolutionary soldier who was the grandson of John Hunter, a native of Ireland who was United States senator from South Carolina in 1801. General Wallace was occupied as planter in Union county until 1857, when he became the proprietor of the Union Times newspaper, and in 1859 began the practice of law at Union. In 1860 as a member of the legislature he supported the call for a convention, and at the expiration of his term he enlisted as a private in Company A, Eighteenth South Carolina volunteers. A few days later he was appointed adjutant of the regiment by Col. James M. Gadberry, who was killed at Second Manassas. Before going into the field the regiment was reorganized, and Wallace was elected lieutenant-colonel in May, 1861. The regiment was ordered into Virginia in time to engage the enemy near Malvern Hill in August, after which it fought at the battle of Second Manassas, losing about half its number in battle, including the gallant Colonel Gadberry. Wallace was at once promoted colonel, and he led his regiment, in the brigade of Gen. N. G. Evans, through the battles of South Mountain and Sharpsburg with the army of Northern Virginia. Subsequently he was on duty in defense of Charleston. In the spring of 1864 the brigade under Gen. Stephen Elliott was ordered to Petersburg, where Colonel Wallace participated in the defense of the lines and all the operations of Bushrod Johnson's division. His brigade suffered most heavily at the battle of the Crater, four companies of his regiment being blown up or destroyed by falling earth at the explosion of the mine, July 30, 1864. In September he was promoted brigadier-general, and up to the eve of the surrender he commanded the brigade, fighting gallantly at Gravelly run and Namozine church on the retreat. At Appomattox Court House, on the night of April 8th, he was assigned by General Gordon to the command of Johnson's division, in which capacity he reported to Gen. Clement A. Evans and participated in the last action of the army on the morning of April 9th. After his parole he devoted himself to the practice of the law, the care of his plantation and the restoration of good government in the State. He was one of the few Democrats elected to the legislature in 1872, and was re-elected in 1874 and 1876. In 1877 he was chosen judge of the Seventh circuit, a position in which he continued to serve with honor and ability until 1893, when he retired from public life.