Ewell, Richard Stoddert

Ewell, Richard Stoddert Ewell, Richard Stoddert, 1817â€"72, Confederate general, b. Georgetown, D.C., grad. West Point, 1840. Ewell rose rapidly in the Confederate army, becoming a major general by Oct., 1861. In 1862 he fought under T. J. (Stonewall) Jackson in the Shenandoah Valley campaign, playing a decisive role at Winchester, Cross Keys, and Port Republic . He continued in Stonewall's command through the Seven Days battles and Lee's subsequent advance on Pope but lost his leg in the second battle of Bull Run (Aug., 1862). Upon his return to duty, Ewell succeeded the late Stonewall Jackson as commander of the 2d Corps and led Lee's advance in the Gettysburg campaign . During the Wilderness campaign (1864) he sustained further injury and was forced to retire from the field but commanded the defenses of Richmond until the city fell in Apr., 1865. See D. S. Freeman, Lee's Lieutenants (3 vol., 1942â€"44). The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2012, Columbia University Pr ess. All rights reserved. See more Encyclopedia articles on: U.S. History: Biographies