John Horace Forney

J.F.

Forney was born at Lincolnton, North Carolina, on August 12, 1829. He was appointed to West Point from Alabama, however. He graduated 22nd in the class of 1852 and was posted first to the Seventh United States Infantry and then to the Tenth Infantry, seeing routine antebellum duty.

Forney entered service as the colonel of the 10th Alabama Regiment. He fought at First Manassas with it. Wounded at Dranesville, Virginia, in December 1861, Forney was promoted to general on March 10, 1862. He was then rapidly promoted on October 27th to major general.

Forney saw service then as commander of the departments of Alabama and Florida. Subsquently, he was given the command of a division in John C. Pemberton's Army defending Vicksburg. Captured there upon the surrender, after being quickly exchanged Forney was sent to the Trans-Mississippi where he commanded the "Texas Division."

After the War, Forney returned to Alabama. He was a farmer and civil engineer there. Forney also operated a small military academy. He died on September 13, 1902 in Jacksonville. He was buried in Jacksonville Cemetery.

Forney's brother, William, was also a Confederate general and also a colonel in the 10th Alabama.

This officer was a member of Wilcox's Brigade in Anderson's / Mahone's Division.

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This page is an officer biography that is part of a large index of officers who served in the Third Corps, Army of Northern Virginia. This officer index is contained on a website devoted to Confederate General A.P. Hill titled And Then A.P. Hill Came Up. The site is copyright 1997 - 2007 by Jennifer Goellnitz. Email Jenny at jgoellnitz [@] gmail.com.