US Congressman and Brigadier General Robert Brank Vance - Grave of a Famous Person on Waymarking.com

Text of the gravestone reads: “Brig Gen Robert Brank Vance 29 Regt NC Inf CSA April 24, 1828 Nov 28 1899”

Robert B. Vance was born on 24 April 1828 near Reems Creek in Buncombe County, North Carolina where he grew up and lived a good portion of his life. He was a merchant and a farmer and served his community as a clerk of the court of pleas. He was the son of Captain David Vance and Mira Margaret Baird. He was also the nephew of Congressman Dr. Robert Brank Vance and his brother is North Carolina Governor Zebulon Vance. He had three brothers and four sisters. He married Harriet V. McElroy on May 13th and they went on to have six children. Only four children survived to adulthood, three boys and one girl.

During the United States Civil War he formed a company of soldiers known as the Buncombe Life Guards of which he was elected Captain. The unit later changed its name to Company “H” of the 29th NC Infantry. His unit trained at Camp Patton and as the war progressed he was elected as Colonel for the 29th North Carolina Infantry Regiment. As part of his service he was sent to Tennessee to defended bridges and the strategic gateway of the Cumberland Gap. This took him into Kentucky leading him to the Battle of Murfreesboro where he took command of the brigade of James E Rains after Rains was killed in the battle. During this battle Vance was nearly killed as his horse was shot out from under him. He relinquished command after contracting typhoid fever. During his convalescence he was promoted to the rank of Brigadier General on 4 March 1863 by Jefferson Davis. After his recovery he was stationed to Western North Carolina where he was captured at Crosbys Creek, Tennessee, on 14 January 1864. He was held prisoner at Fort Delaware until his release on 10 March 1865.

After the war he was elected as a Democrat to serve in the United States congress for six (6) terms beginning in 1873 serving through 1885. After his service in Congress he served as a Federal Assistant Commissioner of Patents and then went on to serve a term in the North Carolina House of Representatives. He was a grand-master in the Masonic Order for the state of North Carolina for two terms (1868-690.

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Description: Six time US Congressman and Brigadier General for the Confederate States of America, CSA. Date of birth: 04/24/1828 Date of death: 11/28/1899 Area of notoriety: Military Marker Type: Headstone Setting: Outdoor Visiting Hours/Restrictions: Dawn to dusk Fee required?: No Web site: [Web Link]

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