A Civil War Biography

George Baird Hodge

Hodge was born on 8 April 1828 in Fleming County, Kentucky. He was educated at the US Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland becoming a midshipman on 16 December 1845 then an acting lieutenant. He resigned from the navy in 1851. He ran unsuccessfully to represent the 10th Kentucky district in the US House of Representatives in the election of 1852. He was admitted to the bar at Newport, Kentucky that same year. In 1859 Hodge was elected to the state legislature. He was an elector for John C. Breckinridge in the 1860 presidential election.

When the war started Hodge joined the army as a private, then was chosen to represent Kentucky in the Confederate Provisional Congress. He remained in the field and was promoted to captain and served on Breckinridge's staff as assistant adjutant general. He saw action at Shiloh and was promoted to major for gallantry. He was elected to the Confederate Congress from Kentucky in 1862. He was promoted to colonel in May 1863 then was designated brigadier general that November although the appointment was not confirmed. He fought at Chickamauga then commanded cavalry brigades under Joseph Wheeler and Nathan Bedford Forrest. Hodge's name was again submitted for promotion to brigadier general but again the appointment was not confirmed. He commanded the districts of east Louisiana and Mississippi. He was charged with incompetence and cowardice but was acquitted. He was relieved of his command by Forrest, however.

Following the war Hodge resumed his practice of law. He was an elector for Horace Greeley in the presidential election of 1872. He was elected to the Kentucky state senate that same year and served from 1873 until 1877. Hodge died 1 August 1892 in Longwood, Florida.

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