Thomas L. Clingman

Thomas L. Clingman
Clingman photographed by Mathew Brady, c. 1860-65
United States Senator from North Carolina
In office May 7, 1858 – March 11, 1861
Preceded by	Asa Biggs
Succeeded by	John Pool (1868)
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from North Carolina
In office March 4, 1853 – May 7, 1858
Preceded by	Edward Stanly
Succeeded by	Zebulon Vance
Constituency	8th district
In office March 4, 1847 – March 3, 1853
Preceded by	James Graham
Succeeded by	Henry Shaw
Constituency	1st district
In office March 4, 1843 – March 3, 1845
Preceded by	Kenneth Rayner
Succeeded by	James Graham
Constituency	1st district
Personal details
Born	Thomas Lanier Clingham (1812-07-27)July 27, 1812 Huntsville, North Carolina, U.S.
Died	October 3, 1897(1897-10-03) (aged 85) Morganton, North Carolina, U.S.
Resting place	Riverside Cemetery
Political party	Democratic
Education	University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill (BA)
Military service
Allegiance	Confederate States
Branch/service	Confederate States Army (Infantry)
Years of service	1861–1865
Rank	Brigadier General
Battles/wars	See list American Civil War Peninsula Campaign Battle of Goldsborough Bridge Battery Wagner Drewry's Bluff Battle of Cold Harbor Siege of Petersburg Battle of Globe Tavern Fort Fisher Battle of Bentonville

Thomas Lanier Clingman (July 27, 1812 – November 3, 1897), known as the "Prince of Politicians," was a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives from 1843 to 1845 and from 1847 to 1858, and U.S. senator from the state of North Carolina between 1858 and 1861. During the Civil War, he refused to resign his Senate seat and was one of the many southern senators subsequently expelled from the Senate in absentia. He then served as a general in the Confederate States Army.

Early life

Clingman, was born in Huntsville, a small community in present-day Yadkin County, North Carolina. His parents were Jacob and Jane Poindexter Clingman and he was named for Dr. Thomas Lanier, his half uncle. He was educated by private tutors and in the public schools in Iredell County, NC. Clingman graduated from the University of North Carolina in 1832, where he was a member of the Dialectic Senate of the Dialectic and Philanthropic Societies. He then studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1834 and began practice in Huntsville.

Political career

Clingman in uniform.

Clingman was elected to the North Carolina State House of Commons in 1835. In 1836 he moved to Asheville, North Carolina. He was a member of the North Carolina State Senate in 1840. In 1843 Clingman ran as a Whig and was elected to the 28th United States Congress, however he was defeated in his reelection bid in 1845. In 1845 he fought a duel with a fellow congressman William Lowndes Yancey of Alabama. In Yancey's maiden speech on the House floor, he had impugned his opponent's integrity. Both duelists had missed. In 1847 he regained the seat and won reelection in 1849, 1851, 1853, 1855 and 1857. On May 7, 1858, he resigned after becoming a United States senator as a Democrat the previous day, replacing the resigning Asa Biggs. He was reelected but was expelled from the Senate for support of the Confederacy.

Civil War

When he first entered the War, Clingman was the commander of the 25th North Carolina Infantry and took part in the Peninsula Campaign. He later commanded a brigade of infantry. Clingman's Brigade consisted of the 8th, 31st, 51st and 61st North Carolina Infantry. Clingman's Brigade fought at Goldsborough, Battery Wagner, Drewry's Bluff, Cold Harbor, Petersburg, Globe Tavern, Fort Fisher, and Bentonville.

Clingman in his later years

Post-war career

After the Civil War, Clingman explored and measured mountains in western North Carolina and Tennessee. Kuwohi, Tennessee's highest mountain, also partly in North Carolina, was renamed Clingman's Dome in his honor in 1859 as Kuwohi was one of the mountains he had accurately measured, being said to be the first person to do so. The mountain's name was changed back to Kuwohi in 2024. He died in Morganton, North Carolina, and was buried in the Riverside Cemetery in Asheville, North Carolina.

See also

• List of American Civil War generals (Confederate)
• List of United States senators expelled or censured

Further reading

• Eicher, John H., and David J. Eicher, Civil War High Commands. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2001. ISBN 978-0-8047-3641-1.
• Sifakis, Stewart. Who Was Who in the Civil War. New York: Facts On File, 1988. ISBN 978-0-8160-1055-4.
• Warner, Ezra J. Generals in Gray: Lives of the Confederate Commanders. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1959. ISBN 978-0-8071-0823-9.
• Jeffrey, Thomas E., “Thomas Lanier Clingman: Fire Eater from the Carolina Mountains” ISBN 978-0820320236

External links

• Thomas L. Clingman at Find a Grave

• United States Congress. "Thomas L. Clingman (id: C000524)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
• "Clingman, Thomas Lanier" . New International Encyclopedia. 1905.
• Clingman, Thomas L. "[Letter] 1855 Jan. 9, Ho[use of] Rep[resentatives to] W[illia]m H. Thomas / T[homas] L. Clingman". Southeastern Native American Documents, 1730-1842. Digital Library of Georgia. Retrieved 21 February 2018.