William R. Terry


William Richard Terry was a merchant, who became brigadier general in the Confederate Army during the American Civil War and later served part-time in the Virginia Senate representing Bedford County, and still later was successively superintendent of the state penitentiary and of the soldiers' home in Richmond.

Early and family life

William R. Terry was born in rural Liberty in Bedford County, to William Terry and Lettie Johnson Terry. He entered the Virginia Military Institute in July 1846 and graduated on July 4, 1850, ranking 15th in a class of 17 cadets. He then became a merchant and farmer. In 1856, Terry married Mary Adelaide Pemberton. The couple had eight children together. He moved with his family to Chesterfield County around 1880.

Confederate service

After Virginia seceded from the Union in early 1861, Terry raised a company of cavalry in Bedford County. His performance at the First Battle of Manassas garnered attention, praise, and a promotion in September to colonel of the 24th Virginia Infantry, replacing Jubal A. Early, who had been promoted to brigade command. Leading a charge at the Battle of Williamsburg during the Peninsula Campaign, Terry suffered the worst of his several combat wounds during the Civil War. He was shot in the face and never fully recovered from it. He missed the Seven Days Battles, but returned to duty for the Northern Virginia Campaign in August. Later that year, he assumed temporary command of Kemper's Brigade of infantry in the Army of Northern Virginia before returning to his regimental command.
Terry was wounded during Pickett's Charge at the Battle of Gettysburg, and later assumed command of the severely wounded James Kemper's brigade. Pickett's rebuilt division was assigned later that year to duty in North Carolina, where it participated in the attacks on New Bern.
On May 31, 1864, Terry was promoted to brigadier general and led his depleted troops during the Battle of Cold Harbor and throughout the Siege of Petersburg. He suffered his seventh battle wound on March 31, 1865, at the Battle of Dinwiddie Court House.

Postwar career

Following the war, Terry returned to Bedford County and was elected to the Virginia Senate, serving for a total of eight years, beginning in the first session after adoption of the Virginia Constitution of 1868. He was also Master of the Liberty Masonic Lodge. Terry also served briefly as a prison superintendent of the State Penitentiary. He was in charge of the Robert E. Lee Camp of Confederate Soldiers' Home in Richmond, Virginia, from 1886 until 1893.

Death and legacy

Terry died in Chesterfield County, Virginia, and is buried in Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond.
In 1902, the Bedford Chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy was started and named after him. They recently put a highway marker up at his childhood home of Oakwood in the town of Bedford, VA.