Richard Heron Anderson (October 7, 1821 – June 26, 1879) was a career U.S. Army officer, fighting with distinction in the Mexican–American War. He also served as a Confederate general during the American Civil War, fighting in the Eastern Theater of the conflict and most notably during the 1864 Battle of Spotsylvania Court House. Anderson was also noted for his humility.
Early life and career
Anderson was born in the High Hills of Santee at Borough House Plantation (Hill Crest), near the town of Stateburg located in Sumter County, South Carolina. He was the son of Dr. William Wallace Anderson and his wife, Mary Jane Mackensie, and the grandson of American Revolutionary War hero and namesake Richard Anderson.
Anderson graduated 40th out of 56 cadets from the United States Military Academy in July 1842. He was brevetted a second lieutenant in the 1st U.S. Dragoons. He served the cavalry school for practice at the U.S. Army Barracks in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, in 1842. Anderson spent 1843 on frontier duty in the American West, serving first at Little Rock, Arkansas, and then on garrison duty at Forts Gibson and Washita, both located in the Indian Territory. His regiment escorted the U.S. Indian Agent to Red River in 1843 and then returned to Fort Washita, remaining there until 1844. Anderson was promoted to second lieutenant on July 16, 1844, and served at Fort Jesup, Louisiana, from 1844 to 1845. His regiment joined the expedition for the military occupation of Texas in 1845, and Anderson was on recruiting duty in 1846.
In the Mexican–American War, Anderson took part in the Siege of Veracruz in March 1847 and then skirmished near La Hoya on June 9. He fought in the Battle of Contreras on August 19, the skirmish near San Agustin Altapulco the following day, and the Battle of Molino del Rey on September 8. He was brevetted to first lieutenant for gallantry during the fighting near San Agustin as of August 17. Anderson also participated in the fight for and capture of Mexico City from September 12–14. He was given command of the Charleston, South Carolina harbor area after the capture of Fort Sumter that April. He was promoted to brigadier general on July 19 and transferred to Pensacola, Florida, where he was wounded in the left elbow during the Battle of Santa Rosa Island on October 9. and was promoted to major general on July 14 and received command of General Benjamin Huger's former division. On July 3, Anderson's brigades participated in the waning minutes of Pickett's Charge, but both were driven back.
Wilderness and Spotsylvania
thumb|right|[[Battle of Spotsylvania Court House, actions May 10, 1864
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During the spring of 1864, at the Battle of the Wilderness, Longstreet was severely wounded, and Anderson took command of the First Corps, leading it throughout the Overland Campaign. After the Wilderness, he fought well at the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House. Anderson and his corps executed an all-night forced march on May 7 that secured that important position (reinforcing the Confederate cavalry earlier sent there) and arrived just before U.S. soldiers did. Reaching and defending this spot denied the U.S. soldiers a way around Lee's army towards Richmond, and Anderson held it during heavy fighting from May 8–12.
Anderson then fought at the Battle of Cold Harbor in early June and participated in the rest of the Army of Northern Virginia's operations to the south of Petersburg, Virginia, from mid-June until October.
When Longstreet returned from his convalescence on October 19, 1864, Lee created the new Fourth Corps, which Anderson led through the Siege of Petersburg and the retreat towards Appomattox Court House in 1865. Because of several attacks by U.S. cavalry nipping at his corps, Anderson was forced to slow, occasionally stop, and beat off the attacks. This caused the Confederates to become isolated from the rest of Lee's army, moving west, and they were now the army's rear guard. The corps finally halted and fought at Sayler's Creek on April 6, which ended in a rout, and as Lee witnessed it, he exclaimed, "Has the army been dissolved?" As the corps' survivors reformed and rejoined the army, what was left of the Fourth Corps was merged with the Second Corps on April 8. This left Anderson without a command, and he proceeded home to South Carolina. Anderson assumed command of M. H. Hannon's Cavalry Brigade after Hannon was wounded at Monroe's Crossroads. Anderson was pardoned on September 27, 1865, although there is no record of his parole.
Anderson was married twice. In 1850 he wed Sarah Gibson, and the couple had two children together, a son and a daughter; after her death, he married Martha Mellette on December 24, 1874. Five years later, Anderson died at the age of 57 in Beaufort, South Carolina, and was buried there in the churchyard cemetery of Parish Church of St. Helena.