The Biographical Dictionary of America/Adams, Charles W.

ADAMS, Charles W., soldier, was born in Boston, Mass., Aug. 16, 1817. He removed to New Albany, Ind., with his parents in 1819; was educated in the public schools and removed to Helena, Arkansas Ty., in 1835, becoming a bank-cashier. He fitted himself for the law; was admitted to the bar in 1839; practised for some time with W. K. Sebastian, afterwards U.S. senator, and was judge of the 1st circuit court of the territory, 1852-4. He was a member of the peace convention at Washington, D.C., in February, 1861, and also of the constitutional convention in March, 1861, which met to decide upon the relation of Arkansas to the Union, and subsequently adopted the ordinance of secession. He entered the Confederate army as quartermaster with the rank of major on the staff of Gen. Thomas H. Bradley and after organizing the department over which he presided, resigned and recruited the 23d Arkansas infantry, becoming its colonel. He joined the army of the Tennessee at Corinth, Miss., and subsequently became chief of staff to General Hindman in the trans-Mississippi department, being transferred with him to the army of the Tennessee. He was commissioned a brigadier-general in the Confederate army for gallantry at Missionary Ridge, and was then assigned to the northern subdivision of the trans-Mississippi department where he served until the surrender of Lee. He removed to Memphis, Tenn., in 1865, practised law there in partnership with Gen. Albert Pike until 1869, and thereafter alone. He died in Memphis, Tenn., Sept. 9, 1878.