George Llewellyn Christian

George L. Christian
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Born	George Llewellyn Christian (1841-04-13)April 13, 1841 Charles City County, Virginia, U.S.
Died	1924 (aged 82–83)
Residence	Richmond, Virginia, U.S.
Nationality	Confederate (1861-1865), American (1861-1924)
Other names	George Christian
Education	Northwood Academy Taylorsville Academy University of Virginia
Occupation	Soldier, judge, councilman
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	Ida Morris Emma Christian
Children	Cassie (daughter), Claudia (daughter), Morris H. (son), and George L., Jr. (son), Stuart (son), William (son), and Frank Christian (son)
Relatives	Edmund Thomas Christian (father) Tabitha Rebecca Graves (mother)
Military career
Allegiance	Confederate States
Service/branch	Confederate army
Years of service	1861-1864
Rank	Sergeant
Unit	Second Company of the Richmond Howitzers
Battles/wars	American Civil War Battle of Spottsylvania Court House (WIA)
Other work	Grand Camp of Confederate Veterans of Virginia

George Llewellyn Christian (April 13, 1841 – 1924) was a Confederate soldier in the American Civil War who later became a judge and city councilman in Richmond, Virginia.

Early life and education

Born on April 13, 1841, in Charles City County, Virginia, Christian was the son of Edmund Thomas Christian and Tabitha Rebecca Graves, his wife. His father's ancestor, Thomas Christian, settled in Charles City County, Virginia, in 1687, having come from a distinguished family in the Isle of Man. His grandfather was Turner Christian, who was a brother of Henry Christian, who was a captain in the American Revolutionary War. On his mother's side, Christian's ancestors were of English descent. His early education was obtained in private schools, and in the Northwood and Taylorsville Academies of Charles City county.

Career

American Civil War

In 1861, when he was twenty years old, Christian enlisted into the Confederate army as a private in the Second Company of the Richmond Howitzers, with which he served until May 12, 1864, when he was severely wounded near the Bloody Angle at the Battle of Spottsylvania Court House. At that time he was a sergeant of the company. He lost one leg and a part of the other foot, and as the result of these wounds was incapacitated and rendered unfit for further service on the battlefield.

Judiciary

Christian entered the University of Virginia in 1864, where he remained for one session. Upon leaving the university, having lost everything in the war, he entered the clerk's office of the circuit court of the city of Richmond, Virginia, and in 1870 began the practice of his profession. From 1872 until 1878 he was clerk of the court of appeals.

From 1878 to 1883 he was judge of the hustings court of the city of Richmond. He was president of the Richmond City Chamber of Commerce, of the city council of Richmond, of the City Bar Association, of the National Bank of Virginia, and of the Virginia State Insurance Company.

Writings

Christian was a member of the Grand Camp of Confederate Veterans of Virginia, and wrote extensively about the American Civil War. His wrote the Report on the Conduct of the War, was released on October 11, 1900, and was a tribute to the cause of the Confederacy during the war. He wrote about former U.S. presidents John Tyler and Abraham Lincoln in Capitol Disaster and Confederate Experiences.

However, some objected to Christian's writings about the American Civil War, on the grounds that they were factually and historically inaccurate. In June 1907, former Confederate soldier John Singleton Mosby, who had led the Mosby's Rangers during the war, wrote a letter to Samuel "Sam" Chapman, in which he expressed his displeasure over Christian erroneously downplaying and denying the importance of slavery in its causing the American Civil War. Referring positively to the institution, Christian had claimed that slavery was a "patriarchal" institution, to which Mosby facetiously countered that polygamy, eunuchs, and circumcision were "patriarchal" institutions as well. Christian had also claimed that Virginians were abolitionists during the war and that Unionists were pro-slavery. Mosby, who was also a Virginian, objected to this characterization as erroneous, stating that although most 18th century Virginians were against slavery, most 19th century ones were not, referring to the Fugitive Slave Act being authored by a Virginian senator, as well as Virginian laws that had made it a crime to speak out against slavery or to educate slaves in matters such as reading. Mosby further stated that most 19th century Virginians had deviated from the sayings of the U.S. Founding Fathers against slavery by becoming supporters of the institution.

Later life and death

Christian died in 1924.

Personal life

Christian was a Democrat. His first wife was Ida Morris, by whom he had three children: Cassie, Claudia, Morris H., and George L., Jr. His second wife was Emma Christian, by whom he had three children: Stuart, William, and Frank Christian. He lived in Richmond, Virginia.