Brigadier-General James Edwin Slaughter, a native of Virginia,
entered the military service of the United States in April,
1847, as second lieutenant of Voltigeurs. He was transferred
to the First artillery in June, 1848, and was an officer of
that command until the formation of the Confederate States,
with promotion in 1852 to the rank of first lieutenant.

He received a commission as first lieutenant, corps of
artillery, Confederate States army, and became inspector-
general on the staff of General Beauregard after the transfer
of the latter to the department of Alabama and West Florida.

After the bombardment at Pensacola, in which Lieutenant
Slaughter rendered valuable service under fire, General
Beauregard reported that to him, probably more than to any one
else in the command, he was indebted for patient labor and
unceasing vigil given to the organization and instruction of
the troops.

Beauregard earnestly recommended his promotion to brigadier-
general, which was bestowed in the spring of 1862. In May he
was appointed chief of the inspector-general's department of
the army of the Mississippi, under General Bragg.

In this duty he continued through the Kentucky campaign, and
was then assigned to the charge of the troops of Mobile, that
port being threatened by Federal invasion. Thence he was
transferred in April, 1863, to Galveston, Tex., as chief of
artillery for General Magruder.

Later in the year he was given charge of the eastern sub-
district of Texas, and command of all the troops of the Second
division. During the remainder of the war period he played an
important part in Confederate affairs in Texas, for some time
performing the duties of chief of staff.

Source: Confederate Military History, vol. IV, p. 662