Arthur Pendleton Mason
Nickname(s)	"Pen"
Born	(1835-12-11)December 11, 1835 Fairfax County, Virginia
Died	April 22, 1893(1893-04-22) (aged 57) Morris Park, The Bronx, New York
Place of burial	Green Mount Cemetery, Baltimore, Maryland
Allegiance	Confederate States of America
Service/branch	Confederate States Army
Years of service	1861–1865 ( Confederate States Army)
Rank	Lieutenant colonel (CSA)
Commands held	2nd Regiment Mississippi Cavalry 6th Regiment Arkansas Volunteers Army of Tennessee
Battles/wars	American Civil War
Other work	merchant, businessperson

Arthur "Pen" Pendleton Mason (11 December 1835–22 April 1893) ^{[1] [2] [3]} was an American military officer, merchant, planter and lawyer who served as a lieutenant colonel in the Confederate States Army serving during the American Civil War. ^[4] Mason was a scion of the prominent Mason political family of Virginia. ^[3]

Early life and education

Mason was born on 11 December 1835 near Alexandria, Virginia in Fairfax County. ^{[1] [5]} He was the ninth and youngest child of Thomson Francis Mason (1785–21 December 1838) ^{[6] [7]} and his wife Elizabeth "Betsey" Clapham Price (1802–21 December 1873).

Mason earned his law degree from the University of Virginia. ^[5] Following law school, Mason was a planter and practiced law in Alexandria and Richmond. ^[5]

Mason's father died on 21 December 1838 in Alexandria at the age of 53. ^{[6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11]} Mason inherited his father's Colross estate in Alexandria. ^[12] His mother transferred ownership of Huntley on 7 November 1859 to Mason and his brother Dr. John "Frank" Francis Mason. ^{[8] [11]}

American Civil War

During the American Civil War, Mason joined the 2nd Regiment Mississippi Cavalry in either late 1860 or early 1861. ^[13] On 5 June 1861, Mason transferred to the 6th Regiment of Brigadier General Thomas C. Hindman's brigade of Arkansas Volunteers. ^{[5] [13]} On 11 December 1861, Mason was ordered to report to General Joseph E. Johnston at Manassas. ^{[5] [13]} His brother-in-law, Thomas Grimke Rhett, was Johnston's chief of staff at the time. ^[13] Mason was Johnston's assistant adjutant general during most of the war. ^[13] Mason served as a member of Johnston's staff until Johnston was wounded at the Battle of Seven Pines in 1862. ^[4] Mason then served under Robert E. Lee until 1863 when he rejoined Johnston's during the Vicksburg Campaign. ^{[4] [5] [13]} Following Johnston's removal from the command of the Army of Tennessee during the Atlanta Campaign, Mason joined the staff of John Bell Hood. ^[4] Mason was appointed colonel in the 2nd Mississippi Cavalry on 2 January 1864, but President Jefferson Davis declined to nominate him and his appointment was later voided. ^[5] Upon Hood's defeat at Nashville in December 1864, Mason joined Lieutenant General Richard Taylor's staff before rejoining Johnston in North Carolina at the end of the war. ^[4]

Marriage and children

Mason married Mary Ellen Campbell, daughter of Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, John Archibald Campbell. ^{[1] [3] [5] [14]} The couple had four children, with only one surviving to adulthood: ^{[1] [3]}

• John Archibald Campbell Mason (10 December 1870–18 April 1888) ^{[1] [2]}

Later life

Following the war, Mason relocated to New Orleans, Louisiana where he became a merchant. ^[5]

Mason died on 22 April 1893 in Morris Park, The Bronx, New York at age 57. ^{[1] [5]} Mason was interred in Green Mount Cemetery in Baltimore, Maryland. ^[5]

References