Nc: General Matt Ransom Flag To Be Dedicated

As part of the Flags Across the Carolinas Division project, another flag has been raised! This time the flag is located outside of Roxboro, NC on highway 158 east. It is a 5′ X 8′ Army of Tennessee Battle Flag atop at 40′ pole. It was raised this past Saturday by the Roxboro Grays Camp. Special thanks to Charlie Palmer, Russell Pratt, Duane Butner, David Robinette, Jerry Davis, Rufus Slaughter, Richard Whitfield, Charlie Lunsford, Bob Hill, Reuben Moore, and Bobby Lawson for all of their hard work in making this project possible. 

On December 10, 2016, the flag will be officially dedicated. The ceremony will take place at 10:30 am at 2112 Hwy 158 East (Oxford Road). More details will follow via an email announcement.

This flag will be dedicated to North Carolina’s General Matt Ransom. Here is his biography taken from an article on our website written by Craig Pippen:

“Matt Whitaker Ransom was born in Warren County, NC to parents Robert and Priscilla Whitaker Ransom. He attended the University of North Carolina and graduated in 1847. After graduation from UNC, he returned to Warrenton and practiced law.  In 1853, he met Martha Exum of Northampton County. They married and moved to her plantation, Verona, on the Roanoke River.

Matt Ransom served in the North Carolina General Assembly and in the capacity of Attorney General for the State of North Carolina. In 1861, he was one of three commissioners chosen to the Confederate States Government in Mobile, AL.

With the secession of North Carolina, Ransom offered his services to the Confederate Army. He was given a commission as Lieutenant Colonel of the 1st NC Infantry. He was then promoted to Colonel and transferred to lead the 35th NC Regiment. This regiment was in his brother’s (Gen. Robert Ransom) brigade which Matt later inherited upon his brother’s promotion.  Matt Ransom led the 35th NC until being promoted to Brigadier General and assuming command of his brother’s brigade. He fought in the Peninsula Campaign, Sharpsburg, Fredericksburg, Plymouth, NC, and the Siege of Petersburg. He fought gallantly in all of his engagements, being wounded three times before finally surrendering with General Lee at Appomattox.

Upon his surrender, he returned to Verona in the area of Weldon, NC. There, he continued to farm and practice law. In 1872, he served in the US Senate in a spot won by Governor Zebulon B. Vance who was disqualified due to political issues. Matt Ransom served in the Senate until 1895 when he was appointed as the Ambassador to Mexico. He left this post in 1897, returning to Verona where he remained until his death in 1904. He is buried on the Verona plantation in the family cemetery.”
I look forward to seeing many of you at the dedication and to raising many more flags across our State.

See you on the front lines…

Kevin Stone, Commander