BGen Robert Brank Vance

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Brigadier General Robert Brank Vance (1828-1899) Brigadier General Robert Brank Vance, (nephew of Robert Brank Vance [1793-1827] and brother of Zebulon Baird Vance), was born on Reems Creek, near Asheville, Buncombe County, N.C., April 24, 1828. Representative from North Carolina; He attended the common schools. Prior to the Civil War he engaged in mercantile and agricultural pursuits and was clerk of the court of pleas and quarter sessions 1848-1856. On September 24, 1861, at Camp Patton at Asheville he recruited the Buncombe Life Guards and was elected captain. The unit was incorporated into the 29th North Carolina Infantry in October of 1861, and he was twice elected colonel of that regiment in the Confederate Army. It was assigned to various brigades in the Department of East Tennessee until December 1862. Joining the Army of Tennessee, at the Battle of Murfreesboro (Stones River) they were in Rains' brigade of McCown's division of Kirby Smith's corps, serving in Hardee's corps. Brig. Gen. Rains was killed, and Col. Vance of the 29th assumed command of the brigade. After Gen. Bragg's army withdrew to Shelbyville, a reorganization left Col. Vance's brigade made up of the 29th and 29th NC Infantry Regts, 3rd Bn GA Infy and 9th Regt GA Infy. He was appointed Brigadier General in 1863. On January 14, 1864, he was captured at Schultz Mill, Crosby's Creek, Tennessee, by Sgt. Anderson of the 15th Pennsylvania Cavalry which ended his military career. He experienced the life of the prison camps at Nashville, Louisville, Camp Chase and Fort Delaware. While at the latter place he was appointed to act with General Beale in buying clothing for Confederate prisoners of war, which occupied his attention until he was paroled March 14, 1865. He was elected as a Democrat to the Forty-third and to the five succeeding Congresses (March 4, 1873-March 3, 1885) serving as chairman, Committee on Patents (Forty-fourth through Forty-sixth and Forty-eighth Congresses). He was an unsuccessful candidate for renomination in 1884 to the Forty-ninth Congress. He served as United States Assistant Commissioner of Patents from April 11, 1885, to April 4, 1889, when he resigned and returned to North Carolina and settled in Alexander. He was a member of the State house of representatives 1894-1896. He also attained prominence in the Masonic Order as grand-master for his State, in the Methodist church as delegate to general conferences and the ecumenical conference in London in 1881, and as a lecturer and author. Vance died in Alexander, near Asheville, N.C., November 28, 1899, with interment in Riverside Cemetery, Asheville, N.C.

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Brigadier General Robert Brank Vance
(1828-1899)

Brigadier General Robert Brank Vance, (nephew of Robert Brank Vance [1793-1827] and brother of Zebulon Baird Vance), was born on Reems Creek, near Asheville, Buncombe County, N.C., April 24, 1828. Representative from North Carolina; He attended the common schools. Prior to the Civil War he engaged in mercantile and agricultural pursuits and was clerk of the court of pleas and quarter sessions 1848-1856.

On September 24, 1861, at Camp Patton at Asheville he recruited the Buncombe Life Guards and was elected captain. The unit was incorporated into the 29th North Carolina Infantry in October of 1861, and he was twice elected colonel of that regiment in the Confederate Army. It was assigned to various brigades in the Department of East Tennessee until December 1862. Joining the Army of Tennessee, at the Battle of Murfreesboro (Stones River) they were in Rains' brigade of McCown's division of Kirby Smith's corps, serving in Hardee's corps. Brig. Gen. Rains was killed, and Col. Vance of the 29th assumed command of the brigade. After Gen. Bragg's army withdrew to Shelbyville, a reorganization left Col. Vance's brigade made up of the 29th and 29th NC Infantry Regts, 3rd Bn GA Infy and 9th Regt GA Infy. He was appointed Brigadier General in 1863. On January 14, 1864, he was captured at Schultz Mill, Crosby's Creek, Tennessee, by Sgt. Anderson of the 15th Pennsylvania Cavalry which ended his military career. He experienced the life of the prison camps at Nashville, Louisville, Camp Chase and Fort Delaware. While at the latter place he was appointed to act with General Beale in buying clothing for Confederate prisoners of war, which occupied his attention until he was paroled March 14, 1865.

He was elected as a Democrat to the Forty-third and to the five succeeding Congresses (March 4, 1873-March 3, 1885) serving as chairman, Committee on Patents (Forty-fourth through Forty-sixth and Forty-eighth Congresses). He was an unsuccessful candidate for renomination in 1884 to the Forty-ninth Congress. He served as United States Assistant Commissioner of Patents from April 11, 1885, to April 4, 1889, when he resigned and returned to North Carolina and settled in Alexander. He was a member of the State house of representatives 1894-1896.

He also attained prominence in the Masonic Order as grand-master for his State, in the Methodist church as delegate to general conferences and the ecumenical conference in London in 1881, and as a lecturer and author.

Vance died in Alexander, near Asheville, N.C., November 28, 1899, with interment in Riverside Cemetery, Asheville, N.C.