Harvey O. Rupe

RUPE, HARVEY O. (1835 ~ 1913). Confederate veteran Harvey O. Rupe was born in Clay County, Missouri in 1835.

With the outbreak of the Civil War, Rupe enlisted in the Missouri State Guard on May 22, 1861. He served under Captain James Bascom in Company H of the 1st Cavalry, 7th Division, and participated in the Battle of Lexington, or Hemp Bales, from September 13 - 20, 1861.

On January 1, 1862, Rupe's unit entered Confederate service as Company I of the 3rd Missouri Infantry. With the 3rd Infantry, he participated in the battles of Elkhorn, Corinth, Port Gibson, and Vicksburg. Rupe was elected 2nd Lieutenant on June 27, 1862. He resigned on October 18, 1863.

By November 2, 1863, Rupe reenlisted and joined Company G of the 2nd Missouri Cavalry. He was mustered into service at Enterprise, Missouri and fought in Mississippi, Tennessee, and Alabama. According to his military records, Rupe participated in all of the 2nd Cavalry's engagements, except for the Battle of Memphis, which he missed because of illness.

At the end of the War, the regiment surrendered with the Department of Alabama, Mississippi, and East Louisiana and was taken captive at Citronelle, Alabama on May 4, 1865. They were released on May 17, 1865, at Columbus, Mississippi.

Rupe moved to Texas in 1869 and settled in Dallas where he worked as a painter. Following his wife's (ed. - name unknown) death, he moved to Austin on October 10, 1911, to live in the Confederate Men's Home. He remained at the Home until his death on October 24, 1913. He was later buried in the Texas State Cemetery.

Information taken from: Compiled Military Service Record; National Park Service website, http://www.itd.nps.gov/cwss; Missouri Division, Sons of Confederate Veterans, St. Louisans In Gray website, http://www.missouridivision-scv.org/moregrayb.htm; and Confederate Home Roster.