James Innes Randolph

James Innes Randolph, Jr. (October 25, 1837 – April 29, 1887) was a Confederate army officer, lawyer, and poet.

James Innes Randolph
Born	(1837-10-25)October 25, 1837 Winchester, Virginia, U.S.
Died	April 29, 1887(1887-04-29) (aged 49) Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
Allegiance	Confederate States
Branch	Confederate Army
Rank	Major
Battles / wars	American Civil War
Relations	Harold Randolph (son)
Other work	Poetry

Early life and education

Randolph was born in Winchester, Virginia and attended Hobart College in Geneva, New York and was a graduate of the State and National Law School in Poughkeepsie, New York.^[1]

Career

American Civil War

Randolph served in the Confederate army as a topographical engineer in the American Civil War, reaching the rank of major.^[2][3][4]

Writings

After the war, he moved to Baltimore, Maryland to practice law. After giving up the practice, he wrote editorials for the Baltimore American in addition to poems. He continued writing and living in Baltimore until his death in April 1887.

His best known poem is "I'm A Good Ol' Rebel", in where he berates the U.S. and disparages its national symbols while praising the Confederacy, lamenting its defeat at the hands of the U.S.^[5]