CDV of Missouri Confederate General Jeff Thompson with Anthony Backmark

CDV of Missouri Confederate General Jeff Thompson with Anthony Backmark
 
General M. Jeff Thompson was a Confederate brigadier general during the American Civil War, known for his unconventional tactics and leadership in the Trans-Mississippi Theater. Born in Harpers Ferry, Virginia (now West Virginia), in 1826, Thompson moved to Missouri and became involved in politics and civic affairs. At the outbreak of the Civil War, he sided with the Confederacy and gained prominence for his command of irregular cavalry forces in southeastern Missouri and northern Arkansas. Nicknamed the "Swamp Fox of the Confederacy" for his daring raids and guerrilla tactics in the Mississippi River region, Thompson disrupted Union supply lines and became a symbol of resistance in the contested border areas.
Despite lacking formal military training, Thompson's leadership and local knowledge earned him a brigadier general's commission in the Missouri State Guard. His operations, though often limited in strategic scope, were effective in tying down Union troops and maintaining Confederate influence in the region. After the war, Thompson was imprisoned briefly before being released. He later worked as a civil engineer and eventually settled in Louisiana, where he died in 1876. Though not as widely known as other Confederate generals, Thompson remains a notable figure for his resourcefulness and commitment to the Southern cause in one of the war’s most challenging theaters.