James D. Porter, Confederate Military History, a library of Confederate States Military History: Volume 7.1, Tennessee
Clement Anselm Evans, Ed.

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[345] with Mexico. His brother, Judge John V. Wright, was colonel of the Thirteenth Tennessee infantry, was in the battle of Belmont, Mo., in which he commanded his regiment, and was afterward elected a member of the Confederate Congress, serving two terms. General Wright was educated in the academy at Purdy, receiving a classical education. He studied law and removed to Memphis, where he became clerk of the common law and chancery court of that city. He was lieutenant-colonel of the One Hundred and Fifty-fourth regiment of Tennessee militia, which was armed, uniformed, and otherwise equipped several years prior to the beginning of the civil war. He entered the Confederate service with his regiment early in April, 1861. On the 29th of April, taking a battalion of his regiment and the Steuben artillery, he fortified Randolph on the Mississippi river, above Memphis, which was named Fort Wright. In February, 1862, he was appointed military governor of Columbus, Ky., continuing in this position until its evacuation by the Confederate forces under Gen. Leonidas Polk. He commanded his regiment in the battles of Belmont and Shiloh, being wounded in the last-named battle. As assistant adjutant-general, with the rank of lieutenant-colonel on the staff of Major-General Cheatham, he participated in the Kentucky campaign, and the battles of Munfordville and Perryville. He was promoted to brigadier-general, December 13, 1862, and in January was given command of Hanson's, formerly Breckinridge's Kentucky brigade, which he relinquished to take command of Donelson's Tennessee brigade, which he led at the battles of Chickamauga and Missionary Ridge. He was afterward assigned to the district and post of Atlanta, Ga., and remained in command of the same until its evacuation, when he was assigned to duty at Macon, Ga. His last military duties were performed as commander of the district of North Mississippi and West Tennessee, under Gen. Richard Taylor, by whom he was surrendered at