1st Mississippi Light Artillery

The 1st Mississippi Light Artillery, also known as Withers’ Light Artillery, comprised several companies raised across Mississippi, participating in key battles during the Civil War. Initially assembled in May 1862, the regiment played a crucial role in the defense of Vicksburg against Union forces, with notable contributions at Chickasaw Bayou and the Vicksburg campaign. Throughout its service, the artillery faced significant casualties and challenges, ultimately surrendering at Vicksburg in July 1863. Afterward, surviving members regrouped as infantry before continuing their service in various capacities.

Biography of Albert James Herrod

Albert James Herrod, born on April 14, 1885, in Newark, England, became the youngest judge in Kansas when elected to the District Court of Wyandotte County in 1916. Coming from a family of five, he faced adversity early, losing his father at age twelve. Herrod pursued education while working, eventually graduating from Kansas City School of Law in 1908. Active in politics, he declined several positions but made a mark as a lawyer, notably accepting a woman on a jury. He married Sylvia M. Heider in 1914 and engaged in various civic endeavors.