Hilary A. (Hilary Abner) Herbert

Born in South Carolina in 1834 and raised in Alabama, Hilary Abner Herbert studied at the University of Alabama and became a lawyer. He served in the Confederate Army during the Civil War, rising to the rank of colonel before returning to public life after the conflict.

Herbert went on to represent Alabama in the U.S. House of Representatives for many years, where he became known especially for his work on military and naval matters. From 1893 to 1897, during Grover Cleveland’s second administration, he served as secretary of the navy.

He later wrote and spoke about public affairs and remained a notable figure in Southern political life until his death in Tampa, Florida, in 1919. His story reflects the complicated path of a 19th-century American leader whose career stretched from war service to high federal office.