| 1804 April 10 |
1804
Born in Sampson County, North Carolina. His grandfather General Thomas Overton who was a Major during the war under Robert E. Lee’s father and a second for Andrew Jackson in a duel. His uncle was General Walter H. Overton, an aid to Andrew Jackson at the Battle of New Orleans |
| 1829 | Settled in Rapides Parish to be a cotton planter. |
| 1830 |
Marries Bethiah Jane (Bertha) Leonard. They will have five children. He manages his uncle’s plantation, buys his own plantation and eventually becomes one of the most successful planters in Louisiana. He serves several terms in the Rapides Parish Police Jury. |
| 1848 | Elected to the State House of Representatives. |
| 1856 | Elected to the State Senate. He is a strong supporter of Governor Walker and on Walker’s death becomes the leading Democrat in Central Louisiana. |
| 1859 | Selected by John Slidell to be the Democratic nominee for governor from the Regular faction. The opposing faction is led by Pierre Soulé who supports Thomas Jefferson Wells, another native of Rapides Parish. |
| 1859 November |
Moore defeats Wells 24,434 votes to 15,587. |
| 1860 January 23 |
After taking the oath of office as governor Moore convenes a special session of the legislature to discuss slavery and the Democratic party convention in Charleston, South Carolina. He backs State’s Rights advocate John C. Breckenridge of Kentucky who carries Louisiana in the presidential election. When Lincoln wins the election Moore calls a convention of secession and seizes all federal military installations in Louisiana. |
| 1861 January 23 |
The Secession Convention meets and approves an ordinance of secession on January 26. Moore appoints Brigadier General Braxton Bragg to head the state army and supports the formation of the Confederacy. |
| 1861 March |
The state legislature votes to join the Confederate States of America. |
| 1861 April 12, 13 |
After the bombardment of Ft. Sumter, Moore calls for 5,000 more troops.
New Orleans, the South’s largest financial center holds a large reserve of gold and silver. Moore halts bank payments in specie and they start to produce Confederate Treasury notes. Moore urges the Confederate government to build a strong defense around New Orleans. |
| 1862 April |
New Orleans falls to Flag Officer David G. Farragut. |
| 1862 May |
Moore will move the state capital to Opelousas, then to Shreveport. After visiting Camp Moore in Tangipahoa Parish Moore begins issuing war-time directives including appeals for resistance, placing state militia until Confederate troops arrive, forbidding trade with the enemy, burning of cotton crops and the formation of partisan rangers. |
| 1862 July |
General Richard Taylor, son of President Zachary Taylor, assumes control of Confederate troops in Louisiana. Moore persuades the legislature to appropriate money for defense fortifications using slave labor. |
| 1864 January |
Moore steps down as Henry Watkins Allen becomes governor. He retires to his plantation south of Alexandria. The Federal campaign forces Moore and his family to flee as it advances up the Red River. |
| 1864 May |
Union troops burn Moore’s home. |
| 1865 | After the end of the war the military governor orders Moore’s arrest. Moore flees to Mexico with other officials of the Confederacy and later moves to Havana. After receiving a full pardon from Andrew Johnson, Moore returns to rebuild his fortune, but avoids politics. |
| 1876 June |
Moore dies at age 71 |