Pemberton, John Clifford, 1814-81, Confederate general in the American Civil War, b. Philadelphia. He served in the Seminole and Mexican wars and at various frontier posts. He resigned from the U.S. army in Apr., 1861, and in June became a Confederate brigadier general. Pemberton was made a lieutenant general in Oct., 1862, and was assigned to command the region about Vicksburg. However, he was defeated by Ulysses S. Grant in the Vicksburg campaign and surrendered on July 4, 1863. After his exchange he resigned his lieutenant generalcy (May, 1864) and served as a colonel of ordnance for the rest of the war.