Duncan K. McRae

Duncan K. McRae (born August 16, 1820) was an American politician and soldier.

Early life and education
McRae was born in Fayetteville, North Carolina, the son of Jon McRae (1792–1909), Fayetteville's postmaster in the 1840s and 1850s.

He attended the University of Virginia, located in Charlottesville, Virginia; and the College of William & Mary, located in Williamsburg, Virginia. He studied law with Robert Strange.

Career
McRae served in the North Carolina House of Representatives (D-Cumberland) from 1842 to 1843.

With Perrin Busbee, he founded a short-lived Raleigh, North Carolina, newspaper, the Democratic Signal, in 1843.

McRae served as consul with the U.S. Ambassador to France during the administration of U.S. President Franklin Pierce in the 1850s.

He was a legislator in Cumberland County, North Carolina. He left the Democrat Party and gained support from remnants of the Whig Party, but lost his candidacy for governor of North Carolina in 1858 to John Willis Ellis by a wide margin. Ellis would later help him gain command of a regiment during the American Civil War. McRae drew critiques for his changing political positions.

McRae was an Independent Democrat candidate for governor of North Carolina in 1858. He campaigned as the Land Distribution Democratic nominee, calling for public lands given by North Carolina to the federal government in 1790 to be sold and the money granted to North Carolina.

American Civil War
During the American Civil War, he was involved in the Battle of Antietam and is listed in the Antietam Confederate order of battle. He is also listed in the Seven Days Confederate order of battle as a colonel with the 5th North Carolina.

McRae was involved in the Maryland Campaign of 1862 and his letters describing the action survive.

He took over the 5th North Carolina troops after the death of Samuel Garland at South Mountain. He "railed" against his critics during the war.

After American Civil War
McRae published a law journal in Memphis, Tennessee, during the Reconstruction Era before moving to Chicago, Illinois.

Later he returned to Wilmington, North Carolina.

McRae gave a speech in Raleigh, North Carolina, in favor of Winfield S. Hancock.