The Army of the Tennessee was a Union army in the American Civil War, named for the Tennessee River. It should not be confused with the similarly named Army of Tennessee, a Confederate army named after the State of Tennessee. The Army of the Tennessee was composed of divisions in the District of Cairo, Department of Missouri, renamed the Army of West Tennessee^[1] and then Army of the Tennessee. Ulysses S. Grant commanded this army under the three names from shortly after the start of the war until after his victory at Vicksburg in 1863. Under other generals, the army fought from Chattanooga, through Georgia, to The Carolinas and the end of the war. The 21st Michigan Infantry, a company of Shermans veterans. ... The American Civil War (1861–1865) was fought in North America within the United States of America, between twenty-four mostly northern states of the Union and the Confederate States of America, a coalition of eleven southern states that declared their independence and claimed the right of secession from the... A riverboat passing under the Gay Street Bridge on the Tennessee River The river viewed from the top of Neyland Stadium. ... The Army of Tennessee was formed in November 1862. ... Some Confederate soldiers The Confederate States Army (CSA) was formed in February, 1861, to defend the Confederate States of America, which had itself been formed that same year when seven southern states seceded from the United States (with four more to follow). ... State nickname: Volunteer State Official languages English Capital Nashville Largest city Memphis Governor Phil Bredesen (D) Senators Bill Frist (R) Lamar Alexander (R) Area  - Total  - % water Ranked 36th 109,247 km² 2. ... A division is a large military unit or formation usually consisting of around ten to fifteen thousand soldiers. ... Entering Cairo, Illinois. ... State nickname: The Show Me State Official languages English Capital Jefferson City Largest city Kansas City (largest metropolitan area is Saint Louis) Governor Matt Blunt (R) Senators Kit Bond (R) Jim Talent (R) Area  - Total  - % water Ranked 21st 69,709 mi²; 180,693 km² 1. ... Ulysses S. Grant (April 27, 1822 – July 23, 1885) was the 18th President of the United States (1869–1877). ... The Battle of Vicksburg or Siege of Vicksburg was the final significant battle in the Vicksburg Campaign of the American Civil War. ... 1863 is a common year starting on Thursday. ... The third Battle of Chattanooga (popularly known as The Battle of Chattanooga) was fought November 23–25, 1863, in the American Civil War. ... The Carolinas is a collective term used in the United States to refer to the states of North and South Carolina together. ...

History

Up the Cumberland and Tennessee Rivers

On December 23, 1861, Brigadier General Ulysses S. Grant was appointed to command the District of Cairo, Department of Missouri. The army was created from units of the district and divided into three divisions for the campaign known as the Federal Penetration up the Cumberland and Tennessee Rivers. The divisions were commanded by Brig. Gen. John A. McClernand (1st Division), Brig. Gen. Charles F. Smith (2nd) and Brig. Gen. Lew Wallace (3rd). Smith's and McClernand's divisions sailed down the Cumberland River to Fort Henry. Flag Officer Andrew H. Foote, commander of the river flotilla, had basically bombed the fort into submission before much of the army arrived. A few weeks later the two divisions at Fort Henry marched overland to Fort Donelson where they were to join with Wallace's division, which had sailed down the Tennessee River. The Battle of Fort Donelson began on February 11 and the garrison surrendered on February 16. December 23 is the 357th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (358th in leap years). ... 1861 is a common year starting on Tuesday. ... A Brigadier General, or one-star general, is the lowest rank of general officer in the United States and some other countries, ranking just above Colonel and just below Major General. ... Ulysses S. Grant (April 27, 1822 – July 23, 1885) was the 18th President of the United States (1869–1877). ... State nickname: The Show Me State Official languages English Capital Jefferson City Largest city Kansas City (largest metropolitan area is Saint Louis) Governor Matt Blunt (R) Senators Kit Bond (R) Jim Talent (R) Area  - Total  - % water Ranked 21st 69,709 mi²; 180,693 km² 1. ... A division is a large military unit or formation usually consisting of around ten to fifteen thousand soldiers. ... John Alexander McClernand John Alexander McClernand ( May 30, 1812 – September 20, 1900) was an American soldier and lawyer. ... Charles Ferguson Smith (April 24, 1807 – April 25, 1862) was a career U.S. Army officer who served in the Mexican War and as a Union general in the American Civil War. ... Lew Wallace Lewis Lew Wallace (April 10, 1827–February 15, 1905) was an American Civil War general, U.S. statesman and author, who is probably best remembered for his historical novel Ben-Hur. ... Length 1,106 km Elevation of the source 480 m Average discharge 3,217 m³/s Area watershed 46,830 km² Origin Oven Fork, Kentucky Mouth Ohio River Basin countries United States The Cumberland River is an important waterway in the southern United States. ... Fort Henry, Ontario, is a National Historic Site of Canada. ... Flag Officer is both a historic naval rank and a modern day navy title. ... Andrew Hull Foote (12 September 1806 _ 26 June 1863) was an admiral in the United States Navy who served during the Civil War. ... This article or section should be merged with Battle of Fort Donelson Fort Donelson, Tennessee, was the site of the first significant Union victory of the American Civil War. ... A riverboat passing under the Gay Street Bridge on the Tennessee River The river viewed from the top of Neyland Stadium. ... The Battle of Fort Donelson was fought February 12–16, 1862 in the American Civil War. ... February 11 is the 42nd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... February 16 is the 47th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ...

Shiloh and Corinth

Five days after the victory at Donelson, on February 21, 1862, now-Major General Grant was given command of the District of West Tennessee. His army was reinforced by three more divisions and renamed the Army of West Tennessee. In April the army under its new name was in its first real engagement at the Battle of Shiloh. On the first day of the battle the army fought desperately and suffered many casualties. The heroic sacrifice of Benjamin Prentiss's 6th Division in the Hornet's Nest allowed the rest of the army to form a strong defensive line and repulse the last of the Confederate assaults. The next day the Army of the Ohio and Maj. Gen. Lew Wallace's 5th Division, Army of West Tennessee, arrived to reinforce Grant, who counterattacked and drove the Confederates from the field. February 21 is the 52nd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1862 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... Insignia of a United States Air Force Major General German Generalmajor Insignia Major General is a military rank used in many countries. ... Look up April in Wiktionary, the free dictionary April is the fourth month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar and one of four with the length of 30 days. ... Combatants United States of America Confederate States of America Commanders Ulysses S. Grant Don Carlos Buell Albert S. Johnston† P.G.T. Beauregard Strength Army of West Tennessee (33,085 men) and Army of the Ohio (32,000 men) Army of the Mississippi (44,968 men) Casualties 1,754 killed... Benjamin Mayberry Prentiss (November 23, 1819–February 8, 1901) was an American soldier and politician. ... For other meanings of confederate and confederacy, see confederacy (disambiguation) National Motto Deo Vindice (Latin: Under God our Vindicator) Official language English de facto nationwide Various European and Native American languages regionally Capital Montgomery, Alabama February 4, 1861–May 29, 1861 Richmond, Virginia May 29, 1861–April 9, 1865 Largest... The Army of the Ohio was the name of two Union armies in the American Civil War. ... Lew Wallace Lewis Lew Wallace (April 10, 1827–February 15, 1905) was an American Civil War general, U.S. statesman and author, who is probably best remembered for his historical novel Ben-Hur. ...

On April 30, 1862, Maj. Gen. Henry W. Halleck, the commander of the Department of the West, consolidated all the Union armies in the west to form an Army Group of over 100,000 men from the Army of West Tennessee, Army of the Mississippi, and the Army of the Ohio, with Halleck in overall command. Halleck, who disliked Grant, appointed him to be his second-in-command, a position with no formal responsibilities. The forces of the department were reorganized into three "wings", with George H. Thomas in command of the Right Wing, containing the 2nd, 4th, 5th, and 6th Divisions the Army of West Tennessee and Thomas's division from the Army of the Ohio. Grant remained nominally in command of an army that temporarily did not exist in practice; both Halleck and Thomas gave orders directly to the division commanders assigned to the Right Wing. After the Siege of Corinth, the reorganization was rescinded and Grant returned to effective command of the army on June 10. April 30 is the 120th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (121st in leap years), with 245 days remaining, as the last day in April. ... 1862 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... Henry Wager Halleck (1815 - 1872) was an American soldier and politician. ... Army of the Mississippi was the name given to two Union armies, both with short existences, during the Civil War. ... The Army of the Ohio was the name of two Union armies in the American Civil War. ... General George Henry Thomas (July 31, 1816 - March 28, 1870), Northern general during the American Civil War, was born in Southampton County, Virginia. ... The Army of the Ohio was the name of two Union armies in the American Civil War. ... The Battle of Corinth I (also known as the Siege of Corinth) was a United States Civil War battle fought from April 29, 1862 – June 10, 1862 in Corinth, Mississippi. ... June 10 is the 161st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (162nd in leap years), with 204 days remaining. ...

Vicksburg

On October 16, 1862, the army was transferred to the Department of the Tennessee, becoming the Army of the Tennessee. By December the army was reorganized into four corps—the XIII, XV, XVI, and XVII—each containing two or three divisions and detachments of artillery and cavalry. October 16 is the 289th day of the year (290th in Leap years). ... 1862 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... XIII Corps was a corps of the Union Army during the American Civil War. ... XV Corps was a corps of the Union Army during the American Civil War. ... XVI Corps was a corps of the Union Army during the American Civil War. ... XVII Corps was a corps of the Union Army during the American Civil War. ...

In December 1862, the XV Corps under Sherman made an attack against Vicksburg, but was repulsed in the Battle of Chickasaw Bluffs. John A. McClernand used his political influence with Abraham Lincoln to obtain command of the expedition against Vicksburg, setting himself up as a competitor to Grant. McClernand was given command of both his XIII Corps and Sherman's corps. He redesignated these two corps the Army of the Mississippi and succeeded in capturing Fort Hindman. Since this objective was seen to be a distraction and unrelated to a campaign against Vicksburg, Grant used this as a justification to reassert his command of the expedition personally and McClernand's force was reincorporated into the Army of the Tennessee. Combatants United States of America Confederate States of America Commanders William T. Sherman John C. Pemberton Strength 32,000 men 15,000 men Casualties 1,176 killed, wounded, or captured/missing 187 killed, wounded, or captured/missing Template:Campaignbox Vicksburg Campaign The Battle of Chickasaw Bayou, also called the Battle... John Alexander McClernand John Alexander McClernand ( May 30, 1812 – September 20, 1900) was an American soldier and lawyer. ... Abraham Lincoln (February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865), sometimes called Abe Lincoln and nicknamed Honest Abe, the Rail Splitter, and the Great Emancipator, was the 16th President of the United States (1861 to 1865), and the first president from the Republican Party. ... Army of the Mississippi was the name given to two Union armies, both with short existences, during the Civil War. ... Battle of Fort Hindman / Battle of Arkansas Post Conflict American Civil War Date January 9-11, 1863 Place Arkansas County, Arkansas Result Union victory The Battle of Fort Hindman (January 9 - 11, 1863) was a battle of the American Civil War which took place near the mouth of the Arkansas...

For more details on this topic, see Army of the Mississippi.

Working well with the Western Flotilla under David D. Porter, Grant led the XIII, XV, and XVII Corps through the Vicksburg Campaign. After initial assaults were unsuccessful Grant laid siege to the city. During the siege the army received significant reinforcements. A division from the late Army of the Frontier under Francis J. Herron was added to the XVII Corps on June 11. A detachment of two divisions from the XVI Corps under Cadwallader C. Washburn joined on June 12. The IX Corps from the Army of the Potomac joined the siege on June 14. Grant replaced McClernand in command of the XIII Corps with General Edward O. C. Ord. The city surrendered on July 4 and Generals Herron, McPherson, and Logan were the first to lead troops into the city. Immediately after the fall of Vicksburg, Sherman took command of an Expeditionary force composed of the IX, XIII, and XV Corps plus elements of the XVI and XVII Corps. This force captured Jackson on July 17 and returned to Vicksburg shortly after. Army of the Mississippi was the name given to two Union armies, both with short existences, during the Civil War. ... The Mississippi River Squadron was the official name to the Union squadron that operated on the western rivers during the American Civil War and was therefore commonly known as the Western Flotilla and sometimes as the Mississippi Flotilla. History The squadron was created on 16 May 1861 and was controlled... Portrait of David Dixon Porter during the Civil War Vice Admiral David Dixon Porter (June 8, 1813 – February 13, 1891) was a United States naval officer who became one of the most noted naval heroes of the Civil War. ... The Vicksburg Campaign was a series of battles and maneuvers in the American Civil War directed against Vicksburg, Mississippi, a fortress city that dominated the last Confederate-controlled section of the Mississippi River. ... The Army of the Frontier was a Union army that served in the Trans-Mississippi Theater during the Civil War. ... Francis Jay Herron (February 17, 1837 – January 8, 1902), was a Union general during the American Civil War. ... June 11 is the 162nd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (163rd in leap years), with 203 days remaining. ... Cadwallader C. Washburn Cadwallader Colden Washburn (April 22, 1818–May 15, 1882) was an American businessman, politician, and soldier noted for founding what would later become General Mills and working in government for Wisconsin. ... June 12 is the 163rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (164th in leap years), with 202 days remaining. ... IX Corps (Ninth Corps) was a corps of the Union Army during the American Civil War that distinguished itself in combat in multiple theaters: the Carolinas, Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Mississippi. ... Generals Burnside, Hancock, Couch, Ferro, Patrick, Wilcox, Cochrane, Buford and others. ... June 14 is the 165th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (166th in leap years), with 200 days remaining. ... Edward Otho Cresap Ord (1818-1883) was the designer of Fort Sam Houston, and a United States army officer who saw action in the Seminole War, the Indian Wars, and the Civil War. ... July 4 is the 185th day of the year (186th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 180 days remaining. ... July 17 is the 198th day (199th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar, with 167 days remaining. ...

Chattanooga

Atlanta

Georgia and the Carolinas

Disbandment

The Department of the Tennessee participated in the Grand Review in Washington, D.C. It marched as part of Sherman's Great Western Army. The Army of the Tennessee was officially disbanded on August 1, 1865. Location in the United States of America Washington, D.C. is the capital city of the United States of America. ... August 1 is the 213th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (214th in leap years), with 152 days remaining. ... 1865 is a common year starting on Sunday. ...

Command History

District of Cairo

Army of West Tennessee Ulysses S. Grant (April 27, 1822 – July 23, 1885) was the 18th President of the United States (1869–1877). ... December 23 is the 357th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (358th in leap years). ... 1861 is a common year starting on Tuesday. ... February 21 is the 52nd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1862 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... The Battle of Fort Henry was fought February 6, 1862, in western Tennessee, during the American Civil War. ... This article or section should be merged with Battle of Fort Donelson Fort Donelson, Tennessee, was the site of the first significant Union victory of the American Civil War. ...

Army of the Tennessee Ulysses S. Grant (April 27, 1822 – July 23, 1885) was the 18th President of the United States (1869–1877). ... February 21 is the 52nd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1862 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... April 30 is the 120th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (121st in leap years), with 245 days remaining, as the last day in April. ... 1862 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... Combatants United States of America Confederate States of America Commanders Ulysses S. Grant Don Carlos Buell Albert S. Johnston† P.G.T. Beauregard Strength Army of West Tennessee (33,085 men) and Army of the Ohio (32,000 men) Army of the Mississippi (44,968 men) Casualties 1,754 killed... Ulysses S. Grant (April 27, 1822 – July 23, 1885) was the 18th President of the United States (1869–1877). ... April 30 is the 120th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (121st in leap years), with 245 days remaining, as the last day in April. ... 1862 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... June 10 is the 161st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (162nd in leap years), with 204 days remaining. ... 1862 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... The Battle of Corinth I (also known as the Siege of Corinth) was a United States Civil War battle fought from April 29, 1862 – June 10, 1862 in Corinth, Mississippi. ... Ulysses S. Grant (April 27, 1822 – July 23, 1885) was the 18th President of the United States (1869–1877). ... June 10 is the 161st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (162nd in leap years), with 204 days remaining. ... 1862 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... October 24 is the 297th day of the year (298th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 68 days remaining. ... 1862 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... The Battle of Corinth II was a United States Civil War battle fought from October 3 - October 4, 1862 in Corinth, Mississippi. ...

Ulysses S. Grant (April 27, 1822 – July 23, 1885) was the 18th President of the United States (1869–1877). ... October 16 is the 289th day of the year (290th in Leap years). ... 1862 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... October 24 is the 297th day of the year (298th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 68 days remaining. ... 1863 is a common year starting on Thursday. ... The Vicksburg Campaign was a series of battles and maneuvers in the American Civil War directed against Vicksburg, Mississippi, a fortress city that dominated the last Confederate-controlled section of the Mississippi River. ... Battle of Vicksburg Conflict American Civil War Date May 18 - July 4, 1863 Place Warren County, Mississippi Result Union victory The Battle of Vicksburg was an American Civil War siege of Vicksburg, Mississippi, on a well-fortified west-facing cliff on the Mississippi River. ... Portrait of William Tecumseh Sherman by Mathew Brady William Tecumseh Sherman (February 8, 1820 – February 14, 1891) was an American soldier, businessman, and author. ... October 24 is the 297th day of the year (298th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 68 days remaining. ... 1863 is a common year starting on Thursday. ... March 26 is the 85th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (86th in leap years). ... 1864 was a leap year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... The third Battle of Chattanooga (popularly known as The Battle of Chattanooga) was fought November 23–25, 1863, in the American Civil War. ... The Battle of Missionary Ridge was a major battle of the American Civil War fought on November 25, 1863 in Chattanooga, Tennessee as part of the Chattanooga-Ringgold Campaign. ... The Battle of Meridian was fought in 1864 between Union forces led by William Tecumseh Sherman and the Confederacy. ... James Birdseye McPherson (November 14, 1828 – July 22, 1864) was a general who fought in the Union Army during the American Civil War. ... March 26 is the 85th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (86th in leap years). ... 1864 was a leap year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... 22 July is the 203rd day (204th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 162 days remaining. ... 1864 was a leap year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... Palisades and chevaux-de-frise in front of the Potter House, Atlanta, Georgia, 1864. ... Battle of Atlanta Conflict American Civil War Date July 22, 1864 Place Fulton County, Georgia Result Union victory The Battle of Atlanta was a battle of the Atlanta campaign fought during the American Civil War on July 22, 1864 just northeast of Atlanta, Georgia. ... John Alexander Logan (February 8, 1826 – December 26, 1886), American soldier and political leader, was born in what is now Murphysboro, Jackson County, Illinois. ... 22 July is the 203rd day (204th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 162 days remaining. ... 1864 was a leap year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... July 27 is the 208th day (209th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 157 days remaining. ... 1864 was a leap year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... Battle of Atlanta Conflict American Civil War Date July 22, 1864 Place Fulton County, Georgia Result Union victory The Battle of Atlanta was a battle of the Atlanta campaign fought during the American Civil War on July 22, 1864 just northeast of Atlanta, Georgia. ... Portrait of Oliver O. Howard by Mathew Brady, ca. ... July 27 is the 208th day (209th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 157 days remaining. ... 1864 was a leap year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... May 19 is the 139th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (140th in leap years). ... 1865 is a common year starting on Sunday. ... Battle of Ezra Church Conflict American Civil War Date July 28, 1864 Place Fulton County, Georgia Result Union victory The Battle of Ezra Church was fought on July 28, 1864, in Fulton County, Georgia, during the American Civil War. ... Battle of Jonesborough Conflict American Civil War Date August 31- September 1, 1864 Place Clayton County, Georgia Result Union victory The Battle of Jonesborough was fought August 31 – September 1, 1864, during the Atlanta Campaign in the American Civil War. ... Engraving depicting Shermans March Shermans March to the Sea is the name commonly given to a military campaign conducted in late 1864 by Major General William T. Sherman of the Union Army during the American Civil War. ... The Battle of Bentonville was the last major battle between the armies of William T. Sherman and Joseph E. Johnston during the American Civil War. ... John Alexander Logan (February 8, 1826 – December 26, 1886), American soldier and political leader, was born in what is now Murphysboro, Jackson County, Illinois. ... May 19 is the 139th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (140th in leap years). ... 1865 is a common year starting on Sunday. ... August 1 is the 213th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (214th in leap years), with 152 days remaining. ... 1865 is a common year starting on Sunday. ...

Notes

1. ^  For a brief period (September 28 – December 9, 1862) there was also a Confederate Army of West Tennessee, commanded by Maj. Gen. Earl Van Dorn, organized from the Army of the West. Confederate authorities ruled that this was an improper name and Van Dorn's forces were merged into the Army of Mississippi.
2. ^  Grant was promoted to major general on February 16, 1862.
3. ^  During this period Grant served as second-in-command of the Department of the Mississippi under Halleck. The major units of three armies in the department (the Ohio, the Mississippi, and the West Tennessee) were shuffled into a new organization that included three "wings". The Right Wing, which included four divisions from the Army of West Tennessee and one division from the Army of the Ohio, was commanded by George H. Thomas. Although the army effectively ceased to exist during this brief period, the Official Records do not show any interruption in Grant's command of the Army of West Tennessee.
4. ^  Grant was not present at the battle, but a detachment of two divisions from the Army of the Tennessee were engaged at Corinth under the overall command of William S. Rosecrans.

September 28 is the 271st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (272nd in leap years). ... December 9 is the 343rd day (344th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1862 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... Earl Van Dorn Earl Van Dorn (September 17, 1820 – May 7, 1863) was a Confederate Major General during the American Civil War. ... The Army of the West, a unit of the Union Army during the American Civil War, was created on Jan 29, 1862. ... February 16 is the 47th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1862 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... The Army of the Ohio was the name of two Union armies in the American Civil War. ... Army of the Mississippi was the name given to two Union armies, both with short existences, during the Civil War. ... General George Henry Thomas (July 31, 1816 - March 28, 1870), Northern general during the American Civil War, was born in Southampton County, Virginia. ... The Official Records of the American Civil War or often more simply the Official Records or ORs, constitute a unique, authentic, and comprehensive collection of first-hand accounts, orders, reports, and correspondence drawn from War and Navy Department records of both Confederate and Union governments during the American Civil War. ... William Starke Rosecrans (September 6, 1819 - March 11, 1898), nicknamed Old Rosy, served as an American military officer. ...

References

• Eicher, John H., & Eicher, David J., Civil War High Commands, Stanford University Press, 2001, ISBN 0-8047-3641-3.
• Woodworth, Steven E., Nothing but Victory: The Army of the Tennessee, 1861 – 1865, Alfred A. Knopf, 2005, ISBN 0-375-41218-2.

External Links

• Army Organization during the Civil War
• Army of the Tennessee