Category Archives: Leonidas Polk

September 17, 1862: Bragg takes Munfordville

Posted on September 17, 2012 by Allen Gathman

Braxton Bragg Charles Champion Gilbert, whom Buell had appointed Major-General to replace Bull Nelson after his injury in the battle of Richmond, forwarded a Buell’s note to General Wright warning that Bragg was at or near Glasgow, KY. In fact, … Continue reading →

Posted in Braxton Bragg, Horatio G. Wright, Kentucky, Leonidas Polk | Leave a comment

September 16, 1862: Bragg at Munfordville

Posted on September 16, 2012 by Allen Gathman

Bragg’s army is investing Munfordville, 70 miles south of Louisville. It’s what Buell was afraid of. Official Record HEADQUARTERS, Near Woodsonville, Ky., September 16, 1862-2 p.m. Major-General POLK, Commanding Right Wing, Army of the Miss., Munfordville, Ky.: DEAR GENERAL: Your … Continue reading →

Posted in Braxton Bragg, Kentucky, Leonidas Polk | Leave a comment

May 20, 1862: Beauregard plans a counterattack

Posted on May 20, 2012 by Allen Gathman

Beauregard, in a pencil-written note, lays out a plan for a sortie to disrupt the siege of Corinth. I can’t find any evidence that this plan was ever put into action, though. Within ten days they’d abandon the town. From … Continue reading →

Posted in Braxton Bragg, Earl Van Dorn, John C. Breckinridge, Leonidas Polk, Mississippi, Pierre G.T. Beauregard | Leave a comment

April 3, 1862: Johnston’s orders for Shiloh

Posted on April 3, 2012 by Allen Gathman

Johnston, commanding the concentration of Confederate troops at Corinth, decided it was better to attack than to wait for Grant and Buell to unite against him. He organized his troops into four corps, under Polk, Bragg, Hardee, and Breckinridge, and … Continue reading →

Posted in A. S. Johnston, Braxton Bragg, John C. Breckinridge, Leonidas Polk, Shiloh, William J. Hardee | Leave a comment

October 29, 1861: Grant and Polk correspond

Posted on October 29, 2011 by Allen Gathman

U.S. Grant From the Richmond Daily Dispatch, Oct. 29, 1861: Exchange of prisoners — correspondence between Gens. Grant and Polk. The Cairo correspondent of the St. Louis Republican,writing on the 14th inst., says the following note was delivered to Gen. … Continue reading →

Posted in Illinois, Kentucky, Leonidas Polk, Ulysses S. Grant | Leave a comment

September 18, 1861: Southern reaction to the invasion of Kentucky

Posted on September 18, 2011 by Allen Gathman

The Nashville American and theRichmond Daily Dispatch, not surprisingly, find that the Confederate invasion of Kentucky was justified, and decries the action of the legislature demanding their removal. As a corollary, they approved of Magoffin’s veto of the act. The … Continue reading →

Posted in Beriah Magoffin, Kentucky, Leonidas Polk | 1 Comment

September 9, 1861: Union public response to Confederate invasion of KY

Posted on September 9, 2011 by Allen Gathman

A New York Times editorial gives their take on Pillow and Polk’s invasion of Kentucky. Kentucky Invaded by the Rebels. Published: September 9, 1861 It appears that the die is cast in Kentucky and that in spite of the earnest … Continue reading →

Posted in Gideon Pillow, John C. Breckinridge, Kentucky, Leonidas Polk | Leave a comment

August 29, 1861: Pillow contemplates invading Kentucky

Posted on August 29, 2011 by Allen Gathman

General Pillow, in a longish dispatch to Gen. Polk, argues that if he can’t take Cape Girardeau on the Missouri side of the river, the best way to block Mississippi traffic is to take Columbus, Kentucky. Of course, Kentucky being … Continue reading →

Posted in Gideon Pillow, Kentucky, Leonidas Polk, Missouri | 1 Comment

August 26, 1861: Retreat!!!

Posted on August 26, 2011 by Allen Gathman

The fighting bishop, Leonidas Polk, tells Pillow to fall back to New Madrid (and Hardee to back off too). They had dithered long enough for the Union to gather sufficient troops to defend Cape Girardeau and St. Louis from Confederate … Continue reading →

Posted in Gideon Pillow, Leonidas Polk, Missouri, William J. Hardee | Leave a comment

August 23, 1861: Why Pillow can’t move (again)

Posted on August 23, 2011 by Allen Gathman

Gideon J. Pillow While McClellan was back east developing a reputation for endless dithering and retreating, Pillow was playing his Confederate counterpart in the west. There was always something stopping him from moving north along the Mississippi. Official Record, Series … Continue reading →

Posted in Gideon Pillow, Leonidas Polk | Leave a comment