Who commanded the 7th Mississippi.
| First let me start by saying that the question of whether or not Robert E. Lee ever commanded the 7th Miss. is sort of a trick question. It is true that by 1865 Lee was given command of all southern troops but it is doubtful that he ever issued orders directly to or for the 7th Miss. in particular. One would assume he kept his orders pertaining to the Army of Tennessee at the "Army Level" and left it up to the AoT's commander to make corps, division, brigade, and regimental level decisions for himself. If anybody knows if this is incorrect please contact me with proof of the orders and I will make the proper corrections. Note: The information featured here is condensed from... "Generals in Gray...Lives of the Confederate Commanders" More Generals in Gray: A Companion Volume to Generals in Gray by Bruce S. Allardice, Louisiana State University Press. |
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 Mansfield Lovell: Born on October 20, 1822 in Washington City (D.C.). Was graduated from West Point in the class of 1842. During the Mexicon War he was badly wounded and was breveted to Captain at Chapultopec. He resigned from the army in 1854 to enter the business world and later served as Street Commissioner of New Yaork City. He was appointed as a Major General in the Confederate army on October 7, 1861. He took over command of the New Orleans defenses and was forced to evacuate the city. A Court of Inquiry later exonerated him of any charges over the loss of the city. He fought his corp well at Corinth but was never again to see a signifigant coomand. In the Atlanta Campaign both General Joseph E. Johnston and General John Bell Hood asked for him to be appointed to corp command with no success. In March of 1865, at General Joseph E. Johnston's request, he was enroute to report for duty to General Robert E. Lee. The Confederate armies were surrendered before he could be assigned. After the war he returned to New York where he worked as an engineer. He died there on June 1, 1884 and is buried in Woodlawn Cemetery. |
 Charles Gustavus Ulric Dahlgren: Born August 13, 1811 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His father was the first Swedish Consul to the United States. Priot to the war he was a banker in New Orleans and later Natchez. Married Mary Routh Ellis and inherited large plantation holdings in both Louisiana and Mississippi. He is remembered as a master duelist and carried the scars to prove it. On July 8, 1861 was commissioned a brigadier general in the Mississippi State forces. Placed in command of the Southwest Mississippi Territory he commanded the 3rd Brigade Mississippi State Troops comprised of the 7th and 3rd Mississippi Infantry regiments. In November 1861 Confederate President Jefferson Davis appointed Confederate General Mansfield Lovell to command of this department and General Dahlgren resigned in protest. This lead to a feud with President Davis, often carried out in the newspapers.His brother was John A. Dahlgren, an admiral in the Union Navy and the man credited with inventing the Dahlgren gun. Charles Dahlgren was uncle to Union Col. Ulric Dahlgren who died leading a failed Union cavalry raid with orders to attempt to assassinate President Jefferson Davis and the Confederate Cabinet. Yet another brother, William Dahlgren, spent time spying on Confederate purchasing agents England . After the war, his holdings decimated and in poor health, he moved to Nashville, Tennessee then later to Winchester, Virginia. He later worked as a public accountant in Brooklyn, New York. He died in Brooklyn on December 13, 1888. He is buried in Natchez City Cemetery, Natchez, Ms.
Reappointed to the U.S. army in 1849, he served on the Texas frontier. Named colonel of the 2nd cavalry in 1855 and then commanded the department of Texas from 1856 to 1858. Leader of the Utah expedition against the Mormons in 1857, he was breveted brigadier general for his services. From 1858 to 1860 commanded the department of Utah. At the time Texas seceded from the union he was commanding the department of the Pacific. The general resigned his U.S. commision on May 3, 1861 and was appointed a full general in the regular confederate states army on August 31, 1861, to rank from May 30, 1861. Named to command all confederate forces west of the Alleghenies. Note: At the time of his death at Shiloh general Johnston's personal surgeon was away tending to Union wounded per the wishes of the general. Upon hearing the news general Johnston was siding with the Confederacy president Jefferson Davis proclaimed his coming as "...worth 10,000 men" and U.S. Grant would say that he felt Johnston to be the most capable man in the Confederate armies. Died April 6, 1862 at the battle of Shiloh. He is buried in the state cemetary in Austin, Texas
Resigned his commision in February of 1861 and was appointed brigadier general, Provisional Army, C.S.A., on March 1, 1861. Placed in command at Charleston it was his orders that began the shelling of Fort Sumter in April. Was second in command to Joe Johnston two months later at first Bull Run. Commisioned full general in the regular C.S.A. Army to rank from July 21, 1861 and was second in command to A.S. Johnston at Shiloh. When Johnston fell mortally wounded command of the army fell to Beauregard. While on sick leave later he was replaced with Braxton Bragg. Difficult relationship with Jeff Davis. He later was in charge of the defense of the South Carolina and Georgia coast and is said to be responsible for the design of the torpedo arm of the famous C.S.A. submarine "Hunley". Died in New Orleans on February 20, 1893 and is buried in Metairie Cemetary.
Moved to Galveston, Texas after the war where he fell dead while walking down the street with a friend on September 27, 1876. He is buried in Mobile, Alabama.
Joseph Eggleston Johnston: Born at "Cherry Grove", Farmville, Virginia, on February 3, 1807. Was a classmate of R.E. Lee at West Point, the class of 1829. Served with great distiction in both the Seminole and Mexican wars in which he was wounded and breveted several times. Appointed as Quartermaster General with the rank of brigadier general on June 28, 1860. Resigned his commision on April 22, 1861. Commisioned as brigadier in the regular C.S.A. army in May, 1861, he was placed in command of Harper's Ferry. His coming to the aid of general Beauregard at the first battle of Bull Run won him the rank of full general on August 31, 1861, to date from July 4, 1861, and the command of what was later to be named the Army of Northern Virginia. Was wounded at 7 Pines in May of 1862 thus leading to R.E. Lee taking command of the A.N.V. He was in Mississippi during the Vicksburg campaign and both he and the commander at Vicksburg, general John C. Pemberton, were recieving conflicting orders from Richmond which was a large reason for the fall of the "Confederate Gibralter". Upon taking command of the Army of Tennessee from Bragg he began a plan of "strategic withdrawal" from W.T. Sherman. Hoping to prolong the war and thus lower union civilian war support and also hoping to seperate Sherman from his supply lines and present a chance of victory Johnston was relieved of command on July 17, 1864, in front of Atlanta by John Bell Hood. Seeing no active service until February of 1865, he was again given command of the A.o.T. by R.E. Lee. Surrendered on April 26, 1865 to Sherman. He died on March 21, 1891, after marching bare headed in the rain at the funeral of his old adversary, Sherman. When asked to don his hat he replied that, if things were reversed, general Sherman would not don his. He is buried in Green Mount Cemetary, Baltimore.
Wounded at Gettysburg, he lost an arm. Returned in time fight at Chickamauga where he was again wounded and lost a leg. Promoted to Lt. general on February 1, 1864, to date from September 20, 1863, he was given a corps under Joe Johnston in the Army of Tennessee. Superseded Johnston in July of 1864 where on the 18th of that month he was temporarily promoted full general. Driving into Tennessee, leaving Sherman pretty much to his own devices, he marched the A.o.T into Tennessee where it suffered greatly at Nashville and Franklin. Relieved at his own request in January of 1865, he then reverted to his permanent rank of Lt. general. He surrendered himself in May at Natchez. After the war wrote, "Advance and Retreat". Contracted yellow fever at his home in New Orleans, as did his wife and a daughter, and passed away with them on August 30, 1879. He is buried in Metairie Cemetary, New Orleans.
On detached service for 1862-63 his corps did not participate at Chancerlorsville. Commanded the right wing of Lee's army at Gettysburg. His actions at the battle are the topic of some of the most heated debates among historians and civil war buffs. Was detatched with his corps to the Army of Tennessee in the fall of 1863 and was largely responsible for the Confederate victory at Chickamauga but failed in his efforts to take Knoxville. On may 6, 1864 rejoined R.E. Lee at the Wilderness in time to repulse a Union assault and launch a brilliant counter attack. However he was wounded in the throat at almost the same area as Stonewall Jackson was and also by friendly fire. Came back to service some months later and was with Lee at the Appomattox surrender.
After the war he became a Republican and was named U.S. Grant as ambassador to Turkey. Under Presidents McKinnley and Roosevelt he was commisioner of Pacific railroads. His memoirs are a must read for historians. Died January 2, 1904, the last of the Confederate high command. He is buried in Gainesville, Georgia.
Commanding the districts of Louisiana and east Mississippi he was given a division under Nathan Bedford Forrest and participated in the actions in north Mississippi, Kentucky and west Tennessee including Hood's 1864 campaign. After the war he became prominent in Reconstruction and represented Mississippi three times in Congress. Retired to Memphis where he again practised law until his death on April 9, 1898. He is buried in Memphis.
Appointed major general in the provisional Confederate states army on June 25, 1861 and then promoted to Lt. general to rank from October 10, 1862. Commanded the vast territory of Department No.2 including the Mississippi river defenses from the Red river to Paducah, Kentucky. Superseded in command by Albert Sydney Johnston he served as a corps commander at Shiloh, Perryville, Murfreesboro, Chickamauga, and the opening actions of the Atlanta campaign. Killed at Pine Mountain, near Marietta, Georgia on June 14, 1864. Buried at Augusta, Georgia, the remains of general Polk and his wife were re-interred in Christ Church Cathedral in New Orleans in 1945. A cousin of President James K. Polk. Ft. Polk army base in Louisiana is named for him.
After the war he was a merchant in Mobile serving as mayor from 1858 to 1861. He also served in the state legislature. When the civil war broke out he entered Confederate service as Colonel of the 3rd Alabama infantry. Promoted brigadier general on July 10, 1861 and major general from April 6, 1862. First commanding the Mobile defenses then serving as a division commander at Shiloh. Was highly commended by both Bragg and Polk after Murfreesboro. Succeeded in divisional command by general Hindman he was in charge of the Alabama reserve forces the rest of the war. After the war he became a cotton broker and then editor of the Mobile Tribune. Again served as Mobile mayor in 1867. Was city treasurer from 1878-79 and also worked as a claim agent in Washington. Died March 13, 1890 at Mobile and is buried there at Magnolia cemetary.
Entered Confederate service as Colonel of the 2nd Arkansas infantry. Promoted to brigadier general on September 28, 1861 and to major general on April 14, 1862. After commanding the Trans-Mississippi Dpet. for a time he was relieved by General Holmes. Fought at Prairie Grove, Chickamauga, Chattanooga and the Atlanta campaign where he was so badly wounded he became physically unfit to command. Moved to Mexico after the war but returned to Arkansas in 1868 to practice law. Was assassinated in his home on September 28, 1868, the anniversary of his promotion to brigadier general. Buried at Maple Hill cemetary, Helena, Arkansas.
At the outbreak of the civil war he was in Florida and was a member of the secession convention. Appointed Colonel of the 1st Florida infantry he was promoted to bridadier general on February 10, 1862. He fought well at Shiloh, Perryville, Murfreesboro, Chickamauga and Chattanooga. Promoted major general to rank from February 17, 1864. In command of the District of Florida he was recalled to the Army of Tennessee in time to take part in the battles at Ezra Church and Jonesboro where he was badly injured. Surrendered with the army Greensboro. After the war conducted a farm paper in Memphis and was collecter of state taxes for Shelby county. Died in Memphis on September 20, 1872 and is buried in Memphis.
After being promoted through grades to rank of Colonel he was appointed brigadier general on November 6, 1862 and assigned to General Pemberton's artillery at Vicksburg. After being exchanged when Vicksburg surrendered he was promoted to major general on August 3, 1863. Placed in command of the cavalry in the Department of Mississippi, Alabama, west Tennesse and east Louisiana. Appointed Lt. General to rank from June 23, 1864 he was assigned command of Hood's old corps of the Army of Tennessee which he led until the surrender in North Carolina.
After the war he lived in Mississippi where he was a farmer, state senator and first president of Mississippi State college. Was very active in Confederate Veteran affairs and served as their Commander in Chief and is remembered for giving "the charge" to the Sons of Confederate Veterans. Died on May 28, 1908 at Vicksburg and is buried at Columbus, Mississippi.
Assigned a division of S.D. Lee's corps in the Army of Tennesse he was again captured at Nashville and was not released from the Old Capitol prison until July 1865. After the war became a farmer at his old home at Chesterfield, Virginia and died at Richmond on March 2, 1873. He is buried in Hollywood cemetary.
After the war he resumed his law practice in Columbus, purchased the Columbus Independent and became president of the Mississippi Press assn. Was active in the white supremacy movements during Reconstruction and served as a member of the legislature from 1886 to 1890 being at one time Speaker of the House. Died at Columbus September 15, 1907 is buried there.
Returning to law practice in Chickasaw county he was elected a member of the legislature in 1876 and 1878. Assassinated September 14, 1881 at Okolona, Mississippi allegedly by two men hired by a man named Shaw, against whom the General had a case pending. He is buried at Okolona.
Commanded a wing of Bragg's army in the Kentucky campaign and at Murfreesboro. Promoted to Lt. General to rank from October 10, 1862. Commanded a corps at Chattanooga and under Joseph Johnston in the Atlanta campaign. In the last months he opposed Sherman in Georgia and South Carolina, and in the final weeks was again with Johnston, his old friend. After yeilding Savannah and Charleston to Sherman he surrendered in North Carolina in April 1865. After the war he was a planter at Selma, Alabama. Along with Jackson and Longstreet is recognized as one the Confederacy's finest corps commanders. Once turned down Command of the Army of Tennessee. Died at Wytheville, Virginia while on a trip on November 6, 1873. He is buried at Selma, Alabama.
Promoted to
major general to rank from April 14, 1862 he commanded the reserve corps at Shiloh and in the summer of 1862 defended Vicksburg. After failing in an attack on Baton Rouge he distinguished himself at Murfreesboro, in Joe Johnstons campaign to relieve Vicksburg and at Chickamauga. Commanded the Department of Southwest Virginia for a while in 1864 and then accompanied General Jubal Early in his raid on Washington D.C. On February 4, 1865 he was appointed Confederate Secretary of War by Jeff Davis. After the surender he made his way to England and later to Canada only returning to Kentucky in 1869. Disclaiming all political ambition he resumed his law practice
and became perhaps the most popular man in Kentucky. After a serious operation he died on May 17, 1875 in Lexington and was buried there.
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Born in Washington, Kentucky, February 2, 1803, General A.S. Johnston was educated at Transylvania university and West Point. He graduated West Point in 1826. He served during the Black Hawk war then resigned in 1836 and enlisted as private in the Texas Revolutionary Army. Within a year he was promoted to senior brigadier general and chief commander. He served as Secretary of War for the Republic of Texas from 1838 to 1840. When Texas became a state of the union he became a colonel of a regiment of Texas volunteers and served the United States in the Mexican War, seeing action at Monterrey.
Pierre Gustave Toutant Beauregard was born in St. Bernard parish, Louisiana May 28, 1818. Graduated second in his class from West Point in 1838. During the Mexican war he served on the staff of General Winfield Scott as an engineer and won two brevets for gallantry. Assigned as Superintendent of West Point in January 1861 but was relieved a few days later, probably due to his southern sympathies.
Braxton Bragg: Born in Warrenton, North Carolina, March 22, 1817 and graduated West Point in 1837. Fought against the Seminole Tribes and in the Mexican War. Resigned his commision as Lt. Col. in 1856 to become a planter in Louisiana. March 7, 1861 was confirmed and appointed brigadier general in the Provisional C.S.A. army and was assigned to defense of the coast from Pensacola to Mobile. Promoted to Major general on September 12, 1861 and was assigned the 2nd corps under A.S. Johnston. Upon the death of general Johnston was appointed and confirmed the same day, a general in the regular C.S.A. army to rank from April 6, 1862. In June 1862 he replaced Beauregard as commander of the Army of Tennessee. He led the army into Kentucky and withdrew in October, 1862. Was victor at the battle of Chickamauga and then besieged Chattanooga but was forced back into Georgia by U.S. Grant and yielded command to Joseph E. Johnston at his own request. Recalled to Richmond by his close friend and strongest supporter, Jefferson Davis, he was assigned "with the conduct of the military operations in the armies of the Confederacy". Altho junior to R.E. Lee by date of appointment this technically made him superior, at least during this time. Later served under J.E. Johnston during the North Carolina actions.
John Bell Hood: Born at Owingsville, Kentucky on June 31, 1831. Graduated West Point in 1853. Is said by many experts to have had the most spectacular rise in rank of any officer in the Confederate armies. After serving in California and Texas he resigned his commision as a 1st. Lieutenant in the U.S. army on April 17, 1861. While serving as commander at regimental, brigade, and division level with army of Northern Virginia he distinguished himself on every field he fought on. Promoted to brigadier general to rank from March 3, 1862 he fought in the Peninsular campaign and 2nd Manassas. Promoted to major general to rank from October 10, 1862, he distinguished himself at both Sharpsburg and Fredericksburg under general Longstreet.
James Peter Longstreet: "Old Pete" was the senior Lt. General in the Confederate army. Robert E. Lee often refered to him as "my old warhorse". Born on January 8, 1821 at Edgefield district, South Carolina he graduated West Point in 1842. He served in various Indian campaigns and won two brevets for gallantry in Mexico. At the time of his resignation from the U.S. army on June 1, 1861 he held the rank of Major. On June 17, 1861 was appointed brigadier general in the Confederate service. He rendered distinguished service on the Peninsula and at Second Manasses and Sharpsburg. Promoted to Lt. General on October 9, 1862. His corps defended Marye's Heights at Fredericksburg.
James Ronald Chalmers: Born at Halifax, Virginia on January 11, 1831. Graduated at age twenty from South Carolina college. He practised law in Holly Springs, Mississippi he served as District Attorney and was a member of the secession convention. He was made Colonel of the 9th Mississippi and served at Pensacola. Promoted brigadier general on January 13, 1862 he led his brigade with distinction at Shiloh. After the battle of Murfreesboro was transferred to the cavalry.
Leonidas K. Polk: The "Bishop-Militant" was born at Raleigh, North Carolina on April 10, 1806. Graduated West Point in 1827, one year ahead of his life long friend Jefferson Davis. Resigned and entered the Episcopal Ministry and became Missionary Bishop of the southwest.
Jones Mitchell Withers: Born in Madison county, Alabama on January 12, 1814. Graduated West Point 1835 and resigned that same year to study law. !836 served as a volunteer in the Creek uprising. He then returned to his law practice and and cotton factoring. Active in the Alabama state militia he made his home at Tuscaloosa and Mobile. In the Mexican war he was reappointed to the U.S. army as Lt. Colonel of the 13th infantry and later promoted to Colonel of the 9th infantry.
Thomas Carmichael Hindman: Born in Knoxville, Tennessee on January 28, 1828. Served with conspicuous heroism in Mexico as 2nd Lieutenant in the 2nd Mississippi Infantry. After the war he was admitted to the bar and served a term in the Mississippi legislature. Moved to Arkansas and was elected to Congress in 1858 and 1860 but did not take his seat after the second election. He was instumental in securing secession for his adopted state.
James Patton Anderson: Born February 16, 1822 in Franklin county Tennessee. Practiced and studied medicine in Hernando county Mississippi from which he raised the 1st Battalion of Mississippi infantry in the Mexican war and served as Colonel. After a term in the Mississippi legislature he was appointed by President Pierce United States Marshall for Washington territory where he was elected as a representative to Congress.
Stephen Dill Lee: The youngest man promoted to Lt. General in the Confederacy he was born September 22, 1833 at Charleston, South Carolina. Graduated West Point in 1854 and resigned his commision on February 20, 1861. Entered Confederate servicce as a Captain and Aide-de-camp to General Beauregard. An artillerist, he served in this branch through all the Virginia campaigns up to Sharpsburg.
Edward Johnson: "Old Allegheny" was born on April 16, 1816 at Salisbury, Chesterfield county, Virginia. Moved as a child to Kentucky and was educated there. Graduated West Point 1838 and saw service in the Seminole war and Mexico where he was breveted Captain and Major for gallant and meritorious service and was voted a sword by the state of Virginia. Resigned his commision June 10, 1861 and entered Confederate service as Colonel of the 12th Georgia infantry. Promoted to brigadier general on December 13, 1861 and to major general to rank from Februaru 28, 1863. Particpated in T.J. Jackson's Valley campaign where he was everely wounded and led Jackson's old division at Gettysburg, the Wilderness and Spotsylvania. Was captured at the "Bloody Angle" and later exchanged.
Jacob Hunter Sharp: Born February 6, 1833 at Pickensville, Alabama. Attended the University of Alabama in 1851 where he studied law. Was admitted to the bar and practiced in Columbus, Mississippi. Enlisted as a private in the 1st battalion of Mississippi infantry (later part of the 44th Mississippi infantry) he was elected Captain and fought at Shiloh, the Kentucky campaign and Murfreesboro. Was promoted to Colonel before Chickamauga and led the 44th there and into the Chattanooga campaign. July 26, 1864 was promoted to brigadier general to supply the place of General Tucker who was disabled due to wounds. Led his brigade throught Hood's Tennesse campaign. During this camppaigtn he was wounded at Franklin and was on crutches as he commanded the brigade at Nashville. He was also struck by shrapnel at nashville.
William Feimster Tucker: Born Iredell county, North Carolina on May 9, 1827. Graduated Emory and Henry in Virginia at aage twenty one. Moved that year to Houston, Mississippi. Elected Probate Judge os Chickasaw county in 1855. He then studied law and was admitted to the bar and was practicing when the war broke out. Entered Confederate service as Captain of company A 11th Mississippi infantry. Was part of General Bernard Bee's brigade at first Bull Run. His company was then transferred west and bacame part of the 41st Mississippi infantry, of which unit he was promoted Colonel May 8, 1862. Led his unit at Perryville, Murfreesboro, Chickamauga and Chattanooga. Was promoted brigadier general to rank from March 1, 1864.Wounded at Resaca on May 14 so severely as to render him incapacitated for field duty for the remainder of the war. In the closing weeks commanded the District of Southern Mississippi and East Louisiana.
William Joseph Hardee: "Old Reliable" was born in Camden county, Georgia on October 12, 1815. Graduated West Point in 1838. Twice brevetted for gallantry in Mexico he later served as Commandant of Cadets at the military academy and wrote the standard textbook "Rifle and Light Infantry Tactics (1853-55 published Philadelphia, 1861). Resigned his commission as Lt. Col. on January 31, 1861 and was appointed brigadier general on June 17 and major general on October 7, 1861. Organized a brigade of Arkansas regiments and operated in that state until summoned to join A.S. Johnston shortly before Shiloh.
John Cabell Breckenridge: Born January 15, 1821 at Lexington, Kentucky. Graduated from Centre College in 1839. After legal studies at Transylvania University he began a law practice in Lexington in 1845. Voted to the Kentucky legislature in 1849-51 and to the House of Representatives in 1851-55. In 1856 he was elected Vice President of the United States under President Buchanan. In 1859, a year and a half before his term as Vice President was to expire he was elected to the U.S. Senate by the Kentucky Legislature. He opposed the war in Kentucky's special session of 1861 but when Kentucky declared for the Union he accepted a commission as a Confederate brigadier.