Army of Tennessee
The Army of Tennessee took its name from the Confederate state of Tennessee and was formed on the 20th of November 1862. General Braxton Bragg renamed the former Army of Mississippi to create this new field army. He divided it into two corps commanded by Leonidas Polk and William J. Hardee. A third corps emerged from troops in East Tennessee under Edmund Kirby Smith but disbanded in early December after one division moved to Mississippi. The cavalry consolidated under Joseph Wheeler became a single command unit.
This newly named force faced its first major test against the Army of the Cumberland on December 31 along Stones River. Attacks began at 6 a.m. against the Union right wing and pushed the Union flank back toward their supply route to Nashville. Confederates failed to capture the road despite initial success. Braxton Bragg expected Union commander William S. Rosecrans to retreat during the night but Rosecrans chose to remain in position. No fighting occurred on January 1 before Bragg assigned one division to seize a ridge on the east side of Stones River. That division's attack was repulsed by heavy artillery fire. Bragg retreated during the night and halted near the Duck River.
Feuding broke out between Braxton Bragg and his corps commanders following the defeat at Stones' River. Several officers stated that Bragg had lost the confidence of the army. Confederate President Jefferson Davis sent Joseph Johnston to inspect the situation and take command if necessary. Johnston refused to assume leadership of the army despite being authorized to do so.
Bragg became embroiled in personal disputes with Forrest which led to Forrest being reassigned to Mississippi and West Tennessee. His cavalry corps merged with Wheeler's unit. Hill, Buckner, and Longstreet signed a petition to Davis asking for Bragg's removal from command. After Davis rejected the petition, Bragg made several changes to the command structure. Polk was relieved of command and charged with disobedience during the Chickamauga campaign. Instead of facing court martial, Polk transferred to Mississippi while Hardee took command of the First Corps. Hill also lost his command and was replaced by John C. Breckinridge. Both the Third Corps and Reserve Corps merged into other units as Buckner and Walker received demotions to division command.
During the 1864 Atlanta campaign, Joseph Johnston faced combined Northern armies under William T. Sherman whose orders were to destroy the Army of Tennessee. Johnston felt continued existence of his army mattered more than protecting territory and tended to avoid battle with Sherman. He withdrew from defensive positions after Sherman outflanked each one during May and early June.
Polk died at Pine Mountain on June 14 and was temporarily replaced by W.W. Loring until July when A.P. Stewart took command of the corps. Johnston's retreats caused impatience among Confederate leadership in Richmond particularly Jefferson Davis who feared Johnston planned to abandon Atlanta without fighting. Following Sherman's outflanking of Johnston's Line along the Chattahoochee River, Johnston was replaced by Hood on July 9. Stephen D. Lee reassigned from Mississippi took command of the Second Corps.
Hood launched several attacks on Sherman's forces around Atlanta including Peachtree Creek, Atlanta itself, and Ezra Church but each attack failed. Sherman cut Hood's last railroad supply line following the Battle of Jonesboro on September 1 which forced Hood to abandon the city the next day. Hood retreated southwest of Atlanta first to Lovejoy's Station before stopping at Palmetto where he met with Davis and P.G.T. Beauregard.
Hood started north at the end of September capturing Union railroad garrisons and destroying miles of tracks. When Sherman followed the Confederates, Hood moved west into Alabama instead of fighting in northern Georgia. By October Sherman decided to give up pursuit and launched his March to the Sea. Hood chose to head back north into Tennessee while Wheeler's cavalry corps detached to Georgia and Carolinas to fight Sherman's advance.
The army reached Tuscumbia on the Tennessee River but lack of supplies prevented crossing until November 20. Hood faced Thomas and the Army of the Cumberland in Middle Tennessee. He tried to trap part of Schofield's army near Columbia but failed then marched past Schofield toward Nashville. Schofield detected Hood's march ordered retreat back to Nashville avoiding being cut off at Spring Hill despite Hood's orders that Confederate forces seize the Nashville Turnpike.
At Franklin Hood ordered immediate frontal assault despite having only two of three infantry corps present. He ignored advice from subordinates to outflank Union fortifications and avoid head-on attack. During resulting battle Hood lost 7,000 men almost a quarter of strength including six generals killed or mortally wounded another six wounded and one captured.
Hood resigned command in January replaced briefly by Richard Taylor. During late January and February the army transferred to Carolinas joining other Confederate forces fighting against Sherman's troops marching through region. Stewart commanded army during this time with William W. Loring leading Stewart's Corps D.H. Hill commanding Lee's corps and William B. Bate commanding Cheatham's corps. Wheeler's cavalry operated as part of Wade Hampton's cavalry command.
General Joseph E. Johnston received command of Confederate forces in region dubbed Army of South Carolina. At this point Army of Tennessee reduced to only 4,500 men lacking weapons artillery wagons suffering desertion along way east from Mississippi. In very few weeks Johnston rebuilt force capable providing serious resistance to Sherman advancing army.
Parts fought small engagements during Carolinas campaign including Wise's Forks entire army engaged Battle of Bentonville March 19 to 21 when Johnston attacked one wing Sherman hoping crush before other wing arrived. Johnston launched attack shortly after 3 p.m. Stewart drove back left wing Union XIV Corps capturing three cannons several hundred prisoners but army became disorganized resulting temporary halt for reform. Part sent assist Confederate left rest attacked Union XX Corps with troops from Hardee command Union troops repulsed each attack.
Johnston retreated night of March 21 moving through Morrisville arriving near Smithfield North Carolina. During three-week encampment around Smithfield Johnston reorganized force into single army adopting name Army of Tennessee combined forces. Most regiments consolidated into single units infantry divided into three corps commanded by Hardee Stewart Lee Hampton given command cavalry corps Wheeler remained commanding divisions formerly his corps artillery reorganized sixteen batteries seven batteries four cannons each Johnston total strength about 30,400 men.
When Sherman started after Johnston April 10 Johnston retreated through Raleigh abandoning city April 12 continuing westward along North Carolina Railroad Hillsborough planned surrender thought Confederacy could get better terms negotiating position strength. Johnston and Sherman met negotiated terms surrender the 17th of April 18 Bennett Place near Durham Station North Carolina.
Sherman accepted surrender Army of Tennessee promised recognize Confederate state governments these terms immediately rejected Union government forcing new agreement signed April 26 modeled terms agreed Robert E. Lee Appomattox Court House included not only Army Tennessee but all other Confederate forces Florida Georgia South Carolina North Carolina number Confederate troops included surrender totaled almost 90,000 men.
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Common questions
When was the Army of Tennessee formed and by whom?
The Army of Tennessee was formed on the 20th of November 1862. General Braxton Bragg renamed the former Army of Mississippi to create this new field army.
What happened during the Battle of Stones River in December 1862?
Attacks began at 6 a.m. against the Union right wing and pushed the Union flank back toward their supply route to Nashville. Confederates failed to capture the road despite initial success and Bragg retreated during the night after his division's attack was repulsed by heavy artillery fire.
Who replaced Joseph Johnston as commander of the Army of Tennessee during the Atlanta campaign?
Johnston was replaced by Hood on July 9 following Sherman's outflanking of Johnston's Line along the Chattahoochee River. Stephen D. Lee reassigned from Mississippi took command of the Second Corps under the new leadership.
How many men did the Army of Tennessee lose at the Battle of Franklin?
During resulting battle Hood lost 7,000 men almost a quarter of strength including six generals killed or mortally wounded another six wounded and one captured. He ordered immediate frontal assault despite having only two of three infantry corps present.
Where and when did the Army of Tennessee surrender to Union forces?
Johnston and Sherman met negotiated terms surrender the 17th of April 1862 Bennett Place near Durham Station North Carolina. The final agreement signed April 26 included not only Army Tennessee but all other Confederate forces Florida Georgia South Carolina North Carolina number Confederate troops included surrender totaled almost 90,000 men.
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1 references cited across the entry
- 1bookSuffering in the Army of TennesseeThrasher