When did the Army of the Cumberland begin its existence?
The Army of the Cumberland began its life in November 1861 as the Army of the Ohio. Brigadier General Robert Anderson led this new force during its earliest days before it was renamed later.
The Army of the Cumberland began its life in November 1861 as the Army of the Ohio. Brigadier General Robert Anderson led this new force during its earliest days before it was renamed later.
Major General George H. Thomas took over command of the battered unit on the 19th of October 1863 following the defeat at Chickamauga. He had previously led the center wing under Rosecrans and later crushed Confederate forces at the Battle of Nashville.
The army fought significant engagements including Stones River, Chickamauga, Kennesaw Mountain, Franklin, and Nashville. These battles established the unit's combat identity and ultimately ended military actions for the Army of the Cumberland in the Western Theater by early 1865.
Major General William S. Rosecrans reorganized the combined force into three grand divisions or wings on the 24th of October 1862. Alexander McCook commanded the right wing while George H. Thomas led the center and Thomas L. Crittenden directed operations on the left side.
The remnants of the Army of the Cumberland participated in the Grand Review of the Armies held in Washington D.C. in 1865. President Andrew Johnson witnessed this parade celebrating the end of the war as units that had marched with Sherman through the Carolinas joined the review.