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-List of Civil War Battles <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_American_Civil_War_battles>
-Mississippi Units in the Civil War: <http://mississippiscv.org/MS_Units/mississippi_history.htm>
-Battle of Vicksburg, Confederate Order of Battle: <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vicksburg_Confederate_order_of_battle>History:
Histories are generally written by the winners. Thus, we can easily learn the disposition of the Federal forces who were engaged in the many battles of the Civil War. While compiling theses vignettes of the many Confederate Regiments, the task is to put together the dispositions of the enemy forces--our veterans-- who were engaged, creating a historical narrative.
The facts contained in the following narrative were gleaned from multiple sources, chief of which was "8th Mississippi Infantry," Military History of Mississippi (1803-1898), 1908. <http://mississippiscv.org/MS_Units> 18 May 2015.
Organization
The 8th Miss Infantry was organized in August 1861 at Enterprise MS. The total original enrollment was 888 officers and men. Immediately, the Regiment was ordered to Pensacola FL under the command of Gen. Bragg across from the Union held Ft. Pickens. The Regiment remained in Florida until ordered to Mobile AL in May 1862. And, the Regiment was re-enlisted for three years.
Kentucky Campaign
On 8/18/1862, the 8th Miss Infantry along with the 5th Miss Infantry and the 5th Georgia Infantry were assigned to J.K. Jackson's Brigade, Wither's Division of Polk's Corps of Gen. Bragg's Army of Mississippi. And in September of 1862, the entire army deployed by rail through Atlanta to central Kentucky where they fought in the Kentucky Campaign. Having arrived at Glasgow KY, the Regiment moved up the Louisville and Nashville Railroad to Munfordville KY where they were part of the siege of the Union fortifications from 9/14 to 9/17/1862.
From Munfordville, the 8th Miss Infantry and Jackson's Brigade moved north toward Louisville but were stymied when the Union Army of the Ohio, who had been trailing them from Tennessee, moved north into a blocking position at Louisville. Thus, Jackson's Brigade moved to Bardstown by 9/22/1862 where they were the left flank of the Army of Mississippi which was deployed in a 50-mile long line from Bardstown to Frankfort.
Union MG Buell and the Army of the Ohio pushed south out of Louisville in three columns, one Corps per column, striking a heavy blow to the Confederate line and forcing Gen. Bragg to consolidate his disparate forces. The Battle of Bardstown was fought on 10/4/1862 where Terry's Texas Rangers, CSA fought a successful rearguard action. And, the 8th Miss Infantry marched toward Perryville to join up with the main body of Bragg's Army. This is probably where Grandpa Thomas W. Burke of the 7th Miss Infantry was mortally wounded.
When the army reached Perryville KY, Gen. Bragg detached Wither's entire division toward Frankfort KY to establish a blocking position. And, Wither's Division arrived at Harrodsburg and Danville by the day of the big battle.
On 10/8/1862, the three Union Corps--McCook on the left, Gilbert in the center, Crittenden on the right--caught up with Bragg's Army minus Wither's Division at Perryville KY. The ensuing battle, a Union victory, was the pivotal engagement of the Campaign. And, the Regiment retreated with the rest of the renamed Confederate Army of Tennessee through the Cumberland Gap into eastern Tennessee then down to Chattanooga, advancing toward Nashville to meet the Union Army of the Cumberland under MG Rosecrans.
Stone's River Campaign
At the Battle of Murfreesboro, halfway between Chattanooga and Nashville, Jackson's Brigade and the 8th Miss Infantry were positioned on the east side of Stone's River with Gen. Breckenridge. On 12/31/1862, the Brigade was sent across in the second of three successive frontal attacks against the Federal lines, all of which ended in failure and extensive losses.
Tullahoma Campaign
Having suffered another defeat, Gen. Bragg and the Army fell back to the Tullahoma Line between Murfreesboro and Chattanooga where the 8th Miss Infantry was stationed at Bridgeport AL in blocking position on the Tennessee River west of Chattanooga until July 1863.
Chickamauga Campaign
With the loss of Chattanooga, the entire army withdrew to Lafayette GA. At the Battle of Chickamauga, the Regiment wound up back in Jackson's Brigade attached to Cheatham's Division on the right of the Confederate line. And on 9/19/1863, Jackson's Brigade and the 8th Miss Infantry were part of the advance which eventually pushed the Federals out of their positions.
When Union MG Rosecrans retreated to Chattanooga, Confederate Gen. Bragg positioned his Army on Lookout Mountain and Missionary Ridge, cutting off Chattanooga from re-supply. Jackson's Brigade and the 8th Miss Infantry were located near Chattanooga Creek during the Battle of Lookout Mountain on 11/24/1863. At the Battle of Missionary Ridge on 11/25/1863, again the 8th Miss Infantry was in line with Cheatham's Division on the right. The Regiment lost heavily in soldiers captured and retreated along with the remainder of the Army to Dalton GA where they went into winter quarters.
On 2/2/1864, Jackson's Brigade was transferred to Walker's Division which was mainly Georgian. When Union MG Sherman advanced, the 8th Miss Infantry was sent along with the 43rd Georgia Infantry to meet the enemy at Dug Gap, the center of the battle, with Cleburne's Division where they were "hotly" engaged.
Atlanta Campaign
In May of 1864, LTG Grant assumed command of the entire Union Army and MG Sherman replaced him as Commander of the Federal Division of the Mississippi, consisting of the Army of the Tennessee, the Army of the Cumberland, and one corps from the Army of the Ohio. Sherman continued Grant's plan to drive on Atlanta and destroy the economy of the South. And, LTG Johnston replaced Gen. Bragg as Commander of the Confederate Army of Tennessee.
Sherman began by pushing Confederate LTG Johnston south toward Atlanta by bypassing Johnston's prepared defenses in successive moves, primarily around the Confederate left. The 8th Miss was assigned to Jackson's Brigade, Walker's Division, Hardee's Corps and was engaged in continual combat for almost three months during the Atlanta Campaign. The Regiment was 408 strong when it left Dalton GA on 5/10/1864 and down to 208 by 7/22/1864. Jackson's Brigade was in action at Rocky Face Ridge 5/7; at Calhoun 5/14; at Resaca 5/15; at Adairsville, 5/17; and at New Hope Church, 5/25. After which, Johnston entrenched west of Marietta on Kennesaw Mountain.
On 6/27/1864 Sherman sent his armies in a deliberate attack against the center of the Confederated line. And, the 8th Miss and Jackson's Brigade were entrenched in the center to the right of Hardee's Corps. Although Sherman suffered a tactical defeat, the Federal Cavalry did flank the Confederate line. And on 7/9 the 8th Miss Infantry and the Army of the Tennessee crossed the Chattahoochee River, settling in front of Atlanta.
On 7/18/1864 LTG Hood replaced LTG Johnston as Commander of the Army of Tennessee. And again, the Army reorganized its units. The 7th Miss Infantry was assigned to Sharp's Brigade, Anderson's Division of LTG S.D. Lee's Corps.
Research Note: Confederate Gen. Bragg was replaced by Gen. Joseph E. Johnston after the the defeat in the Chattanooga Campaign (good idea) who was replaced by Gen. Hood after the army evacuated Kennesaw Mountain (very, very bad idea).
On 7/20/1864 at Peachtree Creek (vic. Vinings GA), Hood attacked the Federal Army just after it crossed the Chattahoochee. And, the 8th sustained considerable casualties attacking in the center of the line.
The "Battle of Atlanta" was fought on 7/22/1864, east of Atlanta, and was the most disastrous battle of the campaign. The 5th and 8th Miss were with BG Gist's Brigade, which lost about half its numbers that day. The men had been without sleep or rest for two days and nights, the heat was excessive, and many were completely exhausted. Nevertheless the Brigade made a gallant charge against the Federal rifle pits. Having suffered so many losses, the 5th and the 8th Miss were transferred to Lowery's Brigade, Cleburne's Division, Hardee's Corps on 7/24/1864. And on 8/5, the Brigade defended the Confederate main battle line at Utoi Creek (vic. East Point GA).
A major criticism of Hood by officers and soldiers alike, which has come down to us in the histories, was the detachment of Confederate Cavalry during the Battle of Atlanta. On 8/18/1864 Sherman sent a 4,500 man Division of Federal Cavalry under BG Kilpatrick south to attack Confederate supply lines along the railroad to Macon. On the morning of 8/20, the Federal Cavalry fought a deliberate battle in multiple directions; as Confederate Cavalry under BG William H. Jackson attempted to encircle the Federals at Lovejoy Station.
Squeezed between DH Reynolds Infantry Brigade (which included dismounted cavalry) at the railroad and WH Jacksons Cavalry Division arriving from the north, the Federal Cavalry charged north, breaking through the Confederate Cavalry, and escaped back to Federal lines. This battle proved Hood's Achilles Heel was his lifeline along the railroad to Macon.
After the effective failure by the Cavalry, MG Sherman again bypassed the Confederate's prepared positions, going west of Atlanta and deployed the majority of the Federal armies to cut Hood's re-supply line south of Atlanta. Hood had no knowledge that the main body of the Federal armies had by-passed Atlanta around the Confederate left and was marching southeast on Jonesboro. In an attempt to gain an advantage, Hood sent MG Hardee and two Corps, Hardee & SD Lee, out of the Atlanta defenses south through Jonesboro to Lovejoy Station GA.
A large Federal force moved toward the town of Jonesboro, about 18 miles south of Atlanta. . .In response, Hood sent two corps under Lt. Gen. William J. Hardee to attack Sherman’s force and defend the vital Macon & Western and Atlanta & West Point Railroads. Confederate attacks on the afternoon of Aug. 31, 1864, were repulsed by stiff resistance from Union forces who had crossed the Flint River and were entrenched within rifle shot of Jonesboro. The Southern troops suffered heavy losses and had little to show for it. That evening, Hood ordered Lt. Gen. Stephen D. Lee’s corps, comprising half of the Confederate force at Jonesboro, to return to Atlanta. Hardee, who was already outnumbered, was in a desperate situation.
"Battle of Jonesboro," The Civil War in Georgia <http://www.gacivilwar.org/story/battle-of-jonesboro> 28 March 2016.
On 8/31/1864 MG Hardee and his 2 Corps marched the short 6 miles--the Army of Tennessee marched 20 miles a day on a regular basis--out of Lovejoy Station and went into full assault against Sherman's armies at Jonesboro, attacking with "great gallantry and perseverance" twice, both times ending in failure. Surprise! Hardee and the 2 Confederate Corps just attacked 6+ Federal Corps.
Having merely halted the Federal maneuver on the Confederate life-line at Jonesboro, Hood, fearing attack, withdrew SD Lee's Corps back to Atlanta. And, Hardee could foresee the coming day's battle. During the night, Hardee entrenched his single corps in place in an "L" with the main line, facing the Federals to the west, and a shorter perpendicular line, facing north; as those were the dispositions of Federal forces at the end of the previous day's fighting. Knowing the coming battle would decide the fate of his corps, Hardee awaited the dawn.
The next day, September 1, Sherman brought up the XIV Corps, now led by Jefferson C. Davis, for an assault on the Confederate lines north of Jonesborough. Much of the morning, however, was spent bringing up further Union reinforcements. . .During the night, Hardee entrenched his lone corps in a north-south defensive line parallel to the Macon & Western Railroad with Cheatham's Division on the left, Bate's Division commanded by MG John C. Brown in the center, and Cleburne's Division on the right, wrapping around to the east, forming a salient centered around the railroad.By 4:00 p.m. . .Sherman ordered Davis to make an attack on a Confederate salient held by Cleburne. The apex of the salient was held by Daniel Govan's brigade. Davis made an initial attack, led by a brigade of U.S. Regulars, which was easily repulsed. Next, he positioned all three of his divisions for an assault. . .The Confederates held on tenaciously, but after hand-to-hand combat Baird's men broke through, capturing Govan and 600 of his men. Davis's men poured through the breach while Stanley's corps finally arrived on Davis's left.
Despite the overwhelming force of the Federal attack, Hardee managed to push three reserve brigades--Vaughn, Lewis, Gist--forward to the northern salient, blunting the Federal's penetration of the Confederate line. Vaughn slammed directly into the breach, plugging the gap. And, Lewis and Gist extended the northern Confederate line east to protect the far right, preventing the Federal Infantry from rolling up the Confederate line and destroying the entire Corps. Historians debate whether exceptional generalship by Hardee or the onset of darkness saved the Confederate Corps. Whichever, the remains of Hardee's Corps managed to retreat south in good order to Lovejoy Station.
On the night of September 1, Hood evacuated Atlanta and ordered that the 81 rail cars filled with ammunition and other military supplies be destroyed. The resulting fire and explosions were heard for miles. Union troops under the command of Gen. Henry W. Slocum occupied Atlanta on September 2. But, Hood managed to escape Atlanta with the remains of the Confederate Army of Tennessee in good order and slip past Federal forces at Jonesborough en route to Lovejoy Station where they encamped during the month of September.
"Battle of Jonesborough," <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Jonesborough> 30 March 2016.
Hood's Tennessee Campaign
Having lost Atlanta, LTG Hood and the Army of Tennessee withdrew to the west, bypassing Atlanta and the Union Army of the Tennessee [Army #1] and headed back north from whence they came, aiming at Chattanooga and Nashville. In October 1864, the 8th Miss Infantry again fought with Lowrey's Mississippi Brigade, Cleburne's Division, and took part in the campaign on the Chattanooga and Atlanta Railroad, including the capture of Dalton GA.
Finding the Union Army of the Cumberland [Army #2] at Chattanooga TN, Gen. Hood withdrew to the west and moved across to Gadsden. AL. The Mississippi Brigade skirmished in front of Decatur AL and crossed the Tennessee River on 11/13. On 11/21/1864, the Brigade marched from Florence AL in a snowstorm, aiming at Nashville. And on 11/29/1864, the Brigade fought at Spring Hill TN, in the rear of the Federal position at Columbia TN.
On 11/30/1864, the Mississippi Brigade followed the Federal forces who slipped unmolested out of Columbia to Franklin, where LTG Hood threw the Confederate Army of Tennessee against 2 full Union Army Corps of the Union Army of the Ohio [Army #3] who fought from behind prepared defensive positions in depth. The 8th Miss Infantry and Lowrey's Mississippi Brigade were again with MG Cleburne's Division of MG Cheatham's Corps in the center of the battle. When their turn came, Lowrey's Mississippi Brigade advanced in the line just like all the other brigades.
Research Note: Gen. Hood attacked the fortifications at Franklin with 7 Infantry Divisions consisting of 20 Infantry Brigades totaling 20,000 soldiers from over 100 individual Regiments. Sound military doctrine dictates a 3:1 ratio for a deliberate attack against a fortified enemy position. Even though LTG Hood massed about 80% of his army in the attack, the ratio of attackers vs. defenders was only 3:2. And, I will let other historians discuss Gen. Hood's character and motivations.
Our honored veterans took part in the "memorable assault upon the fortified line" in which MG Cleburne was killed and more than 60 brigade and regimental commanders were killed or wounded. Co B, 8th Miss Infantry (Pinckney Guards) took 27 men into the "sacrificial battle"; 10 were killed on or near the Union breastworks, 7 wounded and 4 captured. [Six soldiers were left in the entire company.]
What was left of the 8th Miss Infantry and Lowrey's Mississippi Brigade followed the victorious Federals as they withdrew to Nashville where the Brigade was posted at the extreme right of Hood's Army on the Nashville & Chattanooga Railroad cut, two and one-half miles from the city. By 12/13/1864, the Brigade's strength was down to 837.
Gen. Hood went into the defense, attempting to draw the Federals out from behind their defenses where they could be defeated. And on 12/15/1864, the Federals obliged. During the Battle of Nashville, Lowrey's Mississippi Brigade repulsed multiple assaults. But the next day when LTG Hood withdrew to a smaller defensive position, there was "general disaster"; as few Confederate units withdrew in good order. The remnants of Cleburne's Division with BG Lowrey in command covered the Confederate front and the Mississippi Brigade was heavily engaged at Granny White Pike.
After the defeat at Nashville 12/15 & 16, most units of the Army of Tennessee were finished. MG Nathan Bedford Forrest, his Cavalry Corps, and several Infantry brigades had been sent in a feint to Murfreesboro TN. This ad hoc Corps continued the campaign until falling back into the mountains of North Carolina. The 8th Miss Infantry and the remainder of the Mississippi Brigade re-crossed the Tennessee River on 12/26/1864. And, the barefoot, hungry men marched hundreds of miles through the snow with LTG Hood into Northeast Mississippi.
Johnston's Carolina Campaign
For the 8th Miss, their fight but not the war was over. At the time, neither armies knew the full extent of the casualties inflicted on Hood's Army of Tennessee. But, both commands knew that Hood's Army was finished. With collection of records from both sides, historians cite that the Hood's Army went into the fight for Franklin and Nashville with 38,000 soldiers and withdrew with 18,000. That's about half.
The period after Nashville and before the end of hostilities is not well documented for many Confederate units. By late 1864, the Confederate States Army had only two fighting armies, Lee in northern Virginia and Hood and Johnston in Tennessee. There were other commands, the Army of Virginia at Richmond which was folded into the Army of Northern Virginia and some of the isolated coastal commands as in Mobile AL. But in reality, the War in the West was over.
There isn't a documented history for the 8th Miss Infantry after their arrival at Tupelo MS. But from the history for the 7th Miss Infantry, we know that the surviving Brigades from the Army of Tennessee were furloughed until February 1865 when they reported to the Confederate railhead at Meridian MS. And according to Confederate records, the 8th Miss Infantry did redeploy to North Carolina.
On 3/31/1865 in the paper organization of the Army of Tennessee under LTG Joseph E. Johnston near Smithfield NC--the Headquarters of the Army was at Smithfield NC; but, the actual locations of the many regiments cannot be proven--the 8th and 32nd Miss Infantry were consolidated. On 4/9/1865, the remnants of Lowrey's Mississippi Brigade--5th Miss Inf, 8th Miss Inf, 32nd Miss Inf and the Miss 3rd Battalion--were consolidated as the 8th Mississippi Battalion. Similarly, Sharp's Brigade and Manigault's Brigade were both consolidated into individual battalions. And these three new battalions were assigned to Sharp's Brigade, D.H. Hill's Division, Lee's Corps of the Army of Tennessee. This newly reorganized army surrendered 4/26/1865 and was paroled at Greensboro NC.
Key Campaigns:
Dates Major Action Results 08/1861 to 05/1862 Louisiana and the Trans-Mississippi Campaign Withdrew Mississippi 08/1862 to 10/1862 Kentucky Campaign Withdrew to Tennessee 12/1862 to 06/1863 Stone's River Campaign Withdrew to East Tennessee 06/1863 to 07/1863 Tullahoma Campaign Withdrew to Georgia 08/1863 to 09/1863 Chickamauga Campaign Advance on Chattanooga TN 10/1863 to 11/1863 Chattanooga Campaign Withdrew to Dalton GA 05/1864 to 09/1864 Atlanta Campaign Withdrew to Tennessee 10/1864 to 12/1864 Hood's Tennessee Campaign Withdrew to Mississippi 12/1864 to 04/1865 Johnston's Carolina Campaign Surrendered 4/26/1865
My Veteran:
2. CPL William Wesley McPhearson (aged 34) served in Co G, 8th Mississippi Infantry. This unit served in Florida and Mississippi, then was assigned to General J. K. Jackson's, Gist's, and Lowry's Brigade, Army of Tennessee. It participated in the campaigns of the army from Kentucky to Murfreesboro to Chickamauga to Atlanta, was with Hood in Tennessee, and saw action in North Carolina where Grandpa William Wesley was paroled at the end of hostilities.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Perryville#Confederate>