Headquarter And Escort Duty

Anderson Troop, a regiment of cavalry, sometimes identified at the 15^th Pennsylvania Cavalry was discharged from Union service on March 24^th 1863.

Organized in Carlisle, Pennsylvania as an independent cavalry company, the Anderson Troop was mustered into union service November 30^th 1861.  The men were recruited for three years’ service under the special authority of the United States Secretary of War.  It was placed under the command of Captain William Jackson Palmer, and was designated for headquarter and escort duty with Union General Robert Anderson in Kentucky.

The men moved to Louisville, Kentucky in December 1861.  They would be at the Battle of Shiloh in April 1862.  The Troop took part General Don Carlos Buell’s Campaign in Alabama and Tennessee from June through August 1862 in connection with the 4^th United States Cavalry.  They spent their time scouting the flanks of the Confederate troop and skirmishing with Confederate Cavalry.  The men would also be involved in Battles of Perryville, Wilkinson’s Cross Roads and Stones River.  During the Battle of Perryville three member of the Troop were captured carrying dispatches between Generals Alexander M McCook and Buell, but managed to destroy the messages before they fell into enemy hands.

The Troop was discharged from Union duty March 24^th 1863.  Union General William S Rosecrans who ordered their discharge said of the Troop, "I part with you with as much regret as you yourselves may feel. You are young, and your behavior since I have been in command, gives promise of a career of usefulness and honor, whether in the service of your country, or in private life; may you realize your hopes, and the wishes of your friends."  During their service they had one 1 office killed; Lieutenant Evan W Grubb, and 5 men who died from disease.

Indiana Men

The Union 44^th Indiana Infantry was organized October 24^th 1861 at Fort Wayne, Indiana.

A Fort Wayne, Indiana druggist, Hugh B Reed was made the Colonel of the 44^th Indiana when it was organized October 22^nd 1861.  The 44^th was made up of volunteers mostly from Indiana’s Tenth Congressional District in the northeastern part of the state.  They left for Henderson, Kentucky in December 1861 and went into camp at Calhoun, Kentucky.  In February 1862 they were moved to the Fort Henry area and then onto Fort Donelson, Tennessee, where the 44^th took heavy casualties during the siege of the fort.  Following this action they moved onto the Battle of Shiloh taking 210 casualties.  The men of the 44^th would also take part in the Siege of Corinth, Mississippi, and the Battles of Chickamauga, Missionary Ridge, and Stones River.  They finished up their duty on provost guard duty at Chattanooga, Tennessee.

The 44^th was mustered out of Union service September 14^th 1865.  During their service the 44^th lost 80 killed and 229 who died from disease.

Holding The Gaps

George H Thomas

The Battle of Hoover’s Gap a part of the Middle Tennessee Campaign was fought June 24^th 1863.

After the Battle of Stones River, Confederate General Braxton Bragg established a line from Shelbyville to Wartrace along the Duck River, this included holding the Bellbuckle, Hoover’s and Liberty Gaps.  Union leaders fearing that Bragg would go to the support of Vicksburg pushed Major General William Rosecrans to attack Bragg’s position.

Rosecrans made a move towards Shelbyville on June 23^rd 1863 to get Bragg’s attention, while the mass of his troops headed for the Gaps.  On June 24^th 1863 Union Major General George H Thomas attacked Hoover’s Gap.  Thomas used Colonel John T Wilder’s mounted infantry known as the “Lightning Brigade” armed with Spencer Rifles to spearhead the attack.  They met Confederate Colonel J Russell Butler’s 1^st Kentucky Cavalry, and pushed them back 7 miles, before Wilder’s men came up against Brigadier General William B Bate’s brigade.  Wilder entrenched on the hills to the south of the gap and held throughout several Confederate attacks.  More units arrived on both sides and everyone settled down hold their position.

On June 26^th 1863 the Confederate force began pulling back.  Although rain made moving slow Rosecrans pushed Bragg’s men until they fell back to a defensive line at Tullahoma.

His First And Last Battle

Union Lieutenant Colonel Julius Peter Garesché was killed December 31^st 1862 at the Battle of Stones River in Tennessee.

Julius Peter Garesché was born April 26^th 1821 near Havana, Cuba.  He was able to attend Georgetown College beginning in 1833.  After four years at Georgetown, Garesché received an appointment to the United State Military Academy at West Point.  He graduated in the class of 1841 and began his military carrier in the 4^th United States Artillery.  After duty on the frontier and action during the Mexican American War he reached the rank of Captain in 1855.  Garesché was also a devout Catholic and he received recognition for services performed for the church from Pope Pius IX in the form of the Knight of St Sylvester medal.

When the Civil War started Garesché became the Chief of Staff with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel for Union Major General William S Rosecrans.  This placed him with the Army of the Cumberland in the Western Theater.  The Battle of Stone River was the first combat of the war for Garesché and on December 31 1862 as he rode with Rosecrans during the battle he was decapitated by a cannonball.  Shortly after Union General Philip H Sheridan found Garesché’s body and removed his bible and West Point ring from the dead body.  Garesché is buried in the Mount Olivet Cemetery in Washington, DC.

If you’re interested in reading more, check out, Eccentric Officer 'Knew' He Would Die in His First Battle and The Gallant Garesché

A Laywer And A Soldier

Confederate Brigadier General John Carpenter Carter died December 10^th 1864 from wounds received at the Battle of Franklin.

John Carpenter Carter was born December 19^th 1837 in Waynesboro, Georgia.  He attended the University of Virginia in 1854, for two years before leaving to study law at Cumberland University under Judge Abram Carruthers.  Carter would stay at the Lebanon, Tennessee school after graduating as an instructor, and he would marry the Judge’s daughter.  He opened his own law practice in Memphis, Tennessee.

When the war started Carter became a Captain in the 38^th Tennessee, and quickly moved up to become their Colonel.  He saw action at the Battles of Shiloh, Perryville, Stones River, Chickamauga and the Atlanta Campaign.  During the Battle of Jonesboro on September 1^st 1864 Carter had temporary command of a division.  He was promoted to Brigadier General on July 7^th 1864.  At the Battle of Franklin on November 30^th 1864 while leading his brigade, Cater received a mortal wound, which caused his death on December 10^th 1864.  He is buried in the Rose Hill Cemetery in Columbia, Tennessee.

Home At The End

Confederate General John King Jackson was born February 2nd 1828.

John King Jackson was born February 2nd 1828 in Augusta, Georgia. He started school at Richmond Academy in Georgia. Jackson completed his education; graduating with honors, at the University of South Carolina. He was admitted to the bar in 1848, and had a law practice in Augusta, Georgia until 1861. Jackson was active in the Georgia State Militia, and by 1861 he was a Lieutenant Colonel.

In April 1861 Jackson joined the Confederate Army. He became a Lieutenant Colonel in the 5th Georgia Infantry, and quickly moved up in rank to Colonel. Jackson first saw action in the Confederate defeat at the Battle of Santa Rosa Island in Florida. He received a promotion to Brigadier General and the command of a brigade on January 14th 1862. On March 29th 1862 he was moved to command a brigade in the Army of Mississippi, which he led during the Battle of Shiloh. Next would be the Battle of Stones River. Jackson and his men fought with distention at the Battle of Chickamauga September 20th 1863, where one his regiments lost 61% of its men. He and his brigade were involved in the Atlanta Campaign. Jackson ended the war in his home town of Augusta, Georgia where he was serving by setting up military depots. He was paroled May 17th 1865.

Following the war Jackson returned to his law practice. He developed pneumonia while traveling in Milledgevill, Baldwin, Georgia. Jackson died February 27th 1866 and is buried in Augusta, Georgia.

A Pledge Of Loyalty

Union General Thomas Leonidas Crittenden died October 23rd 1893.

Thomas Leonidas Crittenden was born May 15th 1819 in Russellville Kentucky the son of United States Senator John J Crittenden. He studied for the bar with his father and began a practice in 1840 in Kentucky. Crittenden served during the Mexican American War as a Lieutenant Colonel in the 3rd Kentucky Volunteers and an aide to General Zachary Taylor. Following the war he served as the United States Consul in Liverpool.

Kentucky declared neutrality when the Civil War began in 1861. Crittenden pledged loyalty to the Union [he had other family members who joined the Confederacy]. He was appointed Brigadier General and given command of the 5th Division in the Army of the Ohio. He saw action at the Battle of Shiloh, Battle of Stones River, during the Perryville Campaign and many others. Crittenden resigned his command December 13th 1864.

In the years after the war Crittenden was the Kentucky State Treasurer. President Andrew Johnson asked him to return to military service, which Crittenden did on July 28th 1866 as a Colonel in the 32nd Infantry. He was given a brevet rank of Brigadier General in the United State regular army for his service at the Battle of Stone River, before retiring in 1881. Crittenden died October 23rd 1893 in Annadale, New York. He is buried in the City Cemetery in Frankfort, Kentucky.

Crittenden’s son John Jordan Crittenden III died at the Battle of Little Bighorn while serving with Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong Custer in 1876.

Encircling The Union Position

In Rutherford County Tennessee on March 20th 1863 the Battle of Vaught’s Hill was fought.


The Battle of Vaught’s Hill, or the Battle of Milton as it is also known occurred in Rutherford County Tennessee on March 20th 1863. Following the Battle of Stones River while things were quite, Union Colonel Albert S Hall lead a reconnaissance from Murfreesboro on March 18th of about 1,300 men. Going out to the northeast Hall’s troops ran into Confederate Brigadier General John Hunt Morgan, with about 3,500 soldiers. Hall’s Union soldiers fell back to the east of Milton Tennessee. Morgan’s cavalry gave chase and caught up with the Union troops on the morning of March 20th 1863 at Vaught’s Hill.

Morgan attacked both of Hall’s flanks, at time encircling the Union position. Hall set up perimeter defense and held off Morgan’s men until after 4:30 pm. At that time Morgan broke off the fight, hearing that Union reinforcements were on their way from Murfreesboro Tennessee.

Surrounded And Out Of Ammo

In Williamson County Tennessee on March 5th 1863 the Battle of Thompson’s Station took place.


Following the Battle of Stones River, Union infantry under Colonel John Coburn headed south toward Columbia to scout the area. About four miles from Spring Hill Coburn’s right wing attacked two Confederate regiments. Confederates Major General Earl Van Dorn and Brigadier General W H “Red” Jackson’s soldiers made a frontal attack on Coburn’s men. At the same time Confederate Brigadier General Nathan Bedford Forrest swept around the Union left flank and into their rear. Forest was able to block the road to Columbia in the Union rear and capture Coburn’s supplies. After hard fighting, out of ammunition and surrounded Coburn surrendered. The Union troops lost 1,906 men either wounded or killed, the Confederates saw 300 casualties.

He Stayed With His State

Jones Mitchell Withers a United States Army officer in the Mexican American war and a general for the Confederate army during the Civil War was born January 12th 1814.

Jones Mitchell Withers was born in Huntsville, Alabama January 12th 1814 the son of John Wright and Mary Herbert [Jones] Withers. Withers got his early education at the Greene Academy in Huntsville before attending West Point Military Academy. He graduated 1835, 44th out a class of 56. He took a posting at Fort Leavenworth Kansas as a Second Lieutenant in the 1st United States Dragoons.

Withers resigned shortly after and returned to Alabama to practice law, and sell cotton. At the start of the Mexican American war Withers was appointed Lieutenant Colonel and assigned to the 13th United States Infantry. After the war he returned to Alabama where he entered politics serving in the Alabama State Legislature, and then in 1855 with United States House of Representatives.

At the beginning of the Civil War Withers stayed with Alabama and entered the Confederate Army as a Colonel in the 3rd Alabama Infantry. He fought at the Battle of Shiloh and was promoted to Major General. He was leading the 2nd Division of the Army of Tennessee, where they fought with distinction at the Battle of Stones River. He surrendered his troops May 11th 1865 at Meridian Mississippi.

Following the end of the war Withers received a pardon from the Federal Government, and he returned to practicing law. He sold cotton and worked as the editor of the Tribune in Mobile. Withers died in Mobile Alabama March 13th 1890 and is buried in the Magnolia Cemetery.