Major Earl Van Dorn

[redfish]

Would anyone care to offer opinions, information from your studies of ,and/or interesting stories regarding Major Earl Van Dorn? Regards,Mike .

[tamaroa]

don't know much about him other than the fact that he was one of the recipients of the first three CBF's made by the Cary Cousins.

[blackirish]

I don't have the info in front of me now but I seem to recall that he was killed over an illicit dalliance with a doctor's wife in Tennessee during the war. I also seem to recall that he and Forrest had a fairly public falling out, but I don't recall the circumstances.

blackirish

[traveller]

Earl van Dorn was one of the Confederacy's most promising general officers early in the Civil War, but proved to be a disappointment and died, not at the hands of the enemy but at those of a jealous husband.
Early in the war he commanded in Texas where he seized U.S. property and received the surrender of regular army detachments. Promoted to brigadier and major general, he was ordered to Virginia where he led a division near Manassas.
Launching an attack at Pea Ridge, he was repulsed after two days of fighting. Ordered east of the Mississippi, he arrived too late to take part in the fighting at Shiloh but participated in the unsuccessful defense of Corinth.
In the summer of 1862 he successfully defended Vicksburg but failed in his designs on Baton Rouge when the attack under Breckinridge failed.
Another failure occurred when he attempted to retake Corinth in October 1862. By this time many Southerners were disenchanted with him, and he was placed in charge of the mounted troops under Pemberton. His raid on Holly Springs, Mississippi, was a major factor in ending Grant's campaign in central Mississippi.
Moving his division into middle Tennessee, he was killed on May 7, 1863, by Dr. George B. Peters for attentions paid by the general upon the physician's wife.

Traveller

[rivrrat]

I am currently reading about the Battle of Pea Ridge and it’s consequences as part of my study of the 35th Ill. My GG Uncle served with the 35th from its inception in 1861 until he was killed in action at Chickamauga in 1863

The consensus of opinion about Van Dorn in Arkansas seems to be that as General he was a pretty good Calvary Troop commander. His over aggressive actions at Pea Ridge, splitting his command in the face of the enemy, refusing his troops an opportunity to rest after a long forced march, etc., cost him an opportunity to defeat an overextended and outnumbered enemy.

His stripping of the Dept. of the Trans Mississippi ended any real Confederate threat west of the Mississippi until the Union moved its forces east after Vicksburg. I think he proves that not all West Point Graduates are great generals.

[redfish]

Thank You all. Great posts. Doug, have you visited the Chickamauga Battlefield where your gg uncle fell? What little I have read about Van Dorn has a common theme. He had great "potential". Wondering if he was somewhat Napoleonic.

[rivrrat]

Yes I have. But, it was before I knew about Uncle Warren. My brother and I are planning to go back soon.