Aot - 1865

[larry_cockerham]

Some 27,000 men assembled under Wilson between Waterloo and Gravelly Springs. There were mounts available for 17,000 men, leaving 10,000 still dismounted.

According to Donn Piatt and Henry Van Boynton in their General George Thomas, A Critical Biography,

“Hatch’s entire Division composed of veterans of the highest quality from Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Missouri and Tennessee [at least two of these men, John Q.A. Bryant and James Patterson Cockerham were from North Carolina, serving in the 10th Tennessee] voluntarily gave up their horses and arms in order that they might be used to eke out the supply of other divisions.” [The 10th Tennessee had participated heavily in the pursuit of the AOT from Nashville and after several months prior service, were well overdue a rest period.] Arrangements were made to remount and rearm their splendid Division, but their was no chance of getting this done in time to enable it to participate in the earlier stages of the final campaign, but orders were left for it to take the field and join the corps at the earliest possible day wherever it might be. Meanwhile, it was to continue to camp at Chickasaw and keep watch and ward as best it might over Northern Mississippi and West Tennessee.” James Patterson Cockerham served out the remainder of the war in West Tennessee, largely on guard duty.

[larry_cockerham]

Here's some information on the battle at Sugar Creek I recently received through the courtesy and efforts of Noblet descendant Jim Newton. My farrier gg grandfather Cockerham may well have eaten some of this mutton, pork or beef!

Thomas H. Noblet, Esq.

List of property taken by the Federal army

1864.

11 head of sheep worth $2 per head. $22.00
five (fine?) wethers [sic]

500 pounds of fodder worth $2 per hundred 10.00
12-1/2 bushel of corn worth $1 per bushel 12.50
3 hogs weighing 125 pounds which makes 375 pounds worth 37.50

1864 Dec

500 bushel of corn worth $1 per bushel $500

150 pounds of salted pork taken out of smokehouse worth 12-1/2 cents per pound 18.75

14 head of fat shoats avg weight 55 pounds,
whole amount 770 pounds $77

2 beef cattle worth $16

all of the above was taken by the command of Gen Wilson, Gen Hammond and Gen Hatch while fighting Rebble Hood back on his march to Nashville they command camped three day in half mile of my Premicis when the above was taken.

I give the above claim to W.J. Hill at Pulaski for collection or to Ed Luster. Luster has left. I have called on Hill for the claim; he says he has not got them. I can’t find them. I don’t think any thing as been done in the case.

T. H. Noblet

[All the above was in Mr. Noblet’s very excellent handwriting. My transcript from photo provided by Jim Newton.]

Looks as if the government run-around was alive and well in 1865!

[larry_cockerham]

January 23, 1865

John Bell Hood was relieved this day of command of the Army of Tennessee while in headquarters at Tupelo. He left for Richmond where he was to arrive on February 8. His replacement was Lt. General Richard Taylor. See later. (Yes, for what it’s worth Richard was Zachary’s son.) Gen. P.G.T. Beauregard, however, was the ‘official’ link from the Confederate presidency and remained in factual command of the AOT until Lee was to re-appoint Johnston on February 22,1865. Taylor, as it happened, remained in Alabama with Forrest while the AOT moved on to Georgia and South Carolina to meet Sherman.

[larry_cockerham]

January 24, 1865

Lt. Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest wrote his official report of the Tennessee Campaign, preserved in the Official Record. On this day Forrest assumed command of all mounted troops in east Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. While arguably the most successful of the commanders in the western theatre, Forrest at this point was a man completely surrounded by the fatigue of four years in the saddle who was still gamely fighting for the continued existence of the Confederacy. While no officer had more affinity for or logistical knowledge of northern Mississippi, Alabama and Tennessee, Forrest knew the war was drawing to a conclusion. He had done more than his part to assist the effort. Faced with a lack of new manpower, adequate supplies and enthusiasm, all he could do was organize to meet Wilson in one last-ditch effort to defend his homeland and those he loved.

[larry_cockerham]

January 25, 1865

From the history of the 11th Tennessee Infantry Regiment:

On January 25, the 11th/29th with the remainder of Cheatham's Corps left Tupelo on foot and marched to West Point, Mississippi where they arrived on January 28. At West Point, they boarded trains that transported them to *******n, Mississippi and thence to Selma, Alabama. From Selma, the boys boarded a steamboat and were transported to Montgomery, and from there they traveled by train to Columbus, Georgia. From Columbus they marched to Macon, through Milledgeville, and then to Mayfield. At Mayfield, they took the train to Augusta. From there, they marched on to Newberry, South Carolina.

I wouldn’t be surprised to learn that the 63rd Virginia may have been not too far from the 11th TN during this time….. LDC 2007

[If the chamber of commerce of M-E-R-I-D-I-A-N, Mississippi ever meets the little censor, I hope he keeps his head down!]

[larry_cockerham]

January 27, 1865 Cheatham’s Corps in *******n, Mississippi by rail.

(The Little Censor, if he were here, would spell this M*E*R*I*D*I*A*N!)

[larry_cockerham]

January 28, 1865 Cheatham’s Corps in Demopolis, Alabama by
rail and ferry.

The Tombigbee River remained a major obstacle for the movement east of the AOT. The railroad bridge was simply not yet in existance, hence a ferry trip was required to make progress beyond Selma. Some of the Confederate forces were transported by rail on south to Mobile and then ferried across the river there only to be called on to march north again to rejoin the main force.

[larry_cockerham]

January 30, 1865 Cheatham’s Corps in Selma, Alabama

There was no rest in Selma, the site of a major Confederate arsenal. This little city was to see combat on April 2 when Forrest and Taylor rose to resist the invasion of Wilson's cavalry. For now, Frank Cheatham was headed on toward Georgia in the quest to stop Sherman's northern advance from Savannah.

[cw1865]

and he should've been there with Hood trying to stop the EASTWARD advance to Savannah from Atlanta! ;-)

[larry_cockerham]

I agree somewhat. Forrest and Hood along with Cleburne and a few others in command instead of Hood, should have been fighting in Georgia, rather than Tennessee. Some seriously fatal tactical errors (in my usually slightly historically innacurate hindsight) must have been made by Beauregard and that fella Davis. The war had to end and the horrific campaign led by Hood in Tennessee hastened that goal, but at the expense of 10-15,000 brutal deaths.