{⋆★⋆} MG Cheatham, Benjamin F.

Benjamin Franklin Cheatham​

Born: October 20, 1820

Birth Place: Nashville, Tennessee

Father: Leonard Pope Cheatham 1792 – 1863

Mother: Elizabeth Davis Robertson 1796 – 1881

Wife: Anna Bell Robertson 1838 – 1888

(Buried: Mount Olivet Cemetery, Nashville, Tennessee)​

Children:

Benjamin Franklin Cheatham Jr. 1867 – 1944​

(Buried: Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia)​

​

Patton Robertson Cheatham 1869 – 1914​

(Buried: Mount Olivet Cemetery, Nashville, Tennessee)​

​

Joseph Johnston Cheatham 1872 – 1942​

(Buried: Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia)​

​

Medora Cheatham Hodgson 1878 – 1969​

(Buried: University of South Cemetery, Sewanee, Tennessee)​

​

Alice Cheatham Malone 1880 – 1906​

(Buried: Mount Olivet Cemetery, Nashville, Tennessee)​

Occupation before War:

1846 – 1848: Served in the Mexican War rising to Colonel

​

Participated in the California Gold Rush​

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Farmer in Tennessee​

​

Brigadier General in Tennessee State Militia​

Civil War Career:

1861 – 1862: Brigadier General of Confederate Army Infantry​

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1861: Participated in the Battle of Belmont, Missouri​

​

1862 – 1865: Major General of Confederate Army Infantry​

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1862: Slightly wounded during the Battle of Shiloh, Tennessee​

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1862: Participated in the Battle of Perryville, Kentucky​

​

1862 – 1863: Participated in the Battle of Stones River, Tennessee​

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1863: Participated in the Battle of Chickamuga​

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1864: Participated in the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain, Georgia​

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1864: Wounded during the Battle of Ezra Church​

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1864: Participated in the Battle of Franklin, Tennessee​

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1864: Participated in the Battle of Nashville, Tennessee​

​

1865: Participated in the Carolinas Campaign​

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1865: Surrendered with General Joseph Johnston in North Carolina

Occupation after War:

Superintendent of Tennessee State Prison​

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1885 – 1886: United States Postmaster for Nashville, Tennessee​

Died: September 4, 1886

Place of Death: Nashville, Tennessee

Cause of Death: Heart Disease

Age at time of Death: 65 years old

Burial Place: Mount Olivet Cemetery, Nashville, Tennessee

 

[Pollaco]

He was a divisional commander since Belmont but as a Major General but temporarily led the right wing, Army of the Mississippi. at Perryville and Murphreesboro. Chattanooga was the one major action that He missed. He took over the Corps when Hardee transferred due to his conflict with Bragg. When the army was reorganized and consolidated on April 9, 1865 he was reduced to division command.

 

[Luke Freet]

Benjamin Franklin Cheatham​

View attachment 378410

Born: October 20, 1820

Birth Place: Nashville, Tennessee

Father: Leonard Pope Cheatham 1792 – 1863

Mother: Elizabeth Davis Robertson 1796 – 1881

Wife: Anna Bell Robertson 1838 – 1888

(Buried: Mount Olivet Cemetery, Nashville, Tennessee)​

Children:

Benjamin Franklin Cheatham Jr. 1867 – 1944​

(Buried: Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia)​

​

Patton Robertson Cheatham 1869 – 1914​

(Buried: Mount Olivet Cemetery, Nashville, Tennessee)​

​

Joseph Johnston Cheatham 1872 – 1942​

(Buried: Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia)​

​

Medora Cheatham Hodgson 1878 – 1969​

(Buried: University of South Cemetery, Sewanee, Tennessee)​

​

Alice Cheatham Malone 1880 – 1906​

(Buried: Mount Olivet Cemetery, Nashville, Tennessee)​

Occupation before War:

1846 – 1848: Served in the Mexican War rising to ColonelView attachment 378411​

​

Participated in the California Gold Rush​

​

Farmer in Tennessee​

​

Brigadier General in Tennessee State Militia​

Civil War Career:

1861 – 1862: Brigadier General of Confederate Army Infantry​

​

1861: Participated in the Battle of Belmont, Missouri​

​

1862 – 1865: Major General of Confederate Army Infantry​

​

1862: Slightly wounded during the Battle of Shiloh, Tennessee​

​

1862: Participated in the Battle of Perryville, Kentucky​

​

1862 – 1863: Participated in the Battle of Stones River, Tennessee​

​

1863: Participated in the Battle of Chickamuga​

​

1864: Participated in the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain, Georgia​

​

1864: Wounded during the Battle of Ezra Church​

​

1864: Participated in the Battle of Franklin, Tennessee​

​

1864: Participated in the Battle of Nashville, Tennessee​

​

1865: Participated in the Carolinas Campaign​

​

1865: Surrendered with General Joseph Johnston in North CarolinaView attachment 378376​

Occupation after War:

Superintendent of Tennessee State Prison​

​

1885 – 1886: United States Postmaster for Nashville, Tennessee​

Died: September 4, 1886

Place of Death: Nashville, Tennessee

Cause of Death: Heart Disease

Age at time of Death: 65 years old

Burial Place: Mount Olivet Cemetery, Nashville, Tennessee

View attachment 378377 View attachment 378375​

View attachment 378373

View attachment 378374

Cheatham was probably one of the most influential figures in the Army of Tennessee/Mississippi, as he commanded the Tennessee Division of Polk's Corps from Belmont to Shiloh to Perryville to Stones River to Chickamauga, breifly split up during the Siege of Chattanooga, reformed following Bragg's dismissal, fought in Hardee's Corps throughout the Atlanta Campaign, before rising to Corps command, breifly leading Hood's Corps at Bald Hill, and then led Hardee's Corps through the Franklin-Nashville Campaign, to much controversy. He led the remnant of the Corps, not more than a division at best, through the Carolina campaigns.
Cheatham was a beloved commander, it seems. But he was notorious for his alcohol consumption, which apparently inhibited him during the battles at Murfreesboro and at Spring Hill.

 

[gentlemanrob]

Happy Birthday Major General Benjamin F. Cheatham! Salutes remembering General Cheatham on his birthday.

 

[Luke Freet]

Cheatham was integral to the Army of Tennessee, fighting in every major battle from Shiloh to Nashville. His record was mixed; he infamously got drunk at Murfreesboro, resulting in tactical mishandling. But at Perryville, his men bore the brunt of the fighting and helped push McCook from his position. Chickamauga also brought mixed results, with his men engaging in a straight firefight, giving as good as they got, which was much. His finest hour after Perryville was at Kennesaw, where his men repulsed the assault by Davis' division. He then was elevated to temporary corps command of first Hood's Corps, then Stewart's, and finally Hardee's Corps. In this capacity, he preformed abysmally. His command went in uncoordinated at Bald Hill, well after the fighting by Hardee's Corps was nearing its end. And he is chiefly responsible for the fiasco at Spring Hill. He performed only slightly better at Franklin and Nashville, but both were bloodbaths for his command, with Cleburne's and Brown's Divisions being decimated at Franklin, and Bate's all but destroyed at Nashville.

 

[Pollaco]

For his participation in the Battle of Belmont both Cheatham and his division relieved the Confederate Thanks of Congress in December 1861.

 

[Pollaco]

I found this interesting, during the war Cheatham rode a horse called "Old Isham". Named after the Governor of Tennessee, Isham Harris.

 

[Luke Freet]

For his participation in the Battle of Belmont both Cheatham and his division relieved the Confederate Thanks of Congress in December 1861.

I forgot Belmont. Did well there, pushing out Grant.

 

[gentlemanrob]

My understanding is General Cheatham's horse has a grave somewhere in Tennessee.

 

[Pollaco]

I can't help but notice Cheathams mother and wife both have the same maiden name of Robertson. He possibly married a cousin perhaps?

 

[gjpratt]

My understanding is General Cheatham's horse has a grave somewhere in Tennessee.

That is correct. A native Nashviille, I have studied Cheatham's career closely. I knew he had a farm in the Beech Grove area, but somehow I missed that the farm was actually at Noah, TN and that he spent the major portion of his post-war life at this farm. I learned this during the BGES Tullahoma in August, during which we also stopped at the nearby site of Old Isham's grave. For some reason, I did not take any photographs. Cheatham's farm was located roughly along the path Thomas' troops took during the Tullahoma campaign following the Hoover's Gap victory and before they reached Matt's Hollow. Old Isham is buried at a marked grave site on French Brantley road, near its intersection with Cheatham Springs Road and along the Noah Fork. Slightly south of today's Old US 41. The grave site is visible on Google Maps. I don't know how to mark it in a link of photo so I will describe it as best as I can. It is a small brown rectangle hard by the north side of French Brantley approximately 0.1 mile ESE of the intersection. There is a pond just to the northeast of the site. Worth a visit if near the area.

 

[gjpratt]

I did a little internet sleuthing and found this post authored by @Rhea Cole: https://www.americancivilwarforum.com/old-isham-general-benjamin-cheathams-honored-mount-1217.html

 

[Desert Kid]

I seem to recall that Forrest pulled a gun on Cheatham during the evacuation of Fort Donelson.

 

[Rhea Cole]

I drove right by there this afternoon.., who didn't Forrest at least threaten to pull a gun on?

 

[gjpratt]

I seem to recall that Forrest pulled a gun on Cheatham during the evacuation of Fort Donelson.

Actually, this happened during Hood's retreat from Nashville at the Duck River crossing into Columbia. They got into a heated argument over who crossed first. SD Lee intervened and defused the situation. It was reported that Cheatham's men drew on Forrest.

 

[52ndFandS]

Cheatham was probably one of the most influential figures in the Army of Tennessee/Mississippi, as he commanded the Tennessee Division of Polk's Corps from Belmont to Shiloh to Perryville to Stones River to Chickamauga, breifly split up during the Siege of Chattanooga, reformed following Bragg's dismissal, fought in Hardee's Corps throughout the Atlanta Campaign, before rising to Corps command, breifly leading Hood's Corps at Bald Hill, and then led Hardee's Corps through the Franklin-Nashville Campaign, to much controversy. He led the remnant of the Corps, not more than a division at best, through the Carolina campaigns.
Cheatham was a beloved commander, it seems. But he was notorious for his alcohol consumption, which apparently inhibited him during the battles at Murfreesboro and at Spring Hill.

I had family who fought under Cheatham. The more I read about him, the more I think he would have made a fine No. 2, w/o Hood as CO, in headquarters.