★ ★  Crittenden, Thomas L.

Thomas Leonidas Crittenden

Born: May 15, 1819
General Crittenden.jpg


Birthplace: Russellville, Kentucky

Father: U.S. Senator John Jordan Crittenden Jr. 1787 – 1863
(Buried: Frankfort Cemetery, Frankfort, Kentucky)​

Mother: Sarah O. Lee 1787 – 1824
(Buried: Frankfort Cemetery, Frankfort, Kentucky)​

Wife: Catherine Lucy “Kitty” Todd 1822 – 1895
(Buried: Frankfort Cemetery, Frankfort, Kentucky)​

Brother: CSA Major General George Bibb Crittenden 1812 – 1880
(Buried: Frankfort Cemetery, Frankfort, Kentucky)​

Children:

Annie Crittenden​
(Buried: Frankfort Cemetery, Frankfort, Kentucky)​
Maria Innes Crittenden​
(Buried: Frankfort Cemetery, Frankfort, Kentucky)​
Lt. John Jordan Crittenden III 1854 – 1876​
(Buried: Custer National Cemetery, Crow Agency, Montana)​

Occupation before War:

Attorney in Kentucky​
During Mexican War served as an Aide to Major General Taylor​
1847 – 1848: Served in Mexican War rising to the rank of Lt. Colonel​
United States Counsel to Liverpool, England​

Civil War Career:

1860 – 1861: Major General of Kentucky State Militia​
1861 – 1862: Brigadier General of Union Army, Volunteers​
1862: Division Commander at the Battle of Shiloh, Tennessee​
1862 – 1864: Major General of Union Army, Volunteers​
Commander of Left-Wing during Battle of Stones River, Tennessee​
1863: Corps Commander at the Battle of Chickamuga, Georgia​
1863: Blamed for the defeat at Chickamuga and relieved of command​
He was later exonerated and acquitted of any charges​
1864: Division Commander during latter part of Spotsylvania​
1864: Division Commander during the Battle of Cold Harbor, Virginia​
1864: Resigned from the Union Army on December 13th
1867: Brevetted Brig. General for his role at Stones River​

Occupation after War:

Kentucky State Treasurer​
1867 – 1881: Served in the United States Army, rising to Colonel​
Member of Maryland Society of the Cincinnati​
Veteran Companion Military Order of the Loyal Legion​
1888: Requested Permission to visit Mexico City, Mexico​

Died: October 23, 1893

Place of Death: Annandale, Staten Island, New York

Cause of Death: Progressive Paresis

Age at time of Death: 74 years old

Burial Place: Frankfort Cemetery, Frankfort, Kentucky
 
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While visiting his & others graves in Frankfort a couple years ago, it took a while to find his, due to not being entirely legible, sadly. Not certain as to whom would be responsible or able to have it cleaned up, but I would sincerely hope it's done sooner rather than later to make it more visible.

View attachment 400673

I visited the cemetery a couple months ago and very much agree, it was hard to find and identify his grave. Without looking him up in the register, I would have simply walked right by it.
 
He commanded the 5th Division in the Army of the Ohio at Shiloh.
He commanded a corp at Chickamauga, but resigned on December 13th, 1864 after General Rosecrans tried to shift blame onto him and 3 other generals for the disaster.
Another Corps commander, Alexander McDowell McCook, was included in that blame by Rosecrans. Who were the other two?
 
Major General James S. Negley, while not blamed specifically by Rosecrans, angered Generals Thomas, Brannan and Wood. The latter two accused Negley of cowardice. Thomas was extremely angry at Negley's actions, in losing the XIV ammunition train. Negley never returned to an active command, no one wanted him.
 
Crittenden allegedly was found knocked out drunk singing "Mary had a little lamb" at some point during the Battle of Stones River. Not certain how true this was, but certainly I can't call Crittenden any mode of a good commander. He seems quite mediocre in comparison with Thomas, but I don't think he performed as badly as McCook.
 
I think there is a back story here. Crittenden requests to be relieved of command of his Ninth Corps division in early June. Five months later he is reassigned to the same division, now under a different commander (Parke has replace Burnside). Crittenden no sooner arrives at Petersburg than he submits his resignation from the Army. Does anyone have any additional info?

It is also interesting to note that two days (June 9, 1864) after Crittenden asked Burnside to relieve him, James Ledlie was appointed to command the division Crittenden had commanded. One wonders how much the outcome of the Battle of the Crater would have differed had Crittenden been in command of that division.

OR, Series 1, Volume XXXVI, Part 3, page 683-684.
Headquarters Ninth Army Corps,
June 7, 1864—7.30 p. m.

Lieutenant-General Grant,
Commanding Armies of the United States:

An application was made to you this morning from Major-General Crittenden to be relieved from duty with this command. Under the circumstances, I am satisfied that it would be better to relieve him. If proper, I would be glad to have an answer, that I can make proper arrangements. You can consider this dispatch confidential or otherwise, as you think the interests of the service demand.

A. E. BURNSIDE,
Major-General,​

OR, Series 1, Volume XXXVI, Part 3, page 684.
Headquarters Army of the Potomac,
June 7, 1864.​
Major-General Burnside:
The order has been made, and is on its way to your headquarters, for the relief of General Crittenden.​
U. S. GRANT,
Lieutenant-General.
Headquarters Army of the Potomac,​

OR, Series 1, Volume XLII, Part 3, page 689.
Special Orders, No. 414.​
Headquarters of the Army,​
Adjutant-General's Office,​
Washington, November 23, 1864.​
............​
3. Maj. Gen. T. L. Crittenden, IT. S. Volunteers, will report for duty to Major-General Meade, commanding Army of the Potomac.​
By command of Lieutenant-General Grant:​
E. D. TOWNSEND, Assistant Adjutant-General.​

OR, Series 1, Volume XLII, Part 3, page 843.
Headquarters Army of the Potomac,​
December 7, 1864—11.30 a. m.​
Lieutenant-General Grant:​
Major-General Crittenden tenders his resignation and asks for a leave pending action on it. Shall I grant the leave!​
GEO. G. MEADE,​
Major-General.​
OR, Series 1, Volume XLII, Part 3, page 843.
City Point, Va.,​
December 7,1864.​
Major-General Meade:​
Grant General Crittenden a leave of absence.​
U. S. GRANT,​
Lieutenant-General.​

OR, Series 1, Volume XLII, Part 3, page 847-848.
Special Orders, No. 331.}​
Headquarters Army of the Potomac, December 7,1864.​
1. Leave of absence is granted to the following-named officer: Maj. Gen. T. L. Crittenden, U. S. Volunteers, for seven days.​
2. Maj. Gen. T. L. Crittenden having, in compliance with paragraph 3 of Special Orders, No. 414, of November 23,1864, headquarters of the Army, reported to the major-general commanding, will report to Major-General Parke, commanding Ninth Army Corps, for assignment to a command in that corps.​
............​
By command of Major-General Meade:​
S. WILLIAMS,​
Assistant Adjutant-General​

OR, Series 1, Volume XLII, Part 3, page 998.
Special Orders, No. 447.}​
War Dept., Adjt. General's Office, Washington, December 14, 1864.​
.............​
6. The resignation of Maj. Gen. Thomas L. Crittenden, U. S. Volunteers, has been accepted by the President, to take effect December 13, 1864.​
............​
By order of the Secretary of War:​
E. D. TOWNSEND,​
Assistant Adjutant-General.​
 
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