Gholson's Brigade

[WilliamAlanWebb]

In a letter date July 1864, Private William Decatur Howell states that he is dishonored to be attached to Gholson's hated brigade. At another point he calls them cowards. Given that Howell was in Company G, 3rd MS both as State Troops and in Confederate service, does anyone know why he might have felt such animosity toward the brigade?

 

[tony_gunter]

Maybe because at that point they were basically conscripts? Mississippi government forced them all into regular service after serving as little more than home guard companies.

 

[Nathan Stuart]

Apparently Confederate B-G Wirt Adams regarded Gholson's command as unreliable. (See https://mississippiencyclopedia.org/entries/samuel-jameson-gholson/ ).

In Apr. '63, Gholson was appointed M-G in command of MS State militia troops (subject to local state control) and in May '64 was commissioned as a B-G of Confederate cavalry (commanding an independent MS brigade alongside Chalmers division, then shortly later in Adams's division).

Back around Apr. '63, a widespread negative perception may have been formed among some Confederate officers operating in MS, like Adams and Chalmers, about Gholson and his local militia. Indeed, local Confederate departmental commander B-G Chalmers at the time expressed frustration at Gholson acting independently of the Confederate army command structure and accused the latter of disobeying orders issued by him. (See 'OR': Vol. 24, Part 3, @ p. 437, p. 440-41, p. 758).

The low quality of MS militia troops under Gholson may also have been a factor contributing to this negative perception by Confederate commanders in MS in the period. (The militia had much higher average ages, was poorly organized and had high rates of absenteeism.)

Seems Gholson might have developed a negative reputation among Confederate commanders (like Chalmers and Adams) in MS from this time that carried over into '64 - hence, the disparaging description of Gholson's brigade.

 

[Nathan Stuart]

It's noted that on May 26, '64 M-G S. D. Lee ordered at once Gholson's brigade at Columbus, MS, to proceed and report to Gen. Adams at Canton, MS. ('OR': Vol. 39, Part 2, @ p.626). But it appears that Gholson's command did not reach Adams until Jun. 2 - about 8 days later. ('OR': Vol. 39, Part 2, @ p. 633).

Could the letter writer, Pvte. Howell, a member of Gholson's brigade, have been reflecting on the effects of Gholson's tardiness and late arrival to join Adams (as the letter was claimed written in Jul. '64)? There may also have been some pre-existing bad blood formed over sharing command between militia and Confederate commanders in MS traced back to mid-'63, that helped forge any bad reputation for Gholson.

 

[WilliamAlanWebb]

It's noted that on May 26, '64 M-G S. D. Lee ordered at once Gholson's brigade at Columbus, MS, to proceed and report to Gen. Adams at Canton, MS. ('OR': Vol. 39, Part 2, @ p.626). But it appears that Gholson's command did not reach Adams until Jun. 2 - about 8 days later. ('OR': Vol. 39, Part 2, @ p. 633).

Could the letter writer, Pvte. Howell, a member of Gholson's brigade, have been reflecting on the effects of Gholson's tardiness and late arrival to join Adams (as the letter was claimed written in Jul. '64)? There may also have been some pre-existing bad blood formed over sharing command between militia and Confederate commanders in MS traced back to mid-'63, that helped forge any bad reputation for Gholson.

I'm leaning more toward the bad blood part. Privates by and large don't get too exorcised about higher level issues, and wonder if there had been a specific and unrecorded incident that caused the rank and file to lose trust in some of Gholson's people, or even the general himself. Certainly Gholson was personally brave.

 

[Nathan Stuart]

I'm leaning more toward the bad blood part. Privates by and large don't get too exorcised about higher level issues, and wonder if there had been a specific and unrecorded incident that caused the rank and file to lose trust in some of Gholson's people, or even the general himself. Certainly Gholson was personally brave.

Tend to agree. Thought any bad blood (and criticism) would more likely be directed against the behavior (say, cowardice) of soldiers of that subject unit. Agree that Gholson was considered personally brave, and it's difficult to accept that any negative perceptions formed of him as a militia leader in '63 by Confederate commanders (like Chalmers and possibly Adams) could be carried over and tantamount to cowardice by members of his brigade twelve months later. Suspect too that there may have been some specific and unrecorded incident that occurred around the time (viz. mid-'64) that led to this belief within the ranks of cowardice by soldiers of Gholson's brigade. But if it was conspicuous cowardice, am surprised it's not recorded somewhere.

 

[WilliamAlanWebb]

Tend to agree. Thought any bad blood (and criticism) would more likely be directed against the behavior (say, cowardice) of soldiers of that subject unit. Agree that Gholson was considered personally brave, and it's difficult to accept that any negative perceptions formed of him as a militia leader in '63 by Confederate commanders (like Chalmers and possibly Adams) could be carried over and tantamount to cowardice by members of his brigade twelve months later. Suspect too that there may have been some specific and unrecorded incident that occurred around the time (viz. mid-'64) that led to this belief within the ranks of cowardice by soldiers of Gholson's brigade. But if it was conspicuous cowardice, am surprised it's not recorded somewhere.

That's how I handled it. More or less that this was at a lower level, maybe even from bad blood before the war. However, there is one possible clue. Private Howell stood guard duty for a week at Forrest's HQ in May of 1864, right after the State troops had mustered into Confederate service. We also know by his own hand that Forrest had a low opinion of Gholson's command as troops, at that point in the war. Thus, the guards might have heard some complaining from the upper ranks, and blown it out of proportion.

 

[Mississippian1861]

In a letter date July 1864, Private William Decatur Howell states that he is dishonored to be attached to Gholson's hated brigade. At another point he calls them cowards. Given that Howell was in Company G, 3rd MS both as State Troops and in Confederate service, does anyone know why he might have felt such animosity toward the brigade?

This is the same Howell who was KIA a short time later and whose homemade jacket is in the University of Mississippi Museum in Oxford?

The vast majority of Gholson's brigade was made up of men from the northern tier of counties along the Tennessee border. A real no man's land between the main lines. Technically those areas were outside of the main CS lines and therefore exempt from the Conscription Act. Those men knew it as well. They had joined the state troops to protect their own homes and didn't want to be forced to join a far away army.

 

[WilliamAlanWebb]

This is the same Howell who was KIA a short time later and whose homemade jacket is in the University of Mississippi Museum in Oxford?

The vast majority of Gholson's brigade was made up of men from the northern tier of counties along the Tennessee border. A real no man's land between the main lines. Technically those areas were outside of the main CS lines and therefore exempt from the Conscription Act. Those men knew it as well. They had joined the state troops to protect their own homes and didn't want to be forced to join a far away army.

Yes, this is him. I'm writing a history of his regiment, 3rd MS Cavalry in the War for North Mississippi. His diary and letters are the only primary source known to exist from the regiment.

 

[Nathan Stuart]

After a little further investigation. It does not appear there was any distinct incidents of cowardice, like fleeing the battlefield, recorded for Gholson's brigade.

Seems any label of 'cowardice' may have been derived from ongoing conflicts between state militia leadership and the Confederate army chain of command. Apparently Ghoslon's brigade of state troops built up over time a deep-seated reputation for unreliability, lack of discipline and high desertion rates and this caused other Confederate commanders to have serious doubts about Ghoslon's men. Wirt Adams, in particular, viewed Ghoslon's state cavalry brigade as unreliable and apparently he unsuccessfully suggested that the brigade be dismounted and its members dispersed among other commands to fix a perceived lack of discipline.

If all this is true, then any tag of 'cowardice' was probably unfitting for Ghoslon's group. But this undeserved reputation held in others minds may have 'rubbed off' on members of the brigade, like young Pvte. Howell - hence, the reference to 'cowardice' of the unit in his letter.

Incidentally, Pvte. Howell's Find-a-Grave listing appears to be at, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/70476493/william-d-howell .
It shows his date of death as on 28 July 1864 (age 17-18 years) and there is also a photo of him. From the pictured grave marker, it appears that he was mortally wounded in battle at Atlanta, GA.

 

[Bruce Allardice]

The MS state troops and militia were considered by many soldiers (rightly or wrongly) of being shirkers, avoiding active army service, as well as being unreliable and ineffective. Federalizing these units did not improve their reputation. I can see where Howell wouldn't want to be associated with them.

 

[WilliamAlanWebb]

The MS state troops and militia were considered by many soldiers (rightly or wrongly) of being shirkers, avoiding active army service, as well as being unreliable and ineffective. Federalizing these units did not improve their reputation. I can see where Howell wouldn't want to be associated with them.

Howell had been one of them when 3rd MS was first formed, though. That was April of 1863, officially created June of 1863. Howell enlisted in May of 1863. They didn't become Confederate troops until April of 1864. Also, 3rd MS was specifically exempted from criticism by Chalmers and Forrest, both of whom held them in high regard as States Troops. That's likely because Colonel McGuirk was first in the regular army.

 

[WilliamAlanWebb]

The MS state troops and militia were considered by many soldiers (rightly or wrongly) of being shirkers, avoiding active army service, as well as being unreliable and ineffective. Federalizing these units did not improve their reputation. I can see where Howell wouldn't want to be associated with them.

After a little further investigation. It does not appear there was any distinct incidents of cowardice, like fleeing the battlefield, recorded for Gholson's brigade.

Seems any label of 'cowardice' may have been derived from ongoing conflicts between state militia leadership and the Confederate army chain of command. Apparently Ghoslon's brigade of state troops built up over time a deep-seated reputation for unreliability, lack of discipline and high desertion rates and this caused other Confederate commanders to have serious doubts about Ghoslon's men. Wirt Adams, in particular, viewed Ghoslon's state cavalry brigade as unreliable and apparently he unsuccessfully suggested that the brigade be dismounted and its members dispersed among other commands to fix a perceived lack of discipline.

If all this is true, then any tag of 'cowardice' was probably unfitting for Ghoslon's group. But this undeserved reputation held in others minds may have 'rubbed off' on members of the brigade, like young Pvte. Howell - hence, the reference to 'cowardice' of the unit in his letter.

Incidentally, Pvte. Howell's Find-a-Grave listing appears to be at, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/70476493/william-d-howell .
It shows his date of death as on 28 July 1864 (age 17-18 years) and there is also a photo of him. From the pictured grave marker, it appears that he was mortally wounded in battle at Atlanta, GA.

This is accurate.