Help With Understanding Campaign

[Caswellcurious]

I have Googled, gone Duck, Braved the lion, etc. in addition to searching the forums, and I need someone to please explain what a campaign is. I have an idea, but I will not bore you with it. I am interested in Western (Union) campaigns. Still working on this diary in context and would like to be able to indicate what campaign is in progress during his march. Any explanation, lengthy or brief, is most appreciated. If it helps, he was with Colonel Carlin, bless his heart, for his entire enlistment.

 

[huskerblitz]

I think Wikipedia's description is pretty accurate.

A military campaign is large-scale long-duration significant military strategy plan incorporating a series of interrelated military operations or battles forming a distinct part of a larger conflict often called a war.

 

[captaindrew]

It's pretty simple, the events leading up to and the aftermath of a major battle or series of battles. Example the Gettysburg campaign would include the time the armies started heading north out of Virginia till the retreat and pursuit back to Virginia concluded and all events in between. If you'd start a thread with the name of the person you're trying to research with some details I'm sure you'll get some help here. He was with Colonel Carlin isn't much to go on.

 

[John Hartwell]

If you are referring to Col. Wm. P. Carlin's 38th Illinois regiment, the following should be a help in identifying just where and on what duty they were engaged, by date:

Battle Unit Details - The Civil War (U.S. National Park Service)

www.nps.gov

38th Regiment, Illinois Infantry

The 38th Regiment, Illinois Infantry was organized at Camp Butler, Illinois, and mustered in August 15, 1861. It moved to Houston July 17 and mustered out December 31, 1865. [1]

www.familysearch.org

If you will provide us your diarist's name, places of residence, birth and death dates & places, names of parents, siblings, and any other 'locators' you have, I'm confident we could help you in your research. We have some outstanding researchers here who are glad to share their expertise. It's best to start another thread for that.

 

[Caswellcurious]

Thank you. I'll try that.

 

[Caswellcurious]

It's pretty simple, the events leading up to and the aftermath of a major battle or series of battles. Example the Gettysburg campaign would include the time the armies started heading north out of Virginia till the retreat and pursuit back to Virginia concluded and all events in between. If you'd start a thread with the name of the person you're trying to research with some details I'm sure you'll get some help here. He was with Colonel Carlin isn't much to go on.

Thanks--this is probably a dumb question, but were the campaigns sometimes named after the main battle?

Are these campaigns?

1. Action at Fredericktown October 21. (involved Thompson)
Expedition against Thompson's forces November 2-12.

2. Moved to Reeve's Station on Black River March 3-10, 1862,
thence to Doniphan and Pocahontas March 31-April 21.
Action at Putnam's Ferry, Mo., April 1.

3. March to Jacksonport, Ark., April 30-May 4,
thence to Cape Girardeau, Mo., May 10-21,
and to Hamburg Landing, Tenn., May 21-24.
Siege of Corinth, Miss., May 26-30.
Pursuit to Booneville May 31-June 12.
March to Jacinto and Ripley June 29-July 4.
At Corinth, Miss., till August 14.

4. March through Alabama to Nashville, Tenn.,
thence to Louisville, Ky.,
in pursuit of Bragg, August 14-September 26.
Pursuit of Bragg into Kentucky October 1-16. Battle of Perryville October 8.

5. Manchester, Ky., October 14.
Stanford, Ky., October 14.
March to Nashville, Tenn., October 16-November 9,
Reconnoissance toward Clarksville November 15-30.
Advance on Murfreesboro, Tenn., December 26-30.
Nolensville, Knob Gap, December 26.
Battle of Stone's River December 30-31, 1862, and January 1-3, 1863.


Please, feel free to answer yes or no. I taught English literature for years, and I know how frustratingly difficult it can be when someone who is not an "expert" just doesn't get it. I can accomplish my overall goal in finishing my book without having to list the campaigns.

 

[captaindrew]

Thanks--this is probably a dumb question, but were the campaigns sometimes named after the main battle?

Are these campaigns?

1. Action at Fredericktown October 21. (involved Thompson)
Expedition against Thompson's forces November 2-12.

2. Moved to Reeve's Station on Black River March 3-10, 1862,
thence to Doniphan and Pocahontas March 31-April 21.
Action at Putnam's Ferry, Mo., April 1.

3. March to Jacksonport, Ark., April 30-May 4,
thence to Cape Girardeau, Mo., May 10-21,
and to Hamburg Landing, Tenn., May 21-24.
Siege of Corinth, Miss., May 26-30.
Pursuit to Booneville May 31-June 12.
March to Jacinto and Ripley June 29-July 4.
At Corinth, Miss., till August 14.

4. March through Alabama to Nashville, Tenn.,
thence to Louisville, Ky.,
in pursuit of Bragg, August 14-September 26.
Pursuit of Bragg into Kentucky October 1-16. Battle of Perryville October 8.

5. Manchester, Ky., October 14.
Stanford, Ky., October 14.
March to Nashville, Tenn., October 16-November 9,
Reconnoissance toward Clarksville November 15-30.
Advance on Murfreesboro, Tenn., December 26-30.
Nolensville, Knob Gap, December 26.
Battle of Stone's River December 30-31, 1862, and January 1-3, 1863.


Please, feel free to answer yes or no. I taught English literature for years, and I know how frustratingly difficult it can be when someone who is not an "expert" just doesn't get it. I can accomplish my overall goal in finishing my book without having to list the campaigns.

A couple of them I would say you could call a campaign, the term is usually reserved for the major battles and smaller events that effected such. Honestly I'm not as well educated on Western Theater actions so some of the ones you listed I'm not familiar with at all. I'm sure one of our members more knowledgeable with these actions will chime in.

 

[huskerblitz]

Both, actually. You have the Vicksburg Campaign (everything leading up and including the siege) and then you have the Peninsular Campaign which isn't named after any particular battle.

 

[Sheltowee]

Thanks--this is probably a dumb question, but were the campaigns sometimes named after the main battle?

Are these campaigns?

1. Action at Fredericktown October 21. (involved Thompson)
Expedition against Thompson's forces November 2-12.

2. Moved to Reeve's Station on Black River March 3-10, 1862,
thence to Doniphan and Pocahontas March 31-April 21.
Action at Putnam's Ferry, Mo., April 1.

3. March to Jacksonport, Ark., April 30-May 4,
thence to Cape Girardeau, Mo., May 10-21,
and to Hamburg Landing, Tenn., May 21-24.
Siege of Corinth, Miss., May 26-30.
Pursuit to Booneville May 31-June 12.
March to Jacinto and Ripley June 29-July 4.
At Corinth, Miss., till August 14.

4. March through Alabama to Nashville, Tenn.,
thence to Louisville, Ky.,
in pursuit of Bragg, August 14-September 26.
Pursuit of Bragg into Kentucky October 1-16. Battle of Perryville October 8.

5. Manchester, Ky., October 14.
Stanford, Ky., October 14.
March to Nashville, Tenn., October 16-November 9,
Reconnoissance toward Clarksville November 15-30.
Advance on Murfreesboro, Tenn., December 26-30.
Nolensville, Knob Gap, December 26.
Battle of Stone's River December 30-31, 1862, and January 1-3, 1863.


Please, feel free to answer yes or no. I taught English literature for years, and I know how frustratingly difficult it can be when someone who is not an "expert" just doesn't get it. I can accomplish my overall goal in finishing my book without having to list the campaigns.

The below snippet is part of Bragg's Kentucky Invasion campaign. Commonly called the Heartland Offensive. The unit was pulled from Alabama to head north in efforts to head off Bragg. After the the Perryville battle- looks like they were involved in pursuit of Bragg back into Tennessee.

4. March through Alabama to Nashville, Tenn.,
thence to Louisville, Ky.,
in pursuit of Bragg, August 14-September 26.
Pursuit of Bragg into Kentucky October 1-16. Battle of Perryville October 8.

5. Manchester, Ky., October 14.
Stanford, Ky., October 14.
March to Nashville, Tenn., October 16-November 9,

 

[Caswellcurious]

Both, actually. You have the Vicksburg Campaign (everything leading up and including the siege) and then you have the Peninsular Campaign which isn't named after any particular battle.

okay--that gives me something to work with. I will research those two campaigns. Thanks!

 

[Caswellcurious]

The below snippet is part of Bragg's Kentucky Invasion campaign. Commonly called the Heartland Offensive. The unit was pulled from Alabama to head north in efforts to head off Bragg. After the the Perryville battle- looks like they were involved in pursuit of Bragg back into Tennessee.

4. March through Alabama to Nashville, Tenn.,
thence to Louisville, Ky.,
in pursuit of Bragg, August 14-September 26.
Pursuit of Bragg into Kentucky October 1-16. Battle of Perryville October 8.

5. Manchester, Ky., October 14.
Stanford, Ky., October 14.
March to Nashville, Tenn., October 16-November 9,

Thank you. That gives me additional info for context.

 

[Caswellcurious]

A couple of them I would say you could call a campaign, the term is usually reserved for the major battles and smaller events that effected such. Honestly I'm not as well educated on Western Theater actions so some of the ones you listed I'm not familiar with at all. I'm sure one of our members more knowledgeable with these actions will chime in.

Thank you.

 

[7th Mississippi Infantry]

That's a great question @Caswellcurious !

Many , (if not most) of us automatically assumes everyone understands military terminology.
Thank you for reminding us that's not always the case.

You have received some great answers ! But I'll add my 2 cents:



A campaign is the sum of all efforts involved ... to capture a large and specific area of enemy territory.

Again, please ask any question you may have !
There are multiple experts on this site that can answer questions about almost any topic related to the American Civil War.

 

[John Hartwell]

okay--that gives me something to work with. I will research those two campaigns. Thanks!

Peninsula campaign was in the Eastern theater, Vicksburg in the Western.

 

[huskerblitz]

okay--that gives me something to work with. I will research those two campaigns. Thanks!

Peninsula campaign was in the Eastern theater, Vicksburg in the Western.

Sorry, yes, I was only providing examples of campaign names. I didn't mean to imply those are the ones you are seeking information for.

 

[Frank Watson]

1. Action at Fredericktown October 21. (involved Thompson)
Expedition against Thompson's forces November 2-12.

First, as far as I know, there are no Campaign Police, so you can define it however you want.

To look at this quoted one in particular I would say, this isn't a campaign. The campaign should start with a relatively static situation. The "Action at Fredericktown" would begin the "campaign" with things well in motion. Plummer has marched from Cape Giradeau and Thompson himself has been returning from the Black River Bridge. If I wanted to define "The Fredericktown Campaign" or "Thompson's Southeast Missouri Campaign of 1861" (since the whole thing was undertaken on Thompson's initiative), I would start it on October 12 when Thompson advanced northward from Stoddard county.

When would it end? Either about October 23 when Thompson is back in Greenfield, Missouri with no one actively pursuing him and he's preparing to go north again. BUT 11 days is a pretty limited campaign. If you look at a somewhat bigger picture, the "Southeast Missouri Campaign" could extend into November and conclude after the battle of Belmont. OR, you could say that Grant operating out of Cairo to Belmont is part of a completely different animal and hence a different campaign with its objective control of the Mississippi.

2. Moved to Reeve's Station on Black River March 3-10, 1862,
thence to Doniphan and Pocahontas March 31-April 21.
Action at Putnam's Ferry, Mo., April 1.

I don't think this rates as a campaign. This is just the 21st Illinois moving around and stumbling into some unfriendly types at Mr. Putnam's Ferry between Doniphan and Pocahontas. More importantly, I once played in a softball tournament in Pocahontas and we lost our first two games.

3. March to Jacksonport, Ark., April 30-May 4,
thence to Cape Girardeau, Mo., May 10-21,
and to Hamburg Landing, Tenn., May 21-24.
Siege of Corinth, Miss., May 26-30.
Pursuit to Booneville May 31-June 12.
March to Jacinto and Ripley June 29-July 4.
At Corinth, Miss., till August 14.

"Corinth" is the campaign here. Jacksonport to Corinth is just a unit's movement as it reinforces the Union army in the Corinth campaign.

As Sheltowee says, 4 and 5 are part of the Kentucky Campaign in whatever form you might want to name it.

 

[Caswellcurious]

That's a great question @Caswellcurious !

Many , (if not most) of us automatically assumes everyone understands military terminology.
Thank you for reminding us that's not always the case.

You have received some great answers ! But I'll add my 2 cents:



A campaign is the sum of all efforts involved ... to capture a large and specific area of enemy territory.

Again, please ask any question you may have !
There are multiple experts on this site that can answer questions about almost any topic related to the American Civil War.

 

[Caswellcurious]

This forum has been the most wonderful discovery of my research. Everyone is so willing to help. Love the camaraderie. Thanks so much.

 

[Caswellcurious]

Sorry, yes, I was only providing examples of campaign names. I didn't mean to imply those are the ones you are seeking information for.

No problem. Thanks for the clarification. I have so much I want to learn after I finish this project.