It was army of THE Mississippi.

Before officially becoming the Army of Tennessee, the Army of the Mississippi was named after the river unlike the popular belief that Confederate armies were only named after cities or states.

What Confederate armies were named after cities? I don't recall any and i'm rather interested.
 
There has always been some confusion when it came to the "The Army of Tennessee" and The Army of the Tennessee" One named for the area it encompassed and the other for a river.
 
Before officially becoming the Army of Tennessee, the Army of the Mississippi was named after the river unlike the popular belief that Confederate armies were only named after cities or states.


Yes!!!!

Beauregard named it so because he intended to operate in defense of the Mississippi River Valley.
 
While we here are all in consensus about the army's name, that great font of knowledge is not on board (sarcasm), Wikipedia is not.
I've actually had a discussion with an editor there, but I had little luck getting it changed. While it might seem a trival problem, people more often than not turn to wiki for information. Until I read the official records, I had for years considered it the Army of Mississippi and had believed the general rule that Confederate armies were named after states and Union armies after rivers.
 
On March 5, 1862, PGT Beauregard assumed command of what he called the Army of the Mississippi. The following day correspondence from Gen. Beauregard originates from this army while letters and orders from Gen. Bragg come from the Army of Mississippi. Gen. Leonidas Polk also uses the title Army of Mississippi even after Bragg has switched over to the new Army of the Mississippi. You can find correspondence using either name up until March 29 when Gen. A.S. Johnston assumed command of the Army of the Mississippi. Even after you can still see both titles used and occasionally one name scratched out on printed stationary and the other name penned in.

Tom
 
Last edited:
Brag renamed the Army, Army of Tennessee in November 62. This was when Rosecrans held Nashville and Brag was in Murphfreesboro. Just prior to the Battle of Stones River. Johnston died in the arms of TN governor Isham Harris at Shiloh
 
On March 5, 1862, PGT Beauregard assumed command of what he called the Army of the Mississippi. The following day correspondence from Gen. Beauregard originates from this army while letters and orders from Gen. Bragg come from the Army of Mississippi. Gen. Leonidas Polk also uses the title Army of Mississippi even after Bragg has switched over to the new Army of the Mississippi. You can find correspondence using either name up until March 29 when Gen. A.S. Johnston assumed command of the Army of the Mississippi. Even after you can still see both titles used and occasionally one name scratched out on printed stationary and the other name penned in.

Tom
This is true, but its odd that all the Confederate casualty reports for the Battle of Perryville are addressed to Army of the Mississippi. Also of note is also Cheatham's report of the battle that was written on November 19, 1862. It too was addressed to the Army of the Mississippi. I wonder what the actual date was for adoption of the Army of Tennessee?
 
Sign me up as one confused at times with the names of armies. I confused the Army of the Tennessee with the Army of Tennessee, among others.
I understand that some armies came, went, and merged together; are there any good sources that list all the armies of the war for both sides?
 
Back
Top