{⋆★⋆} LG Polk, Leonidas

Leonidas Polk​

Born: April 10, 1806

Birthplace: Raleigh, North Carolina

Father: Colonel William Polk 1758 – 1834

(Buried: City Cemetery, Raleigh, North Carolina)​

Mother: Sarah Hawkins 1784 – 1843

(Buried: City Cemetery, Raleigh, North Carolina)​

Wife: Frances Ann Deveraux 1810 – 1875

(Buried: Christ Church Episcopal Cemetery, New Orleans, Louisiana)​

Married: May 4, 1830 in Raleigh, North Carolina

Children:

Alexander Hamilton Polk 1831 – 1872​

(Buried: Cedar Hill Cemetery, Hartford, Connecticut)​

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Frances Deveraux Polk Skipwith 1835 – 1884​

(Buried: Oxford Memorial Cemetery, Oxford, Mississippi)​

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Katherine Polk Gale 1838 – 1916​

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

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Sarah Hawkins Polk Blake 1840 – 1926​

(Buried: Calvary Episcopal Church, Fletcher, North Carolina)​

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Infant Twin Son's Polk 1841 – 1841​

(Buried: Saint John's Church, Ashwood, Tennessee)​

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Susan Rayner Polk Jones 1842 – 1921​

(Buried: Saint Thomas Episcopal Church, Whitemarsh, Pennsylvania)​

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Elizabeth Deveraux Polk Huger 1843 – 1918

(Buried: Metairie Cemetery, New Orleans, Louisiana)​

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Dr. William Mecklenburg Polk 1844 – 1918​

(Buried: Woodlawn Cemetery, Bronx, New York)​

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Lucia Rebecca Polk Chapman 1845 – 1930​

(Buried: Saint Thomas Episcopal Church, Whitemarsh, Pennsylvania)​

Education:

Attended University of North Carolina, Briefly​

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1827: Graduated from West Point Military Academy (8th​ in class)​

Occupation before War:

1827: Brevet 2nd​ Lt. United States Army, Artillery​

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1827: Resigned from United States Army on December 1st​​

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1830: Ordained a Deacon of the Episcopal Church​

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1831: Ordained a Priest of the Episcopal Church​

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1838 – 1841: Missionary Bishop of Southwest Episcopal Churches​

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1841 – 1864: Louisiana State Episcopal Bishop​

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Leading Founder of University of the South​

Civil War Career:

1861 – 1862: Major General of Confederate States Army Infantry​

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1861: Participated in the Battle of Belmont​

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1862: Participated in the Battle of Shiloh​

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1862 – 1864: Lt. General of Confederate States Army Infantry​

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1862: Participated in the Battle of Stones River​

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1863: Participated in the Battle of Chickamuga​

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1863 – 1864: Commander Dept. of Mississippi & East Louisiana​

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1864: Participated in the Georgia Campaign​

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1864: Killed while scouting Union Army in Marietta, Georgia​

Died: June 14, 1864

Place of Death: Marietta, Cobb County, Georgia

Cause of Death: Killed Instantly

Age at time of Death: 58 years old

Burial Place: Christ Church Episcopal Cathedral, New Orleans, Louisiana

 

[Belfoured]

As a general he was a very fine clergyman.

Hence his expansion of his "diocese" into Kentucky in 1861.

 

[John Hartwell]

Hence his expansion of his "diocese" into Kentucky in 1861.

Yes, he served the Union well, by guaranteeing Kentucky would never join the Confederacy.

 

[nc native]

Braxton Bragg spent the better part of two years trying to have Leonidas Polk removed from command with no luck because Polk had the protection of Jefferson Davis. There was no love lost between Bragg who was trying to get him dismissed and Polk who had a habit of disobeying orders and doing his own thing as when he did when he invaded neutral Kentucky in 1861 and on the second day at Chickamauga when he postponed his attack which was supposed to be at dawn. Polk's long delay gave the Union defenders time to strengthen their positions and although Union forces were pushed back the results could have been far worse had they no time to prepare their position. Polk was an inept and often disobedient commander to his superiors who was quite popular with his men and more importantly, Jefferson Davis.

 

[jackt62]

One of the more curious characters to serve the Confederacy. From what I recall of reading his biography, his military career was notable for several remarkable events that included an ill-advised foray to Columbus that tilted Kentucky in the Union camp, and his almost nonchalant inaction on the 2nd day at Chickamauga in delaying his wing's assault and mis-communicating attack orders to Hill. He was well beloved by the troops, had a running feud with Bragg, and famously baptized several Confederate commanders. All in all, he probably should have declined a generalship and stuck with what had been a distinguished career within the Episcopal Church.

 

[ErnieMac]

Polk became friends with Jefferson Davis when the two attended West Point. Polk graduated in 1827, Davis the following year.

 

[Rebelsoul]

Polk was an incompetent boob who shoulda been wearing blue instead of gray. One of the few things Bragg did right was trying to get rid of him.

 

[7th Mississippi Infantry]

Haven't seen his name tossed about much, in my short time at CWT.
How do members rate his effectiveness?

My answer would be a low rating.

Description of the man from a CSA soldier:

" Polk is a tall, well-built man about 55 years of age; hair slightly grey; wears side whiskers which are white as snow;
acquiline nose and a firm mouth. His voice is a good one for command, and having a West Point education, improved by many years of research on military science it was expected he would make a skilled General, but the people were much disappointed by his display of generalship in the Western Department, and many clamored for his removal. "

William Stevenson, Thirteen Months in the Rebel Army ( New York,1892)

 

[UCVRelics]

Gen Polk spent the winter of 1864 here in Demopolis at the Trinity Episcopal Church, of course the yankees burned it when they got here. The family donated his chair from NO to the church after it was rebuilt.

Trinity's History

trinitydemopolis.dioala.org

Established by Rev. Caleb S. Ives January 31, 1834. The first church building, a frame structure built in 1857, was burned by Federal troops during their occupation of Demopolis. The present church building was erected in 1870 and forms the nave. The transepts were added in 1896 and the bell tower in 1910. While camped in Demopolis, the Rt. Reverend Leonidas Polk, Bishop of Louisiana and Lieut. General of the Confederate Army, often worshiped at Trinity.

 

[Pollaco]

Polk was an incompetent boob who shoulda been wearing blue instead of gray. One of the few things Bragg did right was trying to get rid of him.

What he was just called is one of the controversys about him. His friendship with Jefferson Davis led to his promotions. The old saying "It's not what you know but Who you know" comes to mind.

 

[Pollaco]

What he was just called is one of the controversys about him. His friendship with Jefferson Davis led to his promotions. The old saying "It's not what you know but Who you know" comes to mind.

Polk was second only to Longstreet as far as senority of Lt. Generals.

 

[UCVRelics]

Polk was an incompetent boob who shoulda been wearing blue instead of gray. One of the few things Bragg did right was trying to get rid of him.

Bragg, calling anybody out is a joke. Bragg was a moron and cost the South way more than Polk. Just ask Gen N B Forrest.

 

[7th Mississippi Infantry]

Gen Polk spent the winter of 1864 here in Demopolis at the Trinity Episcopal Church,

I think General Polk was at almost every Episcopal Church in the Deep South at one time or another.

I've been to more than a few weddings and funerals at this similar church in Canton, Mississippi:

 

[Rebelsoul]

Bragg, calling anybody out is a joke. Bragg was a moron and cost the South way more than Polk. Just ask Gen N B Forrest.

They were both idiots and so was Davis for backing them up.

 

[nc native]

Bragg, calling anybody out is a joke. Bragg was a moron and cost the South way more than Polk. Just ask Gen N B Forrest.

General Polk got along well with Forrest who also detested Bragg. Perhaps the Confederate generals in the Western theatre should have all formed a Bragg haters club. Polk seems to have gotten along well with everyone except Braxton Bragg. Jefferson Davis should have appointed him to a position in the Confederate armed forces like chief chaplain and kept him away from the battlefield. Polk baptised General Johnston and General Hood before his death and officiated at John Morgan's wedding. In his coat when he was killed there were three copies of a Christian book signed by him he was going to present to Generals Johnston, Hardee, Hood.

Arthur Freemantle the English observer also took a liking to him and rode with him one day to visit a widow who had three sons who were killed serving the Confederacy to give his condolences. After Polk finished speaking with the lady, the woman told General that she had one son left named Henry and she would give him to the Confederacy too.

 

[Pollaco]

This resurrects the old dispute over who could rightfully claim the fatal shot. This story states that it was Battery E, Pennsylvania Light. But I've always understood that the Fifth Indiana Light had a better claim.

Still a bit of a dispute. Pennsylvania, Indiana, now Ohio wants the credit too it seems. From a bio I've read Gen. Howard relayed a message from Sherman to fire on "that bunch of generals". Howard told Battery I of the 1st Ohio Light Artillery commanded by Capt. Hubert Dilger to fire. 3 rounds were supposedly fired. The first 2 missed their targets but came close. But the generals dispersed. "The 3rd struck Polk's left arm, went through his body,and exited hitting his right arm, then exploded against a tree; it nearly cut Polk in two."

 

[Belfoured]

One of the more curious characters to serve the Confederacy. From what I recall of reading his biography, his military career was notable for several remarkable events that included an ill-advised foray to Columbus that tilted Kentucky in the Union camp, and his almost nonchalant inaction on the 2nd day at Chickamauga in delaying his wing's assault and mis-communicating attack orders to Hill. He was well beloved by the troops, had a running feud with Bragg, and famously baptized several Confederate commanders. All in all, he probably should have declined a generalship and stuck with what had been a distinguished career within the Episcopal Church.

His military mediocrity should have come as no surprise. He spent all of five months in actual service after finishing at the USMA and then resigned. For all intents and purposes, he was a "political general" not much different from many of the northern equivalents. He was appointed a Major General in 1861 based on his friendship with Davis.

 

[Belfoured]

Still a bit of a dispute. Pennsylvania, Indiana, now Ohio wants the credit too it seems. From a bio I've read Gen. Howard relayed a message from Sherman to fire on "that bunch of generals". Howard told Battery I of the 1st Ohio Light Artillery commanded by Capt. Hubert Dilger to fire. 3 rounds were supposedly fired. The first 2 mission their targets but came close. The men dispersed. "The 3rd struck Polk's left arm, went through his body,and exited hitting his right arm, then exploded against a tree; it nearly cut Polk in two."

The question I've always had with the Battery I 1st Ohio claim is that I believe they were still outfitted with M1857 12 lb Napoleons (they still had those as of January 1864 IIRC). The Indiana and Pennsylvania outfits had rifles. Obviously, that doesn't conclusively rule out Dilger's battery ...

 

[Luke Freet]

Polk's record as a commander is one mired in infamy. He is heavily criticized for his move into Columbus, which ended the guise of Kentucky neutrality (of course, Grant was only a day away from doing the same). One interesting incident from his time in command there is after the Battle of Belmont, when he approached the crew of one of his heavy naval guns; his artillery chief, then-Major A. P. Stewart, ordered his men to clean out the gun rather than fire the last load after the battle. The gunners asked for Polk's permission to fire the cannon to see the effectiveness of his artillery. However, the fowled gun exploded, killing 20 men and wounding many others, including Polk.
After this, he took part in nearly every single major campaign of the Army of Mississippi/Tennessee. He did well enough at Shiloh (though that is only a comparative statement; its hard to find many commanders on the Confederate end of that battle who "did well"), before taking command of the right wing of the army. In this command he took part in the Kentucky campaign, where he contrived excuses to avoid following Bragg's orders, leading to the situation at Perryville. He did poorly at Murfreesboro, with his command making frontal charges against wellplaced federal positions. At Chickamauga, in an odyssey of ineptitude and shortsightedness hardly concievable, he failed to inform his principal subordinate, D. H. Hill, of Bragg's battle plan for the morning of September 20th, leading to his assault hitting later in the day, when the union troops had successfully constructed breastworks. He consistently schemed against Bragg (it is often hard to tell in many incidents whether some of his inept actions were due to incompetence or sheer spite), and eventually was removed from the army following the command mutiny post-Chickamauga. He would be given command of troops in Alabama and Mississippi, would face Sherman in the Meridian Campaign, and would rejoined the Army of Tennessee for the Georgia Campaign; many consider this to be his finest hour, possibly due to his lack of venom towards the new commander Joe Johnston. Of course, his death at Pine Mountain was a shock to many.

 

[Drew]

As a general he was a very fine clergyman.

 

[Biscoitos]

I can't say that I've ever heard that one.

Its in Company Aytch by Sam Watkins. Seen in many other places, but Watkins book is the earliest source that I know of.