The death of Thomas R.R. Cobb

O.R.-- SERIES I--VOLUME XXI [S# 31]
DECEMBER 11-15, 1862.--Battle of Fredericksburg, Va.
No. 264.--Reports of General Robert E. Lee, C.S. Army, commanding Army of Northern Virginia.(*)
HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA,
April 10, 1863.
GENERAL: I have the honor to submit herewith my report of the operations of this army from the time that it moved from Culpeper CourtHouse, in November, 1862, and including the battle of Fredericksburg. This report is sent in prior to reports of some of the preceding operations in consequence of the subordinate reports of this period having been first received. I have not yet received all the reports of the division and corps commanders for the intervening period, but hope soon to be able to furnish to the Department complete records of our operations during the last campaign.
I have the honor to be, with great respect, your obedient servant,
R. E. LEE,
General.
General S. COOPER,
Adjutant and Inspector General, Richmond, Va.
FREDERICKSBURG.
On November 15, [1862,] it was known that the enemy was in motion toward the Orange and Alexandria Railroad, and one regiment of infantry, with a battery of light artillery, was sent to re-enforce the garrison at Fredericksburg.
[excerpt]
About 11 a.m., having massed his troops under cover of the houses of Fredericksburg, he moved forward in strong columns to seize Marye's and Willis' Hills. General Ransom advanced Cooke's brigade to the top of the hill, and placed his own, with the exception of the Twenty-fourth North Carolina, a short distance in the rear. All the batteries on the Stafford Heights directed their fire upon the positions occupied by our artillery, with a view to silence it and cover the movement of the infantry. Without replying to this furious cannonade, our batteries poured a rapid and destructive fire into the dense lines of the enemy as they advanced to the attack, frequently breaking their ranks and forcing them to retreat to the shelter of the houses. Six times did the enemy, notwithstanding the havoc caused by our batteries, press on with great determination to within 100 yards of the foot of the hill, but here encountering the deadly fir e of our infantry, his columns were broken and fled in confusion to the town.

In the third assault, the brave and lamented Brig. Gen. Thomas R. R. Cobb fell, at the head of his gallant troops, and, almost at the same moment, Brigadier-General Cooke was borne from the field severely wounded. Fearing that Cobb's brigade might exhaust its ammunition, General Longstreet had directed General Kershaw to take two regiments to its support. Arriving after the fall of General Cobb, he assumed command, his troops taking position on the crest and at the foot of the hill, to which point General Ransom also advanced three other regiments. The Washington Artillery, which had sustained the heavy fire of artillery and infantry with unshaken steadiness and contributed much to the repulse of the enemy, having exhausted its ammunition, was relieved about 4 p.m. by Colonel Alexander's battalion. The latter occupied the position during the rest of the engagement, and, by its well-directed fire, rendered great assistance in repelling the assaults made in the afternoon, the last of which occurred shortly before dark. This effort met the fate of those that preceded it, and, when night closed in, the shattered masses of the enemy had disappeared in the town, leaving the field covered with dead and wounded. Anderson's division supported the batteries on Longstreet's left, and, though not engaged, was exposed throughout the day to a hot artillery fire, which it sustained with steady courage.

[excerpt]
The extent of our casualties will appear from the accompanying report of the medical director. We have again to deplore the loss of valuable lives. In Brigadier-Generals Gregg and Cobb, the Confederacy has lost two of its noblest citizens and the army two of its bravest and most distinguished officers. The country consents to the sacrifice of such men as these, and the gallant soldiers who fell with them, only to secure the inestimable blessing they died to obtain.
[end of extensive report]
I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
R. E. LEE,
General.
---------------------------------
O.R.-- SERIES I--VOLUME XXI [S# 31]
DECEMBER 11-15, 1862.--Battle of Fredericksburg, Va.
No. 271.--Report of Maj. Gen. Lafayette McLaws, C. S. Army, commanding McLaws division.

HEADQUARTERS DIVISION,
Camp near Fredericksburg, Va., December 30, 1863.
My division occupied the front of defense from Hazel Run along the ridge of hills to the right and through the point of woods extending into Mr. Alfred Bernard's field, one brigade being in reserve.
[excerpt]
On the 13th, skirmishing commenced at early dawn, the enemy shelling in that direction until about 11 o'clock, when the advance of the enemy drove in our pickets, and his columns approached the left of the line by the Telegraph road and deployed to our right? planting their stands of colors along our front. Before their deployment was completed, our fire had so thinned their ranks that the survivors retreated, leaving their colors planted in their first position. Soon another column, heavier than the first, advanced to the colors, but were driven back with great slaughter. They were met on retiring by re-enforcements and advanced again, but were again repulsed with increased loss. About I p.m., General Kershaw was directed to send two regiments from his brigade to the support of General Cobb, who reported that he was getting short of ammunition. The Sixteenth Georgia Regiment was sent forward at the same time. Not long after this, General Kershaw was directed to take his whole brigade. Just as his command was moving, he was ordered to hasten forward in person and assume command of the position under Marye's Hill, as General Cobb had been wounded and disabled. The South Carolina regiments were posted--the Second and Eighth, Colonel [J. D.] Kennedy and Captain [E. T.] Stackhouse commanding, in the road doubling on Phillips' Legion, Colonel [B. F.] Cook, and the Twenty-fourth Georgia, Colonel McMillan, and the Third and Seventh South Carolina, Colonel [James D.] Nance and Lieutenant-Colonel [El-bert] Bland, on the hill to the left of Marye's house. The Seventh was afterward moved (on a call from the Fifteenth North Carolina Regiment for re-enforcements) to the right and front of Marye's house, the three left companies being on the left of the house, the Fifteenth South Carolina, Colonel De Saussure, in reserve at the cemetery. The Third Battalion, Lieutenant-Colonel Rice, was posted at Howison's Mill, to resist any attack that might have been made up Hazel Run. The Eighth and Seventh Regiments arrived in time to assist in repelling a heavy assault made on the left at 2.45 p.m. The Third and Seventh Regiments suffered severely while getting into position, especially the former. Colonel Nance, Lieutenant-Colonel [W. D.] Rutherford, Major [Robert C.] Maffett, Captains [R. P.] Todd, [John C.] Summer, and [W. W.] Hance were shot down in succession, Cap,in Summer killed, the others more or less dangerously wounded, leaving the regiment under the command of Capt. John K. G. Nance, assisted by Lieutenant [A. E.] Doby, aide-de-camp to General Kershaw. Colonel Nance, although badly wounded, declined being removed at the time, and continued to encourage and direct his men, and after he was removed back to Marye's house ordered that his regiment take a new position, where the men would be less exposed, and sent directions to have them resupplied with ammunition.
[excerpt]
The country and the army have to mourn the loss of Brig. Gen. Thomas R. R. Cobb, who fell while in position with his brigade, and was borne from the field while his men were repulsing the first assaults of the enemy. He had but lately been promoted to a brigadier, and his devotion to his duties, his aptitude for the profession of arms, and his control over his men I have never seen surpassed. Our country has lost a pure and able defender of her rights both in the council and the field.

My aide-de-camp, Capt. H. L. P. King, was killed on Marye's Hill, pierced with five balls, while conveying an order to Brigadier-General Cobb. He was a brave and accomplished officer and gentleman, and had already distinguished himself during the operations in front of Fredericksburg, as he had done in all the other engagements when on duty.
[excerpt]
Colonel McMillan, of the Twenty-fourth Georgia, who succeeded to the command of the brigade when General Cobb was disabled during the first assaults of the enemy on Marye's Hill, behaved with distinguished gallantry and coolness.

General Barksdale commanded his fine brigade as it should have been commanded, and added new laurels to those gained on every other previous battle-field.

I call attention to the conduct of General Kershaw, who, after the fall of General Cobb, commanded the troops about Marye's Hill, composed of his own brigade and that of General Cobb. He possesses military talents of a high order, and unites with them that self-possession and daring gallantry which endears him to his command, and imposes confidence which but increases as the danger grows more imminent.
[excerpt]
The loss in killed, wounded, and missing in my command was as follows:
Casualties.
Kershaw's brigade 39 333 1 373
Barksdale's brigade 29 151 62 242
Cobb's brigade 32 198 4 234
Semmes' brigade .... 4 .... 4
Total 100 686 67 853
I inclose reports of the several brigade commanders with those of their respective regimental and battalion commanders, excepting General Barksdale, who, receiving leave of absence, went away without rendering his report; those of his regimental commanders are, however, inclosed.
Very respectfully,
L. McLAWS,
Major-General.
Maj. G. MOXLEY SORREL,
Assistant Adjutant-General.
=======================
O.R.-- SERIES I--VOLUME XXI [S# 31]
DECEMBER 11-15, 1862.--Battle of Fredericksburg, Va.
No. 274.--Report of Brig. Gen. Joseph B. Kershaw, C. S. Army, commanding Kershaw's brigade.
HEADQUARTERS KERSHAW'S BRIGADE,
Near Fredericksburg, Va., December 26, 1862.
MAJOR: I have the honor to submit a report of the operations of my command during the recent engagement.
[excerpt]
About 1 o'clock of that day I was directed to send two regiments into the city to the support of General Cobb, then engaged with part of his brigade at the foot of Marye's Hill, and having called for re-enforcements. I sent forward at once Col. John D. Kennedy with his own (Second) regiment and the Eighth Regiment South Carolina Volunteers, Capt. E. T. Stackhouse commanding. Within a few minutes after, I was directed to take my entire command to the same point and assume command there. I had just moved when I was informed that General Cobb was wounded, and was directed by Major-General McLaws to hasten forward in person immediately and take command. Leaving my staff to conduct the troops, I proceeded as rapidly as possible to the scene of action, reaching the position at Stevens' house at the moment that Colonel Kennedy arrived with the Second and Eighth Regiments, and just in time to meet a fresh assault of the enemy. The position was excellent. Marye's Hill, covered with our batteries-then occupied by the Washington Artillery, Colonel [J. B.] Walton commanding--falls off abruptly toward Fredericksburg to a stone wall, which forms a terrace on the side of the hill and the outer margin of the Telegraph road, which winds along the foot of the hill. The road is about some 25 feet wide, and is faced by a stone wall about 4 feet high on the city side. The road having been cut out of the side of the hill, in many places this last wall is not visible above the surface of the ground. The ground falls off rapidly to almost a level surface which extends about 150 yards, then, with another abrupt fall of a few feet, to another plain which extends some 200 yards, and then falls off abruptly into a wide ravine, which extends along the whole front of the city and discharges into Hazel Run. I found, on my arrival, that Cobb's brigade, Colonel McMillan commanding, occupied our entire front, and my troops could only get into position by doubling on them. This was accordingly done, and the formation along most of the line during the engagement was consequently four deep. As an evidence of the coolness of the command, I may mention here that, notwithstanding that their fire was the most rapid and continuous I have ever witnessed, not a man was injured by the fire of his comrades.
[excerpt]
Our chief loss after getting into position in the road was from the fire of sharpshooters, who occupied some buildings on my left flank in the early part of the engagement, and were only silenced by Captain [W.] Wallace, of the Second Regiment, directing a continuous fire of one company upon the buildings.

General Cobb, I learn, was killed by a shot from that quarter. The regiments on the hill suffered most, as they were less perfectly covered. During the engagement Colonel McMillan was re-enforced by the arrival of the Sixteenth Georgia Regiment, and a brigade of General Ransom's command was also engaged, but as they did not report to me, I am unable to give any particulars in regard to them. That night we materially strengthened the position, and I more perfectly organized and arranged my command, fully expecting the attack to be renewed next day. I sent the Third Regiment in reserve, in consideration of their heavy loss.
[excerpt]
I append herewith a recapitulation of the losses sustained by my brigade.(*)
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
J. B. KERSHAW,
Brigadier-General, Commanding.
Maj. JAMES M. GOGGIN,
Assistant Adjutant-General.
-----
NOTE: "I learn"= not a eye-witness to the event but was given information.
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continued
 
O.R.-- SERIES I--VOLUME XXI [S# 31]
DECEMBER 11-15, 1862.--Battle of Fredericksburg, Va.
No. 289.--Report of Col. Robert McMillan, Twenty-fourth Georgia, commanding Cobb's brigade.
BRIGADE HEADQUARTERS,
Fredericksburg, Va., December 20, 1862.
1 have the honor to report to you the part taken by this brigade in the battle of Fredericksburg.
On the morning of the 11th instant, at 5 o'clock, the brigade was put under arms and in position, and so remained until 7 p.m., when the Eighteenth and Twenty-fourth Georgia Regiments and Phillips' Legion were marched into Fredericksburg by General Cobb, to relieve General Barksdale, and took position on our line of battle in the road along the foot of Marye's Hill, crossing the Telegraph road, by which the enemy advanced--the Legion on the left, Twenty-fourth Georgia in the center, and Eighteenth on the right. The men lay on their arms during the night. Our pickets and scouts took 15 prisoners. Close and heavy skirmishing was kept up during Friday, the 12th, and on that night we again rested on our arms.

t day break on the 13th, skirmishing again commenced, accompanied by the enemy's shells. This was kept up continuously until about 11 a.m., when the advance of the enemy drove in our pickets, and his column approached the left of our line by the Telegraph road and deployed toward our right. He had succeeded in planting three stand of colors along our front, and when his column had been deployed about twothirds of the distance on his line, one well-directed fire had so - ranks that the survivors retreated. General Cobb, whose fall we so much deplore, lived to see this first signal repulse and the bravery of the troops he so well commanded. About twelve or fifteen minutes thereafter, General Cobb fell, mortally wounded, and I took command of the brigade. Soon another column, heavier than the first, advanced in our front and moved steadily forward to their colors near our center. As the column approached, I directed the small-arms to cease until the enemy should get nearer. So soon as he got within certain range, our fire mowed down his ranks until they faltered and the survivors retreated. They were met by a strong re-enforcement, and again advanced upon us in heavier force, and this time the slaughter in their ranks was terrific, and we again drove them back. Column after column was brought up during the afternoon, and the battle continued until after dark. In every attack the enemy was repulsed with immense slaughter. During the afternoon a courier informed me that you had sent the Sixteenth Georgia Regiment to the mill to await orders. I sent for that regiment and placed it on our right, to strengthen and protect that point, which it held during the remainder of the engagement.
We rested on our arms that night, and throughout the next day (Sunday, the 14th) a close, heavy, and continuous skirmish fire was kept up. On Sunday night we were relieved by General Semmes.

I cannot speak in too high terms of the cool bravery of both officers and men, and the promptness and cheerfulness with which they obeyed and executed all orders. The heaps of slain in our front tell best how well they acted their part. Annexed is a list(*) of killed and wounded.
Very respectfully, &c.,
ROBERT McMILLAN,
Colonel, Commanding Brigade.
Maj. JAMES M. GOGGIN,
Assistant Adjutant-General.
-----

Southern Historical Society Papers
Vol. X. Richmond, Va., Oct. And Nov., 1882. Nos 10-11.
The Battle Of Fredericksburg.
PAPER NO. 2 - (CONCLUSION.)
BY GENERAL E. P. ALEXANDER.
Saturday, the 13th, at length dawned through the heavy mist, and the Confederate army stood to its arms gazing into the muffled valley, and listening for the well-known sounds which would tell where the first blow was to be given and taken.
[excerpt]
No sooner did their columns appear than the eleven guns of Walton and Maurin, which bore upon their advance, opened a murderous fire on them, in the face of which, however, they crossed the canal and took shelter behind the rising ground between it and Marye's hills. Here for a while they remained hidden from the Confederate view, while several batteries, advanced to the edge of the city, opened a severe cannonade to aid those on the Stafford side in extinguishing the Marye's Hill guns. Very soon, however, the advancing standards of the infantry column were again visible ascending the slope, and three of them were planted at its crest about 175 yards from the Confederate line and about opposite its centre. As it had crossed the canal on the Telegraph and Plank road bridges, opposite the Confederate left-flank, the Federal column must have inclined to its left before assaying to deploy as it now attempted to do on the line marked by its flags. It seemed also from its manner of deployment to have been "right in front," which threw it still farther towards the Confederate centre, which was certainly unfortunate for it. Had its formation been in "double column on the centre," and its deployment directly to its front after crossing the bridges, it would have found better and less exposed ground to advance upon, and would have much overlapped the Confederate left. As it was, no sooner did the deployment on the line of the flags begin than the artillery, disregarding the fire of the enemy's batteries, poured a storm of canister down the slopes, and the infantry, hitherto silent, opened so deadly a fire that the ranks were entirely swept away before the deployment was completed, and the flags were left standing alone and waiving over but a line of killed and wounded, while the Confederates jeered at their discomfitted foes, and shouted, "set them up again."

On this repulse of French's division the battle lulled for perhaps twenty minutes, during which only the sharpshooters on both sides engaged and the Confederate artillery exchanged compliments with the Federal batteries on the edge of the city. It was during this interval that a ball from a sharpshooter mortally wounded the gallant and Christian patriot, General T. R. R. Cobb. He fell under a locust tree hanging over the Telegraph road from the yard of Stevens's house, a small wooden building immediately in front of the stono wall. The fatal shot came from a house some hundred and fifty yards in front and to the left, and which was occupied by the Federal skirmishers. Captain Wallace of the Second South Carolina regiment, afterwards dislodged them by devoting a whole company to pouring a constant fire upon the windows. Seeing that the enemy was preparing for another assault, General Ransom at this time ordered Cooke's brigade to move forward to the crest of the hill, on the line of the batteries, and the movement was just commenced, when Hancock's division, with what had been rallied from French's, mounted the hill, and passing over French's fatal line of flags pushed more gallantly for its goal.

==================================================================================
General E. P. Alexander's Report has great detail.

M. E. Wolf
 
Name DRAYTON, Thomas Fenwick
Born August 24 1808, Charleston SC
Died February 18 1891, Florence SC
Pre-War Profession Graduated West Point 1828, resigned 1836, planter, railroad director, politician
War Service September 1861 Brig. Gen., Port Royal, commanded Drayton’s Bde/D R Jones' Divn at Second Manassas, South Mountain, Sharpsburg, performed poorly, transferred to Trans Mississippi.
Post War Career Farmer, insurance agent.
Notes Life-long friend of President Davis
---------------------------------------
Drayton no where close to the Battle of Fredericksburg.

Phillip's Legion is at the Battle of Fredericksburg.

O.R.-- SERIES I--VOLUME XXI [S# 31]
Correspondence, Orders, And Returns Relating To Operations In Northern Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, And Pennsylvania From November 15, 1862, To January 26, 1863.
CONFEDERATE CORRESPONDENCE, ETC.--#2
HDQRS. ARMY OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA,
November 26, 1862.
* * * * * * * * * *
VI. The following changes are made in the organization of the brigades of Lieutenant-General Longstreet's corps:
The Forty-fourth Alabama Regiment is transferred from Wright's brigade, Anderson's division, to Law's brigade, Hood's division.
The Fiftieth and Fifty-first Georgia Regiments are transferred from Drayton's to Semmes' brigade, McLaws' division.
The Eighteenth Georgia Regiment is transferred from Robertson's brigade, Hood's division, to Cobb's brigade, McLaws' division.
The Phillips Legion is transferred from Drayton's to Cobb's brigade, McLaws' division.
The Fifteenth North Carolina Regiment is transferred from Cobb's brigade, McLaws' division, to Cooke's brigade, Ransom's division.
The Fifteenth South Carolina Regiment and James' battalion South Carolina Volunteers are transferred from Drayton's to Kershaw's brigade, McLaws' division.
The Third Arkansas Regiment is transferred from Cooke's brigade, Ransom's division, to Robertson's brigade, Hood's division.
The Second Georgia Battalion is transferred from Cooke's brigade, Ransom's division, to Wright's brigade, Anderson's division.
The Seventeenth Virginia Regiment, now of Kemper's brigade, Pickett's division, and the Fifteenth and the Thirty-second Virginia Regiments, Semmes' brigade, McLaws' division, and the Thirtieth Virginia Regiment, of Cooke's brigade, Ransom's division, will constitute a brigade, under the command of Brig. Gen. M.D. Corse.
Brig. Gen. R. B. Garnett is assigned to the command of the brigade composed of the Eighth, Eighteenth, Nineteenth, Twenty-eighth, and Fifty-sixth Virginia Regiments.
* * * * * * * * * *
By order of General R. E. Lee:
W. H. TAYLOR,
Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.
-----
O.R.-- SERIES I--VOLUME XXI [S# 31]
DECEMBER 11-15, 1862.--Battle of Fredericksburg, Va.
No. 263.--Organization of the Army of Northern Virginia.(*)
FIRST CORPS.
Lieut. Gen. JAMES LONGSTREET.
M'LAWS' DIVISION.
Maj. Gen. LAFAYETTE McLAws.
Kershaw's Brigade.
Brig. Gen. JOSEPH B. KERSHAW.
2d South Carolina, Col. John D. Kennedy.
3d South Carolina:
Col. James D. Nance.
Lieut. Col. William D. Rutherford.
Maj. Robert C. Maffett.
Capt. William W. Hance.
Capt. John C. Summer.
Capt. John K. O. Nance.
7th South Carolina, Lieut. Col. Elbert Bland.
8th South Carolina, Capt. E. T. Stackhouse.
15th South Carolina,(+) Col. W. D. DeSaussure.
3d South Carolina Battalion, Lieut. Col. W. G. Rice.
Barksdale's Brigade.
Brig. Gen. WILLIAM BARKSDALE.
13th Mississippi, Col. J. W. Carter.
17th Mississippi, Col. John C. Fiser.
18th Mississippi, Lieut. Col. W. H. Luse.
21st Mississippi, Col. Benjamin G. Humphreys.
Cobb's Brigade.
(1.) Brig, Gen. T. R. R. COBB.
(2.) Col. ROBERT MCMILLAN.
16th Georgia, Col. Goode Bryan.
18th Georgia,(++) Lieut. Col. S. Z. Ruff.
24th Georgia, Col. Robert McMillan.
Cobb Legion.
Phillips' Legion,(+) Col. B. F. Cook.

Semmes' Brigade.
Brig. Gen. PAUL J. SEMMES.
10th Georgia.
50th Georgia. (+)
51st Georgia. (+)
53d Georgia.
Artillery.
Col. H. C. CABELL.(§)
Manly's (North Carolina) battery.
Read's (Georgia) battery.
Richmond Howitzers (1st), McCarthy's battery.
Troup (Georgia) Artillery (Carlton's battery).
===================================
Being in the same brigade--it is possible. {Reference Phillips and Cobb}

Would be an interesting "Cold Case-Homicide investigation."

M. E. Wolf
 
Confederate Military History, Vol. 6
GEORGIA
BY JOSEPH T. DERRY, A.M.
Author of School History of the United States; Story of the Confederate War, etc.


Confederate Military History, Vol. 6
BIOGRAPHICAL.
Brigadier-General Thomas Reed Rootes Cobb was born at Cherry Hill, Jefferson county, Ga., on the 10th of April, 1823. His grandfather, Howell Cobb, of Virginia, was a distinguished congressman from 1807 to 1812. His father was John A. Cobb, of North Carolina, who married Sarah Rootes, of Virginia, and moving to Georgia, settled at Cherry Hill, where his illustrious son was born. Thomas graduated with first honor at the university of Georgia in 1841, with the highest mark ever taken there. He was admitted to the bar at Athens, Ga., in 1842, and soon built up a large law practice. He was thoroughly versed in legal lore, was authority on all questions of law, and stood in the front rank of advocates. He was not only a man of brilliant intellect, but of wonderful oratorical powers. His arguments were weighty, and as the great epic poet said of Nestor, "from his lips flowed words sweeter than honey." He did not enter the political field until after the election of Mr. Lincoln. Then, feeling that Southern institutions and the equality of the South in the Union were in great danger, he threw him. self with all his wonderful powers into the effort for a separation. He was perfectly sincere in his belief that this was the only way to save the South from utter ruin. Alexander H. Stephens, who opposed secession just as earnestly, compared Cobb to Peter the Hermit, and said that the success of secession in Georgia was in great measure due to his remarkable influence as an orator. On the 28th of August, 1861, he was commissioned colonel of Cobb's legion. In the battles around Richmond in 1862, at Second Manassas, and in the Maryland campaign the legion was actively engaged. On November x, 1862, he was promoted to brigadier-general. At the great battle of Fredericksburg, December 13, 1862, after a day of heroic fighting at the celebrated stone wall, he fell mortally wounded, dying in a short time within sight of the house where his father and mother were married. Gen. Lafayette McLaws, in an account of this battle, which appears in" Battles and Leaders of the Civil War," said: "General Cobb, who was wounded by a musket ball in the calf of the leg, died shortly after he was removed to the field hospital in rear of the division. He and I were on intimate terms, and I had learned to esteem him warmly, as I believe every one did who came to know his great intellect and his good heart. Like Stonewall Jackson, he was a religious enthusiast, and, being firmly convinced that the South was right, believed that God would give us visible sign that Providence was with us, and daily prayed for His interposition in our behalf." General Cobb was a zealous member of the Presbyterian church and a very earnest Christian worker. His religious exhortations were full of fervor and power. None who ever heard him on the great theme of salvation can ever forget his words that burned and kindled in the heart of the hearer the desire for a better life. He also felt a profound interest in education, and was the founder of the Lucy Cobb institute at Athens, one of the best of schools for the higher education of young women. It was named in memory of a beloved and departed daughter. His death, like that of Francis Bartow, on a great battlefield and in the zenith of a useful and brilliant career, produced a profound impression.
 
Confederate Military History, Vol. 6
CHAPTER VIII.
[excerpt]
But the most famous incident of this battle, as often quoted among the glorious defenses of military history as is the charge at Cemetery hill among the assaults, was the performance of Cobb's brigade at Marye's hill. His heroic command was now composed of the Sixteenth regiment, Col. Goode Bryan; Eighteenth, Col. W. T. Wofford; Twenty-fourth, Col. Robert McMillan; Cobb's legion, Lieut.-Col. L. J. Glenn, and Phillips' legion, Col. W. Phillips, under the command of Brig.-Gen. Thomas R. R. Cobb, who had succeeded Gen. Howell Cobb. On the night of December 11th, the brigade had taken its position in the Telegraph road, a sunken highway at the base of Marye's hill, on the side of which, next the town, was a stone wall, shoulder high, against which the earth was banked, making an almost impregnable defense. When on the morning of the 13th the Federals in great masses of troops advanced from the town of Fredericksburg, they could not see the fatal sunken road, nor know that any Confederate troops were nearer than the summits of the hills. Marching in double-quick time, the United States troops swarmed up in the field in front of Cobb's brigade until the space was packed. The Confederate artillery poured shot and shell into these devoted masses, causing great carnage, but they pressed forward steadily until they came within range of the Georgians behind the stone wall, when a storm of lead was poured into their advancing ranks and they were swept from the field like chaff before the wind. Another blue line was formed and sent forward to the carnival of death. It fell back shattered. Yet another; and when the fourth came, the ground was covered so closely with the dead and >wounded that it impeded the advance of the later aspirants for glory or death. In this fourth charge a gallant Federal officer came within 100 feet of Cobb's line before he fell, but the great mass of the dead was piled at about 100 yards distance, beyond which no organized body was permitted to approach. In spite of these terrible reverses, a fifth and a sixth charge were made before night came to end the terrible slaughter. The musketry alone killed and wounded about 5,000, to which the artillery added enough to make 7,000 maimed, dead and dying, lying on that horrible field of destruction.

General McLaws has written that about 1 p.m. General Cobb reported that he was short of ammunition. "I sent his own very intelligent and brave courier, little Johnny Clark, from Augusta, Ga., to bring up his ordnance supplies, and directed General Kershaw to reinforce General Cobb with two of his South Carolina regiments, and I also sent the Sixteenth Georgia, which had been detached, to report to General Cobb." General McLaws also tells how a Georgia boy, William Crumley, an orderly of General Kershaw, seeing his chief's horse in a very dangerous position, rode the animal up a slope, exposed to the hottest fire of the enemy, left him in a safe place, and returning by the same way with an inferior horse, rejoined the general, who, until Crumley's return, was ignorant of his daring feat. While Kershaw was moving forward, General Cobb fell mortally wounded during the third assault upon his line, and Kershaw took command of the line and Colonel McMillan of the brigade. General Cobb's wound was by a musket ball in the calf of the leg. He was carried to the field hospital in the rear and given every attention, but he died soon afterward. Gen. R. E. Lee alluded to him as one of the South's noblest citizens and the army's bravest and most distinguished officers, and the whole nation joined with unaffected sympathy in the sorrow which overwhelmed his native State. As General McLaws has said, every one esteemed him warmly who knew his great intellect and good heart.

The losses of Cobb's brigade were as follows: Staff, 3 wounded; Sixteenth regiment, 4 killed, 62 wounded, 4 missing; Eighteenth, 11 killed, 47 wounded; Twenty-fourth, 5 killed, 31 wounded; Phillips' legion, 13 killed, 55 wounded; aggregate, 235. Among the killed were Lieut. J. S. Bowring, Capt. Walter S. Brewster and Lieut.-Col. R. T. Cook.
 
I've read accounts of bad officers who were allegedly "fragged" by their own troops in the ACW. One thing I recently read was that A.S. Johnston was hit by an Enfield .577 round that came from the direction of his own troops.
 
It's news to me that they found the round that nicked the blood vessel in Sidney Johnston's leg. If the round was .577, it most certainly but not conclusively came from a Confederate rifle. Although the incident could have been a fragging, it might well have been the result of riding in front of troops shooting ahead -- friendly fire.

If Cobb died from a wound to the calf, I can only imagine that his wound was similar to Johnston's. What kind of officer was he? I'll suppose even "good" officers had a shot snapped off in their direction by someone who did not want to follow.
 
TerryB.,

It would be very easy to commit murder within the rank and file. Even more so, in the American Civil War as the forensic science wasn't there as well as the rifle in rounds and barrels were not always the case, e.g. smooth-bore.

And working with a group of people and those with power, I can empathize with the fact that there are bad officers and bad dispositions within the rank and file.

When the troops elected their officers it seemed less of a problem. When transferred in it seemingly was a problem, especially an unknown to them. There is always a gap between the generals and privates. However, how a general makes an effort to mingle in with the 'inferior rank' as it would be properly called (Note: not inferior men); their impressions made a difference.

I do know, frequent inquiries concerning the rank and file made by a superior officer would filter down into the rank and file. Praises of their efforts gave a boost to moral but, also shows that the superior officer puts it on paper and documents it for eternity but, most of all --it gives the rank and fill their due respect. It is that flow or 'power exchange' that some officers fail to recognize as important. The Army manuals warn against tyrant like behavior.

Reference:
Revised Regulations for the Army of the United States -1861

Article I
1. All inferiors are requred to obey strictly, and to execute with alacrity and good faith, the lawful orders of their superiors appointed over them.

2. Military authority is to be exercised with firmness , but with kindness and justice to inferiors. Punishments shall be strictly comformable to military law.

3. Superiors of every grade are forbidden to injure those under them by tyrannical or capricious conduct, or by abusive language.

This has been the very first page of every military manual and law enforcement manual that I've come across. That doesn't mean that superiors cross over the forbidden line. I have had a few that cross the line in a para-military organization. I just knew how to handle the situation as to put that individual in the position of accountability; e.g. superior ordering an arrest of an innocent. Advised superior that when arresting, I'll be sure to put the superior's name as the 'arresting officer,' and identify myself as the one just filling out the report for them. (Had more changes of mind than I can count...innocent wasn't put under arrest and made superior even more furious because he wasn't as superior as they thought they were--this is where the rookies get in trouble, as they act in good faith of their superior's wishes.).

There are cases where court-martial was held to remove an officer. And, there was a means where the Private could complain about their superiors and it would go up the chain and be heard. But, like any bureaucratic red tape--takes time whereas, immediate opportunity and instant justice/revenge while engaged with the enemy made it for an excellent opportunity.

I would hope that had General Cobb insisted that the canteens not be filled, he would have stated why--e.g. contamination, etc., I don't see any independent report that this was the case. The other reports seemingly eye-witness other than Kershaw's; report that the mortal shot came from a Federal position. The body will react on impact. After witnessing individuals shot so many times, I would hope that their judgments on how a general was shot would indicate if the round entered frontal, side or back/hind shot. Would love to know how the general first gripped his wound. That is telling sometimes.

In General T. R. R. Cobb's case --the possibility was there but, curious that not more men saw the crime take place, especially in the back ranks could see where a musket was leveled and in what direction. However, the reports all indicate he was shot in the leg, a difficult shot on horseback. I would think if there was a revenge shot--would be to the back or move in such a manner to take a flank shot and better yet--a frontal shot as to throw blame on the Yankee sharpshooters.

With modern science and with the family's permission--it would be interesting to see what the bones/body reveals. Might not reveal anything of use. But, I would have to say that it would be up to the Cobb Family to pursue. Even so, it wouldn't bring Cobb back.

Just some thoughts.

Respectfully submitted for consideration,
M. E. Wolf
 
One can add in another confusing factor: The leader might have wheeled his horse to face his troops to rally them on. His back was to the enemy.

One more? The .577 could be shot from a .58. Nothing conclusive.
 
A question for TomH: Could one distinguish between a .577 and a .58 by just looking at it?
 
Back to Cobb. Only the one report from the guy making the claim says he was on horseback. All the rest refute it. That would be a biggie. I've searched all morning and I can't find anything definitive from the guys who actually saw it, however. Even the guys who are bringing it up, who wrote a book about Georgia Infantry, just present it as a story, however (I did find it in the book online).
 
If Cobb's intent was to go into the house, I'd be willing to bet he'd already dismounted.

I wish I could remember the book that came out on Shiloh that presented the A.S. Johnston thing as a "new" possibility. Could be his surgeon, a man named Yandell, identified the bullet, which could have been in Johnston's boot. He might have kept it for a souvenir. The thrust of the argument was that Johnston was trying to rally troops who did not want to go forward, so...
 
The confusion of civil war battle would make a shot from almost anywhere possible, and likely. Just a slippery missed grab on a hammer could send random shots to the men beyond you, not to mention shaky fingers on a trigger when a cannon ball whizzed past. My guess is many a saddle was soiled or a round sent out by accident by the fellows on horseback as well. Not to even mention lead and iron coming back from rocks, trees, stumps, projectiles hitting each other in flight, ringing off musket barrells, cannon barrells, ironing on saddles, wagons, artillery rigging, and heck even bones and belt buckles.
 
Could be his surgeon, a man named Yandell, identified the bullet, which could have been in Johnston's boot.
His surgeon was sent away to minister to others. Whatever, I've seen no accounts that THE bullet was recovered. If you have, your're several steps up from me.

From what I've read, it nicked his peritoneal artery above his boot top and behind the knee. He bled out in less than an hour. But I'd really be interested in where you read that it was a .577. No hurry. Don't go looking on my account. If you run across it again, I'll still be here and not holding my breath.

Ole
 
Excellent observation, kansas. When the shooting started, no one could be sure where it was coming from. When one's face is in the mud, the last thing you think of is where did that come from?
 
A.S. Johnston; It will bother me until I find it. So far all I see is that his son believed he was hit by a Federal minie ball, but most modern historians think he was hit by his own troops, and that his 1837 wound may have made his leg so numb that he wouldn't know he was hit. He was on horseback, his horse was hit four times, and his clothes were pierced by spent rounds. Yet the modern take is that the fatal round came from behind, given how it entered his boot. [edit] BTW, isn't the boot on display at the Shiloh museum?
 
I have not had a chance to look it up but was not General Cobb carried to a house and left. He was not carries back to a hospital if I remember right. Does this make sense a general left alone after being wounded not even carried back to a hospital? If true, I guess he was not much like anyways.

Let me know if I remember rightly about Cobb's last hours laying in a House not a Hospital. His wound did not seem to hinder anyone wanting to carry him back to the hospital.

If I am right he was left in a house then I would dare to say his men allowed him to die...Where was his staff....?? They knew about stopping bleeding with tourniquets back then..
 
That much I've heard, Terry. I suspect he was on his horse and I'm reasonably sure he got at least friendly fire. I'd read about numbness in his leg and that he was nicked behind the knee by what might have been a spent round.

Was he wearing those thigh-high boots?

What I haven't read is that the round was recovered and identified. I guess, under the circumstances, it would make little difference as I already believe he caught a Confederate ball,
 
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