{⋆★⋆} MG Van Dorn, Earl

Earl Van Dorn

:CSA1stNat:
Van Dorn.jpg


Born: September 17, 1820

Birth Place: Port Gibson, Claiborne County, Mississippi

Father: Peter Aaron Van Dorn 1773 – 1837
(Buried: Wintergreen Cemetery, Port Gibson, Mississippi)​

Mother: Sophia Donelson Caffery
(Buried: Wintergreen Cemetery, Port Gibson, Mississippi)​

Wife: Caroline Godbold 1827 – 1876
(Buried: Godbold – Webb – Simms Cemetery, Washington Co., Alabama)​

Children:

Olivia Van Dorn Lumsden 1852 – 1874​
(Buried: Godbold – Webb – Simms Cemetery, Washington Co., Alabama)​
Earl Van Dorn Jr. 1854 – 1884​
(Buried: Monroe City Cemetery, Monroe, Louisiana)​
Percy Goodbread Van Dorn 1856 – 1879​
(Buried: Wrightsboro Cemetery, Wrightsboro, Texas)​
Lammie Belle Van Dorn Carr 1858 – 1930​
(Buried: Mission Burial Park South, San Antonio, Texas)​
Douglas Van Dorn 1861 – 1906
Van Dorn 1.jpg
(Buried: Wrightsboro Cemetery, Wrightsboro, Texas)​

Education:

1842: Graduated from West Point Military Academy (52nd out of 56)​

Occupation before War:

1842 – 1861: Served in the United States Army, rising to Major​
1847 – 1848: Aide to General P. F. Smith​

Civil War Career:

1861: Brigadier General in the Mississippi State Militia​
1861: Major General, & Commander of Mississippi State Militia​
1861: Colonel of 1st Confederate Cavalry, Regulars Regiment
Van Dorn 2.jpg
1861: Brigadier General of Confederate Army, Infantry​
1861 – 1863: Major General of Confederate Army, Infantry​
1862: Confederate Commander at Holly Springs Raid​
1862: Commander during the Battle of Pea Ridge​
1862: Commander during the Second Battle of Corinth​
1863: Confederate Cavalry Commander Dept. of Mississippi, and East Louisiana​
1863: Successful during the Battle of Thompson's Station​
1863: Shot at his headquarters at Spring Hill, Tennessee​

Died: May 7, 1863

Place of Death: Spring Hill, Tennessee

Age at time of Death: 42 years old

Cause of Death: Wounds to the head due to bullet shot from citizen

Burial Place: Wintergreen Cemetery, Port Gibson, Mississippi
 
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1861 – 1863: Major General of Confederate Army Infantry
1862: Commander during the Battle of Pea Ridge
1862: Commander during the Second Battle of Corinth
Van Dorn was assigned to command the Army of the West, in order to end the disagreements of rank between Benjamin McCulloch of Arkansas and Sterling Price of Missouri.
After the defeat at Pea Ridge, Van Dorn marched his army acrosss the Mississippi, joined Bearegard's force at Corinth, and then stayed in Mississippi, where Van Dorn was made the department commander of the region. He was unpopular, and had passed many hated decrees. After his defeat at Second Corinth, Van Dorn was replaced with John C. Pemberton, while Van Dorn took command of the department cavalry.
 
As a colonel early in the war he did a brief stint down here in Texas seizing US property and receiving US Army detachments after their surrender. I believe it was him would helped commandeer the ship "Star of the West".
Yes. He went to Texas because of his pre-War service in Texas where he got his reputation for his bravery and action against the Indians. The Texans loved him whereas some in the Army thought he went too far in his attacks when they were trying to keep peace.
Yes, he lead a small band of men to capture the STAR OF THE WEST in the harbor of Galveston.

I recently finished his biography.

@gentlemanrob mentioned - Successful during the Battle of Thompson's Station.
He should have mention his successful Holly Springs Raid on Grant’s supplies.
 
Yes. He went to Texas because of his pre-War service in Texas where he got his reputation for his bravery and action against the Indians. The Texans loved him whereas some in the Army thought he went too far in his attacks when they were trying to keep peace.
Yes, he lead a small band of men to capture the STAR OF THE WEST in the harbor of Galveston.

I recently finished his biography.

@gentlemanrob mentioned - Successful during the Battle of Thompson's Station.
He should have mention his successful Holly Springs Raid on Grant’s supplies.

Where can that be found?
 
That small band of men he led was two militia units from Galveston, the Wigfall Guards and the Island City Rifles, I think. Someone in Richmond must have been impressed since he went from Cavalry Colonel to Major General in a matter of months. I guess someone had plans for that ship he captured on Matagorda Bay.
 
One normally thinks of him in the western part of the Confederacy but early in the war He did lead a division in Virginia near Manassas with the Army of Northern Virginia.
Very breifly, yes. He was assigned a division in the East (don't remember which one specifically and how it was organized). However, with the events following Wilson's Creek and the command situation there, Richmond decided he was the man for the job.
 
I saw an article where he was nicknamed "the terror of ugly husband's" because of his relationships with married women, which proved fatal for him.
One normally thinks of him in the western part of the Confederacy but early in the war He did lead a division in Virginia near Manassas with the Army of Northern Virginia.
Very breifly, yes. He was assigned a division in the East (don't remember which one specifically and how it was organized). However, with the events following Wilson's Creek and the command situation there, Richmond decided he was the man for the job.
These facts are no doubt why it was Van Dorn who received one of only three of the very first prototype Confederate Battle Flags sewn by the Cary sisters, the other two going to Joe Johnston and Beauregard.
 
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Yes. He went to Texas because of his pre-War service in Texas where he got his reputation for his bravery and action against the Indians. The Texans loved him whereas some in the Army thought he went too far in his attacks when they were trying to keep peace.
Yes, he lead a small band of men to capture the STAR OF THE WEST in the harbor of Galveston...
He led a notable expedition against the Kiowa from Fort Belknap, above, near the town of Newcastle.

DSC06812.JPG


I saw an article where he was nicknamed "the terror of ugly husband's" because of his relationships with married women, which proved fatal for him.
Above is his grave in his hometown Port Gibson Cemetery where his body was returned for burial.
 
Very breifly, yes. He was assigned a division in the East (don't remember which one specifically and how it was organized). However, with the events following Wilson's Creek and the command situation there, Richmond decided he was the man for the job.

First Division: Major General Earl Van Dorn; BG Richard Ewell or BG M. Bonham
First Brigade: BG William Whiting
Second Brigade: BG C. Wilcox
Third Brigade: BG Robert Rodes
Fourth Brigade: BG Richard Taylor
Fifth Brigade: BG Richard Griffith

 
Folks remember no profile is perfect don't point at people if they forget a fact from this day forward if I leave something out email me don't point at me pointing aint nice especially when I am posting these while being sick be appreciative.

I understand the need for common courtesy, but it seems only helpful for others to add to or modify such a post.
 
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