Army of the Mississippi
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Army of the Mississippi was the name given to two Union armies that operated around the Mississippi River, both with short existences, during the American Civil War.
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[edit] History
[edit] 1862
The first army was created on February 23, 1862, with Maj. Gen. John Pope in command. At its creation the army consisted of 4 divisions and served along the Mississippi River. The army was expanded to 5 divisions and fought at the Battle of Island Number Ten. The army became the Left Wing of Maj. Gen. Henry Halleck's Western Army Group. During the Siege of Corinth the army was consolidated into two wings of two divisions each. Maj. Gen. William S. Rosecrans commanded the Left Wing (1st and 2nd Divisions) and Brig. Gen. Schuyler Hamilton directed the Right Wing (2nd and 3rd Divisions). After the siege Pope was sent to east to command the Army of Virginia and Maj. Gen. William S. Rosecrans assumed command. The army was strengthened by two divisions from the Army of West Tennessee and fought at the battles of Iuka and Corinth. Rosecrans was transferred to command of the Army of the Ohio and the current army was discontinued in October 1862 and the regiments were organized into the XIII Corps.
[edit] 1863
In 1863 Maj. Gen. John A. McClernand was put in command of the expedition against down the Mississippi. He was given command of two corps from the Army of the Tennessee, his own XIII Corps led by Brig. Gen. George W. Morgan and Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman's XV Corps. McClernand named his force the "Army of the Mississippi" and redesignated the XIII Corps the I Corps, Army of the Mississippi, and the XV Corps became the II Corps, Army of the Mississippi. McClernand was successful in capturing Arkansas Post. Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant did not like McClernand and after Sherman and Admiral Andrew H. Foote both voiced their opinions that McClernand was unfit to command, Grant personally took command of the expedition against Vicksburg and the old XIII Corps and XV Corps were returned to the Army of the Tennessee on January 12, 1863.
[edit] Command History
1862
| Commander | From | To | Major Battles and Campaigns |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brigadier General John Pope | February 23, 1862 | June 26, 1862 | New Madrid, Island No. 10, Siege of Corinth |
| Brigadier General William S. Rosecrans | June 26, 1862 | 24 October 1862 | Iuka, Corinth |
1863
| Commander | From | To | Major Battles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Major General John A. McClernand | January 4, 1863 | January 12, 1863 | Arkansas Post |
[edit] References
- Eicher, John H., & Eicher, David J., Civil War High Commands, Stanford University Press, 2001, ISBN 0-8047-3641-3.
