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the end of July, left the Army of the West in control of
western Tennessee, and
northern Mississippi. One division of the army fought the
battle of Iuka, September 10th.
On September 28th, a junction was made with
Van Dorn's new command of troops in
Mississippi, and the new organization was denominated the Army of West
Tennessee.
To
Price was assigned a corps, which continued to be called, sometimes, the Army of the West.
(U. S.M. A. 1842) was born near
Port Gibson, Mississippi, September 17, 1820, and served in the
Mexican War and in several Indian campaigns.
He resigned from the army, and was commissioned a colonel in the
Confederate States army in March, 1861.
His first commands were at New Orleans, and in the Department of Texas, where he forced the surrender of United States troops under
Major Sibley and
Colonel Reeve.
He was made brigadier-general in June and major-general in September.
In October and November, 1861, he commanded a division in the Army of the Potomac, and was assigned, in January, 1862, to the Trans-Mississippi District (Department No. 2), in which he had command of the Army of the West.
He was defeated at
Pea Ridge in March, and, with the Army of West Tennessee, at
Corinth in October.
After
Pemberton assumed control of this force in the department in which
Van Dorn was operating, he continued to command a cavalry division, at the head of which he made a brilliant raid in
Mississippi in December, 1862.
In March, 1863,
Van Dorn's cavalry division was designated a corps in the Army of Tennessee.
On May 8, 1863, he was shot and killed by
Doctor Peters, at
Spring Hill, Tennessee, the result of a private quarrel.
(U. S. M.A. 1840) was born in
Tennessee, in 1815, and served in the
Mexican war, being brevetted captain for gallant conduct at
Cerro Gordo.
He resigned from the service in May, 1861, and entered the Confederate army, taking charge of the artillery in the provisional army of the
State of Tennessee.
As
brigadier-general, lie commanded a division of
Polk's army at the
battle of Belmont, November 7, 1861.
After commanding at New Madrid, he had a division in the Army of the West, and was temporarily at the head of that force in June, 1862.
He was placed in command of the Department of East
Tennessee in September.
Subsequently, he commanded a division of the Army of Kentucky, which fought with the Second Corps, Army of Tennessee, at the
battle of Stone's River.
In February, 1863, he was arrested on charges of conduct prejudicial to good order and military discipline and sent to
Chattanooga, but was released.
At the end of the war he fought with the Army of Tennessee in
North Carolina.
He died, January 22, 1879.
Army of the West Tennessee—Army of Mississippi
was transferred June 20, 1862, from the Army of the West to the Department of
Southern Mississippi and
East Louisiana.
His troops occupied
Vicksburg, and a force from the Reserve Corps of the Army of the Mississippi, under
Major-General Breckinridge, fought the
battle of Baton Rouge, August 6th.
On September 28th,
Van Dorn's troops joined the Army of the West to oppose
Rosecrans' activities in
northern Mississippi, and the combined force was denominated the Army of West Tennessee, with
Van Dorn at the head.
It fought the
battle of Corinth (October 4th), and on December 7th its name was changed to the Army of Mississippi.
It consisted of two corps, headed by
Van Dorn and
Price, the chief control having passed to
Lieutenant-General John C. Pemberton, at the head of the Department of Mississippi and East Louisiana.
Van Dorn, with his cavalry, made a famous raid in
northern Mississippi in December, capturing the
Federal supply depot at
Holly Springs.
In January, 1863, the corps were changed into divisions.
The title, Army of Mississippi, ceased to be used shortly after this date.
The chief force under
Pemberton surrendered at
Vicksburg.
Meanwhile,
Van Dorn had been killed in
Tennessee, May 8, 1863, and
Price had been ordered to the
TransMississippi Department, February 27, 1863.
(U. S.M. A. 1837) was born in
Philadelphia, August 10, 1814, and served in the
Seminole and
Mexican wars, making a noteworthy record in the artillery service.
He entered the Confederate army in April, 1861, as major and chief of the
Virginia artillery, being made brigadier-general in June.
In November, 1861, he was transferred to
South Carolina, and appointed major-general in