Dallas Union order of battle facts for kids

The Battle of Dallas happened on May 28, 1864, during the American Civil War. This article tells you about the different groups of soldiers and their leaders from the Union Army who fought in this battle. It's like a team roster for the army!

Understanding Military Ranks and Terms

When you read about armies, you'll see special titles and words. Here's what some of them mean:

Military Ranks

• MG means Major General. This is a very high-ranking officer, usually in charge of a large group of soldiers called a Corps or even an Army.
• BG means Brigadier General. This officer is in charge of a Brigade, which is a smaller group of soldiers.
• Col means Colonel. A Colonel usually leads a Regiment, which is a basic unit of soldiers.
• Maj means Major. A Major is an officer who helps lead a Regiment.
• Cpt means Captain. A Captain usually leads a Company, which is a small group of soldiers within a Regiment.

Other Important Terms

• w means wounded. This means a soldier was hurt during the fight.
• k means killed. This means a soldier died during the fight.

The Union Army's Big Picture

The entire Union Army fighting in this area was part of the Military Division of the Mississippi. This huge group was led by MG William T. Sherman. He was the overall commander for many important battles in the South.

Army of the Tennessee

One of the main armies under General Sherman was the Army of the Tennessee. This army was led by MG James B. McPherson. Armies are made up of several Corps.

XV Corps

The XV Corps (Union Army) was a big part of the Army of the Tennessee. It was commanded by MG John A. Logan. A Corps is a very large military unit, often with tens of thousands of soldiers.

The XV Corps was divided into smaller groups called Divisions. Each Division had its own leader and was made up of several Brigades.

• First Division: This division was led by BG Peter J. Osterhaus.

* His 1st Brigade was led by BG Charles R. Woods. * The 2nd Brigade was led by Col James A. Williamson. * The 3rd Brigade was led by Col Hugo Wangelin. * This division also had its own Artillery, led by Maj Clemens Landgraeber, which included cannons like the 4th Ohio Light Battery.

• Second Division: This division was commanded by BG Morgan L. Smith.

* His 1st Brigade was led by BG Giles A. Smith. * The 2nd Brigade was led by BG Joseph Lightburn. * The Artillery for this division was led by Cpt Frances DeGress, including units like Battery A, 1st Illinois Light.

• Fourth Division: This division was led by BG William Harrow.

* His 1st Brigade was led by Col Reuben Williams. * The 2nd Brigade was led by Col Charles C. Walcutt. * The 3rd Brigade was led by Col John M. Oliver. * The Artillery for this division was led by Cpt Henry H. Griffiths, including the 1st Battery, Iowa Light Artillery.

XVI Corps

Another important part of the Union Army at Dallas was the XVI Corps (Union Army). This Corps was led by MG Grenville M. Dodge.

Like the XV Corps, the XVI Corps also had Divisions:

• Second Division: This division was led by BG Thomas W. Sweeny.

* His 1st Brigade was led by BG Elliott W. Rice. * The 2nd Brigade was led by Col August Mersy. This brigade included interesting units like the 66th Illinois (Western Sharpshooters).

• Fourth Division: This division was commanded by BG James C. Veatch.

* His 1st Brigade was led by BG John W. Fuller. * The 2nd Brigade was led by BG John W. Sprague. * The Artillery for this division was led by Cpt Jerome B. Burrows, including the 14th Ohio Light Battery.

Cavalry Corps

Cavalry are soldiers who fight on horseback. The Union Army also had a Cavalry Corps.

• Second Division: This cavalry division had a 3rd Brigade led by Col John T. Wilder.

* This brigade included infantry regiments like the 26th Iowa and 76th Ohio, showing how different types of units could work together. * They also had their own Artillery, including the famous Chicago Board of Trade Battery.