Nashville Confederate order of battle facts for kids

The Battle of Nashville was a major fight during the American Civil War in December 1864. This article lists the different groups and leaders of the Confederate States Army who fought there. An "order of battle" is like a team roster for an army. It shows how the army was organized, who was in charge of each part, and which units were involved in the battle. This information helps us understand how the armies were set up during this important time in history.

Understanding the Army

Armies are organized into different levels, from large groups to smaller ones. Here are some of the terms you'll see:

• Corps: A very large group of soldiers, usually led by a Lieutenant General or Major General.
• Division: A smaller part of a corps, led by a Major General or Brigadier General.
• Brigade: A group of several regiments, led by a Brigadier General or Colonel.
• Regiment: A basic unit of soldiers, led by a Colonel or Lieutenant Colonel.

Military Ranks

Here are some of the military ranks you will see in this list:

• Gen = General
• LTG = Lieutenant General
• MG = Major General
• BG = Brigadier General
• Col = Colonel
• Ltc = Lieutenant Colonel
• Maj = Major
• Cpt = Captain
• Lt = Lieutenant

Army of Tennessee

The main Confederate force was the Army of Tennessee. Gen John B. Hood was the overall commander of this army.

Cheatham’s Corps

This corps was led by MG Benjamin F. Cheatham. The Chief of Artillery for this corps was Col Melancthon Smith.

• Brown's Division

* Led by BG Mark P. Lowrey. * This division included several brigades: * Gist's Brigade, led by Ltc Zachariah L. Watters, with regiments from Georgia and South Carolina. * Strahl's Brigade, led by Col Andrew J. Kellar, with many Tennessee regiments. * Maney's Brigade, led by Col Hume R. Field, also with various Tennessee regiments. * Vaughan's Brigade, led by Col William M. Watkins, with more Tennessee regiments. * The division also had an Artillery Battalion with batteries from Florida, Alabama, and Mississippi.

• Cleburne's Division

* Led by BG James A. Smith. * This division had these brigades: * Smith's Brigade, led by Col Charles H. Olmstead, with Georgia regiments. This brigade was temporarily with Forrest's command. * Govan's Brigade, led by BG Daniel C. Govan (who was wounded), then Col Peter V. Green (also wounded). It included Arkansas regiments. * Lowrey's Brigade, led by Ltc Robert H. Abercrombie, with regiments from Alabama and Mississippi. * Granbury's Brigade, led by Cpt Edward T. Broughton, with soldiers from Tennessee, Texas, and a Louisiana cavalry company.

• Bate's Division

* Led by MG William B. Bate. * This division included: * Tyler's Brigade, led by BG Thomas B. Smith (who was wounded and captured). It had regiments from Georgia and Tennessee. * Finley's Brigade, led by Maj Jacob A. Lash (who was mortally wounded and captured), then Maj Glover A. Ball. This brigade had Florida regiments. * Jackson's Brigade, led by BG Henry R. Jackson (who was captured), with Georgia regiments. * The division also had Cobb's Artillery Battalion, with batteries from Louisiana, South Carolina, and Tennessee.

• Corps Artillery

* Hotchkiss's Battalion, with batteries from Missouri, Alabama, and Arkansas.

Lee’s Corps

This corps was commanded by LTG Stephen D. Lee. The Chief of Artillery was Maj John W. Johnston.

• Johnson's Division

* Led by MG Edward Johnson (who was captured). * This division included: * Deas' Brigade, led by BG Zachariah C. Deas, with Alabama regiments. * Sharp's Brigade, led by BG Jacob H. Sharp, with Mississippi regiments. * Manigault's Brigade, led by Ltc William L. Butler, with Alabama and South Carolina regiments. * Brantley's Brigade, led by BG William F. Brantley, with Mississippi regiments and a dismounted cavalry company from Tennessee. * The division also had Courtney's Artillery Battalion, with batteries from Alabama and Texas.

• Stevenson's Division

* Led by MG Carter L. Stevenson. * This division had: * Cumming's Brigade, led by Col Elihu P. Watkins, with Georgia regiments. * Pettus's Brigade, led by BG Edmund W. Pettus, with Alabama regiments. * Brown's and Reynolds' Brigade, led by Col Joseph B. Palmer, with regiments from North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia.

• Clayton's Division

* Led by MG Henry D. Clayton. * This division included: * Stovall's Brigade, led by BG Marcellus A. Stovall, with Georgia regiments. * Holtzclaw's Brigade, led by BG James T. Holtzclaw, with Alabama regiments. * Gibson's Brigade, led by BG Randall L. Gibson, with many Louisiana regiments and battalions. * The division also had Eldridge's Artillery Battalion, with batteries from Alabama and Louisiana.

• Corps Artillery

* Johnston's Battalion, with batteries from Georgia and Tennessee.

Stewart’s Corps

This corps was commanded by LTG Alexander P. Stewart. The Chief of Artillery was Ltc Samuel C. Williams.

• Loring's Division

* Led by MG William W. Loring. * This division included: * Featherston's Brigade, led by BG Winfield S. Featherston, with Mississippi regiments and a battalion. * Adams' Brigade, led by Col Robert Lowry, with Mississippi regiments. * Scott's Brigade, led by Col John Snodgrass, with Alabama and Louisiana regiments. * The division also had Myrick's Artillery Battalion, with batteries from Louisiana and Mississippi.

• French's Division

* Led by MG Samuel G. French (who was sick and absent). This division was temporarily attached to Walthall's Division. * It included: * Sears' Brigade, led by BG Claudius W. Sears (who was wounded), with Mississippi regiments and a battalion. * Ector's Brigade, led by Col David Coleman, with regiments from North Carolina and Texas. * Cockrell's Brigade, led by Col Peter C. Flournoy, with Missouri regiments and dismounted cavalry. This brigade was on a special duty. * The division also had Storrs' Artillery Battalion, with batteries from Missouri, Mississippi, and Alabama.

• Walthall's Division

* Led by MG Edward C. Walthall. * This division included: * Quarles' Brigade, led by BG George D. Johnston, with regiments from Alabama and Tennessee. * Cantey's Brigade, led by BG Charles M. Shelley, with regiments from Alabama and Mississippi. * Reynolds' Brigade, led by BG Daniel H. Reynolds, with dismounted Arkansas regiments. * The division also had Trueheart's Artillery Battalion, with Alabama batteries.

Cavalry Corps

The Cavalry Corps was led by MG Nathan B. Forrest. This corps was detached and operating near Murfreesboro during the battle.

• Chalmers' Division

* Led by BG James R. Chalmers. * This division included: * Rucker's Brigade, led by Col Edmund W. Rucker (who was wounded and captured), then Ltc Raleigh R. White. It had cavalry regiments from Alabama, Mississippi, and Tennessee. * Biffle's Brigade, led by Col Jacob B. Biffle, with Tennessee cavalry regiments.

• Buford's Division

* Led by BG Abraham Buford. This division was also detached near Murfreesboro. * It included: * Bell's Brigade, led by Col Tyree H. Bell, with Tennessee cavalry regiments. * Crossland's Brigade, led by Col Edward Crossland, with Kentucky mounted infantry and cavalry.

• Jackson's Division

* Led by BG William H. Jackson. This division was also detached near Murfreesboro. * It included: * Armstrong's Brigade, led by BG Frank C. Armstrong, with Mississippi cavalry regiments. * Ross's Brigade, led by BG Lawrence S. Ross, with Texas cavalry regiments and a legion.

• Artillery

* Morton's Tennessee Battery was part of the Cavalry Corps' artillery.