St. John Richardson Liddell facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
St. John R. Liddell
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| Born | September 6, 1815 Wilkinson County, Mississippi |
| Died | February 14, 1870 (aged 54) New Orleans, Louisiana |
| Place of burial |
Llanada Plantation Cemetery, Jonesville, Louisiana
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| Allegiance |  Confederate States of America |
| Service/ |
 Confederate States Army |
| Years of service | 1861–1865 |
| Rank | Brigadier General |
| Commands held | Arkansas Brigade Liddell's Division Sub-District of North Louisiana |
| Battles/wars | American Civil War |
St. John Richardson Liddell (born September 6, 1815 – died February 14, 1870) was an important landowner from Louisiana. He served as a general in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. Liddell openly supported the idea of freeing enslaved people. After the war, he had a long-standing disagreement with a former Confederate officer, Charles Jones. This disagreement sadly led to Liddell's death near his home in 1870.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Liddell grew up in a wealthy family that owned a large farm, called a plantation, near Woodville, Mississippi. He went to school with Jefferson Davis, who later became the President of the Confederate States. Liddell would talk with Davis several times during the early years of the Civil War.
He attended the United States Military Academy at West Point from 1834 to 1835. However, he left before he could graduate. Liddell then moved to Catahoula Parish and started his own successful plantation called "Llanada." It was located near Harrisonburg, Louisiana. His well-known disagreement with Charles Jones, which eventually led to his death, began in the 1850s.
Serving in the Civil War
Early War Years: 1861–1863
When the American Civil War began and Louisiana left the United States, Liddell joined the Confederate States Army. He became an officer and first worked as a staff officer for his friends William J. Hardee and Albert Sidney Johnston. Later, from 1862 to 1863, he led the famous Arkansas Brigade. This group was part of Patrick Cleburne's division in the Army of Tennessee. They fought in important battles like Perryville and Murfreesboro.
In 1863, Liddell led a division at the Battle of Chickamauga. He was offered a promotion to major general many times but turned it down. He wanted to be assigned closer to his plantation, which was in danger from groups called Jayhawkers. General Braxton Bragg, who was a classmate of Liddell's from West Point, asked him to become his chief of staff. Liddell refused this offer too.
Even though Liddell often criticized Bragg, Bragg seemed to like him. This might have made some other officers in the Army of Tennessee dislike Liddell. He remained very close with his classmate Hardee. Despite his disagreements with other officers, Liddell was very valuable to the Army of Tennessee. His brigade played a key role at Perryville and Stones' River, where his sixteen-year-old son, Willie Liddell, was badly wounded and later died. His brigade also had the highest number of casualties at Chickamauga.
Later War Years: 1863–1865
General Bragg did not want to let Liddell leave. But after Bragg was removed from command by Jefferson Davis, Liddell personally asked the President for a transfer. He wanted to command the Sub-District of North Louisiana, which he received. He held this command during the Red River campaign in 1864. Later, he was put in charge of the infantry at Mobile, Alabama, until it surrendered in 1865.
During this last campaign, Liddell fought against Union Major General Edward Canby in the Battle of Fort Blakeley. This was one of the last battles of the war, and Liddell was captured there. Canby later helped Liddell get forgiveness from the United States government.
While serving in the Trans-Mississippi area, Liddell had conflicts with his direct superior, Richard Taylor. Taylor was President Davis's brother-in-law. Liddell regretted leaving the Army of Tennessee. He believed that the Confederate failure to retake the Mississippi River was Taylor's fault, not Edmund Kirby Smith's. Unknown to Liddell, by late 1864, Generals Bragg, Hardee, and E.K. Smith had asked for Liddell to be promoted to other important positions. However, these promotions did not happen before the war ended.
Liddell's Views on Slavery
Liddell was known for speaking his mind and had many important connections. In December 1864, he wrote a letter to Edward Sparrow, a Confederate Senator from Louisiana. In this letter, he shared his belief that the war was going badly for the Confederacy. He felt that freeing all enslaved people was necessary to get help from other countries. He also thought that freeing enslaved people might help solve the South's growing shortage of soldiers. Senator Sparrow showed this letter to General Robert E. Lee, who agreed with Liddell. Lee said that he could "make soldiers out of any human being that had arms and legs."
After the War
In 1866, Liddell began writing his memoirs. In these writings, he was very critical of the Confederate leaders and other officers, including Davis and Bragg. His memoirs are actually a collection of different writings, letters, and battle records. He was not able to finish combining them before he died.
In his writings, Liddell mostly criticized Bragg's officers for not supporting Bragg enough. This makes Liddell one of the few writers from that time who spoke kindly of Bragg. He also praised officers like General John B. Floyd and Gideon Pillow, whom most historians today do not consider very skilled. He showed his dislike for Judah P. Benjamin, who is often seen as one of the most capable Confederate Cabinet officials.
Liddell often wrote about the feeling of hopelessness that he and other officers felt in the Army of Tennessee. After the fall of Forts Henry and Donelson, it was clear to them that their cause was in trouble. They believed they needed to gather their forces and attack. However, political disagreements often wasted any gains the army made. Liddell comes across as a fair officer. He even suggested that if the South had recruited generals like George Henry Thomas, whom he thought was the best Union Commander, things might have turned out differently.
Liddell turned down promotions and tried to help any officer he was assigned to, whether he liked them or not. He had strong opinions and spoke them openly. Yet, his opinions were valued, and he had the attention of top Confederate commanders, including Davis, A.S. Johnston, Bragg, and Hardee. He spent a lot of his own money to equip his brigade, even though they were from a different state. His brigade was the only unit in the Army of Tennessee that never had to hold a military trial for a soldier.
Liddell died in 1870. He was killed by Colonel Charles Jones, which was the final event in a twenty-year disagreement over land. He was buried on his large plantation in Louisiana.
The St. John Richardson Liddell Chapter #271 of the Military Order of the Stars and Bars in Bay Minette, Alabama, was named after the former general.
See also
- List of American Civil War generals (Confederate)
- Moses J. Liddell was the oldest son of St. John Richardson Liddell. He was appointed as a judge in the Montana Supreme Court.
