Thomas Leonidas Crittenden facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Thomas Leonidas Crittenden
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| Born | May 15, 1819 Russellville, Kentucky |
| Died | October 23, 1893 (aged 74) Annadale, Staten Island, New York |
| Place of burial |
Frankfort Cemetery, Frankfort, Kentucky
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| Allegiance | United States of America Union |
| Service/ |
United States Army Union Army |
| Years of service | 1847–1848, 1861–1864, 1867–1881 |
| Rank |  Major General |
| Unit | 3rd Kentucky Volunteers 17th Infantry |
| Commands held | 5th Division, Army of the Ohio II Corps XXI Corps 1st Division, IX Corps |
| Battles/wars | Mexican–American War American Civil War |
| Signature | .png){kind=small} |
Thomas Leonidas Crittenden (born May 15, 1819 – died October 23, 1893) was an important figure in American history. He was a lawyer and a politician. During the American Civil War, he served as a general for the Union Army.
Contents
Early Life and Family
Thomas Crittenden was born in Russellville, Kentucky. His father, John J. Crittenden, was a famous politician. He served as a U.S. Senator and later became the governor of Kentucky.
Thomas had a brother, George B. Crittenden, who became a general for the Confederate Army. This was common in Kentucky, a "border state" during the Civil War. His cousin, Thomas Turpin Crittenden, also became a Union general.
Thomas married Catherine Todd. Their son, John Jordan Crittenden III, was a soldier. He died in 1876 during the Battle of the Little Bighorn with Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer.
Before the Civil War, Thomas Crittenden became a lawyer. He also served in the United States Army during the Mexican–American War from 1847 to 1848. After that war, he worked as a U.S. consul (a government official) in Liverpool, England.
Service in the Civil War
When the American Civil War started in 1861, Kentucky tried to stay neutral. However, Thomas Crittenden and his father chose to support the Union.
Thomas was already a major general in Kentucky's local army since 1860. In September 1861, he became a brigadier general in the Union Army. He led the 5th Division in the Army of the Ohio.
Key Battles and Commands
- Battle of Shiloh: In 1862, he led his division in the fierce Battle of Shiloh. After this battle, he was promoted to major general of volunteers.
- Perryville Campaign: He then commanded the II Corps in the Army of the Ohio during the Perryville Campaign. His troops were not heavily involved in the main fighting.
- Battle of Stones River: Later, his forces became the Left Wing of the Army of the Cumberland. They fought hard at the Battle of Stones River. For his bravery there, he received a special honor called a "brevet promotion" in 1867. A brevet promotion means you get a higher rank for a short time or for honor, but not necessarily the pay or full command of that rank.
- Chickamauga Campaign: His corps was renamed the XXI Corps. He led them through the Tullahoma Campaign and at the Battle of Chickamauga. After Chickamauga, he and another general were blamed for the Union's defeat. They were removed from command but later found innocent of any wrongdoing.
- Battle of Spotsylvania: In 1864, General Crittenden returned to command. He led the 1st Division of the IX Corps during the final days of the Battle of Spotsylvania and through the Battle of Cold Harbor. He left the army in December 1864.
After the War
After the Civil War ended, Thomas Crittenden served as the state treasurer of Kentucky. He later rejoined the regular U.S. Army as a colonel. He received another brevet promotion to brigadier general before he retired in 1881.
He was a member of important groups like the Maryland Society of the Cincinnati and the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States. These groups were for officers who had served in wars.
Thomas Leonidas Crittenden passed away in Annadale, Staten Island, New York, on October 23, 1893. He is buried in Frankfort, Kentucky.
Legacy
- A street in Chickamauga, Georgia, is named after him.
- A United States Army post, Fort Crittenden, was named in his honor. It was located near Sonoita, Arizona, and was used during the Apache Wars.
