Felix Zollicoffer
Felix Kirk Zollicoffer | |
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Brigadier General (CSA) | |
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Other work | U.S. Congressman |
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Felix Kirk Zollicoffer (May 19, 1812 – January 19, 1862) was an American newspaperman, slave owner,
Early life and career
Felix Zollicoffer was born on a
Zollicoffer attended the local schools and studied for a year at
On September 24, 1835, he married Louisa Pocahontas Gordon, with whom he had fourteen children, of whom only six survived infancy.
Zollicoffer also edited the Mercury for a time in Huntsville, Alabama.[4] He volunteered for the army in 1836 and served as a second lieutenant in the Tennessee militia in the Second Seminole War in Florida.[4][7] He then returned to Tennessee and became owner and editor of the Columbia Observer and the Southern Agriculturist and in 1843 the editor of the Republican Banner, the state organ of the Whig Party.[4]
This brought Zollicoffer into political circles, and he was
Following the secession of the Deep South in 1861, Zollicoffer served as a delegate to that year's peace conference in Washington, D.C. in an attempt to prevent the approaching civil war.[4] A strong supporter of states' rights, Zollicoffer nevertheless opposed Tennessee's secession from the Union.[10]
Civil War
Tennessee voters rejected the call for a secession convention in February 1861.
Upon the announcement of the formation of the Provisional Army of Tennessee, Zollicoffer offered his service to the state army.
On July 9, 1861, Zollicoffer was commissioned a brigadier general in the Confederate States Army.[17] Although the Confederate States Army began to absorb the Provisional Army of Tennessee on July 31, 1861, Zollicoffer's troops were not mustered into Confederate service until the end of October.[18] For almost four months, Zollicoffer was in the strange position of being a Confederate Army general in charge of state troops.[19]
Harris initially tried to sway eastern Tennessee's pro-Union population with a lenient policy and the stationing of only fifteen companies of troops in the region.
Invasion of Kentucky
Cumberland Gap
In an effort to prevent a Union Army incursion into east Tennessee, Zollicoffer took the initiative and occupied
On September 17, 1861, Zollicoffer sent a force through the
In mid-October 1861, a large part of Zollicoffer's force marched 40 miles (64 km) from Cumberland Gap to
Encampment at Mill Springs
In November 1861, Zollicoffer changed strategy and advanced westward, then back into southeastern Kentucky to strengthen Confederate control in the area just south of Somerset.[30] He hoped this would put him in a position to be reinforced by Confederate forces from Bowling Green and to drive Thomas's force from the area.[30] Before he moved west, Zollicoffer left forces to guard the Cumberland Gap and three other approaches to east Tennessee.[30]
Zollicoffer moved west and established an encampment at Mill Springs, Kentucky, (near present-day Nancy, Kentucky) on the south bank of the Cumberland River.[30] By December 6, he had moved his force to the north bank of the river, where he thought he could better support the supply of his men, build fortifications and keep watch on Thomas's force.[33][34] This was a risky tactic because Zollicoffer's men were poorly equipped, ill-trained and ill-disciplined.[33][35] They were not properly prepared to meet the growing Union threat and Zollicoffer's expectation that he would solve this problem by receiving supplies and reinforcements at Beech Grove, opposite Mill Springs, was too optimistic.[33] Many of the men in Confederate service in Tennessee who could have reinforced Zollicoffer remained unarmed.[36] Zollicoffer's own reserve force at Knoxville was mostly unarmed.[37]
Under the circumstances in December 1861, without needed supplies or reserves, Zollicoffer was in no position to move against the Union force.
Unaware of the situation in east Tennessee and of Zollicoffer's plan, on December 8, 1861, Confederate President Jefferson Davis appointed
On January 1, 1862, Thomas moved from his camp at Lebanon, Kentucky, to join with Schoepf's troops from Somerset.[39] On January 2, Crittenden arrived at Mill Springs and decided the Confederates should attack Thomas before he could join with Schoepf.[39] The Confederate force of about 6,500 men might have withstood an attack within their fortifications, but Thomas's larger force would have the advantage in the open field.[40] Because of the incessant rain and resulting mud, Thomas needed 18 days to move his force and equipment from Lebanon to Logan's Crossroads.[41]
Battle of Mill Springs
On January 18, 1862, Crittenden ordered an advance at midnight, while the two Union forces under Thomas and Schoepf were separated by the rain-swollen Fishing Creek.[40] Zollicoffer led the first brigade toward Logan's Crossroads, while Carroll commanded the following brigade.[35][40]
After marching 8 miles (13 km) in a driving rain, Zollicoffer's skirmishers attacked the Union pickets 1 mile (1.6 km) south of the intersection of the Mill Springs and Columbia-Somerset roads.[40][42] The Battle of Mill Springs, sometimes called the Battle of Fishing Creek or the Battle of Logan's Crossroads, a three-hour fight in driving rain, fog and the smoke of battle over thickly wooded ground, followed.[40] The untrained Confederates were totally confused in this situation and their organization was lost.[40] Adding to the confusion, some of the Confederates were wearing blue uniforms.[43]
The 15th Mississippi Infantry Regiment mistook the Union 4th Kentucky Infantry Regiment for blue-clad Confederates.[43] In the confusion, the near-sighted Zollicoffer, wearing a white raincoat, rode into the lines of the 4th Kentucky and began to discuss the problem with the Union colonel, Speed S. Fry.[43] A Confederate aide then rode out of the fog firing at the Union force.[43] Union soldiers returned fire, killing Zollicoffer who had begun to ride away as the incident unfolded.[43] Historian Larry J. Daniel follows some other accounts which claim that Fry recognized and shot Zollicoffer.[44] He further stated that Fry, not Zollicoffer, had ridden into the enemy lines and had begun the conversation, only turning upon Zollicoffer when the Confederate aide rode up.[44] Historian Stuart W. Sanders discusses the encounter at the greatest length and also quotes a subsequent account by Colonel Fry.[45] He states that both officers rode out from their lines and that Fry initially thought Zollicoffer was a Union officer.[45] Fry claimed to have shot Zollicoffer.[46] Other accounts state that Fry also called to a few of his men to fire, although Fry later denied this.[47][48]
Many of the old Confederate flintlock weapons would not fire in the wet conditions and Zollicoffer's death caused his demoralized men to start a retreat.[43] Thomas sent six regiments against the weak Confederate flank, causing the Confederate line to collapse and retreat to Beech Grove.[43] Crittenden moved the remaining force across the Cumberland River overnight on a small steamboat and a few barges.[49] He left his artillery, mules, equipment and most of his food supply on the north bank, shattering his ordnance and logistical strength[49]
Interment
Federal officials treated Zollicoffer's body with respect.[50] He was embalmed by a Union surgeon and was eventually returned to Tennessee and interred in the Old City Cemetery in Nashville.[51]
Zollicoffer Park
Zollicoffer Park, a Confederate cemetery containing a mass grave of the Confederate fallen, lies just outside Nancy. (There is also a Union cemetery located in Nancy, Mill Springs National Cemetery, the oldest of all National Cemeteries still receiving burials other than Arlington National Cemetery.) This public park receives at least two memorial events each year, one on January 19, and the other on Memorial Day. There have also been re-enactments of the Battle of Mill Springs.
See also
References
- ^ "Congress slaveowners", The Washington Post, January 27, 2022, retrieved January 29, 2022
- ^ "Bioguide Search". bioguide.congress.gov. Retrieved January 29, 2022.
- ^ ISBN 0-8047-3641-3. p. 586.
- ^ ISBN 978-1-4382-5157-8. p. 17.
- ^ OCLC 833588. Retrieved January 20, 2011. p. 346.
- ^ McKee, James. "Felix K. Zollicoffer: Confederate Defender of East Tennessee." In East Tennessee Historical Society Publications, vol. 43, 1971. p. 37.
- ^ ISBN 978-1-60949-829-0. p. 14.
- ^ ""Captain John Gordon, of the spies"". archive.org. Retrieved December 13, 2016.
- ^ E. Thomas Wood, "Nashville now and then: Fightin' words". August 17, 2007. Archived from the original on September 30, 2007. Retrieved August 17, 2007.
- ^ Adkins, 2008, p. 112.
- ^ ISBN 0-8071-2737-X. p. 26.
- ^ Connelly, 1967, p. 27.
- ^ Connelly, 1967, pp. 23, 26.
- ^ Tennessee abolished its militia in 1857. The Provisional Army of Tennessee was established to fill the void. Connelly, 1967, p. 28.
- ^ a b Sanders, 2008, p. 15.
- ^ Eicher, 2001, p. 586.
- ISBN 0-8071-0823-5. p. 350.
- ^ Connelly, 1967, p. 30.
- ^ Connelly, 1967, p. 44.
- ^ Connelly, 1967, p. 41.
- ISBN 0-918678-68-4. pp. 174-75.
- ^ Connelly, 1967, p. 42.
- ^ Connelly, 1967, pp. 14, 45.
- ^ a b Connelly, 1967, p. 15.
- ^ a b c d Sanders, 2008, p. 19.
- ^ Connelly, 1967, pp. 4, 14.
- ^ a b c Connelly, 1967, p. 87.
- ISBN 978-0-8071-3191-6. p. 22.
- ^ Connelly, 1967, p. 88.
- ^ a b c d e Connelly, 1967, p. 89.
- ^ a b Daniel, 2004, p. 23.
- ^ Daniel, 2004, p. 24.
- ^ a b c Connelly, 1967, p. 90.
- ^ a b Daniel, 2004, p. 48.
- ^ a b Sanders, 2008, p. 45.
- ^ Connelly, 1967, p. 91.
- ^ a b c Connelly, 1967, p. 92.
- ^ Connelly, 1967, p. 95.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Connelly, 1967, p. 96.
- ^ a b c d e f Connelly, 1967, p. 97.
- ^ Daniel, 2004, p. 50.
- ^ Sanders, 2008, p. 46.
- ^ a b c d e f g Connelly, 1967, p. 98.
- ^ a b Daniel, 2004, p. 52.
- ^ a b Sanders, 2008, p. 76.
- ^ Sanders, 2008, p. 77.
- ^ Sanders, 2008, p. 78.
- ^ Sanders, 2008, p. 80 states that after the war Fry took or denied credit for shooting Zollicoffer as it suited him.
- ^ a b Connelly, 1967, p. 99.
- ^ Sanders, 2008, p. 113.
- ^ Sanders, 2008, p. 115.
Bibliography
- Adkins, Ray. Battle of Barboursville, Kentucky. Morrisville, North Carolina: Lulu, 2008. ISBN 978-1-4382-5157-8.
- ISBN 0-918678-68-4.
- Connelly, Thomas L. Army of the Heartland: The Army of Tennessee 1861–1862. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1967. ISBN 978-0-8071-2737-7.
- Daniel, Larry J. Days of Glory: The Army of the Cumberland, 1861–1865. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 2004. ISBN 978-0-8071-3191-6.
- Eicher, John H., and ISBN 978-0-8047-3641-1.
- OCLC 833588. Retrieved January 20, 2011.
- McKee, James. "Felix K. Zollicoffer: Confederate Defender of East Tennessee." In East Tennessee Historical Society Publications, vol. 43, 1971.
- Sanders, Stuart W. The Battle of Mill Springs Kentucky. Charleston, South Carolina: The History Press, 2013. ISBN 978-1-60949-829-0.
- Sifakis, Stewart. Who Was Who in the Civil War. New York: Facts On File, 1988. ISBN 978-0-8160-1055-4.
- ISBN 978-0-8071-0823-9.
Further reading
- Myers, Raymond. The Zollie Tree: General Felix K. Zollicoffer and the Battle of Mill Springs. Louisville, Kentucky: Filson Club Historical Society, 1998. ISBN 978-0-9601072-6-1.
External links
- United States Congress. "Felix Zollicoffer (id: Z000012)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved on 2008-02-13
- Tennessee Gen Web
- On this date in Civil War history: January 19, 1862 - Battle of Mill Springs (150th Anniversary)
- Brigadier General Felix Kirk Zollicoffer (1812–1862) C.S.A.
- Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography. 1889. .