The Army of Central Kentucky was a military organization within Department No. 2 (the Western Department of the
Confederate States of America). Originally called the Army Corps of Central Kentucky, it was created in the fall of 1861 as a subsection of Department No. 2, and continued in existence until the end of March 1862 when it was absorbed and merged into the
Army of Mississippi, which was then re-organized as the
Army of Tennessee on November 20, 1862.
Background
The Department No. 2 (Western Department) was created on June 25, 1861, under the command of
Maj. Gen. Leonidas Polk, and had military jurisdiction and control over parts of
Alabama,
Tennessee,
Arkansas,
Mississippi, and
Louisiana. On September 2, 1861, the Department was expanded to include all of Arkansas and military operations in the state of
Missouri, and then on September 10 the area was expanded again to include all of Arkansas, Tennessee, more of Mississippi, and all military operations in
Kansas,
Kentucky, Missouri, and any Indian territories rallying to the Confederate cause west of Arkansas and Missouri.
Image:Simon Bolivar Buckner Sr.jpg,
File:ASJohnston.jpg,
Image:William J. Hardee.jpg,
Command under Brigadier General Simon B. Buckner
Brig. Gen.
Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed to ...
Buckner assumed command of all forces in central Kentucky during September 1861 after having first served as a
major general and commander of the Kentucky Militia. The forces were organized into two divisions with a reserve force. Later a third division under Brig. Gen.
John B. Floyd was added. After
Gen.
The Book of Genesis (from Greek language, Greek ; Hebrew language, Hebrew: בְּרֵאשִׁית ''Bəreʾšīt'', "In hebeginning") is the first book of the Hebrew Bible and the Christian Old Testament. Its Hebrew name is the same as its i ...
Albert Sidney Johnston took command, Buckner continued to command a division of the Army of Central Kentucky at
Bowling Green and
Fort Donelson, where he surrendered. After being exchanged in August 1862, Buckner was promoted to major general and commanded a division with these same forces in the
Army of Mississippi under the leadership of Gen.
Braxton Bragg.
Command under General Albert S. Johnston
Gen. Johnston was in command of the Army of Central Kentucky from October 28, 1861, until March 29, 1862, with the exception of a two-week temporary command by Hardee in December. The area of operation for this army was designated as the part of Tennessee north of the Cumberland River and that part of Kentucky west of where the Cumberland River entered Tennessee to the east. On December 26, 1861, part of the
Army of the Kanawha
The Army of the Kanawha was a small Confederate army early in the American Civil War.
Confederate units in the vital Kanawha River valley of western Virginia were styled the "Army of the Kanawha" after they were put under the command of former ...
was added. On March 29, 1862, the army at about 23,000 men strong was merged into the
Army of the Mississippi in preparation for the
Battle of Shiloh
The Battle of Shiloh (also known as the Battle of Pittsburg Landing) was fought on April 6–7, 1862, in the American Civil War. The fighting took place in southwestern Tennessee, which was part of the war's Western Theater. The battlefield i ...
.
Command under Major General William J. Hardee
Maj. Gen. Hardee took temporary command of the army from December 4 to December 18, 1861.
Notes
References
* Boatner, Mark Mayo, III. ''The Civil War Dictionary.'' New York: McKay, 1959; revised 1988. .
* Eicher, John H., and Eicher, David J., ''Civil War High Commands'', Stanford University Press, 2001, .
{{Field armies of the Confederate States
1861 establishments in the Confederate States of America
1862 disestablishments in the Confederate States of America
Central Kentucky
Central is an adjective usually referring to being in the center of some place or (mathematical) object.
Central may also refer to:
Directions and generalised locations
* Central Africa, a region in the centre of Africa continent, also known ...
Kentucky in the American Civil War