The Army of the Frontier was a

Union Union commonly refers to: * Trade union, an organization of workers * Union (set theory), in mathematics, a fundamental operation on sets Union may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * Union (band), an American rock group ** ''Un ...

army that served in the Trans-Mississippi Theater during the

Civil War A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...

. It fought in several minor engagements in

Arkansas Arkansas ( ) is a landlocked state in the South Central United States. It is bordered by Missouri to the north, Tennessee and Mississippi to the east, Louisiana to the south, and Texas and Oklahoma to the west. Its name is from the O ...

Indian Territory The Indian Territory and the Indian Territories are terms that generally described an evolving land area set aside by the United States Government for the relocation of Native Americans who held aboriginal title to their land as a sovereign ...

, and

Kansas Kansas () is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its capital is Topeka, and its largest city is Wichita. Kansas is a landlocked state bordered by Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to th ...

. In June 1863 the Army was discontinued but many of its regiments were formed into the District of the Frontier.

History

The army was created on October 12, 1862, composed of forces from the District of Southwest Missouri. General John M. Schofield was the army's first commander. Prior to this (from October 1–12, 1862) Schofield's field army was known as the ''Army of Southwestern Missouri''. The Army of the Frontier consisted of three divisions at its largest. They were commanded respectively by James G. Blunt,

James Totten James Totten (September 11, 1818 – October 1, 1871) was a career American soldier who served in the United States Army and retired from active service in 1870 as the Assistant Inspector General. He served as an officer in the Union Army and Miss ...

, and Francis J. Herron. Units of the army (mostly Blunt's 1st Division) engaged in several small battles early in the war. The

Battle of Prairie Grove The Battle of Prairie Grove was a battle of the American Civil War fought on December 7, 1862. While tactically indecisive, the battle secured the Union control of northwestern Arkansas. A division of Union troops in the Army of the Front ...

in 1862 was the army's finest moment of the war. During the campaign General Schofield was in St. Louis due to illness, and General Blunt assumed temporary command of the army. Colonel Daniel Huston, Jr. temporarily replaced Totten in command of the 2nd Division. Both the 2nd and 3rd Divisions were then placed under the overall command of General Herron. Herron replaced Schofield as commander in March 1863. In May of that year the army's 2nd Division under

William Vandever William Vandever (March 31, 1817 – July 23, 1893) was a United States representative from Iowa and later from California, and a general in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Biography Early life Vandever was born in Baltimore, ...

fought the Battle of Chalk Bluff against a Confederate raid under John S. Marmaduke. The army as a whole was dissolved on June 5, 1863, yet remnants were formed into "Herron's Division" and sent as reinforcements to the

Siege of Vicksburg The siege of Vicksburg (May 18 – July 4, 1863) was the final major military action in the Vicksburg campaign of the American Civil War. In a series of maneuvers, Union Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant and his Army of the Tennessee crossed the Mis ...

Commanders

* General John M. Schofield (October 12, 1862 – November 20, 1862) * General James G. Blunt (November 20, 1862 – December 29, 1862) * General John M. Schofield (December 29, 1862 – March 30, 1863) * General Francis J. Herron (March 30, 1863-5 June 1863)

Major Battles

Battle of Old Fort Wayne The Battle of Old Fort Wayne, also known as Maysville, Beattie's Prairie, or Beaty's Prairie, was an American Civil War battle on October 22, 1862, in Delaware County in what is now eastern Oklahoma. Confederate Major General Thomas C. Hindman ...

(Schofield) ''only Blunt's 1st Division was involved'' *

(Blunt, field command) * Battle of Chalk Bluff (Herron) ''only Vandever's 2nd Division was involved'' *

(Herron) ''as "Herron's Division, XIII Corps"''

District of the Frontier

On June 6 the remaining units in Arkansas and the Indian Territory, formerly belonging to the Army of the Frontier, were organized into the District of the Frontier with General Blunt in command. The district was part of the

Department of the Missouri The Department of the Missouri was a command echelon of the United States Army in the 19th century and a sub division of the Military Division of the Missouri that functioned through the Indian Wars. History Background Following the successful ...

and was composed of the

, western Arkansas, southwestern Missouri and southern Kansas. With troops from this district Blunt fought and won the

Battle of Honey Springs The Battle of Honey Springs, also known as the Affair at Elk Creek, on July 17, 1863, was an American Civil War engagement and an important victory for Union forces in their efforts to gain control of the Indian Territory. It was the largest c ...

in 1863, but suffered a defeat at Baxter Springs later that year. Blunt was relieved of command in January 1864. At the same time the District of the Frontier divided up. The Indian Territory and

Fort Smith, Arkansas Fort Smith is the third-largest city in Arkansas and one of the two county seats of Sebastian County. As of the 2020 Census, the population was 89,142. It is the principal city of the Fort Smith, Arkansas–Oklahoma Metropolitan Statistical Are ...

, were designated the District of the Frontier in the Department of Kansas and placed under the command of Colonel William R. Judson. The areas in Arkansas were designated the District of the Frontier in the Department of Arkansas and placed under the command of General

John Milton Thayer John Milton Thayer (January 24, 1820March 19, 1906) was a general in the Union Army during the American Civil War and a postbellum United States Senator from Nebraska. Thayer served as Governor of Wyoming Territory and Governor of Nebraska. ...

. Thayer's troops were attached to the

VII Corps 7th Corps, Seventh Corps, or VII Corps may refer to: * VII Corps (Grande Armée), a corps of the Imperial French army during the Napoleonic Wars * VII Corps (German Empire), a unit of the Imperial German Army prior to and during World War I * VII ...

during the

Camden Expedition The Camden Expedition (March 23 – May 3, 1864) was the final campaign conducted by the Union Army in Arkansas during the Civil War. The offensive was designed to cooperate with Major-General Nathaniel P. Banks' movement against Shrevepo ...

as the "Frontier Division". On February 23, 1864, Blunt replaced Judson in command of the District of the Frontier, Department of Kansas. Blunt commanded until April 17 when his district was discontinued. Fort Smith was transferred to Thayer's district and the rest of the Indian Territory was divided among other districts. Thayer's District of the Frontier continued until February 1, 1865, when it too was discontinued.

Commanders

* General James G. Blunt (June 9, 1863 – January 6, 1864) ''part of the Dept. of Missouri'' * Colonel William R. Judson (January 6, 1864 – February 23, 1864) ''part of the Dept. of Kansas'' * General James G. Blunt (February 23, 1864-17 April 1864) ''part of the Dept. of Kansas'' * General John Thayer (January 6, 1864-February 1865) ''part of the Dept. of Arkansas''

Major Battles

(Blunt's district) *

(Thayer's district)

History

Commanders

Major Battles

District of the Frontier

Commanders

Major Battles

References

See also