Gideon Johnson Pillow (June 8, 1806 – October 8, 1878) was an American lawyer, politician, speculator, slaveowner, United States Army
major general
Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...
of volunteers during the
Mexican–American War
The Mexican–American War, also known in the United States as the Mexican War and in Mexico as the (''United States intervention in Mexico''), was an armed conflict between the United States and Mexico from 1846 to 1848. It followed the 1 ...
and
Confederate brigadier general
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 ...
in the
American Civil War.
Before his military career, Pillow practiced law and was active in
Democratic Party Democratic Party most often refers to:
*Democratic Party (United States)
Democratic Party and similar terms may also refer to:
Active parties Africa
* Botswana Democratic Party
* Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea
*Gabonese Democratic Party
*De ...
politics. He was a floor leader in support of the nomination of fellow-Tennessean
James K. Polk
James Knox Polk (November 2, 1795 – June 15, 1849) was the 11th president of the United States, serving from 1845 to 1849. He previously was the 13th speaker of the House of Representatives (1835–1839) and ninth governor of Tennessee (183 ...
at the
1844 Democratic National Convention
The 1844 Democratic National Convention was a presidential nominating convention held in Baltimore, Maryland from May 27 through 30. The convention nominated former Governor James K. Polk of Tennessee for president and former Senator George M. Da ...
. In 1847, Pillow was commissioned a brigadier general of volunteers to serve in the Mexican–American War, and was later promoted to major general. He performed reasonably well, and was wounded that year at
Cerro Gordo and
Chapultepec
Chapultepec, more commonly called the "Bosque de Chapultepec" (Chapultepec Forest) in Mexico City, is one of the largest city parks in Mexico, measuring in total just over 686 hectares (1,695 acres). Centered on a rock formation called Chapultep ...
. However, controversy arose when, in a series of letters, Pillow tried to take what was perceived by some as undue credit for American victories at the expense of his commander, Major General
Winfield Scott. Pillow was court-martialed for insubordination, but with President Polk's assistance, the court-martial was reduced to a court of inquiry, which in 1848 exonerated Pillow.
After the war, Pillow served as a delegate to the
Nashville Convention {{Events leading to US Civil War
The Nashville Convention was a political meeting held in Nashville, Tennessee, on June 3–11, 1850. Delegates from nine slave states met to consider secession, if the United States Congress decided to ban slavery ...
of 1850, where he supported compromise. He remained active in supporting the Democratic Party. At the start of the Civil War in 1861, Pillow supported secession, and was commissioned a brigadier general in the Confederate Army in July. Pillow received the thanks of the
Confederate Congress
The Confederate States Congress was both the provisional and permanent legislative assembly of the Confederate States of America that existed from 1861 to 1865. Its actions were for the most part concerned with measures to establish a new nat ...
for driving off the Union force at the
Battle of Belmont
The Battle of Belmont was fought on November 7, 1861 in Mississippi County, Missouri. It was the first combat test in the American Civil War for Brig. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, the future Union Army general in chief and eventual U.S. president, ...
, Missouri.
Pillow controversially failed to exploit a temporary breakthrough of Union lines by his troops which might have allowed the Confederate garrison of
Fort Donelson
Fort Donelson was a fortress built early in 1862 by the Confederacy during the American Civil War to control the Cumberland River, which led to the heart of Tennessee, and thereby the Confederacy. The fort was named after Confederate general Da ...
to escape at the
Battle of Fort Donelson
The Battle of Fort Donelson was fought from February 11–16, 1862, in the Western Theater of the American Civil War. The Union capture of the Confederate fort near the Tennessee–Kentucky border opened the Cumberland River, an important aven ...
on February 15, 1862. The next night, before the surrender of the fort, Brigadier General
John B. Floyd
John Buchanan Floyd (June 1, 1806 – August 26, 1863) was the 31st Governor of Virginia, U.S. Secretary of War, and the Confederate general in the American Civil War who lost the crucial Battle of Fort Donelson.
Early family life
John Buch ...
passed overall command of the fort to Pillow, who in turn passed it to Brigadier General
Simon Buckner. Floyd and Pillow managed to personally escape with a few aides before Buckner surrendered the remaining garrison to the Union Army of
Brigadier General
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 ...
Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant (born Hiram Ulysses Grant ; April 27, 1822July 23, 1885) was an American military officer and politician who served as the 18th president of the United States from 1869 to 1877. As Commanding General, he led the Union A ...
. These actions sent his military career and reputation into decline.
Pillow commanded a brigade at the
Battle of Stones River
The Battle of Stones River, also known as the Second Battle of Murfreesboro, was a battle fought from December 31, 1862, to January 2, 1863, in Middle Tennessee, as the culmination of the Stones River Campaign in the Western Theater of the Ame ...
in 1863, where he performed poorly, and was among the few generals in the army to praise the leadership of commanding General
Braxton Bragg
Braxton Bragg (March 22, 1817 – September 27, 1876) was an American army officer during the Second Seminole War and Mexican–American War and Confederate general in the Confederate Army during the American Civil War, serving in the Western ...
. Removed from combat duty, he worked mainly in recruiting assignments through the remainder of the war.
Bankrupt
Bankruptcy is a legal process through which people or other entities who cannot repay debts to creditors may seek relief from some or all of their debts. In most jurisdictions, bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debto ...
after the war, Pillow recovered financially and resumed a successful legal career. He died near
Helena, Arkansas
Helena is the eastern portion of Helena–West Helena, Arkansas, a city in Phillips County, Arkansas. It was founded in 1833 by Nicholas Rightor and is named after the daughter of Sylvanus Phillips, an early settler of Phillips County and the ...
in 1878; initially buried in Helena, Pillow was later reinterred at
Elmwood Cemetery in Memphis.
Early life
Pillow was born on June 8, 1806 in
Williamson County, Tennessee
Williamson County is a county in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 247,726. The county seat is Franklin, and the county is located in Middle Tennessee. The county is named after Hugh Williamso ...
,
[ Warner, Ezra J. ''Generals in Gray: Lives of the Confederate Commanders''. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1959. . p. 241.] to Gideon Pillow and Ann Payne Pillow.
He came from a well connected, property owning family with a reputation for Indian fighting and loyalty to
Andrew Jackson
Andrew Jackson (March 15, 1767 – June 8, 1845) was an American lawyer, planter, general, and statesman who served as the seventh president of the United States from 1829 to 1837. Before being elected to the presidency, he gained fame as ...
.
[Hughes, Nathaniel Cheairs, Jr. ''The Battle of Belmont: Grant Strikes South''. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 1991. . p. 30.] He graduated from the University of Nashville in 1827 and practiced law in
Columbia, Tennessee
Columbia is a city in and the county seat of Maury County, Tennessee. The population was 41,690 as of the 2020 United States census. Columbia is included in the Nashville metropolitan area.
The self-proclaimed "mule capital of the world," Colu ...
, where he became friends with future
President
President most commonly refers to:
*President (corporate title)
*President (education), a leader of a college or university
*President (government title)
President may also refer to:
Automobiles
* Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ful ...
James K. Polk
James Knox Polk (November 2, 1795 – June 15, 1849) was the 11th president of the United States, serving from 1845 to 1849. He previously was the 13th speaker of the House of Representatives (1835–1839) and ninth governor of Tennessee (183 ...
.
[Cheathem, Mark R. "Pillow, Gideon Johnson". In ''Encyclopedia of the American Civil War: A Political, Social, and Military History'', edited by David S. Heidler and Jeanne T. Heidler. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2000. . p. 1523.] Pillow married Mary Elizabeth Martin, March 24, 1831.
In 1831, Tennessee Governor
William Carroll appointed Pillow as district attorney general.
[Hughes, 1991, p. 31.] Pillow served as a
brigadier general
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 ...
in the Tennessee Militia from 1833 to 1836.
[Eicher, John H., and ]David J. Eicher
David John Eicher (born August 7, 1961) is an American editor, writer, and popularizer of astronomy and space. He has been editor-in-chief of ''Astronomy'' magazine since 2002. He is author, coauthor, or editor of 23 books on science and American ...
, ''Civil War High Commands''. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2001. . p. 430. Pillow played "an important role" in the 1844 Democratic Party convention which nominated Polk for president, although Pillow exaggerated his contribution to the exclusion of other prominent Polk supporters.
Mexican–American War
During the
Mexican–American War
The Mexican–American War, also known in the United States as the Mexican War and in Mexico as the (''United States intervention in Mexico''), was an armed conflict between the United States and Mexico from 1846 to 1848. It followed the 1 ...
, Pillow was appointed brigadier general of
United States Volunteers
United States Volunteers also known as U.S. Volunteers, U.S. Volunteer Army, or other variations of these, were military volunteers called upon during wartime to assist the United States Army but who were separate from both the Regular Army and the ...
by President Polk as a brigadier general July 1, 1846. He was promoted to
major general
Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...
of volunteers on April 13, 1847.
He was wounded in the right arm at the
Battle of Cerro Gordo
The Battle of Cerro Gordo, or Battle of Sierra Gordo, was an engagement in the Mexican–American War on April 18, 1847. The battle saw Winfield Scott's United States troops outflank Antonio López de Santa Anna's larger Mexican army, driving ...
and in the left leg at
Chapultepec
Chapultepec, more commonly called the "Bosque de Chapultepec" (Chapultepec Forest) in Mexico City, is one of the largest city parks in Mexico, measuring in total just over 686 hectares (1,695 acres). Centered on a rock formation called Chapultep ...
.
During the war he came into conflict with one of the principal commanders of the American forces in Mexico, Major General
Winfield Scott.
[ Bearss, Ed C. ''Pillow, Gideon Johnson''. In ''Historical Times Illustrated History of the Civil War'', edited by Patricia L. Faust. New York: Harper & Row, 1986. . p. 585.] The quarrel began when Scott asked Pillow to revise his exaggerated battle reports in which Pillow took credit for the American victories at the Battles of
Contreras and
Churubusco, but Pillow refused.
[Johnson, Timothy D. ''Winfield Scott: The Quest for Military Glory''. Lawrence, KS: University Press of Kansas, 1998; . p. 210.]
Although Pillow had performed reasonably well despite some mistakes in troop dispositions, the battles were still won by troops under the overall command of Scott.
Then, an anonymous letter—actually written by Pillow—published in the ''New Orleans Delta'' on September 10, 1847, and signed "Leonidas", wrongfully credited Pillow with the victories at Contreras, including the plan of battle and command of all the forces engaged, and Churubusco.
When Pillow's intrigue was exposed, he was arrested by Scott and held for
court-martial for insubordination and violating regulations, along with Colonel James Duncan and Brigadier General
William J. Worth.
[Johnson, 1998, p. 211.]
Pillow wrote to President Polk about Scott's involvement in a bribery scheme proposed by Mexican leader
Antonio López de Santa Anna
Antonio de Padua María Severino López de Santa Anna y Pérez de Lebrón (; 21 February 1794 – 21 June 1876),Callcott, Wilfred H., "Santa Anna, Antonio Lopez De,''Handbook of Texas Online'' Retrieved 18 April 2017. usually known as Santa Ann ...
for his help in ending the war without further bloodshed. Polk relieved Scott of command by a letter of February 18, 1848.
Polk reduced the proceedings against Pillow, Duncan and Worth from a court martial to a court of inquiry which had no criminal implications and added that Pillow could question Scott about the bribery scheme. Polk and Secretary of War
William L. Marcy
William Learned Marcy (December 12, 1786July 4, 1857) was an American lawyer, politician, and judge who served as U.S. Senator, Governor of New York, U.S. Secretary of War and U.S. Secretary of State. In the latter office, he negotiated the Ga ...
chose the three members of the court for their hostility to Scott.
During the court of inquiry that began in March 1848 in Mexico City, Major Archibald W. Burns, a paymaster and Pillow protege, claimed authorship of the "Leonidas" letter, at Pillow's behest. When the court of inquiry took as much testimony as they could in Mexico City, on April 21, 1848 they adjourned to reconvene in
Frederick, Maryland
Frederick is a city in and the county seat of Frederick County, Maryland. It is part of the Baltimore–Washington Metropolitan Area. Frederick has long been an important crossroads, located at the intersection of a major north–south Native ...
.
[Eisenhower, 1997, p. 318.] Scott left Mexico City the next day.
The court reconvened on June 5, 1848, with Scott ill. Scott dropped the charges against Worth and Duncan and Pillow was exonerated when the court announced their findings on July 1, 1848. Scott resumed his duties as general-in-chief of the army early that month.
Pillow was discharged from the United States Volunteers on July 20, 1848.
In early 1849, two other courts of inquiry cleared Pillow of any misconduct during the war.
[Cheathem, 2000, p. 1524.] Pillow assisted
Roswell S. Ripley in writing ''The war with Mexico''.
In his memoirs, Scott wrote that Pillow was "amiable and possessed of some acuteness, but the only person I have ever known who was wholly indifferent in the choice between truth and falsehood, honesty and dishonesty:—ever as ready to attain an end by the one as the other, and habitually boastful of acts of cleverness at the total sacrifice of moral character."
[ Winfield Scott, ''Memoirs of Lieut.-General Scott'', New York: Sheldon and Company, 1864, Vol. II, p. 583n, quoted in Walter R. Borneman, ''Polk: The Man Who Transformed the Presidency and America''. New York: Random House, 2008, , p. 299.]
On the other hand, Pillow's friend and patron, President Polk, stated after the court of inquiry was closed: "General Pillow is a gallant and highly meritorious officer, and has been greatly persecuted by General Scott, for no other reason than that he is a Democrat in his politics and was supposed to be my personal and political friend."
Post-war life
Pillow was a Tennessee delegate to the 1850
Nashville Convention {{Events leading to US Civil War
The Nashville Convention was a political meeting held in Nashville, Tennessee, on June 3–11, 1850. Delegates from nine slave states met to consider secession, if the United States Congress decided to ban slavery ...
, which met to consider possible courses of action if the federal government decided to ban slavery in territories acquired and organized as part of
Westward Expansion
The United States of America was created on July 4, 1776, with the U.S. Declaration of Independence of thirteen British colonies in North America. In the Lee Resolution two days prior, the colonies resolved that they were free and independent ...
and the Mexican–American War. Pillow supported compromise, opposing delegates who favored
nullification
Nullification may refer to:
* Nullification (U.S. Constitution), a legal theory that a state has the right to nullify any federal law deemed unconstitutional with respect to the United States Constitution
* Nullification Crisis, the 1832 confron ...
and
secession
Secession is the withdrawal of a group from a larger entity, especially a political entity, but also from any organization, union or military alliance. Some of the most famous and significant secessions have been: the former Soviet republics lea ...
.
Pillow's antagonism for Scott was reflected in the
1852 election for president, when he opposed Scott and supported
Franklin Pierce
Franklin Pierce (November 23, 1804October 8, 1869) was the 14th president of the United States, serving from 1853 to 1857. He was a northern Democrat who believed that the abolitionist movement was a fundamental threat to the nation's unit ...
.
Pillow
attempted to win the vice presidential nomination, which went to
William R. King
William Rufus DeVane King (April 7, 1786 – April 18, 1853) was an American politician and diplomat. He was the 13th vice president of the United States from March 4 until his death in April 1853. Earlier he had served as a U.S. represent ...
.
He intended to be a candidate for
vice president
A vice president, also director in British English, is an officer in government or business who is below the president (chief executive officer) in rank. It can also refer to executive vice presidents, signifying that the vice president is on ...
in
1856
Events
January–March
* January 8 – Borax deposits are discovered in large quantities by John Veatch in California.
* January 23 – American paddle steamer SS ''Pacific'' leaves Liverpool (England) for a transatlantic voy ...
, but supported his brother-in-law
Aaron V. Brown, who lost the nomination to
John C. Breckinridge
John Cabell Breckinridge (January 16, 1821 – May 17, 1875) was an American lawyer, politician, and soldier. He represented Kentucky in both houses of Congress and became the 14th and youngest-ever vice president of the United States. Serving ...
.
In 1857, Pillow tried unsuccessfully to secure the Democratic nomination for a seat in the
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States.
The composition and power ...
.
Pillow supported the candidacy of
Stephen A. Douglas
Stephen Arnold Douglas (April 23, 1813 – June 3, 1861) was an American politician and lawyer from Illinois. A senator, he was one of two nominees of the badly split Democratic Party for president in the 1860 presidential election, which wa ...
in the
presidential election of 1860.
With the election of
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln ( ; February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was an American lawyer, politician, and statesman who served as the 16th president of the United States from 1861 until his assassination in 1865. Lincoln led the nation throu ...
as president, Pillow ultimately supported
secession
Secession is the withdrawal of a group from a larger entity, especially a political entity, but also from any organization, union or military alliance. Some of the most famous and significant secessions have been: the former Soviet republics lea ...
as the will of the majority in Tennessee.
In addition to his law practice and management of the family farm, Pillow engaged in highly profitable land speculation.
By 1860, he was one of the largest landholders in the South and possibly the wealthiest man in Tennessee.
Civil War
Early commands
Pillow joined the
Confederacy just after the start of the Civil War.
Tennessee Governor Isham G. Harris appointed Pillow as the senior major general in the Tennessee Militia and commander of the
Provisional Army of Tennessee as of May 9, 1861.
Pillow worked closely with Harris to develop a regional munitions industry and to create the structure that would become the
Army of Tennessee
The Army of Tennessee was the principal Confederate army operating between the Appalachian Mountains and the Mississippi River during the American Civil War. It was formed in late 1862 and fought until the end of the war in 1865, participating i ...
.
In July 1861, Pillow was appointed
brigadier general
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 ...
in the
Confederate States Army
The Confederate States Army, also called the Confederate Army or the Southern Army, was the military land force of the Confederate States of America (commonly referred to as the Confederacy) during the American Civil War (1861–1865), fighting ...
and was given command of the unit that was briefly called the "Army of Liberation".
Pillow soon came under the command of Major General
Leonidas Polk
Lieutenant-General Leonidas Polk (April 10, 1806 – June 14, 1864) was a bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Louisiana and founder of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the Confederate States of America, which separated from the Episcopal Chur ...
and General
Albert Sidney Johnston
Albert Sidney Johnston (February 2, 1803 – April 6, 1862) served as a general in three different armies: the Texian Army, the United States Army, and the Confederate States Army. He saw extensive combat during his 34-year military career, fi ...
in the
Western Theater.
Polk ordered Pillow to lead a force into Kentucky on September 3, 1861, violating Kentucky's declared "neutrality" and provoking the State and the majority of its citizens to adhere to the Union.
Battle of Belmont
Pillow's first combat was against Union Army Brigadier General Ulysses S. Grant, also in his first battle, at
Belmont, Missouri, in November.
Grant crossed the
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the second-longest river and chief river of the second-largest drainage system in North America, second only to the Hudson Bay drainage system. From its traditional source of Lake Itasca in northern Minnesota, it fl ...
from Cairo, Illinois on the night of November 6, 1861 to demonstrate against Confederate forces in Missouri to keep them occupied while Major General
John C. Fremont
John is a common English name and surname:
* John (given name)
* John (surname)
John may also refer to:
New Testament
Works
* Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John
* First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John
* Second E ...
tried to maintain control of the western part of the State.
[Hurst, Jack. ''Men of Fire: Grant, Forrest, and the Campaign That Decided the Civil War''. New York: Basic Books, 2007. . pp. 43–45.]
Grant decided to attack the small Confederate Camp Johnston at Belmont, Missouri across the river from the Confederate fort at
Columbus, Kentucky
Columbus is a home rule-class city in Hickman County, Kentucky, in the United States. The population was 170 at the 2010 census, a decline from 229 in 2000. The city lies at the western end of the state, less than a mile from the Mississippi Ri ...
.
Pillow, who had left the area with 5,000 men for
Clarksville, Tennessee
Clarksville is the county seat of Montgomery County, Tennessee, United States. It is the fifth-largest city in the state behind Nashville, Memphis, Knoxville, and Chattanooga. The city had a population of 166,722 as of the 2020 United States cen ...
a few hours earlier, was recalled by Polk to confront the attackers.
[Hurst, 2007, p. 46.]
Pillow ordered an assault on the Union force through the woods, giving the Union troops cover from which to push back the Confederates.
Then the Union troops turned to the camp to pillage and celebrate, which Grant attempted to stop by burning the camp.
[Hurst, 2007, p. 47.] Pillow, assisted by Brigadier General
Benjamin F. Cheatham
Benjamin Franklin "Frank" Cheatham (October 20, 1820 – September 4, 1886) was a Tennessee planter, California gold miner, and a general in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. He served in the Army of Tennessee, inflicting ...
, reorganized the Confederates and counterattacked.
The disorganized Union soldiers fled for their gunboats, leaving the
27th Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regiment behind, only to be rescued by boats sent back for that purpose.
The battle is considered a Confederate victory because the Union force withdrew across the river under fire, although it was primarily inconclusive with the Confederate force of about 5,000 men and the Union force of about 3,100 men suffering about the same number of casualties and the armies returning to their original positions.
Nevertheless, Pillow and his command were voted the Thanks of the
Confederate Congress
The Confederate States Congress was both the provisional and permanent legislative assembly of the Confederate States of America that existed from 1861 to 1865. Its actions were for the most part concerned with measures to establish a new nat ...
on December 6, 1861:
Battle of Fort Donelson
Pillow resigned from the Army on December 28, 1861 in a dispute with Major General
Leonidas Polk
Lieutenant-General Leonidas Polk (April 10, 1806 – June 14, 1864) was a bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Louisiana and founder of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the Confederate States of America, which separated from the Episcopal Chur ...
, but he soon realized that this was a rash decision and was able to cancel his resignation by obtaining an order from
Confederate President
The president of the Confederate States was the head of state and head of government of the Confederate States. The president was the chief executive of the federal government and was the commander-in-chief of the Confederate Army and the Confed ...
Jefferson Davis
Jefferson F. Davis (June 3, 1808December 6, 1889) was an American politician who served as the president of the Confederate States from 1861 to 1865. He represented Mississippi in the United States Senate and the House of Representatives as a ...
on February 2, 1862.
When he returned, under direct command of
General
A general officer is an officer of high rank in the armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry.
In some usages the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colonel."general, adj. and n.". OED On ...
Albert Sidney Johnston
Albert Sidney Johnston (February 2, 1803 – April 6, 1862) served as a general in three different armies: the Texian Army, the United States Army, and the Confederate States Army. He saw extensive combat during his 34-year military career, fi ...
rather than under Polk, he was given command at Clarksville, Tennessee.
[Hurst, 2007, p. 195.] Without permission, Pillow began to forward men and supplies to Fort Donelson, a crucial installation protecting the
Cumberland River
The Cumberland River is a major waterway of the Southern United States. The U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, accessed June 8, 2011 river drains almost of southern Kentucky and ...
.
On February 9, Pillow was briefly assigned to command at Fort Donelson and began to make improvements.
[Hurst, 2007, p. 195.] Three additional brigadier generals were assigned to the fort soon thereafter. One,
John B. Floyd
John Buchanan Floyd (June 1, 1806 – August 26, 1863) was the 31st Governor of Virginia, U.S. Secretary of War, and the Confederate general in the American Civil War who lost the crucial Battle of Fort Donelson.
Early family life
John Buch ...
, former
governor of Virginia
The governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia serves as the head of government of Virginia for a four-year term. The incumbent, Glenn Youngkin, was sworn in on January 15, 2022.
Oath of office
On inauguration day, the Governor-elect takes the ...
and
Secretary of War
The secretary of war was a member of the U.S. president's Cabinet, beginning with George Washington's administration. A similar position, called either "Secretary at War" or "Secretary of War", had been appointed to serve the Congress of the ...
under
James Buchanan
James Buchanan Jr. ( ; April 23, 1791June 1, 1868) was an American lawyer, diplomat and politician who served as the 15th president of the United States from 1857 to 1861. He previously served as secretary of state from 1845 to 1849 and repr ...
, outranked Pillow, who found himself displaced as commander and put in the unofficial position of second-in-command.
On February 12, 1862, Union forces under the command of Brigadier General Grant began to arrive near Fort Donelson. On the night of February 14, Floyd and his subordinate commanders decided to try to break out of the fort and escape a likely Union siege before the full Union force could arrive.
[Eicher, 2001, p. 175.] Pillow set forth a plan to surprise the Union force which was accepted. Floyd gave no orders concerning the details of the operations, including the evacuation and order of march, in order to exploit any breakthrough.
As the Battle of Fort Donelson continued into February 15, 1862, under Floyd's order, Pillow took control from the general who was in formal command of the left wing of the army, Brigadier General
Bushrod Johnson
Bushrod Rust Johnson (October 7, 1817 – September 12, 1880) was a Confederate general in the American Civil War and an officer in the United States Army. As a university professor he had been active in the state militias of Kentucky and Tennes ...
, who continued to ably assist Pillow.
Pillow led this wing in a surprise assault with the intention of opening an escape route to relieve the besieged Confederate forces in the fort.
Although the assault against the division of Brigadier General
John A. McClernand
John Alexander McClernand (May 30, 1812 – September 20, 1900) was an American lawyer and politician, and a Union Army general in the American Civil War. He was a prominent Democratic politician in Illinois and a member of the United States ...
was initially successful, Pillow inexplicably decided to pull his men from their advance positions and back into the trenches so that they could be resupplied before their escape, squandering the advances they had fought for so hard that morning.
Floyd and the other generals were furious with Pillow, but it was too late to correct his error, especially because Floyd and Pillow saw Union troop movements and heard false reports about the arrival of substantial Union Army reinforcements.
[Eicher, 2001, p. 176.] Floyd then panicked and ordered all troops back to their trenches.
The Union force then retook the lost ground and the outer defenses of the fort.
At a
council of war
A council of war is a term in military science that describes a meeting held to decide on a course of action, usually in the midst of a battle. Under normal circumstances, decisions are made by a commanding officer, optionally communicated ...
early on the morning of February 16, the generals agreed to surrender their army.
[Eicher, 2001, p. 178] Floyd, who feared prosecution for
treason
Treason is the crime of attacking a state authority to which one owes allegiance. This typically includes acts such as participating in a war against one's native country, attempting to overthrow its government, spying on its military, its diplo ...
if he should be captured, turned command of the army over to Pillow, who had similar concerns and immediately passed command to
Simon Bolivar Buckner
Simon Bolivar Buckner ( ; April 1, 1823 – January 8, 1914) was an American soldier, Confederate combatant, and politician. He fought in the United States Army in the Mexican–American War. He later fought in the Confederate States Army ...
, who had argued that the Confederate position was untenable.
Believing the garrison could hold out long enough to be evacuated by river transport, Pillow still wanted to fight. He finally agreed with the other generals to surrender the fort and garrison, but not himself personally.
Pillow did ask cavalry commander
Nathan Bedford Forrest
Nathan Bedford Forrest (July 13, 1821October 29, 1877) was a prominent Confederate Army general during the American Civil War and the first Grand Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan from 1867 to 1869. Before the war, Forrest amassed substantial wealt ...
, who was determined to escape with his command, to lead Pillow's brigade out as well. Pillow escaped in the night in a small boat across the Cumberland River; Floyd likewise escaped, taking two regiments of his Virginia command with him before Buckner could surrender to Grant.
Forrest inquired of Floyd about Pillow's whereabouts and was told he had already retreated and Forrest was free to follow his own course.
Some historians have judged Ulysses S. Grant as being too rash in his haste to assault Fort Donelson without possessing overwhelming superiority. However, his acquaintance with Gideon Pillow played a key factor in his confidence. As he wrote in his memoirs,
Grant also recalled that, following the surrender of Fort Donelson, he met with his old friend Buckner, who told him of Pillow's escape. At the Confederate council of war the night before, the vain Pillow had expressed concern that his capture would be a disaster for the Southern cause.
"He thought you'd rather get hold of him than any other man in the Southern Confederacy," Buckner told Grant.
[Hamilton, 1968, p. 333.]
"Oh," replied Grant, "if I had got him, I'd let him go again. He will do us more good commanding you fellows."
Suspension and later commands
Pillow assumed command of the 3rd Division of the
Army of Central Kentucky
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 subsect ...
, but was suspended from command by order of Jefferson Davis on April 16 for "grave errors in judgement in the military operations which resulted in the surrender of the army" (at Fort Donelson).
Pillow resigned October 21, 1862 but Confederate President
Jefferson Davis
Jefferson F. Davis (June 3, 1808December 6, 1889) was an American politician who served as the president of the Confederate States from 1861 to 1865. He represented Mississippi in the United States Senate and the House of Representatives as a ...
rescinded the resignation and restored Pillow to command on December 10, 1862.
Pillow commanded a brigade in Major General
John C. Breckinridge
John Cabell Breckinridge (January 16, 1821 – May 17, 1875) was an American lawyer, politician, and soldier. He represented Kentucky in both houses of Congress and became the 14th and youngest-ever vice president of the United States. Serving ...
's division of the
Army of Tennessee
The Army of Tennessee was the principal Confederate army operating between the Appalachian Mountains and the Mississippi River during the American Civil War. It was formed in late 1862 and fought until the end of the war in 1865, participating i ...
, commanded by General
Braxton Bragg
Braxton Bragg (March 22, 1817 – September 27, 1876) was an American army officer during the Second Seminole War and Mexican–American War and Confederate general in the Confederate Army during the American Civil War, serving in the Western ...
, during the third day at the
Battle of Stones River
The Battle of Stones River, also known as the Second Battle of Murfreesboro, was a battle fought from December 31, 1862, to January 2, 1863, in Middle Tennessee, as the culmination of the Stones River Campaign in the Western Theater of the Ame ...
, January 2, 1863, arriving on the battlefield just an hour before Breckinridge's assault. Breckinridge was furious to find Pillow cowering behind a tree and ordered him forward. After the battle, Pillow was one of the few Confederate officers to speak in favor of General Bragg's battlefield decisions, denigrating Breckinridge's execution of the ill-fated assault.
Pillow commanded the Volunteer and Conscription Bureau of the
Army of Tennessee
The Army of Tennessee was the principal Confederate army operating between the Appalachian Mountains and the Mississippi River during the American Civil War. It was formed in late 1862 and fought until the end of the war in 1865, participating i ...
and related recruiting assignments starting January 16, 1863.
Although he had no combat assignments after Stones River, he had a short and unsuccessful field command in June 1864 when he was assigned to disrupt Major General
William Tecumseh Sherman
William Tecumseh Sherman ( ; February 8, 1820February 14, 1891) was an American soldier, businessman, educator, and author. He served as a general in the Union Army during the American Civil War (1861–1865), achieving recognition for his co ...
's communications between
Chattanooga, Tennessee
Chattanooga ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Hamilton County, Tennessee, United States. Located along the Tennessee River bordering Georgia, it also extends into Marion County on its western end. With a population of 181,099 in 2020 ...
and
Atlanta, Georgia during the
Atlanta Campaign.
He then resumed recruiting assignments.
Pillow was the Commissary General of Prisoners for the Confederacy starting February 10, 1865 after the death of Brigadier General
John H. Winder on February 7, 1865.
He was captured by Union forces at
Union Springs, Alabama
Union Springs is a city in and county seat of Bullock County, Alabama, United States. The population was 3,980 at the 2010 census.
History
The area that became Union Springs was first settled by white men after the Creek Indian removal of the ...
, on April 20, 1865, and was paroled in
Montgomery, Alabama
Montgomery is the capital city of the U.S. state of Alabama and the county seat of Montgomery County. Named for the Irish soldier Richard Montgomery, it stands beside the Alabama River, on the coastal Plain of the Gulf of Mexico. In the 2020 ...
, in May.
He received a presidential pardon on August 28, 1865.
Fort Pillow
Fort Pillow on the Mississippi River in Tennessee, the site of the controversial 1864
Battle of Fort Pillow
The Battle of Fort Pillow, also known as the Fort Pillow massacre, was fought on April 12, 1864, at Fort Pillow on the Mississippi River in Henning, Tennessee, during the American Civil War. The battle ended with a massacre of Union soldiers ...
, was constructed by and named for Pillow.
[Tap, Bruce. "Fort Pillow Massacre (12 April 1864)." In ''Encyclopedia of the American Civil War: A Political, Social, and Military History'', edited by David S. Heidler and Jeanne T. Heidler. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2000. . pp. 746–748.]
Postbellum career and death
After the war, Pillow was forced into bankruptcy, but embarked on a successful law practice in
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the County seat, seat of Shelby County, Tennessee, Shelby County in the southwest part of the state; it is situated along the Mississippi River. With a population of 633,104 at the 2020 Uni ...
, as partner with former Governor
Isham G. Harris.
He died October 8, 1878 at age 72 near
Helena, Arkansas
Helena is the eastern portion of Helena–West Helena, Arkansas, a city in Phillips County, Arkansas. It was founded in 1833 by Nicholas Rightor and is named after the daughter of Sylvanus Phillips, an early settler of Phillips County and the ...
in
Phillips County.
Initially buried at Helena,
he was reinterred in
Elmwood Cemetery, Memphis.
See also
*
List of American Civil War generals (Confederate)
Confederate generals
__NOTOC__
* Assigned to duty by E. Kirby Smith
* Incomplete appointments
* State militia generals
The Confederate and United States processes for appointment, nomination and confirmation of general officers were essential ...
*
{{R from move ...
"Pillow, Gideon Johnson." In ''Historical Times Illustrated History of the Civil War'', edited by Patricia L. Faust. New York: Harper & Row, 1986. . p. 585.
*
''Polk: The Man Who Transformed the Presidency and America''. New York: Random House, 2008. .
*
''The Man Who Saved the Union: Ulysses Grant in War and Peace''. New York: Anchor Books, a Division of Random House, 2012. .
* Cheathem, Mark R. "Pillow, Gideon Johnson". In ''Encyclopedia of the American Civil War: A Political, Social, and Military History'', edited by David S. Heidler and Jeanne T. Heidler. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2000. . pp. 1523–1524.
* Cooling, Benjamin Franklin. ''Forts Henry and Donelson: The Key to the Confederate Heartland''. Knoxville: University of Tennessee Press, 1987. .
* Cozzens, Peter. ''No Better Place to Die: The Battle of Stones River''. Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1990. .
*
''The Longest Night: A Military History of the Civil War.'' New York: Simon & Schuster, 2001. .
* Eicher, John H., and
, ''Civil War High Commands.'' Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2001. .
*
''Agent of Destiny: The Life and Times of General Winfield Scott''. New York: Free Press, 1997. .
*
. ''Where the South Lost the War: An Analysis of the Fort Henry-Fort Donelson Campaign, February 1862''. Mechanicsburg, PA: Stackpole Books, 2011. . Originally published 2003.
* Hamilton, James. ''The Battle of Fort Donelson''. South Brunswick, NJ: T. Yoseloff, 1968. .
* Hughes, Nathaniel Cheairs, Jr. ''The Battle of Belmont: Grant Strikes South''. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 1991. .
* Hughes, Nathaniel Cheairs and Roy P. Stonesifer. 1993. ''The Life and Wars of Gideon J. Pillow.'' University of North Carolina Press.
* Hurst, Jack. ''Men of Fire: Grant, Forrest, and the Campaign That Decided the Civil War''. New York: Basic Books, 2007. .
* Johnson, Timothy D. ''Winfield Scott: The Quest for Military Glory''. Lawrence, KS: University Press of Kansas, 1998. .
* Longacre, Edward G. ''General Ulysses S. Grant: The Soldier and the Man''. Cambridge, MA: Da Capo Press, 2006. .
* Sifakis, Stewart. ''Who Was Who in the Civil War''. New York: Facts On File, 1988. .
* Tap, Bruce. ''Fort Pillow Massacre (12 April 1864)''. In ''Encyclopedia of the American Civil War: A Political, Social, and Military History'', edited by David S. Heidler and Jeanne T. Heidler. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2000. . pp. 746–748.
*
''Generals in Gray: Lives of the Confederate Commanders.'' Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1959. .
*Hughes, Nathaniel Cheairs and Roy P. Stonesifer. 1993. ''The Life and Wars of Gideon J. Pillow.'' University of North Carolina Press.