Union General Charles C. Gilbert-- Part 3: At the Battle of Perryville Then Problems

Roadtripping Through History.

Gen. Gilbert was temporarily placed in charged of the corps-sized Army of Kentucky in the absence of the recovering General William "Bull" Nelson.  When the Army of Kentucky became a part of the  Army of the Ohio and redesignated the  III Provisional Corps, Gilbert remained in command.  

Just one week later, Gilbert commanded it at the Battle of Perryville on October 8, 1862.  There, his troops were successful in checking the last Confederate attacks and driving a Confederate brigade back through Perryville.

Even so, Gilbert was criticized for his slow action in the battle and his men generally did not like him, considered him as a martinet.

His appointment to brigadier general was not approved by the  Senate and it expired on  March 4, 1863.  Some officers in the Army, including Carlos Buell's chief of staff, James B. Fry, were surprised to find out Gilbert had not officially been promoted to major general.

Leaving the Volunteer service, Gilbert returned to the regular army and was appointed major in the  19th U.S. Infantry.  He was also brevetted to lieutenant colonel and colonel.

--Old Secesh

Roadtripping with Charles C. Gilbert-- Part 2: Civl War Service

After the Mexican War, he served in Texas for two years before returning to West Point in 1850 as  Assistant Professor of Geography, History and  Ethics and being promoted to first lieutenant on June 10, 1850.  In 1855, now a captain, he returned to Texas and fought the Indians

When the Civil War started, he commanded Fort Cobb in present-day Oklahoma.  Gilbert rejoined his regiment and fought at the Battle of Wilson's Creek where he was wounded.  During the Battle of Shiloh and Siege of Corinth, he was Inspector General of the Army of the Ohio.

During the Confederate  Heartland Offensive, also known as the Kentucky Campaign which led to the Battle of Perryville, Major General  William "Bull" Nelson was wounded at the Battle of Richmond and his Army of Kentucky severely mauled.  Department commander Horatio G. Wright needed to find a replacement for Nelson.

But, the two ranking officers, Generals Charles Cruft and James S. Jackson, refused the promotion.  At their recommendation, Wright promoted Gilbert to fill the vacancy and Gilbert was elevated to acting major general pending the approval of the president.

Several days later, President Abraham Lincoln promoted Gilbert to the rank of brigadier general of U.S. volunteers.  Major General Carlos Buell appointed Gilbert to a corps commander in his Army  of the Ohio, over such generals as  Jeremiah T. Boyle, Jefferson C. Davis and Albin F. Schoeph.  Buell later  denied knowing that Gilbert had not received an official appointment.

Of course, Generals Nelson and Davis were later involved in that shooting incident.

--Old Secesh

Jacob D. Cox-- Part 2: Battles in the East and West

After Fort Sumter, Jacob Cox joined the Union Army to help fulfill Onion's quota of troops.  On April 3, 1861, Cox was appointed a brigadier general of Ohio Volunteers by Governor William Dennison and commanded a training camp near Columbus and later his command fought under Gen. George McClellan in what became West Virginia.

Later, posted to Washington, D.C., it took part in the Antietam Campaign and fought at the Battle of South Mountain September 14, 1862, where corps commander Jesse L. Reno was killed.  Cox took command of the corps and was at the Battle of Antietam.

After that, he commanded several military districts in the North.  Back in the field again, he participated in Sherman's Atlanta Campaign commanding the 3rd Division of the XIII Corps under Gen. John B. Schofield of the Army of the Ohio.  The 3rd Division was very involved in the fighting at the Battle of Utoy Creek on August 6, 1864.

--Old Secesh