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| Leonidas Polk (National Archives) |
Allegiance: CSA
Rank: Lieutenant General
Age: 57
State of Origin: North Carolina
Command: Polk's Corps, Army of Tennessee
Biography:
Leonidas Polk was a Lieutenant General in the Confederate Army and led troops in several engagements of the western theater of the American Civil War. A graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, Polk resigned his commission shortly after graduation to enter the ministry. Upon learning of the outbreak of war in 1861, Polk left his church in Louisiana and volunteered his services to his friend, Jefferson Davis and the Confederacy. Polk was immediately given the rank of Major General, despite his lack of military experience. His seemingly undeserved rank combined with his relationship with Jefferson Davis alienated Polk from many senior officers in the Confederate Army, including his immediate superior, Braxton Bragg. One of Polk’s first actions of the war resulted in Kentucky, which had initially declared neutrality in the war, joining the Union forces against the Confederacy. In the following months Polk fought in the Battles of Belmont, Shiloh, Perryville and Stones River.
Following the Tullahoma Campaign, Polk and the rest of the Army of Tennessee engaged Federal forces near Chickamauga Creek in September, 1863. Polk was in command of the right wing of the army during the battle and led a disastrous nighttime attack on Union troops that resulted in little but confusion and senseless casualties due to friendly fire. At dawn on the morning of the second day of the battle, Polk was responsible for beginning a surprise attack. Due to a miscommunication, Polk’s forces did not react in time, resulting costly delay. By the time that Polk attacked, the Federals had prepared defensive positions and were not overrun as they most likely would have been if the attack had gone as planned, though they were eventually defeated. Despite the successful outcome,Bragg would later blame Polk’s failure to attack in time as for the Confederate’s lack of a decisive victory in the battle.
Leonidas Polk was a Lieutenant General in the Confederate Army and led troops in several engagements of the western theater of the American Civil War. A graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, Polk resigned his commission shortly after graduation to enter the ministry. Upon learning of the outbreak of war in 1861, Polk left his church in Louisiana and volunteered his services to his friend, Jefferson Davis and the Confederacy. Polk was immediately given the rank of Major General, despite his lack of military experience. His seemingly undeserved rank combined with his relationship with Jefferson Davis alienated Polk from many senior officers in the Confederate Army, including his immediate superior, Braxton Bragg. One of Polk’s first actions of the war resulted in Kentucky, which had initially declared neutrality in the war, joining the Union forces against the Confederacy. In the following months Polk fought in the Battles of Belmont, Shiloh, Perryville and Stones River.
Following the Tullahoma Campaign, Polk and the rest of the Army of Tennessee engaged Federal forces near Chickamauga Creek in September, 1863. Polk was in command of the right wing of the army during the battle and led a disastrous nighttime attack on Union troops that resulted in little but confusion and senseless casualties due to friendly fire. At dawn on the morning of the second day of the battle, Polk was responsible for beginning a surprise attack. Due to a miscommunication, Polk’s forces did not react in time, resulting costly delay. By the time that Polk attacked, the Federals had prepared defensive positions and were not overrun as they most likely would have been if the attack had gone as planned, though they were eventually defeated. Despite the successful outcome,Bragg would later blame Polk’s failure to attack in time as for the Confederate’s lack of a decisive victory in the battle.
Author: Sam Doss, January 27, 2015
Further Reading: Steven E. Woodworth, Six Armies in Tennessee: The Chickamauga and Chattanooga Campaigns. Bison Books, 1999.
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