Army of the Frontier
Encyclopedia
The Army of the Frontier was a Union
army that served in the Trans-Mississippi Theater during the Civil War
. It fought in several minor engagements in Arkansas
, Indian Territory
, and Kansas
. In June, 1863 the Army was discontinued but many of its regiments were formed into the District of the Frontier.
, James Totten
, 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
in 1862 was the army's finest moment of the war. During the campaign General Schofield was absent in St. Louis, therefore General Blunt assumed temporary command of the army while still personally leading the 1st Division. 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 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.
and was composed of the Indian Territory
, western Arkansas, southwestern Missouri and southern Kansas.
With troops from this district Blunt fought and won the Battle of Honey Springs
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
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
. Thayer's troops were attached to the VII Corps
during the Camden Expedition
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.
http://www.civilwarchronicles.com/commanders.htm
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
army that served in the Trans-Mississippi Theater during the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. It fought in several minor engagements in Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
, Indian Territory
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
, and Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
. In June, 1863 the Army was discontinued but many of its regiments were formed into the District of the Frontier.
Army of the Frontier
The army was created on October 12, 1862, composed of forces from the Dist. 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. BluntJames G. Blunt
James Gillpatrick Blunt was a physician and abolitionist who rose to Union major general during the American Civil War.-Early life & career:...
, James Totten
James Totten
James Totten was a career American soldier who served in the United States Army and retired from active service in 1870 as the Assistant Inspector General...
, and Francis J. Herron
Francis J. Herron
Francis Jay Herron , was a Union general during the American Civil War.-Biography:Francis J. Herron attended the Western University of Pennsylvania, but left at the age of sixteen without completing his degree to become a bank clerk. In 1855, he joined his three brothers in Dubuque, Iowa, where...
.
Units of the army (mostly Blunt's 1st Division) engaged in several small battles early in the war. The Battle of Prairie Grove
Battle of Prairie Grove
The Battle of Prairie Grove was a battle of the American Civil War fought on 7 December 1862, that resulted in a tactical stalemate but essentially secured northwest Arkansas for the Union.-Strategic situation: Union:...
in 1862 was the army's finest moment of the war. During the campaign General Schofield was absent in St. Louis, therefore General Blunt assumed temporary command of the army while still personally leading the 1st Division. Colonel Daniel Huston, Jr.
Daniel Huston, Jr.
Daniel Huston, Jr. was a career soldier in the United States army. Huston served in the infantry in the Regular Army and commanded a volunteer regiment of cavalry during the American Civil War. He retired from the army with the rank of colonel....
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 fought the battle of Chalk Bluff
Battle of Chalk Bluff
The Battle of Chalk Bluff was a land battle of the American world War that took place in Clay County, Arkansas, and Dunklin County, Missouri, on May 1 and May 2, 1863. Brig. Gen. William Vandever, commanding the 2nd Division of the Union Army of the Frontier, was repulsed in an attempt to prevent...
against a Confederate raid under John S. Marmaduke
John S. Marmaduke
John Sappington Marmaduke was a career military man and a West Point graduate. He is known for his service as a Confederate Major general during the American Civil War...
. 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.
Commanders
- General John M. Schofield (October 12, 1862-November 20, 1862)
- General James G. BluntJames G. BluntJames Gillpatrick Blunt was a physician and abolitionist who rose to Union major general during the American Civil War.-Early life & career:...
(November 20, 1862-December 29, 1862) - General John M. Schofield (December 29, 1862-March 30, 1863)
- General Francis J. HerronFrancis J. HerronFrancis Jay Herron , was a Union general during the American Civil War.-Biography:Francis J. Herron attended the Western University of Pennsylvania, but left at the age of sixteen without completing his degree to become a bank clerk. In 1855, he joined his three brothers in Dubuque, Iowa, where...
(March 30, 1863-5 June, 1863)
Major Battles
- Battle of Old Fort WayneBattle of Old Fort WayneThe Battle of Old Fort Wayne was an American Civil War battle on October 22, 1862 in Delaware County in what is now eastern Oklahoma, a part of the Trans-Mississippi Theater....
(Schofield) only Blunt's 1st Division was involved - Battle of Prairie GroveBattle of Prairie GroveThe Battle of Prairie Grove was a battle of the American Civil War fought on 7 December 1862, that resulted in a tactical stalemate but essentially secured northwest Arkansas for the Union.-Strategic situation: Union:...
(Blunt, field command) - Battle of Chalk BluffBattle of Chalk BluffThe Battle of Chalk Bluff was a land battle of the American world War that took place in Clay County, Arkansas, and Dunklin County, Missouri, on May 1 and May 2, 1863. Brig. Gen. William Vandever, commanding the 2nd Division of the Union Army of the Frontier, was repulsed in an attempt to prevent...
(Herron) only Vandever's 2nd Division was involved - Siege of Vicksburg (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 MissouriDepartment of the Missouri
Department of the Missouri was a division of the United States Army that functioned through the American Civil War and the Indian Wars afterwards.-Civil War:...
and was composed of the Indian Territory
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
, western Arkansas, southwestern Missouri and southern Kansas.
With troops from this district Blunt fought and won the Battle of Honey Springs
Battle of Honey Springs
The Battle of Honey Springs was an American Civil War battle, an important victory for Union forces in their efforts to gain control of the Indian Territory. The battle was also unique in the fact that white soldiers were the minority in both forces...
in 1863, but suffered a defeat at Baxter Springs
Battle of Baxter Springs
The Battle of Fort Blair, sometimes called the Fort Baxter Massacre, or the Battle of Fort Baxter was a minor battle of the American Civil War, fought on October 6, 1863, near the present-day town of Baxter Springs, Kansas....
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, Arkansas
Fort Smith is the second-largest city in Arkansas and one of the two county seats of Sebastian County. With a population of 86,209 in 2010, it is the principal city of the Fort Smith, Arkansas-Oklahoma Metropolitan Statistical Area, a region of 298,592 residents which encompasses the Arkansas...
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
John Milton Thayer was a general in the Union Army during the American Civil War and a postbellum United States Senator from Nebraska, as well as governor of Wyoming Territory and governor of Nebraska.-Early life and career:...
. Thayer's troops were attached to the VII Corps
VII Corps (ACW)
Two corps of the Union Army were called VII Corps during the American Civil War.-VII Corps :This corps was established 22 July 1862 from various Union troops stationed in southeastern Virginia. The corps' main combat action occurred in the spring of 1863, when it faced Confederate troops of James...
during the Camden Expedition
Camden Expedition
The Camden Expedition was a military campaign in southern and central Arkansas during the American Civil War. It involved Union forces stationed at Little Rock and Fort Smith under the command of Major General Frederick Steele...
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. BluntJames G. BluntJames Gillpatrick Blunt was a physician and abolitionist who rose to Union major general during the American Civil War.-Early life & career:...
(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 ThayerJohn Milton ThayerJohn Milton Thayer was a general in the Union Army during the American Civil War and a postbellum United States Senator from Nebraska, as well as governor of Wyoming Territory and governor of Nebraska.-Early life and career:...
(January 6, 1864-February 1865) part of the Dept. of Arkansas
Major Battles
- Battle of Honey SpringsBattle of Honey SpringsThe Battle of Honey Springs was an American Civil War battle, an important victory for Union forces in their efforts to gain control of the Indian Territory. The battle was also unique in the fact that white soldiers were the minority in both forces...
(Blunt's district) - Camden ExpeditionCamden ExpeditionThe Camden Expedition was a military campaign in southern and central Arkansas during the American Civil War. It involved Union forces stationed at Little Rock and Fort Smith under the command of Major General Frederick Steele...
(Thayer's district)
Sources
http://www.civilwarhome.com/armyoffrontier.htmhttp://www.civilwarchronicles.com/commanders.htm