James Patton Brownlow
Encyclopedia
James Patton Brownlow was a Union Army
officer during the American Civil War
. Brownlow was the son of East Tennessee Unionist preacher, newspaper publisher and editor, Governor of Tennessee and U.S. Senator "Parson" William G. Brownlow. James P. Brownlow served in several positions in the Union Army, finishing the war as colonel of the 1st Tennessee Volunteer Cavalry Regiment (Union). He was noted for his courage and perceptiveness in battle and keen sense of military tactics. He led several daring raids and attacks. The United States Senate
confirmed the award of the grade of brevet
brigadier general
of volunteers, to rank from March 13, 1865, to Brownlow on March 12, 1866. After the war, he was adjutant general of the State of Tennessee and then a railroad superintendent. He died in 1879 at the age of 36.
. He was the son of preacher, newspaper publisher and editor, Governor of Tennessee and United States Senator "Parson" William G. Brownlow and Eliza (O'Brien) Brownlow. He was the younger brother of Colonel John B. Brownlow, commander of the 9th Regiment of Tennessee Volunteer Cavalry (Union). He had five sisters, Susan, Mary, Annie, Fannie and Caledonia Temple. James Brownlow married Belle Cliffe. They had no children. Brownlow attended Emory and Henry College
in Emory, Virginia
.
after the outbreak of the American Civil War. One source shows Brownlow as a private in the Tennessee militia in 1861.
, as the 4th Tennessee Infantry (Union). In April 1862, the regiment was supposed to become the 1st Regiment of Tennessee Volunteer Cavalry (also shown as the 1st East Tennessee Cavalry Regiment and the 1st Tennessee Cavalry Regiment, {U.S.A.), also at Camp Garber. This transition was delayed until November. James P. Brownlow was elected captain of Company C of the 4th Tennessee Infantry (Union) upon its organization. Robert Johnson, son of former United States Senator, the Military Governor of Tennessee and later President of the United States
Andrew Johnson
, was the regiment's first colonel
. On April 30, 1862, the regiment became part of Brigadier General James G. Spears's brigade of Brigadier General
George W. Morgan's
7th Division of the Army of the Ohio
. At this time, it continued to operate as the 4th Tennessee Infantry. On July 30, 1862, Major General
Don Carlos Buell
declined Military Governor of Tennessee Andrew Johnson's request to mount the regiment. The regiment had been participating in Brigadier General George W. Morgan's Cumberland Gap Campaign
and was camped near the gap until Morgan had to withdraw in September 1862.
Brownlow had shown his leadership during this campaign and while on guard duty in Virginia
east of the gap. On August 1, 1862, Brownlow became lieutenant colonel of the regiment. On September 17, 1862, General Morgan abandoned Cumberland Gap because Confederate forces were converging on his men and they were in danger of being cut off from supplies and reinforcements. They retreated to Ohio, harassed by Confederate cavalry much of the way. On November 1, 1862, the designation of the regiment was finally changed to 1st Regiment of Tennessee Volunteer Cavalry. In January 1863, the regiment moved to Nashville, Tennessee
to begin operations in their home state.
On February 1, 1863, Lt. Colonel Brownlow led the regiment on a scout to Franklin, Tennessee
, 18 miles (29 km) south of Nashville, where his regiment inflicted some casualties, took some prisoners and quickly returned to Nashville. In late February, Brownlow led a reconnaissance to Triune, Tennessee
21 miles (33.8 km) southeast of Nashville after being temporarily assigned as the only cavalry regiment in Brigadier General James B. Steedman's
division. The 1st Tennessee took about 100 prisoners and cleared the area sufficiently so that the division could spend until June 1863 encamped at Triune. The regiment skirmished with Confederates camped nearby all winter and often took prisoners during these skirmishes.
organized the Cavalry Corps of the Army of the Cumberland
. Brigadier General Robert B. Mitchell commanded the corps, Colonel (later Brigadier General) Edward M. McCook
commanded the First Division and Colonel A. P. Campbell commanded the 1st Brigade, to which the 1st Tennessee Volunteer Cavalry Regiment was assigned. In that month, Major General William Rosecrans
, began the Tullahoma Campaign which forced the Confederates to abandon that town and retreat to Chattanooga. Brownlow's regiment covered the retreat of the Union Army to Chattanooga after the Battle of Chickamauga
, September 19–20, 1863.
On September 30, 1863, Confederate Major General Joseph Wheeler
began a ride around the Union Army in an effort to cut their communications and supplies in support of Confederate General Braxton Bragg's
siege of Chattanooga. Brownlow's regiment joined in the pursuit of Wheeler's force, riding over three hundred miles in eight days. A few days later, on October 12, 1863, Campbell's brigade made an attack at nightfall in the rain on Confederate Brigadier General Philip D. Roddey's Division, which soon disengaged and moved to a camp away from the battlefield. The regiment removed to Winchester, Tennessee
to rest and re-equip. Them on November 25, 1863, the 1st Tennessee Cavalry engaged the Confederate 25th Tennessee Infantry Regiment and Confederate guerillas at Sparta, Tennessee
, eventually driving them off. In early December, they were joined by the other regiments of their brigade.
was threatened by the corps of Confederate Lieutenant General James Longstreet
, which had been detached from General Braxton Bragg's
army. On December 15, the division reached Knoxville and McCook allowed the 1st Tennessee Cavalry to be the first regiment to enter the home town of Colonel Brownlow and many of the men. Burnside had just been relieved as commander of the Union forces at Knoxville by Brigadier General John G. Foster
. Longstreet's attack on Knoxville had been repulsed on November 29, 1863 and he moved his force into upper east Tennessee to camp for the winter. McCook's division pursued Longstreet. On December 24, 1863, Campbell's brigade and an artillery battery were ordered to attack a Confederate force at Dandridge, Tennessee
. The Confederates had left Dandridge and taken up a position about 4 miles (6.4 km) to the east at Hays Ferry where the 1st Tennessee Cavalry became heavily engaged in support of Colonel Garrard's cavalry brigade from the Army of the Ohio. During the day, the regiment lost 11 killed and 7 wounded before it withdrew to New Market, Tennessee.
On November 16, 1863, Brigadier General Washington Lafayette Elliott
replaced Major General David S. Stanley
as Chief of Cavalry of the Army of the Cumberland. When McCook's division moved to Knoxville, Brigadier General Samuel D. Sturgis
of the Army of the Ohio took command of the division because he had taken command of all cavalry operating in East Tennessee on December 15, 1863.
On December 29, 1863, Brigadier General Sturgis learned that a brigade of Confederate cavalry had moved to Dandridge and sent most of the cavalry opposite Confederate Lieutenant General Longstreet's encampment to destroy it. He left only Campbell's brigade to hold the camp and valley at Mossy Creek
, Tennessee. Campbell positioned his regiments and three cannons of Lilly's battery which had not been sent on the mission to Dandridge in the valley. A large Confederate force moved to attack Campbell's regiments, which fell back because they were outnumbered. Then, Colonel Campbell ordered the 1st Tennessee Cavalry to charge the Confederates on the right of a brick house, a prominent feature on the field. The 1st Tennessee Cavalry made the charge and halted the advance of the entire Confederate line while the 2d Michigan Cavalry, which was fighting dismounted, staggered the Confederate line with rifle fire. Campbell then again ordered his advance regiments to fall back and take a position near Lilly's battery and the 9th Pennsylvania Cavalry, fighting as they moved back. Despite Colonel Campbell's misgivings, Colonel Brownlow assumed responsibility of ordering a saber charge on the advancing Confederate line of battle. The charge drove the Confederates back and the 1st Tennessee took 26 prisoners. However, they in turn were forced back by the superior number of Confederate attackers. The outnumbered Union force was reinforced at a critical moment and together with the reinforcements, Campbell's men forced the Confederates from the field. The 1st Tennessee Cavalry suffered 9 killed and 9 wounded in the battle.
, the Union forces withdrew to Knoxville. After a brief expedition to fight Native Americans
(Indians) and guerrillas from North Carolina in Cocke County, Tennessee, Colonels Brownlow and Palmer with about one thousand men of the 1st Tennessee Cavalry, 15th Pennsylvania Cavalry and 10th Ohio Cavalry held the army's right wing, watching for arrival of a Confederate force reportedly approaching East Tennessee from North Carolina. Confederate Brigadier General William T. Martin
marched his army across the country from Dandridge and went into camp near Fair Garden, Tennessee. This unexpected movement of Longstreet's cavalry made it necessary to push forward the divisions of McCook and Wolford from Knoxville to support the right wing. Late in the afternoon of January 26, 1864, the Confederates under General Martin were discovered advancing toward Sevierville, Tennessee
on the Fair Garden road. McCook's division was ordered to meet this force. Campbell's brigade moved to strike the Confederates behind the east fork of Pigeon River
but after an artillery duel, nightfall halted the engagement.
In the renewed engagement of January 27, 1864, as nightfall approached, Colonel Brownlow became separated from his men while pursuing Confederates who had been driven from the field. Brownlow was taken prisoner. He hid his grade (rank) and identity from his captors, claiming to be a private, and managed to bribe a guard with a gold watch to permit him to escape. His men were greatly relieved when he returned to camp the next day. Then, the Union troops fell back to Sevierville and on January 29, 1864, the Union cavalry went into camp at Maryville, Tennessee
, 16 miles (25.7 km) south of Knoxville.
to rejoin the Army of the Cumberland and to go into camp at that location until May. At Cleveland, the 8th Iowa Cavalry replaced the 9th Pennsylvania Cavalry in the First Brigade of the First Division of the Cavalry Corps of the Army of the Cumberland. On May 3, 1864, the brigade left Cleveland to take part in the Atlanta Campaign
. During sharp skirmishing and maneuvering in early May 1864, the 1st Tennessee Cavalry took an important position at Potato Hill. A campaign of maneuver and probing operations had begun. On May 26, 1864, the 1st Tennessee Cavalry took 72 prisoners and captured a courier with orders detailing Confederate General Joseph E. Johnston's
next move. On June 3, 1865, Colonel Brownlow led his men on a charge which drove back a Confederate force holding a high hill at Acworth, Georgia
. Brownlow's men kept possession of the hill which was then occupied by Union Army artillery and called "Brownlow's Hill" in honor of the 1st Tennessee Cavalry's commander. The regiment continued to move forward, skirmishing and occupying positions closer to Atlanta. By June 15, 1864, they had reached Lost Mountain, near Kennesaw Mountain
, Georgia and fought a sharp engagement just to get inside the Confederate first line of defense. On June 18, 1864, the 1st Tennessee Cavalry drove Confederate forces back to within 5 miles (8 km) of Marietta, Georgia
. In an assault on Kennesaw Mountain on June 27, 1865, where Colonel Daniel McCook, Jr.
, cousin of cavalry division commander Edward M. McCook, was mortally wounded.
On July 4, 1864, General Johnston pulled his forces back over the Chattahoochee River
and had almost all the ferry boats for miles in either direction destroyed. The fords were impassable because of heavy spring rains. McCook's division remained near Soap Creek guarding the ferries. They exchanged gunfire from time to time with Confederates occupying rifle pits on the other side of the Chattahoochee. On July 9, 1864, Brownlow's men were ordered to dislodge them and attempted to do so at a supposed ford near Power's Ferry. They found the river impassable. Colonel Joseph Dorr of the 8th Iowa Cavalry Regiment, acting commander of the brigae, arrived on the scene and ordered Brownlow to complete the mission. Brownlow then devised one of the most unusual raids of the Civil War, if not in all military history. He had most of his men keep up a steady fire from their side of the shore while he led a squad of nine men to a point about 1 miles (1.6 km) upstream where they put their guns and cartridge boxes on a small wooden raft and swam naked across the Chattahoochee. Leaving one man to guard the raft, Brownlow led his naked men through the woods. As they somewhat painfully proceeded without shoes or other clothing for cover, Brownlow ordered them to "cuss low" so as not to give themselves away. When they reached the Confederate positions, they emerged, clothed only with cartridge boxes, screaming and shooting. The scene so startled the Confederate defenders that most of them immediately fled into the woods, leaving 12 men to be taken prisoner. After swimming back across the river, Brownlow's men expressed even more admiration for their commander who was willing to share the hardships and dangers of the mission and not just to order others to carry out the unusual and uncomfortable task.
On July 9, 1864, General Johnston pulled back to Peachtree Creek
and the Union forces soon crossed the Chattahoochee River near Power's Ferry. On July 17, 1864, Confederate General John B. Hood relieved General Joseph E. Johnston of command of the Confederate forces defending Atlanta. Hood attacked the Union Army positions several times and suffered numerous casualties over the next several days before taking a more defensive posture.
On July 25, 1864, the commander of the Atlanta Campaign, Union Major General
William T. Sherman ordered General McCook to lead a raid south of Atlanta toward Fayetteville, Gerogia with the objective of destroying 2 miles (3.2 km) to 5 miles (8 km) of the Atlanta and West Point Railroad, Macon and Western Railroad
and telegraph lines. Union Brigadier General George Stoneman
, whose division was to participate in the raid. also wanted to free the Union Army prisoners at the Andersonville, Georgia
and Macon, Georgia
prisoner of war camps. McCook led 5,000 men against the Atlanta and Western and Stoneman led 3,500 men against the Macon and Western. On July 27, 1864, McCook moved his division back across the Chattahoochee River and then around to the south. Now part of Brigadier General John T. Croxton's
brigade, the 1st Tennessee Cavalry reached Palmetto Station, Georgia and about 3:00 p.m. and began to destroy telegraph facilities, the depot and supplies. By 9:00 pm., the force moved toward Lovejoy Station, Georgia, which they reached by dawn the next morning. Then, the 1st Tennessee Cavalry captured a 500–wagon train and turned it over to the rear guard to be destroyed. By 7:00 p.m., the regiment began to destroy facilities at Lovejoy Station. General McCook waited until 2:00 p.m. in an effort to communicate with General Stoneman and, failing to hear from Stoneman, McCook left just as Confederate Major General Joseph Wheeler's cavalry approached. Wheeler's men cut off Croxton's brigade and the brigade, including the 1st Tennessee Cavalry, had to fight their way out, taking several casualties.
The brigade reached Newnan, Georgia
about 10:00 a.m. on July 30, 1864 and started to destroy the Atlanta and Western Railroad and telegraph facilities. McCook soon found his division confronted by a larger force of Confederate cavalry and infantry. Even after driving the Confederates back, McCook's men were nearly surrounded. McCook called his commanders together and discussed the possibility of surrender. Brownlow said he would be "damned if he would surrender" because Southern Unionists were treated worse by the Confederates that Northerners. Brownlow led the brigade in an effort to escape with Croxton coming with him. McCook headed for Marietta by another route. The brigade was scattered and Brownlow took command of those with him. He found a small bridge and an escape route from the imminent battle and his remaining force got ahead of the Confederate pursuers. They reached the Chattahoochee River at Rotherwood about 1:00 a.m. on July 31 and started crossing in two small canoes. Some troopers swam the river with their horses and Brownlow swam back and forth several times to help men across. About 200 to 300 men had made the river crossing when Confederates appeared and began to attack and take many of the exhausted and surprised men as prisoners. Many of those who had gotten across the river could not get their horses across and the group was still about 75 miles (120.7 km) from Marietta so they were at greater risk of being captured. Brownlow and a small group of men from several regiments got to Marietta on August 1 and others began to arrive on August 2. Many of McCook's men straggled into Marietta by August 10 but Stoneman and several hundred of his men were captured trying to free the Union prisoners at Macon. Thus, Colonel Brownlow briefly commanded the first brigade of the first division of the Army of the Cumberland from July 30, 1864 to August 12, 1864. This was during the period of the escape of the brigade from being nearly surrounded at Newnan and the soldiers straggling back to Marietta.
and were raiding into Tennessee. Croxton's men moved out of Nashville on the night of August 31, 1864. Colonel Brownlow's regiment was ordered to take the advance. On September 1, 1864, the 1st Tennessee Cavalry engaged men of Wheeler's force who were trying to destroy the railroad near Lavergne, Tennessee. Wheeler was able to do little damage to the Nashville and Chattanooga Railroad and so he turned his attention to the Nashville and Decatur Railroad at Franklin, Tennessee
. Croxton's brigade arrived at Franklin just ahead of Wheeler. Brownlow's men dismounted and reached the crest of a hill just before Wheeler's men arrived at the same place. Brownlow was wounded in both thighs while leading his men into the Confederate force. Brownlow had to be carrier from the field and almost bled to death before surgeons saved him. From this time until April 1865, the regiment was commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Calvin M. Dyer. Croxton drew his men back but Wheeler was forced to withdraw when Union infantry arrived at the battle. On September 5, Wheeler began to withdraw into Alabama. Atlanta fell to Sherman's forces while Croxton's men were at Nashville and Franklin.
The 1st Tennessee Cavalry carried on from this date without Colonel Brownlow and had several more engagements or operations. As the war wound down to a conclusion, the 1st Tennessee Cavalry made a reconnaissance from Waterloo, Alabama as far as Corinth, Mississippi starting on January 27, 1865. They returned to Nashville on February 10, 1865 where they remained until mustered out on June 14, 1865, having recently been rejoined by Colonel Brownlow.
Andrew Johnson
nominated Brownlow for the award of the honorary grade of brevet
brigadier general
of volunteers, to rank from March 13, 1865. The United States Senate
confirmed the award on March 12, 1866.
After the war, James P. Brownlow became adjutant general
of the State of Tennessee after the election of his father as governor of Tennessee. He wrote: Report of the Adjutant General of the State of Tennessee of the Military Forces of the State from 1861 to 1866. In December 1866, Brownlow received an appointment at the grade of captain in the 8th United States Cavalry Regiment of the Regular Army. He delayed reporting because of his State duties and ultimately resigned in 1868 because he was posted to California and did not wish to be that far from Tennessee. His occupations thereafter included railroad superintendent for the Knoxville and Kentucky Railroad, farmer and printer. Brownlow died at Knoxville, Tennessee
on April 26, 1879, aged 36. He is buried in Rest Haven Cemetery, Franklin, Tennessee
.
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
officer during the American 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...
. Brownlow was the son of East Tennessee Unionist preacher, newspaper publisher and editor, Governor of Tennessee and U.S. Senator "Parson" William G. Brownlow. James P. Brownlow served in several positions in the Union Army, finishing the war as colonel of the 1st Tennessee Volunteer Cavalry Regiment (Union). He was noted for his courage and perceptiveness in battle and keen sense of military tactics. He led several daring raids and attacks. The United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
confirmed the award of the grade of brevet
Brevet (military)
In many of the world's military establishments, brevet referred to a warrant authorizing a commissioned officer to hold a higher rank temporarily, but usually without receiving the pay of that higher rank except when actually serving in that role. An officer so promoted may be referred to as being...
brigadier general
Brigadier general (United States)
A brigadier general in the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, is a one-star general officer, with the pay grade of O-7. Brigadier general ranks above a colonel and below major general. Brigadier general is equivalent to the rank of rear admiral in the other uniformed...
of volunteers, to rank from March 13, 1865, to Brownlow on March 12, 1866. After the war, he was adjutant general of the State of Tennessee and then a railroad superintendent. He died in 1879 at the age of 36.
Early life
James Patton Brownlow was born on December 14, 1842 in Jonesborough, TennesseeJonesborough, Tennessee
Jonesborough is a town in and the county seat of Washington County, Tennessee, in the southeastern United States. The population was 4,168 at the 2000 census...
. He was the son of preacher, newspaper publisher and editor, Governor of Tennessee and United States Senator "Parson" William G. Brownlow and Eliza (O'Brien) Brownlow. He was the younger brother of Colonel John B. Brownlow, commander of the 9th Regiment of Tennessee Volunteer Cavalry (Union). He had five sisters, Susan, Mary, Annie, Fannie and Caledonia Temple. James Brownlow married Belle Cliffe. They had no children. Brownlow attended Emory and Henry College
Emory and Henry College
Emory & Henry College, known as E&H, Emory, or the College, is a private liberal arts college located in Emory, Virginia, United States. The campus comprises of Washington County, Virginia, which is part of the mountain region of Southwest Virginia...
in Emory, Virginia
Emory, Virginia
Emory is a census-designated place in Washington County, Virginia, United States. The population was 1,251 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Kingsport–Bristol –Bristol Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is a component of the Johnson City–Kingsport–Bristol, TN-VA...
.
American Civil War
In accord with his father and a majority of the residents of Eastern Tennessee, James P. Brownlow remained loyal to the UnionUnion (American Civil War)
During the American Civil War, the Union was a name used to refer to the federal government of the United States, which was supported by the twenty free states and five border slave states. It was opposed by 11 southern slave states that had declared a secession to join together to form the...
after the outbreak of the American Civil War. One source shows Brownlow as a private in the Tennessee militia in 1861.
Organization; Cumberland Gap campaign, Nashville, Triune
Brownlow's regiment was first organized in November 1861 at Camp Garber near Flat Lick, KentuckyKentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
, as the 4th Tennessee Infantry (Union). In April 1862, the regiment was supposed to become the 1st Regiment of Tennessee Volunteer Cavalry (also shown as the 1st East Tennessee Cavalry Regiment and the 1st Tennessee Cavalry Regiment, {U.S.A.), also at Camp Garber. This transition was delayed until November. James P. Brownlow was elected captain of Company C of the 4th Tennessee Infantry (Union) upon its organization. Robert Johnson, son of former United States Senator, the Military Governor of Tennessee and later President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Andrew Johnson
Andrew Johnson
Andrew Johnson was the 17th President of the United States . As Vice-President of the United States in 1865, he succeeded Abraham Lincoln following the latter's assassination. Johnson then presided over the initial and contentious Reconstruction era of the United States following the American...
, was the regiment's first colonel
Colonel (United States)
In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, colonel is a senior field grade military officer rank just above the rank of lieutenant colonel and just below the rank of brigadier general...
. On April 30, 1862, the regiment became part of Brigadier General James G. Spears's brigade of Brigadier General
Brigadier general (United States)
A brigadier general in the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, is a one-star general officer, with the pay grade of O-7. Brigadier general ranks above a colonel and below major general. Brigadier general is equivalent to the rank of rear admiral in the other uniformed...
George W. Morgan's
George W. Morgan
George Washington Morgan was an American soldier, lawyer, politician, and diplomat. He fought in the Texas Revolution and the Mexican-American War, and was a general in the Union Army during the American Civil War...
7th Division of the Army of the Ohio
Army of the Ohio
The Army of the Ohio was the name of two Union armies in the American Civil War. The first army became the Army of the Cumberland and the second army was created in 1863.-History:...
. At this time, it continued to operate as the 4th Tennessee Infantry. On July 30, 1862, Major General
Major general (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Marine Corps, and United States Air Force, major general is a two-star general-officer rank, with the pay grade of O-8. Major general ranks above brigadier general and below lieutenant general...
Don Carlos Buell
Don Carlos Buell
Don Carlos Buell was a career United States Army officer who fought in the Seminole War, the Mexican-American War, and the American Civil War. Buell led Union armies in two great Civil War battles—Shiloh and Perryville. The nation was angry at his failure to defeat the outnumbered...
declined Military Governor of Tennessee Andrew Johnson's request to mount the regiment. The regiment had been participating in Brigadier General George W. Morgan's Cumberland Gap Campaign
Battle of the Cumberland Gap (June 1862)
The June 1862 capture of the Cumberland Gap was a Union victory during the American Civil War leading to Union occupation of the Cumberland Gap for three months.-Background:...
and was camped near the gap until Morgan had to withdraw in September 1862.
Brownlow had shown his leadership during this campaign and while on guard duty in Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
east of the gap. On August 1, 1862, Brownlow became lieutenant colonel of the regiment. On September 17, 1862, General Morgan abandoned Cumberland Gap because Confederate forces were converging on his men and they were in danger of being cut off from supplies and reinforcements. They retreated to Ohio, harassed by Confederate cavalry much of the way. On November 1, 1862, the designation of the regiment was finally changed to 1st Regiment of Tennessee Volunteer Cavalry. In January 1863, the regiment moved to Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
to begin operations in their home state.
On February 1, 1863, Lt. Colonel Brownlow led the regiment on a scout to Franklin, Tennessee
Franklin, Tennessee
Franklin is a city within and the county seat of Williamson County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 62,487 as of the 2010 census Franklin is located approximately south of downtown Nashville.-History:...
, 18 miles (29 km) south of Nashville, where his regiment inflicted some casualties, took some prisoners and quickly returned to Nashville. In late February, Brownlow led a reconnaissance to Triune, Tennessee
Triune, Tennessee
Triune is an unincorporated community in eastern Williamson County, Tennessee, United States, approximately halfway between Franklin and Murfreesboro. The community is located along the Wilson Branch of the Harpeth River and at the intersection of Tennessee State Route 96 and the concurrency of U.S...
21 miles (33.8 km) southeast of Nashville after being temporarily assigned as the only cavalry regiment in Brigadier General James B. Steedman's
James B. Steedman
James Blair Steedman was an American soldier, printer, and politician. He also served during the American Civil War as a general in the Union Army, most noted for his performances at the Battle of Chickamauga in 1863 and the Battle of Nashville in 1864.-Early life and career:Steedman was born in...
division. The 1st Tennessee took about 100 prisoners and cleared the area sufficiently so that the division could spend until June 1863 encamped at Triune. The regiment skirmished with Confederates camped nearby all winter and often took prisoners during these skirmishes.
Promotion, Tullahoma, Chickamauga, Chattanooga
On May 31, 1863, Colonel Johnson resigned due to "ill health" and Brownlow was immediately promoted to colonel of the 1st Regiment of Tennessee Volunteer Cavalry (Union). In June 1863, Major General David S. StanleyDavid S. Stanley
David Sloane Stanley was a Union Army officer during the American Civil War and a recipient of America's highest military decoration, the Medal of Honor, for his actions at the Battle of Franklin.-Early life:...
organized the Cavalry Corps of the Army of the Cumberland
Army of the Cumberland
The Army of the Cumberland was one of the principal Union armies in the Western Theater during the American Civil War. It was originally known as the Army of the Ohio.-History:...
. Brigadier General Robert B. Mitchell commanded the corps, Colonel (later Brigadier General) Edward M. McCook
Edward M. McCook
Edward Moody McCook was a lawyer, politician, distinguished Union cavalry general in the American Civil War, American diplomat, and Governor of the Territory of Colorado. He was a member of the famed "Fighting McCook" family of Ohio...
commanded the First Division and Colonel A. P. Campbell commanded the 1st Brigade, to which the 1st Tennessee Volunteer Cavalry Regiment was assigned. In that month, Major General William Rosecrans
William Rosecrans
William Starke Rosecrans was an inventor, coal-oil company executive, diplomat, politician, and United States Army officer. He gained fame for his role as a Union general during the American Civil War...
, began the Tullahoma Campaign which forced the Confederates to abandon that town and retreat to Chattanooga. Brownlow's regiment covered the retreat of the Union Army to Chattanooga after the Battle of Chickamauga
Battle of Chickamauga
The Battle of Chickamauga, fought September 19–20, 1863, marked the end of a Union offensive in southeastern Tennessee and northwestern Georgia called the Chickamauga Campaign...
, September 19–20, 1863.
On September 30, 1863, Confederate Major General Joseph Wheeler
Joseph Wheeler
Joseph Wheeler was an American military commander and politician. He has the rare distinction of serving as a general during war time for two opposing forces: first as a noted cavalry general in the Confederate States Army in the 1860s during the American Civil War, and later as a general in the...
began a ride around the Union Army in an effort to cut their communications and supplies in support of Confederate General Braxton Bragg's
Braxton Bragg
Braxton Bragg was a career United States Army officer, and then a general in the Confederate States Army—a principal commander in the Western Theater of the American Civil War and later the military adviser to Confederate President Jefferson Davis.Bragg, a native of North Carolina, was...
siege of Chattanooga. Brownlow's regiment joined in the pursuit of Wheeler's force, riding over three hundred miles in eight days. A few days later, on October 12, 1863, Campbell's brigade made an attack at nightfall in the rain on Confederate Brigadier General Philip D. Roddey's Division, which soon disengaged and moved to a camp away from the battlefield. The regiment removed to Winchester, Tennessee
Winchester, Tennessee
Winchester is a city in and the county seat of Franklin County, Tennessee, United States. It is part of the Tullahoma, Tennessee Micropolitan Statistical Area.- History :...
to rest and re-equip. Them on November 25, 1863, the 1st Tennessee Cavalry engaged the Confederate 25th Tennessee Infantry Regiment and Confederate guerillas at Sparta, Tennessee
Sparta, Tennessee
Sparta is a city in White County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 4,599 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of White County. It was the hometown of Lester Flatt of the bluegrass music legends Flatt and Scruggs.-Geography:...
, eventually driving them off. In early December, they were joined by the other regiments of their brigade.
Knoxville campaign
On December 7, 1863, McCook's First Division of the Army of the Cumberland Cavalry Corps headed for Knoxville where the Union garrison under Major General Ambrose BurnsideAmbrose Burnside
Ambrose Everett Burnside was an American soldier, railroad executive, inventor, industrialist, and politician from Rhode Island, serving as governor and a U.S. Senator...
was threatened by the corps of Confederate Lieutenant General James Longstreet
James Longstreet
James Longstreet was one of the foremost Confederate generals of the American Civil War and the principal subordinate to General Robert E. Lee, who called him his "Old War Horse." He served under Lee as a corps commander for many of the famous battles fought by the Army of Northern Virginia in the...
, which had been detached from General Braxton Bragg's
Braxton Bragg
Braxton Bragg was a career United States Army officer, and then a general in the Confederate States Army—a principal commander in the Western Theater of the American Civil War and later the military adviser to Confederate President Jefferson Davis.Bragg, a native of North Carolina, was...
army. On December 15, the division reached Knoxville and McCook allowed the 1st Tennessee Cavalry to be the first regiment to enter the home town of Colonel Brownlow and many of the men. Burnside had just been relieved as commander of the Union forces at Knoxville by Brigadier General John G. Foster
John G. Foster
John Gray Foster was a career military officer in the United States Army and a Union general during the American Civil War whose most distinguished services were in North and South Carolina. A postbellum expert in underwater demolition, he wrote the definitive treatise on the subject.-Early...
. Longstreet's attack on Knoxville had been repulsed on November 29, 1863 and he moved his force into upper east Tennessee to camp for the winter. McCook's division pursued Longstreet. On December 24, 1863, Campbell's brigade and an artillery battery were ordered to attack a Confederate force at Dandridge, Tennessee
Dandridge, Tennessee
Dandridge is a town in Jefferson County, Tennessee, United States. It is the county seat of Jefferson County. It is part of the Morristown, Tennessee Metropolitan Statistical Area....
. The Confederates had left Dandridge and taken up a position about 4 miles (6.4 km) to the east at Hays Ferry where the 1st Tennessee Cavalry became heavily engaged in support of Colonel Garrard's cavalry brigade from the Army of the Ohio. During the day, the regiment lost 11 killed and 7 wounded before it withdrew to New Market, Tennessee.
On November 16, 1863, Brigadier General Washington Lafayette Elliott
Washington Lafayette Elliott
Washington Lafayette Elliott was a Brigadier General in the Union Army during the American Civil War. He led a division of IV Corps at the Battle of Nashville in 1864. In 1866, he was awarded the honorary grade of brevet major general, U.S. Army.-Early life and career:Elliott was born on March...
replaced Major General David S. Stanley
David S. Stanley
David Sloane Stanley was a Union Army officer during the American Civil War and a recipient of America's highest military decoration, the Medal of Honor, for his actions at the Battle of Franklin.-Early life:...
as Chief of Cavalry of the Army of the Cumberland. When McCook's division moved to Knoxville, Brigadier General Samuel D. Sturgis
Samuel D. Sturgis
Samuel Davis Sturgis was an American military officer who served in the Mexican-American War, as a Union general in the American Civil War, and later in the Indian Wars.-Early life:...
of the Army of the Ohio took command of the division because he had taken command of all cavalry operating in East Tennessee on December 15, 1863.
On December 29, 1863, Brigadier General Sturgis learned that a brigade of Confederate cavalry had moved to Dandridge and sent most of the cavalry opposite Confederate Lieutenant General Longstreet's encampment to destroy it. He left only Campbell's brigade to hold the camp and valley at Mossy Creek
Battle of Mossy Creek
The Battle of Mossy Creek was a minor battle of the American Civil War, occurring on December 29, 1863, in Jefferson County, Tennessee.Union Brig. Gen. Samuel D...
, Tennessee. Campbell positioned his regiments and three cannons of Lilly's battery which had not been sent on the mission to Dandridge in the valley. A large Confederate force moved to attack Campbell's regiments, which fell back because they were outnumbered. Then, Colonel Campbell ordered the 1st Tennessee Cavalry to charge the Confederates on the right of a brick house, a prominent feature on the field. The 1st Tennessee Cavalry made the charge and halted the advance of the entire Confederate line while the 2d Michigan Cavalry, which was fighting dismounted, staggered the Confederate line with rifle fire. Campbell then again ordered his advance regiments to fall back and take a position near Lilly's battery and the 9th Pennsylvania Cavalry, fighting as they moved back. Despite Colonel Campbell's misgivings, Colonel Brownlow assumed responsibility of ordering a saber charge on the advancing Confederate line of battle. The charge drove the Confederates back and the 1st Tennessee took 26 prisoners. However, they in turn were forced back by the superior number of Confederate attackers. The outnumbered Union force was reinforced at a critical moment and together with the reinforcements, Campbell's men forced the Confederates from the field. The 1st Tennessee Cavalry suffered 9 killed and 9 wounded in the battle.
Fair Garden capture and escape
After the Battle of Mossy CreekBattle of Mossy Creek
The Battle of Mossy Creek was a minor battle of the American Civil War, occurring on December 29, 1863, in Jefferson County, Tennessee.Union Brig. Gen. Samuel D...
, the Union forces withdrew to Knoxville. After a brief expedition to fight Native Americans
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
(Indians) and guerrillas from North Carolina in Cocke County, Tennessee, Colonels Brownlow and Palmer with about one thousand men of the 1st Tennessee Cavalry, 15th Pennsylvania Cavalry and 10th Ohio Cavalry held the army's right wing, watching for arrival of a Confederate force reportedly approaching East Tennessee from North Carolina. Confederate Brigadier General William T. Martin
William T. Martin
William Thompson Martin was an American lawyer and politician who became a Confederate States Army general of cavalry during the American Civil War.-Biography:...
marched his army across the country from Dandridge and went into camp near Fair Garden, Tennessee. This unexpected movement of Longstreet's cavalry made it necessary to push forward the divisions of McCook and Wolford from Knoxville to support the right wing. Late in the afternoon of January 26, 1864, the Confederates under General Martin were discovered advancing toward Sevierville, Tennessee
Sevierville, Tennessee
Sevierville is a city in Sevier County, Tennessee, located in the Southeastern United States. Its population was 11,757 at the 2000 United States Census; in 2004 the estimated population was 14,101. Sevierville is the county seat of Sevier County, Tennessee....
on the Fair Garden road. McCook's division was ordered to meet this force. Campbell's brigade moved to strike the Confederates behind the east fork of Pigeon River
Pigeon River
The Pigeon River may refer to:* Pigeon River , between Minnesota, USA and Ontario, Canada in North America*One of four rivers named the Pigeon River in Michigan, USA...
but after an artillery duel, nightfall halted the engagement.
In the renewed engagement of January 27, 1864, as nightfall approached, Colonel Brownlow became separated from his men while pursuing Confederates who had been driven from the field. Brownlow was taken prisoner. He hid his grade (rank) and identity from his captors, claiming to be a private, and managed to bribe a guard with a gold watch to permit him to escape. His men were greatly relieved when he returned to camp the next day. Then, the Union troops fell back to Sevierville and on January 29, 1864, the Union cavalry went into camp at Maryville, Tennessee
Maryville, Tennessee
Maryville is the county seat of Blount County, Tennessee, in the Southeastern United States. The city is located south of Knoxville. Maryville's population was 27,258 at the 2010 census. It is included in the Knoxville Metropolitan Area. Maryville has received a number of accolades for its...
, 16 miles (25.7 km) south of Knoxville.
Atlanta campaign; McCook's raid
On February 10, 1864, McCook's division left for Cleveland, TennesseeCleveland, Tennessee
Cleveland is a city in Bradley County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 41,285 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Bradley County...
to rejoin the Army of the Cumberland and to go into camp at that location until May. At Cleveland, the 8th Iowa Cavalry replaced the 9th Pennsylvania Cavalry in the First Brigade of the First Division of the Cavalry Corps of the Army of the Cumberland. On May 3, 1864, the brigade left Cleveland to take part in the Atlanta Campaign
Atlanta Campaign
The Atlanta Campaign was a series of battles fought in the Western Theater of the American Civil War throughout northwest Georgia and the area around Atlanta during the summer of 1864. Union Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman invaded Georgia from the vicinity of Chattanooga, Tennessee, beginning in May...
. During sharp skirmishing and maneuvering in early May 1864, the 1st Tennessee Cavalry took an important position at Potato Hill. A campaign of maneuver and probing operations had begun. On May 26, 1864, the 1st Tennessee Cavalry took 72 prisoners and captured a courier with orders detailing Confederate General Joseph E. Johnston's
Joseph E. Johnston
Joseph Eggleston Johnston was a career U.S. Army officer, serving with distinction in the Mexican-American War and Seminole Wars, and was also one of the most senior general officers in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War...
next move. On June 3, 1865, Colonel Brownlow led his men on a charge which drove back a Confederate force holding a high hill at Acworth, Georgia
Acworth, Georgia
Acworth is a city in Cobb County, Georgia, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 20,425. Acworth is located in the foothills of the North Georgia mountains along the southeastern banks of Lake Acworth and Lake Allatoona on the Etowah River.Acworth's nickname is "The...
. Brownlow's men kept possession of the hill which was then occupied by Union Army artillery and called "Brownlow's Hill" in honor of the 1st Tennessee Cavalry's commander. The regiment continued to move forward, skirmishing and occupying positions closer to Atlanta. By June 15, 1864, they had reached Lost Mountain, near Kennesaw Mountain
Kennesaw Mountain
Kennesaw Mountain is a high-running ridge between Marietta and Kennesaw, Georgia in the United States with a summit elevation of . It is the highest point in the core metro Atlanta area, and fifth after further-north exurban counties are considered...
, Georgia and fought a sharp engagement just to get inside the Confederate first line of defense. On June 18, 1864, the 1st Tennessee Cavalry drove Confederate forces back to within 5 miles (8 km) of Marietta, Georgia
Marietta, Georgia
Marietta is a city located in central Cobb County, Georgia, United States, and is its county seat.As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 56,579, making it one of metro Atlanta's largest suburbs...
. In an assault on Kennesaw Mountain on June 27, 1865, where Colonel Daniel McCook, Jr.
Daniel McCook, Jr.
Daniel McCook, Jr. , one of the famed Fighting McCooks, was a brigade commander in the Union Army who was mortally wounded in the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain, Georgia, during the American Civil War.-Early life:...
, cousin of cavalry division commander Edward M. McCook, was mortally wounded.
On July 4, 1864, General Johnston pulled his forces back over the Chattahoochee River
Chattahoochee River
The Chattahoochee River flows through or along the borders of the U.S. states of Georgia, Alabama, and Florida. It is a tributary of the Apalachicola River, a relatively short river formed by the confluence of the Chattahoochee and Flint Rivers and emptying into Apalachicola Bay in the Gulf of...
and had almost all the ferry boats for miles in either direction destroyed. The fords were impassable because of heavy spring rains. McCook's division remained near Soap Creek guarding the ferries. They exchanged gunfire from time to time with Confederates occupying rifle pits on the other side of the Chattahoochee. On July 9, 1864, Brownlow's men were ordered to dislodge them and attempted to do so at a supposed ford near Power's Ferry. They found the river impassable. Colonel Joseph Dorr of the 8th Iowa Cavalry Regiment, acting commander of the brigae, arrived on the scene and ordered Brownlow to complete the mission. Brownlow then devised one of the most unusual raids of the Civil War, if not in all military history. He had most of his men keep up a steady fire from their side of the shore while he led a squad of nine men to a point about 1 miles (1.6 km) upstream where they put their guns and cartridge boxes on a small wooden raft and swam naked across the Chattahoochee. Leaving one man to guard the raft, Brownlow led his naked men through the woods. As they somewhat painfully proceeded without shoes or other clothing for cover, Brownlow ordered them to "cuss low" so as not to give themselves away. When they reached the Confederate positions, they emerged, clothed only with cartridge boxes, screaming and shooting. The scene so startled the Confederate defenders that most of them immediately fled into the woods, leaving 12 men to be taken prisoner. After swimming back across the river, Brownlow's men expressed even more admiration for their commander who was willing to share the hardships and dangers of the mission and not just to order others to carry out the unusual and uncomfortable task.
On July 9, 1864, General Johnston pulled back to Peachtree Creek
Peachtree Creek
Peachtree Creek is a major stream in Atlanta. It flows for almost due west into the Chattahoochee River just south of Vinings. Like other "Peachtree" names in the area, the name is most likely a corruption of "pitch tree", from the area's many pines and their sticky sap.Peachtree Creek is an...
and the Union forces soon crossed the Chattahoochee River near Power's Ferry. On July 17, 1864, Confederate General John B. Hood relieved General Joseph E. Johnston of command of the Confederate forces defending Atlanta. Hood attacked the Union Army positions several times and suffered numerous casualties over the next several days before taking a more defensive posture.
On July 25, 1864, the commander of the Atlanta Campaign, Union Major General
Major general (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Marine Corps, and United States Air Force, major general is a two-star general-officer rank, with the pay grade of O-8. Major general ranks above brigadier general and below lieutenant general...
William T. Sherman ordered General McCook to lead a raid south of Atlanta toward Fayetteville, Gerogia with the objective of destroying 2 miles (3.2 km) to 5 miles (8 km) of the Atlanta and West Point Railroad, Macon and Western Railroad
Macon and Western Railroad
The Macon & Western Railroad was originally chartered as the Monroe Railroad and Banking Company in December, 1833. It was not until 1838 that it opened for business with a line from Macon, Georgia to Forsyth. It was extended to Griffin in 1842...
and telegraph lines. Union Brigadier General George Stoneman
George Stoneman
George Stoneman, Jr. was a career United States Army officer, a Union cavalry general in the American Civil War, and the 15th Governor of California between 1883 and 1887.-Early life:...
, whose division was to participate in the raid. also wanted to free the Union Army prisoners at the Andersonville, Georgia
Andersonville, Georgia
Andersonville is a city in Sumter County, Georgia, United States. The population was 331 at the 2000 census . It is located in the southwest part of the state, about southwest of Macon, Georgia on the Central of Georgia railroad...
and Macon, Georgia
Macon, Georgia
Macon is a city located in central Georgia, US. Founded at the fall line of the Ocmulgee River, it is part of the Macon metropolitan area, and the county seat of Bibb County. A small portion of the city extends into Jones County. Macon is the biggest city in central Georgia...
prisoner of war camps. McCook led 5,000 men against the Atlanta and Western and Stoneman led 3,500 men against the Macon and Western. On July 27, 1864, McCook moved his division back across the Chattahoochee River and then around to the south. Now part of Brigadier General John T. Croxton's
John T. Croxton
John Thomas Croxton was an attorney, a general in the Union Army during the American Civil War, and a postbellum U.S. diplomat.-Early life and career:...
brigade, the 1st Tennessee Cavalry reached Palmetto Station, Georgia and about 3:00 p.m. and began to destroy telegraph facilities, the depot and supplies. By 9:00 pm., the force moved toward Lovejoy Station, Georgia, which they reached by dawn the next morning. Then, the 1st Tennessee Cavalry captured a 500–wagon train and turned it over to the rear guard to be destroyed. By 7:00 p.m., the regiment began to destroy facilities at Lovejoy Station. General McCook waited until 2:00 p.m. in an effort to communicate with General Stoneman and, failing to hear from Stoneman, McCook left just as Confederate Major General Joseph Wheeler's cavalry approached. Wheeler's men cut off Croxton's brigade and the brigade, including the 1st Tennessee Cavalry, had to fight their way out, taking several casualties.
The brigade reached Newnan, Georgia
Newnan, Georgia
Newnan is a city in Coweta County, Georgia, about 30 miles southwest of Atlanta. The population was 16,242 at the 2000 Census. Newnan is one of the fastest growing cities in Georgia, with an estimated population of 27,097 in 2006 and 33,293 in July 2008...
about 10:00 a.m. on July 30, 1864 and started to destroy the Atlanta and Western Railroad and telegraph facilities. McCook soon found his division confronted by a larger force of Confederate cavalry and infantry. Even after driving the Confederates back, McCook's men were nearly surrounded. McCook called his commanders together and discussed the possibility of surrender. Brownlow said he would be "damned if he would surrender" because Southern Unionists were treated worse by the Confederates that Northerners. Brownlow led the brigade in an effort to escape with Croxton coming with him. McCook headed for Marietta by another route. The brigade was scattered and Brownlow took command of those with him. He found a small bridge and an escape route from the imminent battle and his remaining force got ahead of the Confederate pursuers. They reached the Chattahoochee River at Rotherwood about 1:00 a.m. on July 31 and started crossing in two small canoes. Some troopers swam the river with their horses and Brownlow swam back and forth several times to help men across. About 200 to 300 men had made the river crossing when Confederates appeared and began to attack and take many of the exhausted and surprised men as prisoners. Many of those who had gotten across the river could not get their horses across and the group was still about 75 miles (120.7 km) from Marietta so they were at greater risk of being captured. Brownlow and a small group of men from several regiments got to Marietta on August 1 and others began to arrive on August 2. Many of McCook's men straggled into Marietta by August 10 but Stoneman and several hundred of his men were captured trying to free the Union prisoners at Macon. Thus, Colonel Brownlow briefly commanded the first brigade of the first division of the Army of the Cumberland from July 30, 1864 to August 12, 1864. This was during the period of the escape of the brigade from being nearly surrounded at Newnan and the soldiers straggling back to Marietta.
Nashville, wounded during Wheeler's raid at Franklin, end of the war
By August 12, Brigadier General Croxton was back and in command of the brigade. He was ordered to turn his brigade's remaining horses over to the other brigades and to take his men to Nashville for refitting. Soon after they arrived in Nashville and were refitted, Croxton's brigade had to face Confederate Major General Joseph Wheeler's force which had detached from the main Confederate Army of TennesseeArmy 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 in most of the significant battles in the Western Theater...
and were raiding into Tennessee. Croxton's men moved out of Nashville on the night of August 31, 1864. Colonel Brownlow's regiment was ordered to take the advance. On September 1, 1864, the 1st Tennessee Cavalry engaged men of Wheeler's force who were trying to destroy the railroad near Lavergne, Tennessee. Wheeler was able to do little damage to the Nashville and Chattanooga Railroad and so he turned his attention to the Nashville and Decatur Railroad at Franklin, Tennessee
Franklin, Tennessee
Franklin is a city within and the county seat of Williamson County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 62,487 as of the 2010 census Franklin is located approximately south of downtown Nashville.-History:...
. Croxton's brigade arrived at Franklin just ahead of Wheeler. Brownlow's men dismounted and reached the crest of a hill just before Wheeler's men arrived at the same place. Brownlow was wounded in both thighs while leading his men into the Confederate force. Brownlow had to be carrier from the field and almost bled to death before surgeons saved him. From this time until April 1865, the regiment was commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Calvin M. Dyer. Croxton drew his men back but Wheeler was forced to withdraw when Union infantry arrived at the battle. On September 5, Wheeler began to withdraw into Alabama. Atlanta fell to Sherman's forces while Croxton's men were at Nashville and Franklin.
The 1st Tennessee Cavalry carried on from this date without Colonel Brownlow and had several more engagements or operations. As the war wound down to a conclusion, the 1st Tennessee Cavalry made a reconnaissance from Waterloo, Alabama as far as Corinth, Mississippi starting on January 27, 1865. They returned to Nashville on February 10, 1865 where they remained until mustered out on June 14, 1865, having recently been rejoined by Colonel Brownlow.
Aftermath
On January 13, 1866, President of the United StatesPresident of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Andrew Johnson
Andrew Johnson
Andrew Johnson was the 17th President of the United States . As Vice-President of the United States in 1865, he succeeded Abraham Lincoln following the latter's assassination. Johnson then presided over the initial and contentious Reconstruction era of the United States following the American...
nominated Brownlow for the award of the honorary grade of brevet
Brevet (military)
In many of the world's military establishments, brevet referred to a warrant authorizing a commissioned officer to hold a higher rank temporarily, but usually without receiving the pay of that higher rank except when actually serving in that role. An officer so promoted may be referred to as being...
brigadier general
Brigadier general (United States)
A brigadier general in the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, is a one-star general officer, with the pay grade of O-7. Brigadier general ranks above a colonel and below major general. Brigadier general is equivalent to the rank of rear admiral in the other uniformed...
of volunteers, to rank from March 13, 1865. The United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
confirmed the award on March 12, 1866.
After the war, James P. Brownlow became adjutant general
Adjutant general
An Adjutant General is a military chief administrative officer.-Imperial Russia:In Imperial Russia, the General-Adjutant was a Court officer, who was usually an army general. He served as a personal aide to the Tsar and hence was a member of the H. I. M. Retinue...
of the State of Tennessee after the election of his father as governor of Tennessee. He wrote: Report of the Adjutant General of the State of Tennessee of the Military Forces of the State from 1861 to 1866. In December 1866, Brownlow received an appointment at the grade of captain in the 8th United States Cavalry Regiment of the Regular Army. He delayed reporting because of his State duties and ultimately resigned in 1868 because he was posted to California and did not wish to be that far from Tennessee. His occupations thereafter included railroad superintendent for the Knoxville and Kentucky Railroad, farmer and printer. Brownlow died at Knoxville, Tennessee
Knoxville, Tennessee
Founded in 1786, Knoxville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Tennessee, U.S.A., behind Memphis and Nashville, and is the county seat of Knox County. It is the largest city in East Tennessee, and the second-largest city in the Appalachia region...
on April 26, 1879, aged 36. He is buried in Rest Haven Cemetery, Franklin, Tennessee
Franklin, Tennessee
Franklin is a city within and the county seat of Williamson County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 62,487 as of the 2010 census Franklin is located approximately south of downtown Nashville.-History:...
.