Poor Cantey: The Mediocre Brigade Commander

Brigadier General James Cantey

       James Cantey was born in South Carolina in 1818. He graduated from South Carolina College and became an attorney. He also served in the South Carolina state legislature. Cantey fought in the Mexican War and was wounded there. Following the war with Mexico, Cantey moved to Alabama and became a planter in Russell County. 

A photograph of Cantey during his Mexican War days

       He helped raise the 15th Alabama Infantry and became its first colonel. His brigade was sent to Virginia and placed in the brigade of the division of the ever aggressive Isaac Trimble. There he participated in Stonewall Jackson's Valley Campaign. His best day occurred at the Battle of Cross Keys. There he repulsed the Federal attack and drove them back for a mile before being halted. 

       Cantey was then ordered to Richmond where they joined Robert E. Lee's army in defending the Confederate capital. They saw very little action in the Battle of the Seven Days. Cantey then received orders to return to Alabama. He returned to command a brigade of three Alabama regiment's and one Mississippi regiment. He also obtained a promotion to brigadier general to rank from January 8, 1863. He spent most of his time in the defenses of Mobile. He commanded a division of three brigades in August of 1863, but didn't receive a promotion to major general. During the winter of 1863-1864, his brigade was assigned to the Army of Tennessee in northern Georgia. 

       When Sherman sent Major General James McPherson to flank the Confederate army under Joseph Johnston, the brigade he encountered at Resaca belonged to James Cantey. Cantey had 4,000 defenders against McPherson's entire army of 23,000 men. McPherson became concerned that he was facing a larger force and withdrew. When it was over, Sherman told his close friend McPherson, "Well, Mac, you have missed the opportunity of your life." Had he not been such a close personal friend, Sherman would have sacked him. 

       During the battle, a Georgia soldier noted that Cantey was so nervous that he remained in a bombproof during the entire affair. The soldier called him "poor Cantey." Cantey served with his brigade when his health allowed him. Some state that he should never have attempted to serve in the war because of his feeble health. He missed most of the rest of the war, but arrived in North Carolina in time to surrender his command in 1865. 

       After the war, he returned to Alabama where he became a farmer. He died in Fort Mitchell in 1874 and rests there today in a small family cemetery. Historian Jeffry D. Wert labeled Cantey a mediocre brigade commander. 

Me and Jerry at the grave of James Cantey

After The War by David Hardin: A Book Review

       I'm just finishing up reading the book After The War by David Hardin. I can truly say this has been one enjoyable book. I could hardly put it down. He goes through several of the major figures lives following the Civil War. The first chapter is an excellent one on the life of Winnie Davis, the Daughter of the Confederacy. I found it fascinating how even Jubal Early thought it was his business who Winnie married. 

       The second chapter is about Tom Sherman, General Sherman's son. Tom became a priest in the Catholic Church and this upset Cump Sherman to no end. He never forgave his wife for pushing religion on his son. Ironically the book I just finished was Grant's Last Victory by Charles Flood and there was a chapter that dealt with Grant's last days in this book. A great chapter was about Mary Boydkin Chesnut and there was a chapter dealing with General John Bell Hood and General Nathan Bedford Forrest. Mary Todd Lincoln, Joseph E. Johnston, Robert E. Lee, George H. Thomas, George Custer and his wife are all covered in this book. 

       Hardin is a great writer and story teller. I found I didn't agree with all of his opinions regarding certain things, but overall I would strongly recommend his book. I bought my copy at Books-A-Million. The only problem with a good book like this one is the fact that I zip through it so fast, I'm having to go purchase another.   

Myth of Nathan Bedford Forrest: A book review

Myth of Forrest by Ashdown and Caudill

       I just finished the book The Myth of Nathan Bedford Forrest by Paul Ashdown and Edward Caudill. I've read so many books on that war that I didn't recognize the authors names. The writing was very familiar to me. It reminded me of another book I'd read on a famous personality of the Civil War. After reading over half the book, it finally dawned on me who these two authors were. 

       Both Ashdown and Caudill are professors of journalism at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. They wrote the book The Mosby Myth reflecting on the life of John Singleton Mosby. Like the Mosby book, I was a bit disappointed about their writing. Both books speculate on what may or may not be correct in the present stories pertaining to Forrest and Mosby's lives. 

The Wizard of the Saddle

       Somethings they say make sense, but other things seemed to frustrate me. When they didn't have the facts to back up their claims, they simply cast doubt on the story. The biggest thing that frustrates me with the book is the fact that they continued to return to the same fact over and over. Nathan Bedford Forrest was a racist. Again, you have two people writing history from today's perspective. To be a fair historian, one cannot compare past values with present values. If the writers wanted to be fair to Forrest, they would have talked more about the belief system of all white people during that time period, not just Forrest's. Instead, they spend chapter after chapter attempting to compare Forrest to Greek myths. At one point, they even wonder if Forrest was a military genius. Maybe, both men should leave the historical writing to the historians and just concentrate on their specialty which happens to be journalism. 

       Let's compare the racist Forrest to other famous people of that war. Ulysses Grant, William Sherman, and David Porter all three ranted against the Jews. On December 17, 1862, Grant passed an order preventing Jews from passing into his lines. Sherman actually said that Africans (I will not use his word for the black race here), Mexicans, Indians, and Jews were all inferior to the white race. In 1859, Sherman wrote his wife, "the n____ here must of necessity remain slaves...damn the n____."

       Let's not stop with three of the most famous commanders on the Northern side of that war, let's see what the President of the United States had to say. The following are the words of Abraham Lincoln, also known as the 'Great Emancipator'. 

       Lincoln in 1858: "I as much as any other man am in favor of having the superior position assigned to the white races."

       Lincoln in 1859: "Negro equality! Fudge! How long, in the government of a God, great enough to make and maintain this universe, shall there continue knaves to vend, and fools to gulp, so low a piece of demagogism as this."

       Lincoln to a black audience in 1862: "I think your race suffer very greatly, many of them by living among us, while ours suffers from your presence."

       There is more and more that can be added by Lincoln, Andrew Johnson, Ulysses Grant, Sherman, and others as they rant about the superiority of the white race. What do you think would happen today if Romney was to say any of the above quotes? A good historian doesn't take today's values and apply them to times long ago.

John Gregg: The Confederate General who kept sticking his neck out

John Gregg

       John Gregg was born in Lawrence County, Alabama in 1828. He obtained a college education at Lagrange College in Franklin County (now Colbert County), Alabama. He studied law in Tuscumbia and then moved to Fairfield, Texas where he practiced law and became a district judge at the age of 28. 

       In 1858, Gregg returned to Alabama, traveling to Morgan County where he married Mary Francis Garth. Mary's father was Jesse Winston Garth, who owned hundreds of slaves and his personal property was worth 150,000 dollars. It would be equal to 3.9 million dollars in todays money. Jesse Garth was a strong Unionist and stated that he would gladly give up all his wealth to maintain the Union. 

       John Gregg returned to Texas with his new bride and continued his law practice. When the war began, Gregg was worth over 13,000 dollars. It was equal to 355,000 dollars in todays money. 

       He and his father-in-law would never agree on the secession issue. Gregg would serve as a member of the Texas secession convention and voted to take the state out of the Union. 

       Gregg would be elected to the Confederate Congress and travel to Montgomery, Alabama and later to Richmond, Virginia when the capital was moved there. Longing for active duty, he resigned his seat in congress in August of 1861 and returned to Texas. He organized the 7th Texas Infantry Regiment and was made the colonel commanding the unit. 

John Gregg's piercing eyes

       The 7th Texas was sent across the Mississippi River and stationed at Fort Donelson. Gregg and his men were surrendered there in February of 1862. He was sent to Fort Warren in Boston, Massachusetts. He was held there for six months until exchanged in August of 1862. 

       Upon his release, President Davis promoted Gregg to brigadier general. He was sent to Mississippi where he commanded a brigade consisting of his 7th Texas, 1st, 30th, 41st, and 50th Tennessee Infantry regiments. He and his brigade helped repel the assault made by Sherman at Chickasaw Bayou. Sherman lost over 1100 men compared to less than 200 Confederate casualties.

       At the Battle of Raymond, Gregg's brigade faced a Union force under McPherson that was about 12,000 strong. Gregg's brigade had 4,000 men engaged. He was then pulled back to Jackson, Mississippi by General Joseph E. Johnston where he saw action before Johnston retreated from the town. 

Raymond battlefield

        After the fall of Vicksburg his brigade was sent to Braxton Bragg's army in Georgia. At the battle of Chickamauga, Gregg's brigade was assigned to Longstreet's Corps. His men were part of the force that broke the Federal army. During the fighting there, Gregg was shot in the neck and left for dead. His body was robbed by Federal soldiers. He recovered despite the severe wound and was rewarded by Longstreet for his part of the battle. Longstreet placed Gregg in command of Hood's old Texas Brigade. 

Brigadier General John Gregg

       He was a perfect fit for this brigade. The man even favored John Bell Hood in appearance. He was repeatedly commended for his bravery under fire from the Wilderness to Petersburg. During the siege of Petersburg, General Robert E. Lee sent Gregg north of the James River to drive the Federals from in front of Richmond. On October 7, 1864, he led his men against a Federal position fortified with abatis. The Union soldiers were armed with Spencer repeating rifles. Gregg's men actually penetrated the Federal lines, but Gregg was shot in the neck again and killed. His second in command was shot in the shoulder and wounded. The attack quickly fell apart. 

       John Gregg's body lay in state in the Confederate Capital. His men loved him so much that Lee granted their request to escort his body to Hollywood Cemetery for burial. His wife traveled to Richmond to retrieve his body and upon reaching the Confederate Capital she suffered a nervous breakdown. She recovered a month later and carried her husband back to Aberdeen, Mississippi where her father owned land. He was buried in Odd Fellows Cemetery there. 

Grave of John Gregg

Inscription on Gregg's Tombstone

Headstone at Gregg's Grave

       John Gregg was described as a rugged and unrelenting fighter, without personal fear. He was also called pugnacious in battle. The man was a very capable brigade commander and probably would have made a bold division commander if given the chance. He was 36 years old. Gregg County, Texas was named in his honor. 

John Gregg bust at the courthouse in Gregg County, Texas

The “Bloody” Sixth Mississippi at Shiloh

          The 6th Mississippi Infantry Regiment was made up of men from Rankin, Quitman, Leake, Scott, Copiah, and Simpson counties. From Corinth they were ordered to carry five days rations and 100 rounds per man. The regiment arrived at Shiloh with only 425 men. There, they would fight in Patrick Cleburne’s brigade. 

They were in the front line attacking the Federal army near Shiloh Church in a small field known as Rhea Field. Camped there was the 53rd Ohio Infantry under Colonel Jesse Appler. The Federal soldiers were in a good position on the high ground behind their tents. The 23rd Tennessee Infantry was advancing alongside of the 6th Mississippi. All together they numbered about a thousand men. 

As the two regiments advanced from the tree line into the open, Appler’s Ohio infantry opened a devastating fire. Both Confederate regiments quickly withdrew into the cover of the forest. The 23rd Tennessee broke completely and the officers were unable to reform them. This left the 6th Mississippi to face twice their numbers alone. Colonel Thornton would pick up the colors when the color bearer went down and in turn fall severely wounded. Seven color bearer’s would be wounded in the attack at Rhea Field. 

Major Robert Lowry

Major Robert Lowry would take command and lead the 6th on another charge. He would fall with two wounds at the head of the regiment. As this charge soon died away, Colonel Appler of the 53rd Ohio panicked. He yelled, “Every man for himself!” He quickly showed them the way by turning and racing toward Pittsburg Landing. Most of the 53rd Ohio followed his example. 

Of the 425 men that went into Rhea Field, only sixty would be present to answer roll call following the fight. After the battle, when they returned to Corinth, they would only muster 100 men. The rest were either killed, wounded or missing. 

Colonel Thornton would be forced to resign his commission because of his wounds. Major Robert Lowry would survive his two wounds and later be promoted to brigadier general. He would fight through the rest of the war and surrender in Greensboro, North Carolina in 1865. But, from April 6, 1862 forward, the 6th Mississippi would become known as the “Bloody Sixth”.

The burial trench above contains the remains of many of the men of the 6th Mississippi Infantry listed below.

Burkholder, Abraham, Private; killed at Shiloh
Chandler, Wade, Private; killed at Shiloh
Miller, W. D., Private; killed at Shiloh
Myers, Isaac, Private; killed at Shiloh
Ennis, J., Private; killed at Shiloh
Strong, Claiborne F., Private; killed at Shiloh
Hall, W. A., Private; 4th Corporal; killed at Shiloh
Henry, D. F., Private; killed at Shiloh
West, H., Private, 3rd Corporal; killed at Shiloh
Childers, J. W., Private; killed at Shiloh
Cook, J. W., Private; killed at Shiloh
Derrick, Silas H., Private; wounded mortally in lungs at Shiloh
Reeves, W., Private; killed at Shiloh
Hix, Josiah, Private; killed at Shiloh
Whitehead, J., Private; killed at Shiloh
Owen, Gus Roland, Private; killed at Shiloh
James, James M., Private; killed at Shiloh
Willis, Thomas H., Lieutenant; killed at Shiloh
McLendon, Elias, Private; killed at Shiloh
Gordon, Stephen, Private; killed at Shiloh
Webb, J. M., Private; wounded mortally both legs and arms at Shiloh