Brig. Gen. F.M. Cockrell

[shenandoah]

Brig. Gen. Francis Marion Cockrell (b.1834 - d.1915) He was born in Warrensburg, Missouri on October 1, 1834. He studied law and in 1855, he passed the bar and began practicing in Warrensburg. He joined the 3rd Infantry, 8th Div., Missouri State Guard as a private during the beginning of the war and quickly rose to Captain of G Company by June 1861.During that year, he fought in the battles of Carthage, Wilson’s Creek and Lexington. In January of 1862, he became Capt of Company H, 2nd Regiment, 1st Missouri Brigade, Army of the West commanded by Major Gen. Earl Van Dorn. Then on March 7-8, 1862, he fought in the battle at Pea Ridge, Arkansas in Maj. Gen Sterling Price’s Division. One of the few battles where a brigade (Brig. Gen. Albert Pike’s Indian Brigade) of Native Americans fought for the Confederacy. After the defeat, the Army of the West, now commanded by Price went to the Mississippi where Cockrell was now the Colonel of the 2nd Missouri Inf. Reg. during the Ioka – 2nd Corinth – Hatchie Bridge Campaign of Sept-Oct of 1862 He and the army fought against Maj. Gen. William Rosecrans and his Army of the Mississippi. During the beginning of the Vicksburg Campaign, at the battle of Champion Hill, he lead the 1st Missouri Brigade on a gallant charge that repelled the Union. However, without any support, he was unable to hold the ground he had taken. The brigade was forced to withdraw and would fight later at Big Black River Bridge. Then he proceeded to Vicksburg to prepare for the siege. Lt. Gen. Pemberton surrendered Vicksburg in July and Cockrell was part of the prisoners. Later, he was paroled along with the rest of the Confederates. After the death of Gen. Bowen, Cockrell became the brigade commander. He was promoted to Brig. Gen. in 1863 and went on to fight in the Atlanta Campaign of 1864 under the command of Gen. Johnston and Gen. Hood. On Nov. 30, 1864, he was part of the battle of Franklin where he was wounded and had two horses shot out from under him but survived Hood’s futile attacks. The war came to an end for Cockrell and his brigade on April 9, 1865 at Fort Blakely, Alabama. He was paroled in May and returned to Missouri to practice law. In 1874, he was elected U.S. Senator where he remained for five terms. President T. Roosevelt appointed him as a member to the Interstate Commerce Committee in 1905 and served until 1910. He then became a member of the civilian board of ordnance at the War Department and served until his death on December 13, 1915. He is buried in the Warrensburg Cemetery, Warrensburg, Missouri.

I was unable to find the exact date of his promotion to brig gen but it was sometime after Vicksburg. Working on the other bios.

[Gil R.]

I look forward to the others. Thanks!

[Gil R.]

Okay, here's an edited version, with boldface representing changes questions:

Brig. Gen. Francis Marion Cockrell (b. 1834, d. 1915). Cockrell was born in Warrensburg, Missouri on October 1, 1834. He studied law and in 1855 passed the bar and began practicing in his home town. Cockrell joined the 3rd Infantry, 8th Division, Missouri State Guard as a private during the beginning of the Civil War and quickly rose to Captain of G Company by June 1861. During that year, he fought in the battles of Carthage, Wilson’s Creek and Lexington. In January of 1862, he became Captain of Company H, 2nd Regiment, 1st Missouri Brigade, Army of the West commanded by Maj. Gen. Earl Van Dorn. The next major engagement he fought in was in Arkansas, when his unit served in Maj. Gen. Sterling Price’s Division in the Battle of Pea Ridge on March 7-8, 1862. I’m taking out the following sentence since, unless I’m missing something, it’s not relevant here (but definitely belongs in Pike’s bio): “One of the few battles in which a brigade (Brig. Gen. Albert Pike’s Indian Brigade) of Native Americans fought for the Confederacy.” After being defeated at Pea Ridge, the Army of the West, now commanded by Price, headed towards the Mississippi River. Cockrell was promoted to Colonel of his regiment during the Iuka–2nd Corinth–Hatchie Bridge Campaign of September-October of 1862 Wikipedia calls this the “Iuka-Corinth Campaign,” but I can’t find a reference to the campaign name you use – should I use Iuka-Corinth instead?, in which Price’s army fought against Maj. Gen. William Rosecrans and his Army of the Mississippi. During the beginning of the Vicksburg Campaign, Cockrell led the 1st Missouri Brigade on a gallant charge that repelled the Union at the Battle of Champion Hill; however, lacking any support, the brigade was unable to hold the ground it had taken, and was forced to withdraw. Having next fought at Big Black River Bridge, Cockrell proceeded to Vicksburg to prepare for the siege. When Lt. Gen. John C. Pemberton surrendered Vicksburg on July 4, 1863, Cockrell was among the prisoners taken by Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, but he was later paroled along with the rest of the Confederates. After the death of Gen. John S. Bowen on July 13 from dysentery contracted during the siege, Cockrell became the brigade commander Was it the same brigade he had been leading earlier, the 1st Missouri?, gaining promotion to Brigadier General. He went on to fight in the Atlanta Campaign of 1864 under the commands of Gen. Joseph E. Johnston and then Gen. John B. Hood. On November 30, 1864, Cockrell fought in the Battle of Franklin, where he was wounded and had two horses shot out from under him, but survived Hood’s futile attacks. The war came to an end for Cockrell and his brigade on April 9, 1865 at Fort Blakely, Alabama. He was paroled that May and returned to Missouri to practice law. In 1874, he was elected U.S. Senator, and ended up serving for five terms. After he had left the Senate, Pres. Theodore Roosevelt appointed Cockrell as a member to the Interstate Commerce Committee in 1905, and he served in this capacity until 1910. Cockrell then became a member of the civilian board of ordnance at the War Department, serving until his death on December 13, 1915. He is buried in the Warrensburg Cemetery, in his home town. (Bio by Andrew Thayer)

Leadership: 3
Tactical: 3
Initiative: 2
Command: 3
Cavalry:

Teaches: Chargers (13)

Start date: 61

[Gil R.]

(Bump)

[shenandoah]

1- Agree. Indian Brigade belongs in Pike's bio.

2 - Iuka - Corinth Campaign is fine.

3 - He was in Command of the 1st Missouri Brigade and they all fought togther at Vicksburg, Atlanta and Franklin where he was injured. So they traveled and fought together until the end where 1st Missouri and Cockrell surrendered at Fort Blakeley 9 April 65.

Another note about Vicksburg I just read. Cockrell and the 1st Missouri birgade defended a place in the siege called Stockade Redan. Sherman assualted the redan on May 19, 1863 and failed to take it. Another assault on May 22 and failed to take it. So Cockrell was in the thick of it during the two main assualts on Vicksburg.

[Gil R.]

Thanks.

Using your new info (and a quick Google search to find out just what the Stockade Redan was), I added this sentence: "In defending Vicksburg Cockrell and his men were in the thick of the fighting, twice repelling major Union assaults on the Stockade Redan, a fort guarding one approach to the city that Gen. Ulysses S. Grant ordered to be taken so that the city could be overrun, on May 19 and 22."

We're now good to go with this one. Plus, this new info has prompted me to give Cockrell "Sustained Volley" as well.