Brig. Gen. John B. Floyd

[jkBluesman]

Brig. Gen. John Buchanan Floyd (b. 1806, d. 1863). Floyd’s political influence ensured him the commission as general officer but his military career was short-lived as he was mainly responsible for the loss of the strategically important Fort Donelson. Born in Blacksburg, Virginia, Floyd studied law at South Carolina College, practised law in Helena, Arkansas and lost a fortune in cotton business before following in his father’s footsteps, who had served as governor of Virginia from 1830-1834. Floyd represented Washington County, Virginia in the state legislature from 1847-1849 and ran successful for governor in 1849. In 1857 Pres. James Buchanan appointed him secretary of war to please Virginian nationalists. Floyd’s actions in office soon invoked criticism even from Southerners, as he was charged of favouritism and of improper dealings in Indian trust funds. Controversial debated was the transfer of 125000 small arms to Southern arsenals. The Northern press accused him of treason as they thought the weapons had been sent there as part of Southern preparations for a Civil War. A committee of the House of Representatives investigated his record in February 1861 but returned no verdict. By then Floyd had already resigned after a breach with Buchanan. In December 1860 Floyd had ordered Major Robert Anderson from Fort Sumter back to Fort Moultrie which the latter had evacuated after the secession of South Carolina. However Buchanan overruled Floyd’s decision. When Virginia left the Union, Floyd was commissioned major general of the state militia and on May 23 brigadier general of the Confederate army. In August he led the Army of Kanawha in western Virginia together with his rival Gen. Henry A. Wise. Their distrust hindered them to support each other and Floyd had to fight alone at Carnifax Ferry on September 10. His troops hold their ground but he believed himself to be outnumbered and retreated. Floyd himself received a light wound in the battle. In January 1862, Floyd and his Virginians were transferred to the command of Gen. Albert S. Johnston in the West. Johnston simply told Floyd to “distribute your forces as you think proper”. Thus the puzzled Floyd was not at all prepared for Gen. Ulysses S. Grant’s attack on Forts Henry and Donelson in February. Floyd arrived at the latter on the 13th, found the place hard to defend but stayed nonetheless. During the breakout attempt on February 15 Floyd left the planning and fighting to his subordinates. When the attempt failed he rendered command to Gen. Gideon Pillow and left the Fort by boat with his troops from Virginia before the place was surrendered to Grant, who thought Floyd to be “no soldier”. Though Johnston did not censure Floyd, Pres. Jefferson Davis relieved him of his command on March 11. Back in his home state he served in the militia and got the task of protecting the railroads against Federal raids. He could not render further service due to declining health and died on August 26, 1863 in Abingdon, where he is buried in Sinking Spring Cemetery.

Ldr: 3
Tact: 1
Init: 2
Cmd: 1
Cav: 0

Teaches: none

[Gil R.]

Thanks.

[Gil R.]

Interesting story. It’s refreshing to see that not everyone went to West Point, fought in Mexico, etc. Only a few minor changes made, with one exception: I rewrote the bit about A.S. Johnston’s “distribute your forces” order because Heidler says that was given on Feb. 8, and Fort Henry had already fallen by then.

Please note the question below. Can anyone help with this?

Brig. Gen. John Buchanan Floyd (b. 1806, d. 1863). Floyd’s political influence ensured him the commission as general officer, but his military career was short-lived because he was mainly responsible for the loss of the strategically important Fort Donelson. Born in Blacksburg, Virginia, Floyd studied law at South Carolina College and practiced it in Helena, Arkansas, also losing a fortune in the cotton business before following in the footsteps of his father, who had served as governor of Virginia from 1830-1834, and entering politics in Virginia. Floyd represented Washington County in the state legislature from 1847-1849 and ran successfully for governor in 1849. In 1857, Pres. James Buchanan appointed Floyd Secretary of War to please Virginian nationalists. Floyd’s actions in office soon invoked criticism even from Southerners, as he was charged with favoritism and improper dealings in Indian trust funds. Also controversial was his transfer of 125,000 small arms to southern arsenals, which prompted the northern press to accuse him of treason because they thought the weapons had been sent there in preparation for a civil war. A committee in the House of Representatives investigated Floyd’s record in February 1861, returning no verdict, but by then Floyd had already resigned after a breach with Buchanan. The dispute erupted in December when Buchanan overruled Floyd’s order to Maj. Robert Anderson to move his garrison from Fort Sumter back to Fort Moultrie, which the latter had evacuated after the secession of South Carolina on December 20, 1860. When Virginia left the Union on April 17, 1861, Floyd was commissioned major general of the state militia, and on May 23 was made a brigadier general in the Confederate army. That August, Floyd led the Army of Kanawha in western Virginia together with his rival Gen. Henry A. Wise (WHAT EXACTLY WAS GOING ON? FLOYD WAS IN COMMAND OF THE ARMY, SO WHAT WAS WISE COMMANDING? WAS IT JUST THE “WISE LEGION”? AND IF SO, WAS THAT IN FLOYD’S ARMY, OR INDEPENDENT? I TRIED, BUT COULDN’T FIND OUT MORE ON THIS). Their distrust hindered them from supporting each other, and on September 10 Floyd had to fight alone in the Battle of Carnifex Ferry, in which Gen. William S. Rosecrans defeated him and thus ensured that western Virginia would remain Union territory (and, soon thereafter, become a new state). His troops held their ground, but he believed himself to be outnumbered and retreated, and Floyd himself received a light wound during the battle. That winter, Floyd and his Virginians were transferred to the command of Gen. Albert S. Johnston in the western theater, initially arriving in Bowling Green, Kentucky. With western Tennessee imperiled and Fort Henry already fallen, Johnston on February 8 told Floyd to “distribute your forces as you think proper” – thus the puzzled Floyd was not at all prepared for Gen. Ulysses S. Grant’s attack on Fort Donelson a few days later. Floyd arrived at the fort on February 13, a day before Grant’s forces, and found the place hard to defend, but nonetheless decided to fight for it instead of withdrawing. During a breakout attempt on February 15, Floyd left the planning and fighting to his subordinates. When the attempt failed, he rendered command to Gen. Gideon Pillow and, infected by pessimism, left the fort by boat with his troops from Virginia, escaping before the garrison surrendered to Grant (who thought Floyd to be “no soldier” for his actions there). Though Johnston did not censure Floyd, Pres. Jefferson Davis relieved him of his command on March 11, 1862 without even convening a court of inquiry. Back in his home state, he served as a major general in the militia and was given the task of protecting the railroads against enemy raids. He was unable to render further service due to declining health and died on August 26, 1863 in Abingdon, Virginia, where he is buried in Sinking Spring Cemetery. (Bio by Joern Kaesebier)

Ldr: 3
Tact: 1
Init: 2
Cmd: 1
Cav: 0

Teaches: none

Start date: 9
“Death” date: 28

[jkBluesman]

Okay, I wrote this when I had not yet been in posession of Heidler. There it says that Floyd was in command of the Army of the Kanawha. The information I used for the bio is from Emory Thomas' "Robert E. Lee". Thomas writes that after Rich Mountain (July 11, 1861) Lee (by then adviser to Davis) dispatched William Wing Loring to western Virginia to command the Army of the Northwest. According to Thomas, Floyd had recruited a brigade of soldiers and Wise his legion, and each one of them was in command of his force. Both were former governors of Virginia and disliked each other making cooperation very difficult.

[Gil R.]

I had checked Heidler and seen the same thing. But I just had the inspiration of checking Heidler not for Floyd, but for "Army of the Kanawha," and that is much more detailed. Would you mind taking a look (pages 95-96) and adding a bit? It would be a big help.

(I often find that Heidler's entries on "Army of X" and "Department of X" are quite helpful in figuring out just who was assigned where when.)

[jkBluesman]

Brig. Gen. John Buchanan Floyd (b. 1806, d. 1863). Floyd’s political influence ensured him the commission as general officer, but his military career was short-lived because he was mainly responsible for the loss of the strategically important Fort Donelson. Born in Blacksburg, Virginia, Floyd studied law at South Carolina College and practiced it in Helena, Arkansas, also losing a fortune in the cotton business before following in the footsteps of his father, who had served as governor of Virginia from 1830-1834, and entering politics in Virginia. Floyd represented Washington County in the state legislature from 1847-1849 and ran successfully for governor in 1849. In 1857, Pres. James Buchanan appointed Floyd Secretary of War to please Virginian nationalists. Floyd’s actions in office soon invoked criticism even from Southerners, as he was charged with favoritism and improper dealings in Indian trust funds. Also controversial was his transfer of 125,000 small arms to southern arsenals, which prompted the northern press to accuse him of treason because they thought the weapons had been sent there in preparation for a civil war. A committee in the House of Representatives investigated Floyd’s record in February 1861, returning no verdict, but by then Floyd had already resigned after a breach with Buchanan. The dispute erupted in December when Buchanan overruled Floyd’s order to Maj. Robert Anderson to move his garrison from Fort Sumter back to Fort Moultrie, which the latter had evacuated after the secession of South Carolina on December 20, 1860. When Virginia left the Union on April 17, 1861, Floyd was commissioned major general of the state militia, and on May 23 was made a brigadier general in the Confederate army. That August, Floyd led formally the Army of Kanawha in western Virginia but his rival Gen. Henry A. Wise refused to follow his orders and reported independently to the Northwest Army command in Valley Mountain. Their distrust hindered Floyd and Wise from supporting each other, and on September 10 Floyd had to fight without Wise's Legion in the Battle of Carnifex Ferry, in which Gen. William S. Rosecrans defeated him and thus ensured that western Virginia would remain Union territory (and, soon thereafter, become a new state). His troops held their ground, but he believed himself to be outnumbered and retreated, and Floyd himself received a light wound during the battle. That winter, Floyd and his Virginians were transferred to the command of Gen. Albert S. Johnston in the western theater, initially arriving in Bowling Green, Kentucky. With western Tennessee imperiled and Fort Henry already fallen, Johnston on February 8 told Floyd to “distribute your forces as you think proper” – thus the puzzled Floyd was not at all prepared for Gen. Ulysses S. Grant’s attack on Fort Donelson a few days later. Floyd arrived at the fort on February 13, a day before Grant’s forces, and found the place hard to defend, but nonetheless decided to fight for it instead of withdrawing. During a breakout attempt on February 15, Floyd left the planning and fighting to his subordinates. When the attempt failed, he rendered command to Gen. Gideon Pillow and, infected by pessimism, left the fort by boat with his troops from Virginia, escaping before the garrison surrendered to Grant (who thought Floyd to be “no soldier” for his actions there). Though Johnston did not censure Floyd, Pres. Jefferson Davis relieved him of his command on March 11, 1862 without even convening a court of inquiry. Back in his home state, he served as a major general in the militia and was given the task of protecting the railroads against enemy raids. He was unable to render further service due to declining health and died on August 26, 1863 in Abingdon, Virginia, where he is buried in Sinking Spring Cemetery. (Bio by Joern Kaesebier)

Ldr: 3
Tact: 1
Init: 2
Cmd: 1
Cav: 0

Teaches: none

Start date: 9
“Death” date: 28

[Gil R.]

Thanks for the changes. I'll go with this,then.