CSA Brig Gen George Blake Cosby

[shenandoah]

Brigadier General George Blake Cosby (b.1830, d.1909) He was born in Louisville, Kentucky on Jan. 19, 1830. In 1852, he graduated from West Point. Cosby was commissioned 2nd Lieutenant in a Mounted Rifle Regiment. For the next several years, he fought against Comanches in the frontier of Texas. He had earned the rank of captain in the Second United States Cavalry by 1861. At the outbreak of the war, he resigned to join the Confederacy. Cosby was commissioned Major and became part of Brigadier General Simon B. Buckner’s staff. On February 15, 1862 at Fort Donelson, Cosby carried the message of surrender by Buckner to Union Brigadier General Ulysses S. Grant. Grant sent him back with the message of unconditional surrender to his old friend Buckner. Cosby became a prisoner of war but was later part of a prisoner exchange. On January 20, 1863, he was made Brigadier General and given command of cavalry under Major General Earl Van Dorn. At the battle of Thompson’s Station on March 5, Van Dorn, Cosby and Brigadier General Nathan B. Forrest defeated and captured a Union Brigade under the command of Colonel John Coburn. Cosby was then transferred to Department of the West under General Joseph E. Johnston. He saw little action during the Vicksburg campaign due to Johnston’s slow response and failed attempt in saving Vicksburg. After the fall of Vicksburg, Cosby was transferred to East Tennessee and Western Virginia where he would command cavalry under Brigadier General John Hunt Morgan. Major General John C. Breckinridge was given command of the Department of Southwest Virginia and Cosby would fight at the battle of Marion in December 1864 during the Union campaign to destroy the salt works at Saltville. Cosby would then be under the command of Brigadier General John Echols until the end of the war. Cosby moved to California and became a farmer. He then served as a public servant in the state as adjutant general and state secretary board of engineers. He died in Oakland, California on June 29, 1909 by suicide because of poor health due to his long suffering from war injuries. He is buried in Sacramento City Cemetery in California.

My list says next general is William R. Cox. I noticed that battleline(the bio writing machine) has all ready done that. So was wondering where to go next. It is autumn time, so bios will be slow for me right now. But thought I would at least start with another one for now.

[Gil R.]

My list says next general is William R. Cox. I noticed that battleline(the bio writing machine) has all ready done that. So was wondering where to go next. It is autumn time, so bios will be slow for me right now. But thought I would at least start with another one for now.

Anyone else of interest?

Thanks for the bio.

[Gil R.]

Cosby's all done now. Let me know if the ratings seem off.



Brig. Gen. George Blake Cosby (b. 1830, d. 1909). Cosby was born in Louisville, Kentucky on January 19, 1830. In 1852, he graduated from West Point. Cosby was commissioned 2nd Lieutenant in a Mounted Rifle Regiment. For the next several years, he fought against Comanches on the Texas frontier, and by 1861 had risen to captain in the 2nd Cavalry. At the outbreak of the war, Cosby resigned from the U.S. Army to join the Confederacy. Commissioned as a major, he initially served on Brig. Gen. Simon B. Buckner’s staff in the Army of Central Kentucky. On February 15, 1862, as the garrison in Fort Donelson realized the hopelessness of their situation, Cosby carried the message of surrender from Buckner to Union Gen. Ulysses S. Grant. Grant sent him back to his old friend Buckner with the famous message demanding unconditional surrender – earning himself the nickname “Unconditional Surrender Grant” on this occasion. Like the rest of the more than 12,000 men who surrendered, Cosby became a prisoner of war but was later part of a prisoner exchange. On January 20, 1863, he was made a brigadier general and given command of cavalry in Gen. Earl Van Dorn’s corps in the Army of the Mississippi. At the Battle of Thompson’s Station on March 5, Van Dorn, Cosby and Gen. Nathan B. Forrest defeated and captured a Union Brigade under the command of Col. John Coburn. Cosby was then transferred to Department of the West under Gen. Joseph E. Johnston. He saw little action during the Vicksburg Campaign due to Johnston’s slow response and failed attempt in saving Vicksburg, the Confederacy’s vital stronghold on the Mississippi River. After the Vicksburg garrison’s surrender, Cosby was transferred to eastern Tennessee and western Virginia, where he would command cavalry under Gen. John H. Morgan, who had just gained great fame with a long raid into Ohio and Indiana that was intended to draw forces away from Vicksburg and the Gettysburg Campaign in the eastern theater. A year later, when Gen. John C. Breckinridge was given command of the Department of Southwest Virginia, Cosby served under him, fighting at the Battle of Marion in December 1864 during the Union campaign to destroy the vital Confederate salt works at Saltville, Virginia. Cosby would next be under the command of Gen. John Echols until the end of the war. Cosby later moved to California and became a farmer, also serving as a public servant in the state, as both adjutant general and state secretary of the board of engineers. Cosby died in Oakland, California on June 29, 1909, taking his life because of poor health linked to his long suffering from war injuries. He is buried in Sacramento City Cemetery in California. (Bio by Andrew Thayer)

Leadership: 3
Tactics: 4
Initiative: 3
Command: 4
Cavalry: 5

Start date: 49

Teaches: Independent