CSA Bio Elkanah B. Greer

[Battleline]

Brig. Gen. Elkanah B. Greer (b. 1825, d. 1877) Fighting at two major battles of the Western theater early in the war helped Elkanah Brackin Greer promotion to a command away from the major fighting. Greer was born in Paris, Tennessee, Oct. 11, 1825. He moved to Mississippi and enlisted in the First Mississippi Rifles during the Mexican War. In 1848, Greer moved to Marshall, Texas, where he became a planter and important citizen. He also was a merchant. In 1859, Greer was named a grand commander of the Knights of the Golden Circle, a secret society which promoted southern interests and the possibility of annexation of territory in Mexico and Central America. When the Civil War came, Greer was commissioned as colonel of the Third Texas Cavalry, a unit he led into the Confederate victory at the Battle of Wilson’s Creek, Missouri, Aug. 10, 1861. His troopers found immediate success against the Federal right flank in a charge. Greer later was repulsed. “The enemy was thrown into considerable confusion,” Greer reported. Greer’s next combat was at Elkhorn Tavern (Pea Ridge) Arkansas March 7-8, 1862. Greer was wounded in the Federal victory. He received promotion to brigadier general to rank from Oct. 8, 1862, and named chief of conscription in the Trans-Mississippi Department. His main work came in trying to work out differences between Confederate conscription laws and those of Texas. In 1864, Greer commanded reserve forces in the Trans-Mississippi Department. Following the war, Greer returned to Marshall, Texas. He died in DeVall’s Bluff, Arkansas, March 25, 1877, while visiting his sister. He was buried in Elmwood Cemetery in Memphis, Tennessee.

[Gil R.]

Okay, I figured I’d do two bios, since the shortness of this one lured me. And this business of the KGC is all new to me, though I guess I’d have heard of them if I had seen “National Treasure”: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knights_of ... den_Circle

Brig. Gen. Elkanah Brackin Greer (b. 1825, d. 1877). Fighting at two major battles of the Western theater early in the Civil War helped Greer gain promotion to a command away from the major fighting. Greer was born in Paris, Tennessee, on October 11, 1825. He moved to Mississippi and enlisted in the 1st Mississippi Rifles during the Mexican War. In 1848, Greer moved to Marshall, Texas, where he became a planter and prominent citizen, as well as a merchant. In 1859, Greer was named a Grand Commander of the Knights of the Golden Circle, a secret society which promoted southern interests and the possibility of annexing a “golden circle” of territory in Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean as new states where slavery would be legal. (Presidential assassin John Wilkes Booth is among those believed to have been a member of the K.G.C.) When the Civil War came, Greer was commissioned as Colonel of the 3rd Texas Cavalry, a unit he led into the Confederate victory at the Battle of Wilson’s Creek (Missouri) on August 10, 1861. His troopers found immediate success against the Federal right flank in a charge, but later they were repulsed. “The enemy was thrown into considerable confusion,” Greer reported. Greer next saw combat, and was wounded, was on March 7-8, 1862 in the Battle of Elkhorn Tavern (or Pea Ridge), the Union victory in northwest Arkansas that ended southern hopes of controlling Missouri. He received promotion to brigadier general to rank from October 8, 1862, and named chief of conscription in the Trans-Mississippi Department. In this position his main work came in trying to determine differences between Confederate conscription laws and those of Texas. In 1864, Greer commanded reserve forces in the Trans-Mississippi Department. Following the war, Greer returned to Marshall, Texas. He died in DeVall’s Bluff, Arkansas, on March 25, 1877, while visiting his sister, and was buried in Elmwood Cemetery in Memphis, Tennessee. (Bio by Bill Battle)

Leadership: 3
Tactics: 2
Initiative: 1
Command: 2
Cavalry: 2

Teaches: Flankers (11)

Start date: 42