Brig. Gen. Thomas T. Crittenden

[jkBluesman]

Brig. Gen. Thomas Turpin Crittenden (b. 1825, d. 1905). No member of the Crittenden family proved to be successful as general during the Civil War: George Bibb was made responsible for Confederate defeat at Mill Springs, his brother Thomas Leonidas was made scapegoat for the Union defeat at Chickamauga and their cousin Thomas Turpin was captured by Nathan Bedford Forrest while on garrison duty. Thomas Turpin was born in Huntsville, Alabama but grew up in Texas. He was educated at Transylvania College in Lexington, Kentucky where he studied law. Admitted to the bar he practised law in Missouri until the Mexican-American War for which he volunteered in 1846. After that conflict he moved to Madison, Indiana and worked as a lawyer again. When the Civil War started with the firing on Fort Sumter on April 12, 1861 Crittenden chose to fight for the Union. A week later he volunteered his service and was made captain of the 6th Indiana Infantry. It took him only another week to be appointed colonel of the regiment. Sent to Western Virginia it fought in one of the first fights of the war at Philippi on June 3 and during the Western Virginia Campaign of Gen. George B. McClellan culminating in the Battle of Rich Mountain in July and the skirmish at Corrick’s Ford in which the Confederate commander Gen. Robert Garnett was killed. As Crittenden’s regiment had only enlisted for 90 days it returned to Indiana in August. Crittenden reorganized the unit which would then serve for three years. On September 20 it entered the still neutral Kentucky as one of the first Union units and wintered near Bowling Green. Crittenden’s first major battle was Shiloh where he led his into battle on the second day (April 7, 1862), helping to turn the tide in favour of the Federals. For his conduct he was promoted to brigadier general of volunteers on April 28. In July he was sent to Murfreesboro, Tennessee to take command of the Union garrison. Shortly after his arrival the town was attacked by Southern cavalry under Nathan Bedford Forrest who would be made brigadier general for this victory. Crittenden surrendered and was captured with his entire command. Though exchanged in October, his reputation had suffered. When he was given command of a brigade in spring of 1863 he recognized that the stigma of defeat was still on him–he could not restore his men’s confidence in him. Crittenden resigned his commission on May 5. In 1868 he moved to Washington. In 1885 he relocated to San Diego, California and became a real estate developer. After his death he was buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

Ldr: 4
Tact: 4
Init: 2
Cmd: 3
Cav: 0

Teaches: Hardy, Fast
Note: in the game he is from Kentucky but as he led an Indiana regiment this should be changed to Indiana

[Gil R.]

(Finally) copied.