The Army of the Tennessee was a Union army in the American Civil War, named for the Tennessee River. It is not to be confused with the similarly named Army of Tennessee, which was a Confederate Army, named after the State of Tennessee. The Army of the Tennessee was formerly known as the Army of West Tennessee and before that the Army in the Field both commanded by Ulysses Grant.

History

The Dept of the Tennessee was formed on October 16, 1862 and the Army of West Tennessee commanded by Ulysses S. Grant was renamed the Army of the Tennessee. Grant led the army to victory at the Siege of Vicksburg. After his Grant was promoted to commander of all Union armies in the west in October 1863, and William T. Sherman took command of the Army. At the Battle of Chattanooga, in November 1863, The Army of the Tennessee and the Army of the Cumberland, fought together. Under the overall command of Ulysses S. Grant, they succeeded in lifting the Confederate siege of the city. When Grant was promoted to Union General-in-Chief, Sherman took command of the western armies, and General James B. McPherson became commander of the Army of the Tennessee.

The Army of the Tennessee and the Army of the Cumberland continued fighting together in Sherman's Atlanta campaign. McPherson was killed at the Battle of Atlanta on July 22, 1864. He was succeeded temporarily by General John A. Logan and then permanently by Oliver O. Howard, who remained commander of the Army of Tennessee for the remainder of the war. During Sherman's March to the Sea and advance into the Carolinas, Howard and the Army of Tennessee served as his right wing. The Army of Georgia was the left wing, consisting of the XIV and XX Army Corps, was commanded by Major General Henry Slocum. The Army saw only minor fighting but did become engaged at the Battle of Bentonville.

After the war ended in 1865, the Army of the Tennessee, participated in the Grand Review in Washington D.C. It marched as part of Sherman's Great Western Army.

Commanders

• Major General Ulysses S. Grant (Oct 16, 8162-Oct 24, 1863)
• Major General William T. Sherman (Oct 24, 1863-March 26, 1864)
• Major General James B. McPherson (March 26, 1864-July 22, 1864)
• Major General John A. Logan (July 22-27)
• Major General Oliver O. Howard (July 27, 1864-May 19, 1865)
• Major General John A. Logan (May 19-August 1, 1865)

Major Battles and Campaigns

• Siege of Vicksburg (Grant)
• Battle of Chattanooga (Sherman)
• Atlanta campaign (McPherson)
• Battle of Atlanta (McPherson, killed/Logan)
• Battle of Ezra Church (Howard)
• Battle of Jonesboro (Howard)
• March to the Sea (Howard)
• Carolinas campaign (Howard)

External link

• http://civilwar.bluegrass.net/FamousUnits/armyofthetennessee.html
  
• http://www.civilwarchronicles.com/departments/armytennessee62.htm

See Also

• Army in the Field
  
• Army of West Tennessee