Coburn's Brigade - Hardcover

Welcher, Frank Johnson; Welcher; Ligget, Larry G.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1578600707 ISBN 13: 9781578600700

Publisher: Cardinal Publishers Group, 1999

Synopsis

Colonel John Coburn led his own brigade and other troops along a road near the little crossroads of Thompson's Station in Tennessee to sound out the Confederate enemy. He soon was confronted by two Civil War adversaries--Earl Von Dorn and Nathan Bedford Forrest. Betrayed by poor artillery support and bad communications, his men nevertheless fought bravely. Realizing the futility of the situation, however, Coburn surrended and he and his men were soon on their way to Libby Prison. Their disgrace and subsequent redemption is the story of this book.

About this title

From the Publisher:

Early spring bluegrass was just beginning to green up on March 5, 1863, when at the order of Major General Rosecrans, Colonel John Coburn led his own brigade and other troops along the Columbia Turnpike near the little crossroad of Thompson's Station in Tennessee to sound out the Confederate enemy. He was soon confronted by his adversaries under the command of Earl Van Dorn, ably assisted by the likes of Nathan Bedford Forrest, Frank C. Armstrong, and John W. Whitfield. Betrayed by poor artillery support and bad communications, Coburn's men nevertheless fought bravely. By the end of the battle Coburn's forces were outnumbered nearly 3-to-1, and after five hours of determined fighting--in which nearly cartridge box was exhausted--Coburn realized the futility of the situation and surrendered. He and his men were soon on their way to Libby Prison. Their disgrace and subsequent redemption is the story of this book.

From the Author:

Historians who have thorougly covered many aspects of the Civil War lately have neglected one of the more important units of the armies--the brigade.

In October 1862, while near Lexington, Kentucky, the 85th Indiana, the 33rd Indiana, the 19th Michigan, and the 22nd Wisconsin regiments were assigned to a brigade to be commanded by Colonel John Coburn. These four Regiments remained in the same brigade until they mustered out in June 1865, and thus shared the same experiences for nearly three years of the war.

They worked at construction of fortifications and building bridges, supplying labor for the quartermasters' department, and performing the usual camp duties--including almost ceaseless drill. They were frequently sent out on foraging expeditions and on reconnaissances into enemy territory, and this sometimes led to skirmishing and small engagements. Coburn's brigade fought gallantly often, but they also performed many mundane duties that were usual to army routine, especially in the Western Army.

The soldiers who performed this very useful service generally received far less attention than those who fought the big battles. It is important to note their contribution because no major Union army could have moved far in those days without the support of such regiments and brigades, and in this way alone they contributed significantly to the outcome of the war. It must also be remembered that Coburn's brigade was seriously engaged at Thompson's Station in Tennessee; Resaca, Georgia; Peach Tree Creek, Georgia; and Averasboro in North Carolina. Although the brigade has been stigmatized for many decades because it surrendered, our thesis is that the men generally performed well in all these battles, despite their capture by superior numbers of the enemy at Thompson's Station. The story of this brigade, Coburn's Brigade, is genuinely representative of the Western soldier during the war.

About this edition

• Publisher: Cardinal Publishers Group
• Publication date: 1999
• ISBN 10: 1578600707
• ISBN 13: 9781578600700
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 488