In an army filled with famous and outstanding brigades, one stood out in several ways. Being the only Tennesseans to fight continuously with the Army of Northern Virginia, the Tennessee Brigade would form a part of A.P. Hill's famous Light Division. Also, as their native state became a battleground, these regiments were never allowed to return and defend their homes. Nevertheless, they took pride in representing Tennessee in the Eastern Theatre. Participating in some of the fiercest actions of the war (they seemed to have a knack for being in the hot spots of a battle), the brigade would turn in a very good war record.
Originally composed of the 1st, 7th, and 14th Tennessee Volunteers, the brigade was formed in June 1861, the same month their state seceded. After heavy training, the brigade received orders in mid-July to proceed to Virginia. The unit's first commander was Brig. Genl. Samuel R. Anderson, a 57 year old Virginian who had commanded a Tennessee regiment in the Mexican War. The brigade was then moved to West Virginia where it participated in the Cheat Mountain and Kanawha Valley campaigns in September-October.
At this time, the brigade formed part of Genl. Loring's Army of the Northwest. In the winter of 1861-62, this army was sent to the aid of "Stonewall" Jackson, who commanded the Confederate Valley District. With these reinforcements, Genl. Jackson launched the miserable Romney Campaign in early January, in which environmental conditions were anything but pleasant. After the fall of Romney, Jackson left Loring's men, including the Tennessee Brigade, to garrison the area while the remainder of his forces returned to the Valley. Due to the wretched living conditions in Romney, an altercation soon arose between Loring and Jackson.
Rightly or wrongly, the Confederate government interfered and pulled Loring's army out of Romney. It was also felt that his soldiers should no longer remain with Jackson's Valley Army. Thus, on February 19, 1862, the 1st Tennessee Volunteers left for Knoxville. It would go on to fight at such places as Shiloh, Murfreesboro, and Chickamauga. Still under the command of Brig. Genl. Anderson, the 7th and 14th regiments were moved to Fredericksburg, Virginia. Here they were joined by the 1st Confederate Tennessee Regiment, Provisional Army. These three units would stay together for the rest of the war.
When spring came, the Tennessee Brigade joined Genl. Joseph E. Johnston's army on the Peninsula. Around the same time, Anderson resigned because of poor health. On his recommendation, Colonel Robert Hatton of the 7th Tennessee was promoted Brigadier General, and on May 23rd, 1862 he became the second commander of the Tenn. Brigade. On May 31st, the brigade, numbering about 2000 men, moved with Whiting's Division to reinforce Longstreet at Fair Oaks. In late evening they became engaged with Federal troops of Sumner's Corps. In this, the battle of Fair Oaks, the brigade suffered 244 casualties. Among them was Genl. Hatton, shot dead after holding his command for just eight days. The next night the Confederates withdrew westward.
The replacement commander for the newly named Army of Northern Virginia, Robert E. Lee, appointed Col. James Archer of the 5th Texas as the third commander of the Tennessee Brigade, with the rank of Brigadier General (1). Several days later the brigade was assigned to the division of A.P. Hill, soon to become known as the "Light Division" due to its speed in marching. About this same time two more units were added to the brigade, which was now composed of the Ist Tenn. (Provisional Army), 7th and 14th Tennessee, 5th Alabama Battalion, and the 19th Georgia.
With this organization, the Tennessee Brigade saw action in the Seven Days' battles of Mechanicsville, Gaines Mill, and Frayser's Farm. In July 1862, Lee reorganized the army into two corps under Genls. Jackson and Longstreet. After an argument with Longstreet, A.P. Hill's division was assigned to Jackson. Under his command, the brigade saw heavy fighting at Cedar Mountain in early August.
Later that same month, they took part in Jackson's capture of Manassas Junction, the supply base of Union Genl. Pope. During the first day of the Second Battle of Bull Run, the Tennessee Brigade defended a portion of the unfinished railroad cut from repeated Union assaults. On the following day, while the victorious Confederate army advanced across the battlefield, Archer's men overran a Union battery and captured three pieces. The pursuing Confederates of the Light Division caught up with the Union rearguard at Oxhill (Chantilly) on September 1st. Archer's Brigade earned another name to add to their battle honors.
Maryland Campaign
Lee now set out on his Maryland campaign. Being a part of Jackson's command, the "Tennesseans" participated in the capture of Harper's Ferry. The Light Division remained behind to parole the Union prisoners while Jackson marched with the rest of his corps to the town of Sharpsburg and a junction with Lee. The Battle of Antietam began in the early morning hours of September 17th, 1862. By afternoon, though they still retained most of their positions, the Confederate troops were exhausted and Lee had no reserves left. The Union IX Corps, under Burnside, was now advancing on Sharpsburg from the southeast, threatening the Confederate line of retreat. After a grueling all day march, the Light Division arrived with about 3000 men who had kept up with the quick pace. The Tennessee Brigade was reduced to less than 350 men (2). Forming the extreme left of Hill's line, they and the rest of the division, along with the survivors of D.R. Jones' Brigades, repulsed Burnside's advance. Hill and his brigades had saved the army from disaster. Two days later Lee withdrew into Virginia.
In December, the Confederates moved into strong positions on the heights overlooking Fredericksburg, on the south bank of the Rappahannock River. Archer's Brigade was stationed on the right flank of Jackson's Corps, which formed the right wing of the army. Burnside now commanded the Army of the Potomac and, on December 13th, he foolishly attempted to force these positions. The only penetration made by Federal forces all day happened to be to the left of Archer's Brigade, where a gap existed between it and the next unit. After fierce fighting, the units of Hill's Division pushed the Federals back.
Returned to winter quarters, the Tennessee Brigade went through another change in units. On January 19th, 1863, General Lee transferred the 19th Georgia to Colquitt's Brigade in D.H. Hill's Division. By the same order, the 13th Alabama was transferred to Archer's command. The brigade now composed the Ist Tennessee (Prov. Army), 7th and 14th Tennessee, 5th Alabama Btn., and the 13th Alabama. With this new organization, Archer's Brigade entered the Battle of Chancellorsville in the spring.
Minus most of Longstreet's Corps, which was on detached service, Lee proceeded to divide his army in the face of the enemy, sending Jackson around the Union right on May 2nd. Taking part in this flanking manuever was the Tennessee Brigade. Participating in some of the fighting on this day, the brigade's moment of glory came the following morning. Stuart, commanding in place of the mortally wounded Jackson, ordered the Light Division to advance. As a prelude to this, however, he ordered Archer's and McGowan's Brigades to swing around in an effort to straighten the lines. These officers misunderstood the order and proceeded to advance. Losing contact with McGowan in the dense woods, the Tennessee Brigade, 1400 strong, surged forward and captured the strategic ground of Hazel Grove, along with 4 guns and 100 prisoners. Stuart ordered several batteries to the position and the rest of the Light Division came up to continue the advance, although they were repulsed by the second Union line. Nevertheless, Archer had captured the most important location on this portion of the battlefield and Stuart rushed more and more batteries to the high ground. This artillery fire from Hazel Grove would prove decisive at Chancellorsville.
With the death of Jackson, Lee reorganized the army into three corps: the Ist under Longstreet, the 2nd under Ewell, and A.P. Hill was promoted to command the 3rd. General Henry Heth replaced Hill as the commander of the Light Division. With this force, Lee invaded Pennsylvania.
On the first day of the Battle of Gettysburg, the Tennessee Brigade got into a tough fight with the Iron Brigade on McPherson's Ridge (see scenario). The end result was that hundreds of its men became casualties or were captured, including Archer. Colonel Fry of the 13th Alabama took command of the brigade. Heth's Division remained in reserve on July 2nd and took no part in the fighting on that day. Pettigrew now commanded the division, for Heth had been wounded on July 1st.
On the third day of the battle, the division joined Pickett in his famous charge. The Tennessee Brigade was on the right of the divisional front, in contact with the left flank of Pickett. Along with Garnett's Brigade, Fry's men struck the Union defenses at The Angle. After bitter fighting back and forth along the stone wall, the Confederate survivors retreated. All the flags of the brigade, except that of the 7th Tennessee, were lost. Colonel Fry was wounded and taken prisoner, so Colonel Sam Shepherd of the 7th took command of the depleted brigade. Out of the 1100 men that had entered the fight on July 1st, nearly 700 were killed, wounded, or captured at Gettysburg.
Once they were back in Virginia, Lee began consolidating his reduced units. The Tennessee Brigade was united with Field's Virginians, and was placed under the command of Brig. Genl. Henry Walker. It now consisted of the 1st (P.A.), 7th and 14th Tenn., 5th Alabama Btn., 13th Alabama, 40th, 47th, 55th, and 22nd Virginia. For the remainder of the year, and into the next, the brigade was engaged in only minor skirmishes.
In May 1864 Walker led his command in the vicious fighting of the Wilderness and Spotsylvania. In the latter, he was severely wounded, so the newly appointed Brig. Genl. Fry took over the brigade (3). The consolidated unit then saw action at Cold Harbor, after which it moved into the defences at Petersburg. Here, it moved from one fight to another in order to blunt Federal attempts to seize the railroads leading into the city.
In mid-August Brig. Genl. Archer returned to the brigade after having been exchanged. He was still very ill, however, and died in October. Command then passed to Colonel William McComb of the 14th Tennessee, who was later promoted brigadier general in January 1865. By this time, the brigade had gone through its final reorganization. In December, the Virginians and Alabamans were transferred out, and the Tennessee regiments of Bushrod Johnson's old brigade were moved in. This brought its final composition to: the 1st (P.A.), 7th, 14th, 17th, 23rd, 25th, 44th, and 63rd Tennessee regiments, and the 2nd Maryland Battalion.
The end came on April 2, 1865, when Federal forces of the VI Corps broke through the defences and reached Hatcher's Run, in McComb's rear. The only way of escape for the brigade was by swimming the stream, which 400 men succeeded in doing. Taking no part in the fighting during the ensuing week, the survivors surrendered with the rest of the army at Appomatox Court House on April 9th. Of the three original regiments of the Tennessee Brigade (1st, 7th, 14th), only 125 officers and men were there to lay down their arms.
NOTES
(1) Several authors, including Boatner, erroneously state that Archer took command of the Texas Brigade. I assume they mistook "Texas" for "Tennessee".
(2) The 5th Alabama Btn. was left behind at Harper's Ferry to safeguard captured Union artillery on its way to Richmond.
(3) This is the same Fry who, as colonel, led the brigade in Pickett's charge and was captured. He was subsequently exchanged and promoted May 24, 1864. During June and July Fry, being too ill from his prison experience, went on sick leave. The temporary command passed to Col. R.M. Mayo.
Back to The Zouave Vol II No. 4 Table of Contents
Back to The Zouave List of Issues
Back to Master Magazine List
© Copyright 1988 The American Civil War Society
This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web.
Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com