- Army of Central Kentucky
The Army of Central Kentucky was a military organization within Department No. 2 (the Western Department of the
Confederate States of America ). Originally called the Army Corps of Central Kentucky, it was created in the fall of 1861 as a subsection of Department No. 2, and continued in existence until the end of March 1862 when it was absorbed and merged into theArmy of Mississippi , which was then re-organized as theArmy of Tennessee onNovember 20 ,1862 .Background
The Department No. 2 (Western Department) was created on
June 25 ,1861 , under the command of Maj. Gen.Leonidas Polk , and had military jurisdiction and control over parts ofAlabama ,Tennessee ,Arkansas ,Mississippi , andLouisiana . OnSeptember 2 ,1861 , the Department was expanded to include all of Arkansas and military operations in the state ofMissouri , and then onSeptember 10 the area was expanded again to include all of Arkansas, Tennessee, more of Mississippi, and all military operations inKansas ,Kentucky , Missouri, and any Indian territories rallying to the Confederate cause west of Arkansas and Missouri.Command under Brigadier General Simon B. Buckner
Brig. Gen. Buckner assumed command of all forces in central Kentucky during September 1861 after having first served as a major general and commander of the Kentucky Militia. The forces were organized into two divisions with a reserve force. Later a third division under Brig. Gen.
John B. Floyd was added. After Gen.Albert Sidney Johnston took command, Buckner continued to command a division of the Army of Central Kentucky at Bowling Green and Fort Donelson, where he surrendered. After being exchanged in August 1862, Buckner was promoted to major general and commanded a division with these same forces in theArmy of Mississippi under the leadership of Gen.Braxton Bragg .Command under General Albert S. Johnston
Gen. Johnston was in command of the Army of Central Kentucky from
October 28 ,1861 , untilMarch 29 ,1862 , with the exception of a two-week temporary command by Hardee in December. The area of operation for this army was designated as the part of Tennessee north of the Cumberland River and that part of Kentucky west of where the Cumberland River entered Tennessee to the east. OnDecember 26 ,1861 , part of theArmy of the Kanawha was added. OnMarch 29 ,1862 , the army at about 23,000 men strong was merged into theArmy of Mississippi in preparation for theBattle of Shiloh .Command under Major General William J. Hardee
Maj. Gen. Hardee took temporary command of the army from
December 4 toDecember 18 ,1861 .References
* Eicher, John H., and Eicher, David J., "Civil War High Commands", Stanford University Press, 2001, ISBN 0-8047-3641-3.
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