Army of the Trans-Mississippi

This article is about the field army of the Confederate States. For the territorial department of the Confederate States Army, see Trans-Mississippi Department.

Trans-Mississippi Army
Flag
Active	1862–1865
Disbanded	May 26, 1865
Country	Confederate States
Branch	Army
Size	Field army
Part of	Trans-Mississippi Department
Headquarters	Little Rock, Arkansas (1862–63) Shreveport, Louisiana (1863–65) Houston, Texas (May 1865)
Wars	American Civil War Trans-Mississippi Theater

The Trans-Mississippi Army was a field army of the Confederate States Army in the Trans-Mississippi Theater of the American Civil War. It was the last major Confederate command to surrender, submitting on May 26, 1865, exactly one month after General Johnston had surrendered in the eastern United States. ^[1]

Background

The Trans-Mississippi Department separated from the Western Department of the Confederate States Army on May 26, 1862. It consisted primarily of the three Confederate states west of the Mississippi (Texas, Louisiana, and Arkansas), the contested state of Missouri, and two Confederate territories - the Indian Territory and Confederate Arizona (roughly corresponding to the present-day states of Oklahoma, New Mexico, and Arizona). The command of the area was given to Major-General T. H. Holmes. ^[2] It was the operational theater for many quasi-independent forces, including Quantrill's Raiders and the Missouri Bushwhackers.

History

The Trans-Mississippi Army originally numbered well over 50,000 troops, ^[3] but fewer than 43,000 were available by the end of the war. ^{[2] [4]} Major campaigns included Sibley's New Mexico campaign, Banks' Red River campaign, and Price's Missouri campaign. The last battle of the Civil War, the Battle of Palmito Ranch, was fought May 12–13, 1865, by units of the Trans-Mississippi Army.

General E. Kirby Smith, who commanded the Army, surrendered to Union forces on May 26, 1865, although by that point many of his troops had already deserted. ^[5] The last remaining Trans-Mississippi Army force – and also the last remaining Confederate force – was the 1st Cherokee Mounted Rifles, commanded by Brigadier-General Stand Watie. Watie surrendered on June 23.

Organization

• Third Corps, Trans-Mississippi Army (Headquartered at Shreveport, Department of Louisiana)

This corps was organized under the command of Simon Bolivar Buckner ^[4]

• Second Corps, Trans-Mississippi Army (Department of Arkansas and Missouri)

This corps was organized on August 4, 1864, under the command of John B. Magruder. ^{[3] [4]}

• Third Corps, Trans-Mississippi Army (Headquartered at Galveston, Department of Texas)

This corps was organized on August 4, 1864, under the command of John George Walker. ^{[3] [4]}

• Cavalry Corps, Trans-Mississippi Army

The Cavalry Corps was organized on August 4, 1864, under the command of Sterling Price. ^[3]

• Reserve Corps, Trans-Mississippi Army

The Reserve Corps was established on September 10, 1864, to support the Trans-Mississippi Army.

References

1. Symonds, Craig L. (1992). Joseph E. Johnston: A Civil War Biography. New York: W. W. Norton. ISBN   9780393311303.
2. "Southern Army- Trans-Mississippi Army". Civil War Home. March 28, 2004. Archived from the original on December 12, 2013.
3. Eicher, John H. (2001). Civil War High Commands. Stanford University Press. pp. 891–892. ISBN   0804736413.
4. "REBEL TRANS-MISSISSIPPI ARMY.; Strength of the Rebels What they are Doing Affairs in Texas, & c. Forrest and Dick Taylor Whipped". The New York Times . April 9, 1865.
5. Clampitt, Brad R. (May 2001). The Break-up of the Confederate Trans-Mississippi Army, 1865. University of North Texas Press.