Missouri 31st Volunteer Infantry (Union)

ColonelThomas C. Fletcher

Lieutenant ColonelSamuel P. Simpson

Lieutenant ColonelSamuel P. Simpson

Brigadier GeneralFrederick Steele

Escort: Dodson's Kane County Cavalry: Cpt William C. Wilder

Arkansas Post

The Battle of Arkansas Post, also known as the Battle of Fort Hindman, was a combined land-river assault by Union forces on the Confederate Fort Hindman, which loomed over a bend in the Arkansas River near the town of Arkansas Post. As the Union advance down the Mississippi River passed the mouth of the Arkansas, the presence of Fort Hindman outflanked the Federal forward positions.READ MORE

ColonelThomas C. Fletcher

Lieutenant ColonelSamuel P. Simpson

MajorFrederick Jaensch

ColonelBernard G. Farrar

ColonelFrancis H. Manter

Major GeneralFrederick Steele

Vicksburg

In mid-May, 1863, after six months of unsuccessful attempts, Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant's Army of the Tennessee finally converged on Vicksburg, defended by a Confederate army under Lt. Gen. John C. Pemberton. Capture of the Mississippi River town was critical to Union control of the strategic river. Vicksburg was located on a high river bluff defended with artillery, and Pemberton's men had constructed a series of fortifications in an 8-mile arc surrounding the city on the landward side. After crossing the…READ MORE

Chickamauga

After the successful Tullahoma Campaign, Maj. Gen. William Rosecrans continued the Union offensive, aiming to force Gen. Braxton Bragg's Confederate army out of Chattanooga. Through a series of skillful marches towards the Confederate-held city, Rosecrans forced Bragg out of Chattanooga and into Georgia. Determined to reoccupy the city, Bragg followed the Federals north, brushing with Rosecrans' army at Davis' Cross Roads. While they marched on September 18th, his cavalry and infantry skirmished with Un…READ MORE

Missionary Ridge

From the last days of September through October 1863, Gen. Braxton Bragg's army laid siege to the Union army under Maj. Gen. William Rosecrans at Chattanooga, cutting off its supplies. On October 17, Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant received command of the Western armies; he moved to reinforce Chattanooga and replaced Rosecrans with Maj. Gen. George Thomas. A new supply line was soon established. Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman arrived with his four divisions in mid-November, and the Federals began offensive operat…READ MORE

Ringgold Gap

Following the Union victory at Missionary Ridge outside of Chattanooga and the subsequent Confederate retreat, Yankee troops set out in pursuit as the Rebels moved south into Georgia. Maj. Gen. Patrick Cleburne's division was ordered to fall back to Ringgold Gap with orders to hold the Western & Atlantic Railroad which passed through Taylor's Ridge there. Control of the railroad at the gap was critical to moving the badly needed Confederate supply trains to the rear. Maj. Gen. Joseph B. Hooker, with ab…READ MORE

Resaca

Following his withdrawal from Rocky Face Ridge, the first battle in Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman's campaign against Atlanta, Confederate Gen. Joseph E. Johnston established a four-mile defensive position protecting the Western & Atlantic Railroad west and north of Resaca, where the railroad crossed the Oostanaula River. On May 13th, Sherman tested the Rebel lines, sending forward divisions to skirmish with the Confederates, with little substantive result. On the 14th, the fighting erupted into a full-…READ MORE

New Hope Church

During early May 1864, Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman successfully outmaneuvered the army of Gen. Joseph E. Johnston in multiple battles in northwest Georgia. Each time, Johnston fell back to a new defensive position closer to the strategic Confederate city of Atlanta. After Johnston retreated to Allatoona Pass on May 19-20th following the battle at Adairsville, Sherman determined to move around Johnston's left flank rather than attack the strong Confederate defenses in his front. On May 23rd, Sherman set in…READ MORE

ColonelHugo Wangelin

Brigadier GeneralPeter J. Osterhaus

Dallas

During early and mid-May 1864, Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman successfully outmaneuvered the army of Gen. Joseph E. Johnston in multiple battles in northwest Georgia. Each time, Johnston fell back to a new defensive position closer to the strategic Confederate city of Atlanta. Stopped at New Hope Church on Johnston's left on May 26th, Sherman attacked Johnston's right at Pickett's Mill on May 27th. The next day, Lt. Gen. William J. Hardee's corps probed the Union defensive line, held by Maj. Gen. John A. Log…READ MORE

Kennesaw Mountain

Fearing envelopment northwest of Atlanta, Confederate Gen. Joseph E. Johnston withdrew his army to a new defensive position astride Kennesaw Mountain near Marietta. Johnston selected this position in order to protect the Western & Atlantic Railroad, his supply link to Atlanta. Prior to taking up this new line on June 19th, Johnston had pioneers working through the night digging trenches and erecting fortifications, turning Kennesaw into a formidable earthen fortress. Having defeated Lieut. Gen. John…READ MORE

ColonelHugo A. von Wangelin

Brigadier GeneralCharles R. Woods

ColonelHugo A. von Wangelin

Atlanta

Despite the defeat at Peach Tree Creek, Confederate Lieut. Gen. John Bell Hood still had hopes of driving Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman's Yankees from the outskirts of Atlanta with an offensive blow. On the night of July 21, 1864, Hood ordered Lt. Gen. William J. Hardee's corps to make 15-mile night march and assault the Union left flank east of the city, held by Maj. Gen. James B. McPherson's Army of the Tennessee. Joining the attack with Hardee would be the corps of Maj. Gen. Benjamin Cheatham. Hood attac…READ MORE

Ezra Church

After his July 22, 1864 victory at the Battle of Atlanta, with the Georgia Railroad cut, Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman turned his attention to the Macon & Western and Atlanta & West Point Railroads, running southwest from the city. Prior to moving, Sherman adjusted his armies: Maj. Gen. John Schofield's Army of the Ohio would hold the east edge of the city, while Maj. Gen. George Thomas' Army of the Cumberland took up position to the north. Spearheading the movement to the southwest toward the Macon…READ MORE

Lovejoy's Station

The battle of Lovejoy's Station was fought on August 20th, 1864 in Clayton County, Georgia. It was a confederate victory where the confederates repelled the Union raiders attacking the station. The battle was part of the Atlanta campaign.READ MORE

ColonelHugo von Wangelin

Brigadier GeneralPeter J. Osterhaus

Jonesborough

By late August 1865, the city of Atlanta was not yet subdued by Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman's armies. A few supply lines remained open to the city supporting the army of Lieut. Gen. John B. Hood encircled there. Union cavalry raids inflicted only superficial damage, quickly repaired by the Confederates. Sherman determined that if he could destroy the Macon & Western and Atlanta & West Point Railroads to the south the Rebel army would be forced to evacuate the city. On August 25, Union infantry beg…READ MORE

Lookout Mountain

A month after opening the 'Cracker Line,' Gen. Ulysses S. Grant was ready to lift the siege of Chattanooga. On November 23, 1863, a reconnaissance in force by Gen. George H. Thomas' Army of the Cumberland overran the Confederate position on Orchard Knob, and gave Confederate Gen. Braxton Bragg deep concerns about the strength of the center of his line along Missionary Ridge. In shoring up this portion of the Confederate position, Bragg moved Gen. William H. T. Walker's division from the base of Lookout Mou…READ MORE

Bentonville

After his march to the sea, Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman headed north in early 1865 to unite with Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant's army in Virginia. Only Confederate Gen. Joseph Johnston's army stood between Sherman and Grant. After briefly blocking Sherman's advance at Averasboro, North Carolina on March 16, Johnston struck Maj. Gen. Henry Slocum's wing of Sherman's army near Bentonville on March 19. The Confederates ran into stiff resistance, as Slocum established a defensive position. Johnston's assaults con…READ MORE