Leonidas Polk
Biography (Written and Submitted by Mr. Gabe Weaver)
General Leonidas Polk was born in Raleigh, North Carolina on April 10, 1806.
Leonidas Polk attended the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and graduated
in 1827. Soon after he dropped out of the Army and joined the Episcopal
Church. He became Bishop of Louisiana in 1841. His friend from West Point,
Jefferson Davis, convinced
Polk to join the Confederate Army in 1861. Polk was commissioned a Major
General and was put in charge of securing the Mississippi River. While in
Kentucky he moved his command around as his enemies required, he even ferried
across the river to help repel
Grant's move on Belmont, Missouri. General Polk
had to pull out of Missouri when the Federals took over Number 10 and New
Madrid, he would then take command of a Corps under
General Albert Sidney Johnston. He fought
during the Battles of Shiloh and
Corinth,
he was then promoted to command of the Army of Mississippi. Polk would lead
the Army of Mississippi at Perryville, then General Polk led a Corps in 1863
at the Battles of Murfreesboro, the Tullahoma Campaign, and
Chickamauga. General Polk was
transferred to the quiet portions of |
General Polk
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Mississippi in
late 1863. When the Union began to pressure Mississippi, Polk's small force,
of only one Corps, was called up. Polk and his forces were moved to Georgia
to help protect
Atlanta. On June 14, 1864, while in a
conference with
Generals Joe Johnston
and William Hardee, Polk was killed by a cannon ball.
Many thanks to Mr. Gabe Weaver for Writing and Submitting this Biography. |