Brigadier-General Thomas Pleasant Dockery (December 18, 1833 – February 26, 1898) was a senior

officer An officer is a person who has a position of authority in a hierarchical organization. The term derives from Old French ''oficier'' "officer, official" (early 14c., Modern French ''officier''), from Medieval Latin ''officiarius'' "an officer," fro ...

of the

Confederate States Army The Confederate States Army (CSA), also called the Confederate army or the Southern army, was the Military forces of the Confederate States, military land force of the Confederate States of America (commonly referred to as the Confederacy) duri ...

who served in both the

Western Western may refer to: Places *Western, Nebraska, a village in the US *Western, New York, a town in the US *Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western world, countries that id ...

and

Trans-Mississippi Trans-Mississippi was a common name of the geographic area west of the Mississippi River during the 19th century. The term "Trans-Mississippi" was historically used to refer to any land "across the Mississippi" (or the entire western two-thirds ...

theater Theatre or theater is a collaborative form of performing art that uses live performers, usually actors to present experiences of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place, often a stage. The performers may communi ...

s of the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

Early life

Thomas Pleasant Dockery was born in

Montgomery County, North Carolina Montgomery County is a rural county located in the southern Piedmont of the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 25,751. Its county seat is Troy. History The first inhabitants of the area eventually compris ...

, to Colonel John Dockery, who had participated in the Indian removals in

North Carolina North Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, South Carolina to the south, Georgia (U.S. stat ...

. His father moved first to

Hardeman County, Tennessee Hardeman County is a county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2020 census, the population was 25,462. Its county seat is Bolivar. History Hardeman County was created by the Tennessee General Assembly in 1823 from parts of Ha ...

, and then to

Columbia County, Arkansas Columbia County is a county located in the U.S. state of Arkansas. As of the 2020 census, the population was 22,801. The county seat is Magnolia. The county was formed on December 17, 1852, and was named for Christopher Columbus. The Magnolia, ...

, where he established a large

plantation Plantations are farms specializing in cash crops, usually mainly planting a single crop, with perhaps ancillary areas for vegetables for eating and so on. Plantations, centered on a plantation house, grow crops including cotton, cannabis, tob ...

. John Dockery also played a role in establishing the first railroad in

Arkansas Arkansas ( ) is a landlocked state in the West South Central region of the Southern United States. It borders Missouri to the north, Tennessee and Mississippi to the east, Louisiana to the south, Texas to the southwest, and Oklahoma ...

American Civil War

At the outbreak of the American Civil War, Dockery received a commission on June 17, 1861, as captain of a Volunteer Militia Company in the 68th Regiment, Arkansas State Militia, Columbia County. This company became Company B of the 5th Regiment, Arkansas State Troops, and Dockery was elected

colonel Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, a colon ...

of the new regiment. Dockery's regiment was assigned to Nicholas Bartlett Pearce's Division, Arkansas State Troops, and participated in the

Battle of Wilson's Creek The Battle of Wilson's Creek, also known as the Battle of Oak Hills, was the first major battle of the Trans-Mississippi Theater of the American Civil War. It was fought on August 10, 1861, near Springfield, Missouri. In August, Confe ...

, August 10, 1861. Pearce's Division of State Troops, voted to disband following the battle, rather than be transferred to Confederate Service. Dockery then helped raise and was elected Colonel of the 19th Arkansas Infantry Regiment. After the

Battle of Pea Ridge The Battle of Pea Ridge (March 7–8, 1862), also known as the Battle of Elkhorn Tavern, took place during the American Civil War near Leetown, Arkansas, Leetown, northeast of Fayetteville, Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas. United States, Feder ...

, most Confederate units were withdrawn from Arkansas to the east side of the

Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the main stem, primary river of the largest drainage basin in the United States. It is the second-longest river in the United States, behind only the Missouri River, Missouri. From its traditional source of Lake Ita ...

. Dockery and his unit participated in the

Second Battle of Corinth The Second Battle of Corinth (which, in the context of the American Civil War, is usually referred to as the Battle of Corinth, to differentiate it from the siege of Corinth earlier the same year) was fought October 3–4, 1862, in Corinth, M ...

. Dockery commanded the 19th Arkansas Infantry in Martin E. Green's 2nd Brigade in

John S. Bowen John Stevens Bowen (October 30, 1830 – July 13, 1863) was an American career United States Army, Army officer who later became a General officers in the Confederate States Army, general in the Confederate States Army, Confederate Army an ...

's Division during the

Vicksburg campaign The Vicksburg campaigns were a series of maneuvers and battles in the Western Theater of the American Civil War directed against Vicksburg, Mississippi, a fortress city that dominated the last Confederate-controlled section of the Mississippi ...

. The brigade was involved in heavy fighting at the

Battle of Port Gibson The Battle of Port Gibson (May 1, 1863) was fought between a Union Army commanded by Major General Ulysses S. Grant and a reinforced Confederate States Army division led by Major General John S. Bowen. Though the outnumbered Confederate soldiers f ...

on May 1, 1863, losing 222 casualties, and the

Battle of Champion's Hill The Battle of Champion Hill (aka Champion's Hill) of May 16, 1863, was the pivotal battle in the Vicksburg Campaign of the American Civil War (1861–1865). Union Army commander Major General Ulysses S. Grant and the Army of the Tennessee ...

on 16 May, losing 268 casualties. At the

Battle of Big Black River Bridge The Battle of Big Black River Bridge was fought on May 17, 1863, as part of the Vicksburg Campaign of the American Civil War. During the war, the city of Vicksburg, Mississippi, was a key point on the Mississippi River. On April 30, 1863, a Un ...

on May 17, the brigade was overrun, losing one killed, nine wounded, and 1,012 captured. When Green was killed during the

Siege of Vicksburg The siege of Vicksburg (May 18 – July 4, 1863) was the final major military action in the Vicksburg campaign of the American Civil War. In a series of maneuvers, Union Major General Ulysses S. Grant and his Army of the Tennessee crossed th ...

, Dockery assumed command of the brigade. Dockery was captured when the city capitulated on July 4, 1864. After being paroled, Dockery was ordered by Confederate Secretary of War J.A. Seddon to assemble the Arkansas Confederate prisoners who had been released following the surrender of Vicksburg and Port Hudson at

Washington, Arkansas Washington is a city in Ozan Township, Hempstead County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 180 at the 2010 United States Census, 2010 census, up from 148 in 2000 United States Census, 2000. It is part of the Hope, Arkansas, Hope Hope ...

, in the

Trans-Mississippi Department The Trans-Mississippi Department was a territorial department of the Confederate States Army that embraced Arkansas, Louisiana west of the Mississippi river, Texas (including what is now New Mexico and Arizona), and the Indian Territory. It w ...

. He was to reform them and recruit the units up to a full brigade. On August 10, 1864, Dockery received his commission as a brigadier-general and raised an Arkansas brigade, which he led in the Red River Campaign and participated in the Battle of Mount Elba,

Battle of Prairie D'Ane The Battle of Prairie D'Ane (April 9 – 13, 1864), also known as the Skirmish at Prairie D'Ane, Battle of Gum Springs, or Battle of Moscow, was fought in present-day Nevada County, Arkansas, as part of the Camden Expedition, during the American ...

Battle of Poison Spring The Battle of Poison Spring, also known as the Poison Spring massacre, was fought in Ouachita County, Arkansas, on April 18, 1864, as part of the Camden Expedition, during the American Civil War. A Union (American Civil War), Union force comma ...

Battle of Marks' Mills The Battle of Marks' Mills (April 25, 1864), also known as the Action at Marks’ Mills, was fought in present-day Cleveland County, Arkansas, during the American Civil War. Confederate Brigadier-General James F. Fagan, having made a forced ma ...

and the

Battle of Jenkins' Ferry The Battle of Jenkins' Ferry, also known as the Engagement at Jenkins' Ferry, was fought on April 30, 1864, in Hot Spring and Saline counties (present-day Grant County), Arkansas, during the American Civil War The American Civil War ...

. During this campaign, Dockery commanded a brigade in Fagan's cavalry division. The brigade consisted of the 18th Arkansas, 19th Arkansas, and 20th Arkansas Mounted Infantry Regiments, and the 12th Arkansas Infantry Battalion (mounted). Late in 1864, Dockery was assigned to command the Reserve Forces of the State of Arkansas. In May 1865 Dockery signed the instrument of surrender which surrendered all remaining Confederate forces in Arkansas.

Later life

Dockery died on February 26, 1898, in

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

and was buried in

Natchez Natchez may refer to: Places * Natchez, Alabama, United States * Natchez, Indiana, United States * Natchez, Louisiana, United States * Natchez, Mississippi, a city in southwestern Mississippi, United States ** Natchez slave market, Mississippi * ...

's city cemetery.Warner, Ezra J., ''Generals in Gray: Lives of the Confederate Commanders'', Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1959, .

Notes

References

* * * Eicher, John H., and

David J. Eicher David John Eicher (born August 7, 1961) is an American editor, writer, and popularizer of astronomy and space. He has been editor-in-chief of ''Astronomy'' magazine since 2002. He is author, coauthor, or editor of 23 books on science and American ...

, ''Civil War High Commands.'' Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2001. . * Sifakis, Stewart. ''Who Was Who in the Civil War.'' New York: Facts On File, 1988. . * Warner, Ezra J. ''Generals in Gray: Lives of the Confederate Commanders.'' Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1959. .

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Dockery, Thomas Pleasant 1833 births 1898 deaths American militia officers Cavalry commanders Confederate States Army brigadier generals Farmers from Arkansas Military personnel from Arkansas People of Arkansas in the American Civil War People of the Brooks–Baxter War People from Columbia County, Arkansas People from Hardeman County, Tennessee People from Montgomery County, North Carolina People pardoned by Andrew Johnson