McClernand's brigade at Cairo Upon the outbreak of the
American Civil War, McClernand raised the "McClernand Brigade" in Illinois, and was appointed
brigadier general of volunteers on August 7, 1861, to rank from May 17, 1861. His commission as a general was based on Lincoln's desire to retain political connections with the Democrats of Southern Illinois, not on his brief service as a private in the
Black Hawk War. At the same time, the brigade was placed in the District of Southeast Missouri commanded by Brigadier General
Ulysses S. Grant, a subordinate of Fremont. In response to orders from Fremont on November 2 and 3, 1861, Grant sent regiments from his district in seven columns to demonstrate against Confederate forces on both sides of the Mississippi River. The objective was to prevent Confederate reinforcement of other Confederate units in Missouri and Arkansas. On the afternoon of November 6, two brigades under Grant's direct command moved down the river. One was commanded by McClernand; the other by Colonel
Henry Dougherty. Grant picked up two regiments before stopping overnight, bringing his force to 3,119 men. Near 8:00 a.m. on November 7, Grant's force began to disembark from transports about three and one-half miles (5.6 km) north of Belmont, out of range of Confederate artillery batteries across the river at
Columbus, Kentucky. Union gunboats made futile attempts to attack Confederate artillery batteries during the landings. The Confederate camp at Belmont, named Camp Johnston, had been established by Confederate Major General
Leonidas Polk as an observation post.
Gideon Pillow from Columbus to Belmont as reinforcements to intercept Grant's force. After his troops had disembarked from the gunboats, McClernand led his brigade toward the Confederate line formed in part by the recently arrived regiments of Gideon Pillow, about 3,000 men in total. By 10:00 a.m., McClernand's skirmishers began to encounter the Confederate skirmishers. McClernand extended his battle line to outflank the Confederate line. A gap in the Union line was covered by two regiments shifting to the right. When McClernand saw that one of his regiments under Colonel
Napoleon Buford had outflanked the Confederate line, McClernand ordered a general attack. Some Confederate battalions began to run out of ammunition. By 2:00 p.m. the Union battle line broke the Confederate battle line about one mile (1.6 km) from the Confederate camp. McClernand walked to the center of the camp and called for three cheers adding to the disorder at the scene. At Columbus, Polk got word of the battle and first sent reinforcements, then crossed the river himself with more reinforcements. After about one-half hour of unopposed disorder at the camp, the Confederate reinforcements along with reformed elements of Pillow's regiments routed the Union force, sending them retreating toward their gunboats, which provided covering fire. McClernand had directed artillery placement which also facilitated the Union force's retreat. During the withdrawal McClernand suffered a grazing head wound. When reaching the shore, McClernand acted promptly to cover the boarding of the gunboats and to rescue a Union regiment which had been left behind. The Union troops, including Grant as the last to board a boat, narrowly escaped.
Battle of Fort Donelson McClernand commanded the 1st Division of Grant's army at
Fort Donelson. On the night of February 14, 1862, Confederate commanders decided to break out of the Union Army encirclement of the fort achieved the previous day. McClernand's division, whose flank was not sufficiently covered, was struck by a surprise attack in the early morning on February 15, 1862, the third day of the battle, in bitterly cold weather. By 7:00 a.m., the Confederates in line of battle and covered by artillery attacked McClernand's position, which McClernand thought he would still have time to adjust without Confederate movement in the frigid weather. Within an hour of the Confederate attack, the Confederates had cleared Union cavalry from their front and outflanked Colonel
John McArthur's poorly placed brigade. Low on ammunition and with the negative effect on the men of Colonel Michael Lawler's wounding, McArthur's men began to run from the field. Yet the Confederate close order tactics in moving forward, an effort to reduce a salient at a road junction and straggling slowed the Confederate advance. By 1:00 p.m. McClernand's division had been thoroughly routed. Without orders from Grant, Brigadier General
Lew Wallace sent his brigades to a new position to block the Confederate exit. Grant then ordered Brigadier General
Charles Ferguson Smith ("C.F. Smith") to take the fort after surmising it would now be lightly defended and the Confederates could be encircled. With such men from McClernand's brigade who could be rallied, Wallace moved to retake the lost ground. As night was falling, he had to stop the movement until morning which allowed McClernand's men to gradually return to their campsites. Overnight, the Confederate generals decided to surrender, although Colonel
Nathan Bedford Forrest escaped with most of his cavalrymen and Generals
Gideon Pillow and
John B. Floyd fled by boat. On March 21, 1862, McClernand, who had boasted about and exaggerated the achievements of his division was promoted to
major general of volunteers for his service at Fort Donelson.
Battle of Shiloh At the
Battle of Shiloh on April 6–7, 1862, McClernand commanded the First Division of the
Army of the Tennessee. On April 5, 1862, McClernand responded to rumors and reports that the Confederates were preparing a surprise attack by sending out a cavalry party to scout but they did not go in the right direction or far enough in any event. In the early morning of April 6, 1862, the regiment of Brigadier General
William T. Sherman's Fifth Division on the left flank, stationed about a quarter-mile south and east of Shiloh Church, began to give way under Confederate attack and the colonel's panic. McClernand had already begun to send troops forward to prevent Sherman's division from being outflanked. By 9:30 a.m., Sherman's division was being attacked by six Confederate brigades. After two hours of heavy fighting, Sherman's division fell back, despite some reinforcements from Brigadier General
W. H. L. Wallace's Second Division. About 10:00 a.m., Sherman's and McClernand's divisions linked up in a new position. McClernand's division was organized but Sherman's men reached the new line only a few minutes before the Confederates. Sherman's and McClernand's divisions were pushed back through the "Hornet's Nest", but held a firm line at Pittsburgh Landing as night fell. With the help of reinforcements Grant routed the Confederates with a devastating counterattack on April 7.
Political maneuvering ;
Allan Pinkerton is standing at left. McClernand's service as a major general was tainted by political maneuvering, which was resented by his colleagues. In October 1862, McClernand used his political influence with
Illinois Governor Richard Yates to obtain a leave of absence to visit Washington, D.C. and President Lincoln, hoping to receive an important independent command.
Secretary of War Edwin Stanton agreed to order him north to raise troops for the expedition against
Vicksburg which he would lead. Grant initially disapproved of this operation, and wired Halleck denouncing it as 'senseless'; but after news of victory came and learning that it was Sherman's idea, Grant quickly reversed his opinion, praising the operation in his telegraph to Halleck and calling it an 'essential step in the campaign against Vicksburg'.
Reduced to corps command; friction and intrigue On January 17, Grant, after receiving the opinion of
Admiral David Dixon Porter and General Sherman that McClernand was incompetent to lead further operations, united a part of his own troops with those of McClernand and assumed command in person and reduced McClernand to corps command. Three days later he ordered McClernand back to Milliken's Bend. During the rest of the
Vicksburg Campaign there was much friction between McClernand and his colleagues.
Attempts to approach Vicksburg McClernand landed his men on the Mississippi River levee at Young's Point, where they "suffered from the heavy winter rains and lack of shelter. Tents were not issued to the troops because they were within range of the [Confederate] guns at Vicksburg; so the more enterprising men dug holes in the levee and covered them with their black rubber blankets. Floundering in knee-deep black mud and still exhausted from recent expeditions, numerous soldiers fell sick. Many cases of
smallpox were reported. Hospital tents lined the back side of the levee and were crowded with thousands of sick men. Many died, and soon the levee was lined with new graves."
Battle of Champion Hill; attack on Vicksburg; relief from command It was Grant's opinion that at
Champion Hill (May 16, 1863) McClernand was dilatory, but Grant bided his time, waiting for insubordination that was blatant enough to justify removing his politically powerful rival. After a bloody and unsuccessful assault against the Vicksburg entrenchments (ordered by Grant), McClernand wrote a congratulatory order to his corps, which also disparaged the efforts of the other corps. This was published in the press, contrary to an order of the department and another of Grant that official papers were not to be published. Once McClernand read the order, he exclaimed in shock "I am relieved!"
Field command in Gulf; illness and resignation; Lincoln's funeral President Lincoln, who saw the importance of conciliating a leader of the Illinois
War Democrats, restored McClernand to a field command in 1864. There were eight divisions in Lincoln's funeral procession on May 4, 1865. McClernand was at the front of the second division which preceded the hearse. ==Postbellum life==