Thomas Pleasant Dockery

{{Infobox military person

|name= Thomas P. Dockery

|image= Dockery Thomas.jpg

|caption= Dockery in uniform, {{circa|1864}}

|birth_date= {{birth date|1833|12|18}}

|death_date= {{death date and age|1898|2|26|1833|12|18}}

|birth_place= Montgomery County, North Carolina, U.S.

|death_place= New York, New York, U.S.

|placeofburial= City Cemetery, Natchez, Mississippi, U.S.

|placeofburial_coordinates = {{coord|31|34|30.0|N|91|23|39.3|W|region:US-MS_type:landmark|display=inline}}

|allegiance= {{Flag|Confederate States|1865}}

|branch= {{army|CSA}}

|serviceyears= 1861–1865

|rank= 35px Brigadier-General

|commands= {{unbulleted list|19th Arkansas Infantry (1862-63)|Dockery's Brigade (1863-65)}}

|battles= American Civil War

|laterwork=

}}

Brigadier-General Thomas Pleasant Dockery (December 18, 1833 – February 26, 1898) was a senior officer of the Confederate States Army who served in both the Western and Trans-Mississippi theaters of the American Civil War.

Early life

Thomas Pleasant Dockery was born in Montgomery County, North Carolina, to Colonel John Dockery, who had participated in the Indian removals in North Carolina. His father moved first to Hardeman County, Tennessee, and then to Columbia County, Arkansas, where he established a large plantation. John Dockery also played a role in establishing the first railroad in Arkansas.

American Civil War

File:Relief of Thomas P. Dockery at Vicksburg National Military Park.jpg (2015)]]

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.Arkansas Military Department Records, Spanish American War, List of Commissioned Officers of the Militia 1827–1862, Arkansas History Commission, Microfilm Roll 38-8, Page 555 This company became Company B of the 5th Regiment, Arkansas State Troops,{{cite web|url=http://history-sites.com/cgi-bin/bbs53x/arcwmb/webbbs_config.pl?noframes;read=14760|title=Re: Companies of Pearce's Brigade|last=Howerton|first=Bryan R.|publisher=Arkansas in the Civil War Message Board|date=February 12, 2007|access-date=February 16, 2012}} See also Dandrige McRae Papers, Arkansas History Commission, http://www.ark-ives.com/manuscripts/detail.aspx?id=181. and Dockery was elected colonel 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, 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, most Confederate units were withdrawn from Arkansas to the east side of the Mississippi River. Dockery and his unit participated in the Second Battle of Corinth. Dockery commanded the 19th Arkansas Infantry in Martin E. Green's 2nd Brigade in John S. Bowen's Division during the Vicksburg campaign. The brigade was involved in heavy fighting at the Battle of Port Gibson on May 1, 1863, losing 222 casualties, and the Battle of Champion's Hill on 16 May, losing 268 casualties. At the Battle of Big Black River Bridge 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, Dockery assumed command of the brigade.{{sfn|Battles & Leaders|1987a|p=550}}

Dockery was captured when the city capitulated on July 4, 1864. After being paroled,{{cite web|url=http://ehistory.osu.edu/books/official-records/119/0388|title=War of the Rebellion: Serial 119 Page 0388 PRISONERS OF WAR AND STATE, ETC. - eHISTORY|website=ehistory.osu.edu}} 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, in the Trans-Mississippi Department. He was to reform them and recruit the units up to a full brigade.{{cite web|url=http://ehistory.osu.edu/books/official-records/033/0960|title=War of the Rebellion: Serial 033 Page 0960 MO., ARK., KANS., IND.T., AND DEPT. N.W. Chapter XXXIV. - eHISTORY|website=ehistory.osu.edu}}{{cite web|url=http://ehistory.osu.edu/books/official-records/033/1010|title=War of the Rebellion: Serial 033 Page 1010 MO., ARK., KANS., IND. T., AND DEPT. N. W. Chapter XXXIV. - eHISTORY|website=ehistory.osu.edu}}

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,{{cite web|url=http://ehistory.osu.edu/books/official-records/061/0784|title=War of the Rebellion: Serial 061 Page 0784 LOUISIANA AND THE TRANS-MISSISSIPPI. Chapter XLVI. - eHISTORY|website=ehistory.osu.edu}} Battle of Prairie D'Ane,{{cite web|url=http://ehistory.osu.edu/books/official-records/061/0827|title=War of the Rebellion: Serial 061 Page 0827 Chapter XLVI. THE CAMDEN EXPEDITION. - eHISTORY|website=ehistory.osu.edu}} Battle of Poison Spring Battle of Marks' Mills{{cite web|url=http://ehistory.osu.edu/books/official-records/061/0790|title=War of the Rebellion: Serial 061 Page 0790 LOUISIANA AND THE TRANS-MISSISSIPPI. Chapter XLVI. - eHISTORY|website=ehistory.osu.edu}}{{cite web|url=http://ehistory.osu.edu/books/official-records/061/0795|title=War of the Rebellion: Serial 061 Page 0795 Chapter XLVI. THE CAMDEN EXPEDITION. - eHISTORY|website=ehistory.osu.edu}} and the Battle of Jenkins' Ferry.{{cite web|url=http://ehistory.osu.edu/books/official-records/061/0801|title=War of the Rebellion: Serial 061 Page 0801 Chapter XLVI. THE CAMDEN EXPEDITION. - eHISTORY|website=ehistory.osu.edu}}Official Records CHAP. XLVI.] THE CAMDEN EXPEDITION. PAGE 807-61 or Series I. Vol. 34. Part I, Reports. Serial No. 61. 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).{{sfn|Battles & Leaders|1987b|p=368}}

Late in 1864, Dockery was assigned to command the Reserve Forces of the State of Arkansas.{{cite web|url=http://ehistory.osu.edu/books/official-records/101/1397|title=War of the Rebellion: Serial 101 Page 1397 Chapter LX. CORRESPONDENCE, ETC. - CONFEDERATE. - eHISTORY|website=ehistory.osu.edu}} In May 1865 Dockery signed the instrument of surrender which surrendered all remaining Confederate forces in Arkansas.{{cite web|url=http://ehistory.osu.edu/books/official-records/102/0732|title=War of the Rebellion: Serial 102 Page 0732 LOUISIANA AND THE TRANS-MISSISSIPPI. Chapter LX. - eHISTORY|website=ehistory.osu.edu}}

Later life

Dockery died on February 26, 1898, in New York City and was buried in Natchez's city cemetery.Warner, Ezra J., Generals in Gray: Lives of the Confederate Commanders, Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1959, {{ISBN|0-8071-0823-5}}.

Notes

References

{{cite book|ref={{harvid|Battles & Leaders|1987a}} |title=Battles and Leaders of the Civil War |volume=3 |year=1987a |orig-year=1883 |publisher=Castle |location=Secaucus, N.J. |isbn=0-89009-571-X }}
{{cite book|ref={{harvid|Battles & Leaders|1987b}} |title=Battles and Leaders of the Civil War |volume=4 |year=1987b |orig-year=1883 |publisher=Castle |location=Secaucus, N.J. |isbn=0-89009-572-8 }}
Eicher, John H., and David J. Eicher, Civil War High Commands. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2001. {{ISBN|978-0-8047-3641-1}}.
Sifakis, Stewart. Who Was Who in the Civil War. New York: Facts On File, 1988. {{ISBN|978-0-8160-1055-4}}.
Warner, Ezra J. Generals in Gray: Lives of the Confederate Commanders. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1959. {{ISBN|978-0-8071-0823-9}}.