September 28, 1863

Maj. Gen. Alexander McD. McCook, USA

September 28, 1863

---On this date, in the aftermath of the Battle of Chickamauga, orders from the War Department relieve Gen. Alexander McCook and Gen. Crittenden of their commands, and consolidate their two depleted corps into one.  This is done over the protests of Gen. Rosecrans, who has resisted Washington’s requests to fire the two generals.  Rosecrans is also order to convene courts martial for McCook’s and Crittenden’s role in the Chickamauga disaster:

GENERAL ORDERS,

WAR DEPT., ADJT. GENERAL'S OFFICE,

Numbers 322.

Washington, September 28, 1863.*

I. The President of the United States directs that the Twentieth and Twenty-first Army Corps be consolidated and called the Fourth Army Corps, and that Major General Gordon Granger be the commander of this consolidated corps.

II. It is also directed that a court of inquiry be convened, the detail to be hereafter made, to inquire and report upon the conduct of Major-General McCook and Crittenden, in the battles of the 19th and 20th instant. These officers are relieved from duty in the Department of the Cumberland, and will repair to Indianapolis, Ind., reporting their arrival, by letter, to the Adjutant-General of the Army.

By order of the Secretary of War:

E. D. TOWNSEND,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

Maj. Gen. Thomas Crittenden, USA