Civil War
At the beginning of the American Civil War in 1861, Cockrell joined the Missouri State Guard as a captain. After transferring to the Confederate army and being promoted to colonel, he was an important leader in the Vicksburg Campaign and was wounded in the hand by an exploding shell during the Siege of Vicksburg. Cockrell distinguished himself at the Battle of Champion Hill, launching a counterattack that temporarily ousted troops of XVII Corps off the hill. He also took part in the Battle of Big Black River Bridge. His brigade was able to escape just before federal troops seized the bridge.
Cockrell was promoted to brigadier general on July 18, 1863. In April 1865, shortly before the end of the war, Cockrell was captured in Alabama, but was paroled after a few weeks. He returned to his law practice in Missouri.
Read more about this topic: Francis Cockrell
Famous quotes related to civil war:
“One of the greatest difficulties in civil war is, that more art is required to know what should be concealed from our friends, than what ought to be done against our enemies.”
—Philip Dormer Stanhope, 4th Earl Chesterfield (1694–1773)
“We have heard all of our lives how, after the Civil War was over, the South went back to straighten itself out and make a living again. It was for many years a voiceless part of the government. The balance of power moved away from it—to the north and the east. The problems of the north and the east became the big problem of the country and nobody paid much attention to the economic unbalance the South had left as its only choice.”
—Lyndon Baines Johnson (1908–1973)