Van Buren Brindley was born November 14, 1840 at Simcoe Alabama, where
he was reared. His father, Mace
Thomas Brindley, was a well known public figure for whom
Brindley Mountain was named. "In justice to a brave soldier, who
has poured out his blood freely in defense of the Confederate
States, I will state that Van Buren Brindley joined my company
as a private but his good conduct and soldierly deportment he
was promoted to Sergeant. Let his soldierly qualities, and his
wounds, recommend him to the kindness of all lovers of liberty."
Service Record of Van Buren Brindley (detailed version) Van Buren Brindley was born on November 14, 1840, during the administration of President Martin Van Buren. He was the fifth child of Mace Thomas Payne Brindley and Nancy Stuart (Hanby) Brindley. Early in 1861, Alabama seceded from the Union and Joined the fledgling Confederacy in hopes of a peaceful separation from the United States. In April of that year these hopes were dashed when the Confederate Artillery fires on Fort Sumpter to force the United States troops out of Confederate territory. His homeland at war and his countrymen dying on the battlefield, Van Buren felt compelled to join the struggle. On September 25, 1861 at Moorsville, Alabama he was enlisted by G.W. Whitfield for one year in Company I of the 54th Alabama Volunteer Infantry Regiment. He then accompanied the 54th to Memphis, Tennessee. From Memphis his company was sent to aid in the defense of Island No.10 on the Mississippi River. When Island No.10 fell to the Federal forces on April 7, 1862, most of Van Buren's Company was captured. However, he was at the time in the hospital for Fort Pillow sick with the measles. After recovering from the measles, he reported to Memphis where he was enlisted by Captain McLean on April 28, in Company K of the 25th Louisiana Volunteer Infantry regiment, Daniel W. Adams brigade, James P. Anderson's division, William J. Hardee's Wing, Army of the Mississippi, C.S.A. Van Buren Brindley was promoted to Corporal in January or February 1863 and later promoted to Sargent between September 1, 1863 and June 5, 1864. The Captain of Company K was W.R.C. Lyons. The Army of the Mississippi was commanded by P.T. Beauregard. On June 27, 1862, Braxton Bragg replaced Beauregard as commander of the Army of the Mississippi.
Bragg's infantry left Tupelo, Mississippi by rail on July 23rd and moved through Meridian to Mobile. At Mobile the army crossed Mobile Bay on ferry boats, then boarded trains and moved through Pollard, Montgomery, West Point and Atlanta. They began arriving in Chattanooga on July 27, completing one of the great flanking movements of the Civil War. On August 27, the Army of the Mississippi began crossing the Tennessee River from Chattanooga, moving over Walden's Ridge. They reached Pikeville, Tennessee on September 1 and moved on to Sparta. Anderson's division of Hardee's wing moved out of Sparta and marched through Milledgeville and Pekin and headed for Carthage, Tennessee on the Cumberland River. Hardee's wing crossed the river at Carthage on September 9, and moved through Pleasant Shade, Wichers Cross Roads and Red Sulfur Springs toward Thompkinsville, Kentucky, (Through Peter's Creek or Paces?) They arrived at Glasgow, Kentucky on September 14, footsore and tired, but cheerful. On September 16, Hardee's wing approached Munfordville, Kentucky from the South. Polk's wing of the Army of the Mississippi was on the North side of the town. The next day the 3,546-man Union garrison of Munfordville surrendered at Rowletts Station. General Bragg set aside September 18, as a day of thanksgiving for the army. The army was running low of supplies and the soldiers were complaining of hunger. Learning that Union General Buell was approaching from the South, Bragg decided to move his army to Bardstown, Kentucky in order to receive supplies from Confederate General Kirby Smith. On September 19, the Army of the Mississippi marched north out of Munfordville, passing through Nolin on the 20th. On September 21, they camped near Hoodgenville, Kentucky. On September 22, they marched out toward New Haven, crossed Muldraugh Hill and rested at New Haven that evening. On September 23, they marched from New Haven to Bardstown where they camped until October 4. Union General Buel had moved his army north to Louisville and joined forces with the army there. Buell then moved his forces toward Bragg's Army in Bardstown. Bragg moved his army westward in order to join with Kirby Smith. On October 4, Hardee's left wing, consisting of Anderson's and Buckner's divisions, marched from Bardstown to Glenville over a hilly and rocky road made slippery by recent rains. They made very little progress that day. They camped around Glenville that night along the banks of the Beech Fork River. On October 5, they marched from Glenville through Springfield and on to where they camped that night at Cedar Grove about 5 and 1/2 miles outside Springfield on the Perryville Road. The day was extremely hot. On October 6, Anderson's division marched from Cedar Grove to Perryville and on toward Harrodsburg, leaving only Buckner's division with Hardee at Perryville. Anderson's division marched back down the Harrodburg Pike to Perryville on October 7. Adams brigade was positioned on the high ground behind Perryville along and South of the Danville Road. More to follow.......... |