Thomas Pleasant Dockery

Thomas Pleasant Dockery
Born	(1833-12-18)December 18, 1833 Montgomery County, North Carolina
Died	February 27, 1898(1898-02-27) (aged 64) New York City, New York
Place of burial	Natchez, Mississippi
Allegiance	United States of America Confederate States of America
Service/branch	Confederate States Army
Years of service	1861–65
Rank	Brigadier General
Battles/wars	American Civil War

Thomas Pleasant Dockery (December 18, 1833 – February 27, 1898) was a brigadier general in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War.

Early life

Dockery was born in Montgomery County, North Carolina, to Col. John Dockery, who had participated in the Indian removals in North Carolina. His father moved first to 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.

Civil War

At the outbreak of the Civil War, Thomas P. Dockery received a commission on 17 June 1861, as captain of a Volunteer Militia Company in the 68th Regiment, Arkansas State Militia, Columbia County.^[1] This company became Company B of the 5th Regiment, Arkansas State Troops,^[2] and Dockery was elected colonel of the new regiment. Dockery's regiment was assigned to Pearce’s Division, Arkansas State Troops, and participated in the Battle of Wilson's Creek, August 10, 1861. Pearce's Divison 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 After the Battle of Pea Ridge, most Confederate units were withdrawn from Arkansas to the east side of the Mississippi River.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 was given command of a brigade during the battles around Vicksburg Campaign such as the Battle of Champion's Hill. Assigned to the defenses of Vicksburg during the Siege of Vicksburg he was captured when the city capitulated on July 4, 1864. After being paroled,^[3] Dockery was ordered by Confederate Secretary of War J.A. Seddon to assemble the Arkansas Confederate prisioners who had been released following the surrender of Vicksburg and Port Hudson at Washington Arkansas, in the Department of the Trans-Mississsippi and reform them and recruit the units up to a full brigade.^[4][5]

On August 10, 1863, he 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,^[6] Battle of Prairie D'Ane,^[7] Battle of Poison Spring^[8] Battle of Marks' Mill^[9][10] and the Battle of Jenkins' Ferry.^[11][12] Late 1864, Dockery was assigned to comand the Reserve Forces of the State of Arkansas.^[13] In May 1865 Dockery signed the instrument of surrender which surrendered all remaining Confederate forces in Arkansas.^[14]

Post-War career

Dockery lost his remaining property during the war. After the war, Dockery became a civil engineer and lived in Houston, Texas. He died in New York City and was buried at Natchez, Mississippi, where his two daughters lived.^[15]

See also

• List of American Civil War generals

References

Further Reading

• “Gen. Tom P. Dockery.” Arkansas Gazette. March 9, 1898, p. 4.
• Harrell, John. Arkansas. Vol. 14, Confederate Military History, edited by Clement A. Evans. Wilmington, NC: Broadfoot Publishing Company, 1988.
• Sifakis, Stewart. Compendium of the Confederate Armies: Florida and Arkansas. New York: Facts on File, 1992.