Leonidas Polk

Leonidas Polk ( born April 10, 1806 Raleigh, North Carolina, † June 14, 1864 at Pine Mountain near Marietta, Georgia ), called " The fighting Bishop " ( " The Fighting Bishop " ), was bishop of the Episcopal Church of the USA and took over in the Civil War as a general in the Confederate army a command.

The cousin of President James K. Polk was West Point graduate of the year 1827. He joined the Academy as an eighth in his class from. Before the American Civil War, he was bishop of the Episcopal Church in Louisiana. Bishop Richard Channing Moore Polk consecrated a deacon in 1830 and a year later a priest. After his marriage to Frances Ann Deveraux, he served at St. Peters Church in Columbia, Tennessee. 1861 Polk opted for military service and was a major general commander in the military district under 2 Albert S. Johnston. Polk organized the Mississippi Army and a member of the Tennessee Army, the First Corps, he served as Commanding General with the rank of lieutenant general. With his promotion to Lieutenant-General Polk had become the second oldest soldier with this rank after James Longstreet, which earned him some weight in the preparation of decisions. Polk took part in the battles of Belmont, Shiloh, Chickamauga and Perryville, and was also at Stone 's River campaign (see also Battle of Stones River ) involved. In 1864 he commanded Confederate forces under Joseph E. Johnston in the attack on Sherman's Atlanta ( see Atlanta Campaign ).

Before the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain, he was mortally wounded by an artillery shell at the site reconnaissance.