Earl Van Dorn

Major-General Earl Van Dorn
Portrait of Major-General Earl Van Dorn
Nickname(s)	Buck, Damn Born
Born	(1820-09-17)September 17, 1820 Claiborne County, Mississippi
Died	May 7, 1863(1863-05-07) (aged 42) Spring Hill, Tennessee
Place of burial	Wintergreen Cemetery Port Gibson
Allegiance	United States of America Confederate States of America
Service/branch	United States Army  Confederate States Army
Years of service	1842–61 (USA) 1861–63 (CSA)
Rank	Major (USA) Major General (CSA)
Commands held	Trans-Mississippi Department Army of the West Army of Mississippi
Battles/wars	Mexican–American War Siege of Fort Texas Battle of Monterey Siege of Vera Cruz Battle of Contreras Battle of Cerro Gordo Battle of Churubusco Battle for Mexico City Indian Wars Seminole Wars Comanche Wars American Civil War Battle of Pea Ridge Second Battle of Corinth Battle of Thompson's Station First Battle of Franklin

Earl Van Dorn (September 17, 1820 – May 7, 1863) was a career United States Army officer and great-nephew of Andrew Jackson, fighting with distinction during the Mexican–American War and against several tribes of Native Americans. The former military installation Camp Van Dorn is named for him.

In the American Civil War, he served as a Confederate general, appointed commander of the Trans-Mississippi District. At the Battle of Pea Ridge, Arkansas, in March 1862, he was defeated by a smaller Union force, partly because he had abandoned his supply-wagons for the sake of speed, leaving his men under-equipped in cold weather. At the Second Battle of Corinth in October 1862, he was again defeated through a failure of reconnaissance and removed from high command. He then scored two notable successes as a cavalry commander, capturing a large Union supply depot at Holly Springs and an enemy position at the Battle of Thompson's Station, Tennessee. In May 1863, he was shot dead at his headquarters at Spring Hill by a doctor who claimed that Van Dorn had carried on an affair with his wife.

Van Dorn was born near Port Gibson in Claiborne County, Mississippi, to Sophia Donelson Caffery, a niece of Andrew Jackson, and Peter Aaron Van Dorn, who worked as a lawyer and judge. He had eight siblings among whom were two sisters, Emily Van Dorn Miller and Octavia Van Dorn (Ross) Sulivane. His sister Octavia, had a son, Clement Sulivane, who was a captain in the CSA forces and served on Earls staff; he later became a Lt. Colonel. In December 1843 Earl married Caroline Godbold, and they had a son named Earl Van Dorn, Jr. and a daughter named Olivia.

In 1838 Van Dorn attended the United States Military Academy at West Point, and graduated four years later, standing 52nd out of 56 cadets. His family relations to Andrew Jackson had secured him an appointment there. He was appointed a brevet second lieutenant in the 7th U.S. Infantry Regiment on July 1, 1842, and began his Army service in the Southern United States.