Gideon Johnson Pillow
| Gideon Johnson Pillow | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born |
June 8, 1806 Williamson County, Tennessee |
| Died | October 8, 1878 (aged 72) Lee County, Arkansas, near Helena, Arkansas |
| Place of burial | Elmwood Cemetery, Memphis, Tennessee |
| Allegiance |
 United States of America Confederate States of America
|
| Service/branch |
 United States Army Confederate States Army
|
| Years of service | 1846–48 (USA), 1861–65 (CSA) |
| Rank |
 Major General (USA) Major General (Militia) Brigadier General (CSA)
|
| Battles/wars | |
Gideon Johnson Pillow (June 8, 1806 – October 8, 1878) was an American lawyer, politician, speculator, slaveowner, United States Army major general of volunteers during the Mexican-American War and Confederate brigadier general in the American Civil War.
Before his military career, Pillow practiced law and was active in Democratic Party politics. He supported the nomination of fellow-Tennessean James K. Polk at the 1844 Democratic National Convention. In 1847, Pillow was commissioned a brigadier general of volunteers to serve in the Mexican-American War, and was later promoted to major general. He performed reasonably well, and was wounded that year at Cerro Gordo and Chapultepec. However, controversy arose when, in a series of letters, Pillow tried to take what was perceived by some as undue credit for American victories at the expense of his commander, Major General Winfield Scott. Pillow was court-martialed for insubordination, but with President Polk's assistance, the court-martial was reduced to a court of inquiry, which in 1848 exonerated Pillow of any wrongdoing.
After the war, Pillow served as a delegate from Alabama the Nashville Convention of 1850, where he supported compromise. He remained active in supporting the Democratic Party.
At the start of the Civil War in 1861, Pillow supported secession, and was commissioned a brigadier general in the Confederate Army in July. Pillow received the thanks of the Confederate Congress for driving off the Union force at the Battle of Belmont, Missouri. He controversially failed to exploit a temporary break through of Union lines by his troops which might have allowed the Confederate garrison of Fort Donelson to escape at the Battle of Fort Donelson on February 15, 1862. The next night, before the surrender of the fort, Brigadier General John B. Floyd passed overall command of the fort to Pillow, who in turn passed it to Brigadier General Simon Buckner. Floyd and Pillow managed to personally escape with a few aides before Buckner surrendered the remaining garrison to the Union Army of Brigadier General Ulysses S. Grant. These actions sent his military career and reputation into eclipse.
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