Brigadier-General Philip Dale Roddey
BY LIEUT.-GEN. JOSEPH WHEELER.
Was born in Moulton, Lawrence county, Ala., in the year 1820. His parents were in humble circumstances and able to give him but scanty educational advantages. For several years he labored as a tailor in his native town, but his natural ability was recognized by his election for a term of three years as sheriff of the county. Later he entered upon the adventurous occupation of steamboating on the Tennessee, in which he was engaged, with his home at Chickasaw, at the beginning of the war. When Alabama seceded he at once began to raise a company for the defense of the Southern cause, and he entered the Confederate service as captain of this company of mounted men. He was exceedingly efficient as a scout, and was held in high esteem by his commanding general. At Shiloh his company was the escort of General Bragg, and Roddey was complimented for gallantry on the field.
While Bragg was organizing for his Kentucky campaign, he advised General Price that "Captain Roddey is detached with a squadron of cavalry on special service in northwest Alabama, where he has shown himself to be an officer of rare energy, enterprise and skill in harassing the enemy and procuring information of his movements. Captain Roddey has the entire confidence of the commanding general, who wishes to commend him to you as one eminently worthy of trust." When it is remembered that the Federal forces were now in great strength at Corinth and vicinity, that Bragg proposed to move past them to the north, and Roddey was depended upon to watch the enemy, it will be seen that the captain was given an important trust. On August 21, 1862, General Bragg said in general orders: "A portion of our cavalry, consisting of the companies of Earle, Lewis and Roddey, led by Captain Roddey, has made another brilliant dash upon a superior force of the enemy, resulting in their utter discomfiture and the capture of 123 prisoners. The judgment and prudence of the previous dispositions exhibit high military skill." In December, 1862, he fought a severe engagement at Little Bear creek, in consequence of which the Federal expedition from Corinth, under General Sweeny, withdrew.
At the close of 1862 he was colonel, in command at Tuscumbia, with his regiment, the Fourth cavalry, and other forces. He was then ordered to join Van Dorn's cavalry corps in Mississippi, and his force at that time was given as 1,400 strong. With this corps he was in battle at Tuscumbia, February 22, 1863, and at Columbia, Tenn., early in March. In April he assailed the strong expedition under General Dodge, intended to cover Streight's raid, and fought it stubbornly during its advance up the valley to Courtland. Soon afterward, having been promoted to brigadier-general, he was in command in this district, of a force including Patterson's Fifth cavalry, Hannon's Fifty-third, his own regiment, under Colonel Johnson, Capt. W. R. Julian's troop, and Ferrell's battery. In October he cooperated with General Wheeler in the raid into Tennessee against Rosecrans' communications. Early in 1864 he was in battle at Athens, near Florence, and at Lebanon, and in the latter part of February Gen. J. E. Johnston called him with his command to Dalton, and put him in command of a cavalry division, but he was ordered back to northern Alabama in April by the war department. He remained on duty in north Alabama commanding a cavalry division, two brigades, under Colonels Johnson and Patterson, and in June sent Johnson's brigade to the assistance of Forrest at Tishomingo creek. It took an important part in the battle of Harrisburg, under Forrest, and in the pursuit of the enemy. Part of his troops were with Forrest in the September-October raid in Alabama and Tennessee, under Colonel Johnson, who was wounded.
In the latter part of September, 1864, he was put in command of the district of Northern Alabama, under Lieutenant-General Taylor. During the Atlanta campaign he fought a heavy Federal raiding party at Moulton, and in Hood's Tennessee campaign did great service to that general by keeping open his communications. In 1865 he offered a stout, though vain, resistance to Wilson's column, and was engaged under Forrest in the gallant attempt to defend Selma against the overwhelming numbers of the enemy. After the return of peace, General Roddey resided much of his time in New York city, engaged in the business of a commission merchant. He went to Europe in 1897, and died in London, England, in August of that year.
Source: Confederate Military History, Vol. 7 "Alabama", by Lt. Gen. Joseph Wheeler, edited by Gen. Clement Evans.
For another excellant biography on Gen. Roddey, please visit, Richard Davis' Co K "Roddey's Cavalry"website.
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