Signature of Thomas Jordan, Future Confederate General

Signature of Thomas Jordan, Future Confederate General, on Document Pertaining to Chatham Roberdeau Wheat

Jordan, Thomas (1819-1895). Confederate general. 2pp, Dec. 2, 1847. Orders for Capt. C.R. Wheat of the Mounted Volunteers to return to the United States for recruiting service. Chatham Roberdeau Wheat (1826-1862) served in the 1st Tennessee Mounted Regiment under Winfield Scott in the Mexican War.

Wheat adds a note that he went to Vera Cruz as ordered and tried to secure transport to the States on December 9 and December 16. He was told both times that there was no ship scheduled going to the States, so Wheat booked on a British steamer headed that direction. He seems to have been trying to secure compensation for his expenses and secured this copy to do so. Below the previous two messages is: "A true copy of original order & certificate." Signed Thomas Jordan.

According to the docket, this copy was then submitted to E.G. Elliot, the Quarter Master who told Wheat there was no transport, for a report. Elliott wrote a paragraph on verso that there was seldom a week when there was no transport from Vera Cruz, and suggested that Wheat was not entitled to any mileage. The officer who referred this to Elliott then came back and noted "This account is inadmissible."

Chatham Roberdeau Wheat (1826-1862) was a captain during the Mexican War and a major in the Confederate Army during the Civil War. He was also a lawyer, Louisiana State Representative adventurer and occasional mercenary. Born in Virginia, his family moved to Louisiana when he was a young boy. He left Mexico in part because of illness, and while in New Orleans, was elected to the state legislature.

When the Civil War broke out, Wheat enlisted a Battalion of "street toughs" from around the docks in New Orleans, the "Louisiana Tigers." The lot consisted of Germans, Irish and natives of New Orleans. The Tigers made it to Maryland in time for the first Battle of Manassas Junction. They fought well, but had a few disciplinary problems. After the battalion was placed under the command of Brigadier General Richard Taylor in November, there was some conflict with the "Tigers." The conflict ended when Taylor ordered the execution of two Tigers for drunkenness and insubordination. The unit served in Jackson's Valley Campaign and on the Peninsula. Wheat was mortally wounded at Gaines' Mill in June 1862, dying in Virginia, the state in which he was born. Later in the war, another unit adopted the name "Louisiana Tigers" in honor of Wheat.

Thomas Jordan (1819-1895) was also born in Virginia. He received an appointment to USMA, graduating in 1840. He was sent first to Fort Snelling, Minnesota, then went to Florida to fight Seminoles, then back to the western frontier before the Mexican War broke out. Jordan remained in Vera Cruz for a year after the war in administration. He could see in the events leading to secession that trouble was brewing. He began a pro-Southern spy network in Washington, DC that was especially active in the early months of the war. Jordan resigned from the US Army in May 1861 to enlist in the Confederate Army as a Captain. He was rapidly promoted and became a brigadier general by April 1862 for his actions at Shiloh. Control of the Washington spy network was turned over to Rose O'Neal Greenhow, but Jordan continued to receive her information as her "handler."Â For much of the war, he was with Beauregard in the Western Theater, then chief of staff to Braxton Bragg. When Beauregard was sent back to Charleston, Jordan accompanied his friend as chief of staff.

After the war he fought briefly for Cuban independence, then returned to the states, settling in New York. He wrote for a while immediately after the war and continued writing in New York. He died in that city at the age of 76.
Condition Report: Light toning along folds.