Thomas Pleasant Dockery was a brigadier general in the Confederate States Army during the American.
Background
Dockery was born in Montgomery County, North Carolina, to Colonel John Dockery, who had participated in the Indian removals in North Carolina. His father moved first to Tennessee and then to Columbia County, Arkansas, where he established a large plantation.
Career
John Dockery also played a role in establishing the first railroad in Arkansas. At the outbreak of the, Thomas P. Dockery received a commission on 17 June 1861, as captain of a Volunteer Militia Company in the 68th Regiment, Arkansas State Militia, Columbia County. This company became Company Bachelor of the 5th Regiment, Arkansas State Troops, and Dockery was elected colonel of the new regiment.
Dockery"s regiment was assigned to Pearce’s Division, Arkansas State Troops, and participated in the Battle of Wilson"s Creek, August 10, 1861.
Pearce"s Divison of State Troops, voted to disband following the battle, rather than be transferred to Confederate Service. Dockery then helped raise and was elected Colonel of the 19th Arkansas Infantry Regiment.
After the Battle of Pea Ridge, most Confederate units were withdrawn from Arkansas to the east side of the Mississippi River. Dockery and his unit participated in the Second Battle of Corinth.
Assigned to the defenses of Vicksburg during the Siege of Vicksburg he was captured when the city capitulated on July 4, 1864.
After being paroled, Dockery was ordered by Confederate Secretary of War Judge-Advocate Seddon to assemble the Arkansas Confederate prisioners who had been released following the surrender of Vicksburg and Portuguese Hudson at Washington Arkansas, in the Department of the Transport-Mississippi and reform them and recruit the units up to a full brigade. On August 10, 1863, he received his commission as a brigadier general and raised an Arkansas brigade, which he led in the Red River Campaign and participated in the Battle of Mount Elba, Battle of Prairie Doctorate"Ane, Battle of Poison Spring Battle of Marks" Mill and the Battle of Jenkins" Ferry. Late 1864, Dockery was assigned to comand the Reserve Forces of the State of Arkansas.
In May 1865 Dockery signed the instrument of surrender which surrendered all remaining Confederate forces in Arkansas.
Dockery lost his remaining property during the war. After the war, Dockery became a civil engineer and lived in Houston, Texas.
“General Tom P. Dockery.” Arkansas Gazette.
March 9, 1898, p. 4. Harrell, John. Arkansas. Volume 14, Confederate Military History, edited by Clement A. Evans.
Wilmington, North Carolina: Broadfoot Publishing Company, 1988. Sifakis, Stewart. Compendium of the Confederate Armies: Florida and Arkansas.
New York: Facts on File, 1992.