Civil War Battlefields

Looking for Something Fun? Yes and Know...

2010-09-12T16:43:00.001-04:00

This year's Civil War weekend started with a six hour drive and included some long, empty miles as we made our way south along the eastern coast of North Carolina. Luckily, we had something along to pass the time.

My buddy's wife gave him a copy of Lee Publications' Yes and Know: Civil War 1861-1865 Invisible Ink Quiz and Game Book. We figured we would ace every category and be bored with it in 15 minutes. Not quite.

Not only does the book contain categories as diverse as Abolition and Showcase of Guns, many of the questions are challenging. Do you know approximately how many rifles the rebels captured during the war? We didn't either (and the questions are multiple choice).

I didn't expect much from this book, but we had a great time with it on the road (thanks, Janet!).

South Mills - April 19, 1862

2010-08-29T21:35:00.000-04:00

From Civil War Battlefields

In order to consolidate the gains of his successful expedition on the North Carolina coast, and prevent rebel ironclads descending the Dismal Swamp Canal from Norfolk, VA, Major General Ambrose Burnside ordered General Jesse Reno to march north with 3000 men and destroy the locks at the southern terminus of the canal. The majority of Reno's troops, misled by a treacherous local guide, followed an elongated route, arriving on the field fatigued. Warned of Reno's approach, Colonel Ambrose Wright deployed the Third Georgia infantry, a four gun battery, a small cavalry detachment, and some North Carolina militia.

Reno's forces outnumbered Wright perhaps 8 to 1, but Wright chose his position well, posting his troops along the road at the northern end of open fields constricted by woods on both flanks. Wright also took advantage of irrigation ditches, posting his infantry in one and piling burning fence rails in another perhaps 200 yards in his front. The smoke from the burning rails obscured his position and may have led Colonel Hawkins, commander of the Ninth New York, to underestimate the strength of Wright's position.

Reno ordered most of his infantry to deploy in the woods to the left of the open area fronting the rebel position. Colonel Hawkins sensed an opportunity to break the enemy line with a bayonet charge and instead ordered the Ninth New York to charge the enemy's line. Soon after the Ninth crossed the burning ditch, a withering fire of musketry and canister stopped their advance cold and drove the to seek the shelter of the woodline where several other Federal regiments had deployed. Most of the 113 Federal casualties at South Mills fell during Hawkins's ill-fated bayonet charge.

Depsite their success against the Ninth New York, Wright's men were running out of time. The Federal Fifty-First Pennsylvania and 21st Massachusetts regiments fixed bayonets and moved out from the woods on the Federal left and launched another bayonet charge. Reno had also deployed the Sixth New Hampshire regiment on his left, where they advanced, delivered a volley, and sought out the rebel right flank. Wright wisely withdrew his small force before being completely overwhelmed.

The Federals remained in place for the night. Though within 3 miles of the canal locks he had been sent to destroy, Reno gave credence to rumors of Confederate reinforcments and withdrew the following day. Despite failing to achieve his primary objective, Reno considered the expedition a success. The fall of Norfolk less than one month later forever neutralized the threat of rebel ironclads descending the canal, however unlikely it may have been.

Frosttown Gap and the Meaning of Stewardship

2010-08-26T12:52:00.002-04:00

The Frederick News post ran a story today on the purchase of 97 additional acres for the South Mountain Battlefield here in Maryland. Read the story here - http://www.fredericknewspost.com/sections/news/display.htm?StoryID=109046.

While our neighbors to the north cannot seem to understand the trust they have been given to preserve and protect a national treasure, Maryland has leveraged funds available through Program Open Space to enhance an important site of the Antietam Campaign. Way to go, Maryland, and thanks to part time Ranger John Miller, who spearheaded this effort.

Why is it so much of Adams County doesn't get it? Some people need a lesson in stewardship. The heritage entrusted to them entails the responsibility to maintain the integrity of the battlefield against short-term, and short-sighted, development opportunities. But economics trumps everything, right? Wrong. Especially the kind of voodoo economics that ignores the adverse impacts to other local economies faced with the same choice who made the wrong decision. So how about it, Adams County?

By the way, to those you in Adams County working to prevent this travesty, thank you.

Cold Harbor and a Note on Droid Blogging

2010-08-23T13:09:00.001-04:00

I am back home after a long drive yesterday that included a quick stop at Cold Harbor. The works in the photo are those of Hoke's division short distance from the Visitors Center. A fitting end to a great weekend as Home's troops fought at Plymouth, Wilmington, and Wyse Fork, all stops on our tour. I'll have more substantial posts on several these sites over the next couple of weeks. Cold Harbor has changed great deal since my last visit, and is now on my list of sites to get back to soon. There's more to the story than just seven minutes of slaughter.

One final "note from the field." I downloaded Blogaway Lite after some issues uploading photos with my other client. Blogaway has been flawless. I enjoy the immediacy of posting during or shortly after a visit. I would have posted more on site, but since I had a buddy along, it wasn't always convenient or polite to be tapping away on my new toy. And sometimes it's best to put the darn thing away and take in your surroundings.

CSS Neuse Replica

2010-08-23T09:56:00.001-04:00

Not what you'd expect to find on the average vacant lot in downtown Kinston, NC. The replica is full-size and usually open to the public (including the interior). Still impressive from the outside, the Neuse ll is the only full scale CSS ironclad replica in existence.

While in Kinston, also check out the CSS Neuse Museum, the Civil War Trails markers for the first battle of Kinston, and just to the west along Route 70, the markers for the battle of Wyse Fork. Be aware, though, that most state facilities in NC are closed on Sundays.

Fort Anderson

2010-08-21T22:33:00.002-04:00

Guarding the Cape Fear opposite and somewhat farther up-river from Battery Buchanan, Fort Anderson mounted mostly obsolete 32lb cannon. The garrison also possessed a 12lb Whitworth Rifle that proved more effective against Federal gunboats, but was short of ammunition. The massive earthwork, which extended landward along a series of flooded ponds, though not far enough to prevent a successful flanking maneuver by Federal forces under General Jacob Cox.

New Bern

2010-08-21T19:16:00.002-04:00

The New Bern battlefield park encompasses much of the area that saw the heaviest fighting, including some well preserved earthworks manned by the 26th NC. The area of the Federal breakthrough, a brickyard near the railroad, is also part of the park. Work is still being done to improve the trails, and the 26th NC (reactivated) has placed a monument commemorating the sacrifice of that regiment on this field in 1862.

Albemarle

2010-08-21T14:50:00.001-04:00

I'm having trouble with photos from the Droid. Trying another client.

The Albemarle

2010-08-20T22:03:00.001-04:00

The 3/8 scale replica of the CSA ram Albemarle at Plymouth, NC. Near here, the ironclad rammed and sank the Southfield and drove the Miami downriver. Later, the Albemarle was itself sunk by a spar torpedo on a steam launch commanded by Captain William B. Cushing. Cushing ran the launch over an anti-torpedo screen of chained logs and personally detonated the spar torpedo. while he swam to safety, several members of his crew drowned or were captured.

Visit the replica near the Port o' Plymouth museum. Also check out a full size replica of Cashing's launch at the Maritime museum, also in Plymouth.

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South Mills

2010-08-19T22:17:00.001-04:00

Three miles south of the locks of the Dismal Swamp Canal near South Mills,NC, rebel forces under Ambrose Wright turned back the advance of Federal forces under general Jesse Reno, sent to destroy the locks.

Men's forces, the Ninth New York in advance, approached South Mills on April 19, 1862. The rebels had filled a ditch in front of their position with burning fence rails, obscuring their position.

Soon after the Ninth crossed the ditch, the combined fire of the rebel 3rd Georgia infantry and Giles's battery swept their ranks. Losses mounted, and the Ninth moved to the right, sheltering in a nearby woods. Some time later, the Sixth New. Hampshire turned the rebel right. Wright withdrew, ending contest.

The following day Reno, concerned over rumors of rebel reinforcements, withdrew southward. Though he claimed success for having driven the enemy from the field, he had failed to damage or destroy the canal. The threat of Confederate ironclads descending the canal never materialized, however, as Norfolk fell shortly thereafter.

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Civil War Weekend 2010

2010-08-18T23:22:00.000-04:00

Tomorrow I set out on my umpteenth annual Civil War weekend, this time to eastern North Carolina. Sites on this one include: South Mills, Plymouth (and the Albermarle replica), New Berne, Fort Macon, Fort Fisher, Fort Anderson, and Kinston (CSS Neuse). We may take in Bethesda Church on the way down or back, plus any Civil War Trails sites we happen across.

I'm looking forward to a a great weekend. I plan to try a bit of "in the moment blogging" from my Droid - should be interesting.

SHAF Tour - Harpers Ferry

2010-08-08T23:17:00.000-04:00

From SHAF Tour 2010

I will cover the SHAF tour of South Mountain and Harpers Ferry in several posts focused on the various separate engagements covered by the tour. An overview of Harpers Ferry seems appropriate to start, what with the concern over development plans for Bolivar Heights. The picture above shows the position of A.P. Hill's artillery on the Murphy Farm. Hill's seizure of this position flanked Bolivar Heights and sealed the fate of the garrison. It is worth noting the Murphy Farm represents a significant preservation victory made possible by the cooperation of the NPS and the Murphy family.

One of the themes of the tour highlighted the need to reappraise the performance of Federal and Confederate commanders during the campaign. Dixon S. Miles, the Federal commander at Harpers Ferry, is almost universally regarded as an "imbecile," but as Dr. Dennis Frye points out, he was forced to defend the town. His choices of Maryland Heights and Bolvar Heights for defensive positions made the best of a bad situation. Miles had perhaps 14,000 troops, most of which were green, and many of them had been in the army for only 3 weeks - barely enough time to learn how to load and fire a musket, let alone maneuver in formation.

The loss of Maryland Heights to troops under Lafayette McLaws seriously compromised Miles's defense, but this was perhaps unavoidable given the inexperience of Miles's command. With hope for relief fading, Miles permitted 1400 cavalry under Colonel Grimes Davis to attempt a breakout. The cavalry had been posted on the Murphy farm, guarding the southern flank of Miles's defensive line. As the cavalry made their escape in darkness, the infantry sent to replace them was recalled to Bolivar Heights to shore up the main line against an apparent night assault.

This night assault was a diversion planned by Jackson to cover the advance of A. P. Hill's division to the Murphy Farm, and it worked brilliantly. Frye considers this one of Jackson's most ingenious strategems, and suggests that Jackson receives little credit for it because of the low opinion most historians hold of his opponent. Given a reappraisal of Miles's efforts, Jackson's success at Harpers Ferry attains new significance. He coordinated three separate columns in a difficult convergence, disrupted his opponents defensive arrangements with a clever ruse, and seized a key position that made the enemy's line, and ultimately the town of Harpers Ferry, untenable. His efforts resulted in the largest surrender of U.S. forces prior to World War II.

Today, Harpers Ferry National Historic park includes portions of School House Ridge, Bolivar Heights, the Murphy Farm, and Maryland Heights. The battlefield portions of the park exist through the combined efforts of private individuals, CWPT, and the National Park Service. As I rethink my own opinions of Miles and Jackson's operations before Harpers Ferry, I am grateful for the areas that have been preserved, and hopeful for those that have not.

Harpers Ferry Update from CWPT

2010-08-04T23:49:00.002-04:00

From SHAF Tour 2010

As noted in my earlier post, I received a rapid response to an email I sent to CWPT about the risk to Bolivar Heights at Harpers Ferry. Here's the situation as described by Jim Campi of CWPT:

"CWPT is part of a coalition of groups that is fighting to save of the Old Standard Tract. The coalition has won a few fights to prevent development of this key property over the past 5-6 years. But, as you know, we have to win EVERY attempt to develop this historic parcel – the developers only have to win once."

Jim also forwarded a notice about several local meetings to raise awareness and determine courses of action to combat the backhanded and arbitrary methods used by the developer and the State of West Virginia that usurped zoning juridiction from the local government:

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STATE OF WEST VIRGINIA PREEMPTS LOCAL GOVERNMENTS

Developers of the Old Standard Quarry twice tried to upgrade the density of use, and thus the value, of the nearly 400-acre Old Standard Quarry on the edge of Harpers Ferry. Annexation to the City of Charles Town some five miles distant was tried without success. They also sought rezoning from Jefferson County without success. Then it recently was discovered that they had quietly pushed through state legislation that exempted “brownfield districts” from state planning and zoning laws, and had regulations implemented making themselves governments unto themselves free to develop the land any way they wished free of local control. The scheme was only exposed when it was discovered that a final plat subdividing the property for over 2,000,000 square feet of commercial space had been recorded in June 2010.

ACT NOW! YOUR PARTICIPATION AND ATTENDANCE IS ESSENTIAL!

The Jefferson County Commission is working hard to unravel these schemes through Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests, and other means, and has scheduled two important meetings with the state delegation to figure out how these circumstances came about and how to reverse course and restore local planning control. Here’s the schedule:

August 16 (Monday) 3:00-5:00 p.m. Overview of Old Standard Application for “Brownfield District” designation.
August 19 (Thursday) 3:00 p.m. for discussion with state delegation about how this legislative scheme evolved

Both meetings are at the Charles Town Library at the corner of Washington and Samuel Streets in Charles Town, West Virginia

A STRONG SHOWING OF CITIZEN SUPPORT IS ESSENTIAL TO BACK UP OUR LOCAL OFFICIALS. BRING YOURSELF, BRING YOUR FRIENDS!
BE THERE AND BE PART OF A SHOW OF SOLIDARITY!

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What can you do? 1. Attend the meetings, if possible. 2. Support CWPT. They understand the situation and context and have been involved with local organizations in the struggle against this development threat for the past several years.

What's in this for you besides preserving hallowed ground? I will send Guild Press's The Civil War CD-ROM to the first person to email me at cwbattlefields@gmail.com a donation receipt from CWPT dated on or after August 5, 2010 in the amount of $50.00 or more. The CD contains the Army Official Records and a few aditional supporting works. Who can't use a digitized copy of the OR's?

Harper Ferry Update

2010-08-04T08:55:00.002-04:00

I received a response from Jim Campi of CWPT this morning. They are working on this one, and Jim forwarded some information on local meetings being held to discuss this issue. I will post the details later today.

I am also trying out a Blogger app
for my new Droid. I'm hoping it will come in handy on my upcoming Civil War weekend.

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The Siege of Harpers Ferry 2010

2010-08-02T21:36:00.002-04:00

From SHAF Tour 2010

Colonel Dixon S. Miles positioned his Federal troops along Bolivar Heights to defend Harpers Ferry against Stonewall Jackson's wing of the Army of Northern Virginia. He faced long odds in what many historians consider an indefensible position.

We face those same odds today in the wake of development plans for the section of Bolivar Heights pictured above. The cleared section of the ridge has been slated for industrial / commercial development. In the words of Dr. Dennis Frye, "picture a super-Wal-Mart, then picture 16 buildings of that size and cover that ridge in the distance with them." This is the threat.

If you had heard the passion in Dennis's voice when he spoke about this, you would understand his frustration with recent attention given to the Wilderness Wal-Mart, sited close to the Wilderness Battlefield, when actual battlefield land at Harpers Ferry is about to be paved over and lost forever.

How we got to this point is irrelevant. And it's possible this battle may be lost. The zoning is in place and the preservation community does not seem to be mobilized for this fight. So consider this a call to action. As soon as I find out more, I will post it here. Let's hope CWPT is aware of this crisis and planning a campaign to prevent the destruction of a critical portion of a battlefield that witnessed the largest surrender of united States forces prior to World War II.

UPDATE: Check out Harry Smeltzer's post over at Bull Runnings, which has some additional detail on the developers responsible for this mess.

SHAF Tour – Phase One of the Antietam Campaign: Harpers Ferry and South Mountain

2010-07-30T15:00:00.000-04:00

Most of the Summer has slipped by without any major battlefield visits. Happily, this is about to change. Tomorrow I set out with SHAF (Save Historic Antietam Foundation) on a tour of Harpers Ferry and South Mountain, led by Dr. Dennis Frye and Dr. Tom Clemens. Details are available on the SHAF site (the tour is almost certainly closed at this point).

I expect to blog the tour in detail, despite my inactivity here of late. I am also in the planning stages for my annual Civil War weekend later in August. This year’s focus will be the Burnside Expedition of 1862 on the North Carolina Coast, with visits to Forts Fisher and Anderson outside Wilmington as well. I finally found a copy of Richard A. Sauers’s A Succession of Honorable Victories: The Burnside Expedition of 1862, which looks to be the only detailed monograph on the campaign. I always like to read as much as I can before I set out, so I know what I’m staring at.

In any case, I can't wait to spend some time in the field.

Ewell at Gettysburg

2010-07-20T14:48:00.001-04:00

I've just finished the latest issue of Civil War Times, which includes an article on Richard S. Ewell's actions on July 1 at Gettysburg. That failure to take Culps or Cemetery Hill on July 1 cost Lee's Army of Northern Virginia the battle is often taken as gospel, and Ewell comes in for most or all of the blame.

Authors Chris Mackowski and Kristopher D. White take issue with the standard story. They of course discuss Lee's famous ambiguity in the orders issued to Ewell - to take the hill "if practicable." And this is where many discussions of July 1 stop. But apparently Lee's orders, even at this late hour, also warned against bringing on a general engagement. The original orders, of course, have not survived. Even if Culps Hill was unoccupied at the time Ewell received the order, as the authors point out, Wadsworth's division occupied the hill shortly thereafter. And Federal artillery and infantry occupied East Cemetery Hill in strength, partially commanding the approaches to Culps Hill. Finally, troops of William's Division of the 12th Corps lay just beyond Benner's Hill, and are likely to have spoiled any opportunity to occupy Culps Hill without a fight.

Ewell certainly displayed some indecision on July 1 and also later in the battle. To blame the loss solely on him, however, ignores substantial problems at all levels of the ANV at Gettysburg. Let's save that for another time, or not.

I often tire of reading about Gettysburg controversies, but Mackowski and White have managed to create an entertaining and enlightening reappraisal of the key question concerning Ewell's performance at Gettysburg. The article, along with the entire issue of CWT, is well worth reading. I recently subsribed again after a long absence, and have enjoyed every issue so far. For those that are not interested, the text of the article can be found here.

Monterey Pass

2010-05-30T19:05:00.000-04:00

While out driving with my wife to enjoy a beautiful cloudless day (we don't get many of these in Maryland), I took in about half of the tour for the battle of Monterey Pass, the chaotic night engagement fought by elements of Brigadier General Judson Kilpatrick's Federal cavalry division and various cavalry detachments from the Army of Northern Virginia assigned to guard the passage of Imboden's train through the South Mountain passes.

I followed the tour suggested on the Monterey Pass Battlefield Association site. I also took along One Continuous Fight by Eric J. Wittenberg, J. David Petruzzi, and Michael F. Nugent, which includes a first rate tour section of it's own featuring the entire scope of action of the retreat from Gettysburg. This is a great reource, particularly for those that have a GPS. As this was a casual touring day, I cut the tour short and detoured on the road to Emmitsburg for some ice cream.

I plan to take in the whole tour at some point this summer. The tour route has a number of interpretive signs and winds along quiet mountain roads for much of the route, and should make for a nice day away from the noise of modern civilization.

Do You See What I See?

2010-05-07T20:57:00.000-04:00

No, not dead people (or bad jokes). While waiting for guests to arrive at my grandaughter's birthday party, I scanned the open fields and woodlots surrounding a park on Old Frederick Rd, near Frederick, Maryland. I had been thinking about McClellan's army moving west in pursuit of Lee's Army of Northern Virginia during the Maryland campaing of 1862. Many of his troops marched along that very road.

Whenever I approach a Civil War battlefield, I begin to look at the landscape differently. Instead of grassy slopes in the distance, I see battery positions. In place of tree lines along the edges of fields, I see cover for skirmishers, perhaps even sharpshooters. And the occasional old clapboard structure? Headquarters, of course. Does this happen to you as well?

Bentonville 145th - Morgan's Stand

2010-05-03T22:28:00.002-04:00

The stand of Morgan's Division may have been the decisive moment of the battle of Bentonville. Morgan's Division of Jefferson C. Davis's 14th Corps deployed on the right flank of Slocum's wing of Sherman's army in a boggy area of light woods opposite the forces of Braxton Bragg's troops, comprising mainly Hoke's Division.

When Morgan's veteran troops encountered resistance, they started digging in. As the fighting with Hoke's troops intensified, Bragg lost his nerve, calling for reenforcements in the form of McLaws's Division from Hardee's Corps. The removal of these troops from the Confederate right deprived their main assault of reserves at a critical time, and the addition of McLaws's troops to Bragg's lines ultimately proved unecessary.

As the pressure on the Federal center from D.H. Hill's assault increased, Morgan's men found themselves nearly surrounded, at one point hopping over their works and fighting them from the opposite direction. Had McLaws remained on the right, the added pressure of his division applied in conjunction with D.H. Hill's assault may have crushed Morgan, with disastrous results for Slocum's entire wing.

See a map of the heroic stand of Morgan's Division here (requires Adobe PDF Reader).

The Reenactment:

Rebel batteries deployed in the distant woodline opened on the recently entrenched Federals as cavalry felt for an open flank, finding the Federal position secure. After a short bombardment, Hoke's Division stepped off to the assault. Hoke's men advanced steadily, but failed to close on Morgan's works in the faced of devastating volleys delivered by Morgan's veterans.

As Hoke's men struggled to regain their momentum, rebels forces of the Army of Tennessee under D.H. Hill emerged in Morgan's flank and moved to envelop his entire position. Morgan's troops, undaunted, deployed to face the threats from both directions. For a time, it seemed the rebels had Morgan in a death grip, but a timely counterattack with close range artillery support relieved the pressure, and the rebels retreated, leaving Morgan in command of the field.

Bentonville 145th - Morris Farm

2010-04-21T11:21:00.002-04:00

The fight for the Morris Farm on the first day of the battle of Bentonville marked the high tide of the Confederate effort to destroy Slocum's wing of Sherman's army. The remnants of the Army of Tennessee, supported by Taliaferro's division of Hardee's corps, drove a wedge into the Federal center and broke against determined Federal infantry supported by several batteries. See a map of the assault here (requires Adobe PDF Reader).

The Reenactment:

The Federals marched onto the field, stacked rifles, and began to entrench. They made quick work of the soft, sandy Carolina soil and soon completed an imposing earthwork. The front rank sheltered within the entrenchment, while the rear rank crouche just behind, still gaining some protection from the mound of earth facing the oncoming rebels. Federal artillery, posted to the rear, opened on the advancing enemy.

The rebels, emerging from the tree line opposite the Federal works, advanced cautiously. Cavalry probed for an opening on the left, finding none. The rebels attempted to close, but the steady volleys from the boys in blue kept them at bay.

The engagement ended in an uneasy stalemate, both sides aware that more fighting would need to be done tomorrow.

Park Day 2010 at Monocacy National Battlefield

2010-04-11T22:51:00.000-04:00

From Monocacy

While I am sorting out pictures from Bentonville at my glacial pace, I thought I would post about CWPT's annual Park Day activities at Monocacy National Battlefield. This was my first year at Monocacy. As close as this battlefield is, I don't visit as often as I would like.

Well over 100 people participated, including 70 students from a local high school. CWPT members were joined by volunteers organized to cleanup the Potomac Watershed. I met two other CWPT members and shared a few stories while removing trash from the banks of the Monocacy River. It's amazing how much a large group can accomplish in just 3 hours. It's also amazing what rivers carry and deposit along their banks when at flood stage, but that is a different story.

Park Day is a chance to serve the parks that gice so much enjoyment to battlefield enthusiasts lilke myself, and a chance to meet other, like-minded people. I highly recommend participating. It only takes a half day, which leaves the rest of the day for touring the field (even if you may be a bit tired from a good day's work).

Bentonville 145th Anniversary

2010-03-17T10:17:00.002-04:00

With event planning for the sesquicentennial in full swing, let's not forget we are still commemorating the 145th anniversaries of the major events of 1865. This weekend, Bentonville Battlefield hosts living history encampments, battle reenactments, and several lectures of note, including two by historian Mark L. Bradley on the actions of March 19, 1865 featured in the reenactments,Last Grand Charge of the Army of Tennessee and Morgan's Stand.

While I am in North Carolina, I hope to visit Kinston to take in the battlefield at Wyse's Fork, where Bragg's forces let slip their last opportunity to deal a serious blow to Schofield's forces on their march from Wilmington to link up with Sherman. I may also have time to stop by the CSS Neuse museum.

By all acounts, this weekend should provide the perfect opportunity to dust off the old hiking boots (not to mention this blog) and open the 2010 touring season. I can't wait.

Olustee: February 20, 1864

2010-02-14T14:11:00.002-05:00

From Civil War Battles and Battlefields

I have driven past the battlefield of Olustee a number of times on my way to or from my mom's place in Florida, usually in a hurry to get there or get home. We had a few extra days on our last visit. Despite intermittent rain showers, my wife and set out on the short loop trail of the battlefield.

A small battle by any measure, Olustee, fought on February 20, 1864, stands out for several reasons. Though only about 5000 troops were engaged on each side, Federal forces suffered losses of almost 40% . Rebel reinforcements arrived by rail to turn the tide of battle. And according to one battlefield interpretive marker, General Alfred H. Colquitt mounted a heavy cannon on a flatcar. It's steady, deliberate fire wreaked havoc on the Federal infantry.

Finally, as the Federal line disintegrated, Brigadier General Truman Seymour commited a reserve brigade under Colonel James Montgomery including the 54th Massachusetts regiment. The 54th fought a desperate rearguard action and prevented a total rout of Federal forces from the field. Some of these men, as well as other soldiers of the USCT wounded or captured at Olustee, suffered grim fates at the hands of Confederate soldiers in the aftermath of battle.

The state park contains a small museum and self-guided loop trail. The terrain is devoid of any elevation and the entire battle area is covered in tall pine woods carpeted with palmettos. Signage along the trail details the course of the battle. It seems the lopsided results of this fight may be laid squarely at the feet of the Federal commander. Seymour committed his troops piecemeal, and also lost most of his artillery early in the fight.

While the battle derailed Federal efforts in Florida, it's overall impact on the course of the war was negligible. Nevertheless, like so many minor engagements, it provides unique stories of courage, folly, and sacrifice, and has earned a place in our collective memory.

Dade Battlefield

2009-12-28T22:08:00.002-05:00

The quiet of the afternoon of December 28, 1835 among the scattered pines and palmettos of central Florida lulled Major Francis Dade and his 107 man detachment of the 4th US Infantry into a false sense of security as they marched along the Fort King Road. Suddenly, the silence erupted in a crash of flame and smoke as hundreds of Seminole warriors rose up and poured a devastating volley into Dade's men.

Major Dade, two of the remaining five officers, and perhaps half of the detachment went down in the first volley. Advance elements fell back on the main column to regroup and offer a coordinated defense. Artillerymen wheeled the columns single six pounder into action and managed to stem the tide of the Seminole advance temporarily.

As the Seminoles regrouped, the last remaining officer, a lieutenant, gathered the survivors within a small, three-sided breastwork of logs and exhorted his men to “do the best we can.” But the odds, already hopeless, were longer now that the ammunition for the six pounder was exhausted. The Seminoles closed in and quickly overwhelmed the small redoubt.

Only three men of Dade's command survived. They faced a grueling journey of perhaps 50 miles back to Fort Brooke, from which there fateful march began only days ago. The massacre of Dade's men inaugurated a seven year struggle known as the Second Seminole War. Sadly, the sacrifice of Dade's soldiers was almost forgotten in the wake of the epic defense of the Alamo, some three months later.

I happened to stumble on this battlefield on the 174th anniversary of the fight, taking the opportunity to see it while visiting my folks in central Florida. A small group of reenactors accompanied by a Junior ROTC color guard and several musicians from a local high school paid solemn tribute to the men of Dade's command. The Dade Battlefield Society, which helps fund the site (now a state park) and sponsors the annual reenactment, ensures that their sacrifice, forgotten for so many years, will live on in our collective memory.

N.B. Realizing this is a Civil War blog, I have included this site in hopes that many of you will find it of interest, and that you share my general interest in American military history. I may include other non-Civil War sites from time to time.

Quick Takes

2009-12-20T21:43:00.001-05:00

Despite the lack of activity here, I have managed to read several good books recently. I still need to add or tweak a few apps on the new laptop, and now that the last toy soldier show of the year is over, I am slowly getting back to other interests.

I've been buying books on Sherman's campaign in North Carolina recently. No Such Army Since the Days of Julius Caesar, by Mark A. Smith and Wade Sokolosky, covers the campaign from the seizure of Fayetteville to the battle at Averasboro that set the stage for the larger fight at Bentonville. This is a great book with excellent maps, a critical component for any campaign study. I'll reserve additional comments for a more formal review. For now, I hope you enjoy these short takes on a couple of interesting titles.

Spencer C. Tucker, A Short History of the Civil War at Sea, Scholarly Resources Inc., 2002.

A friend purchased this book for me from Daedalus Books, a local bargain book store. The naval history of the Civil War is one of those aspects of the conflict I need to learn more about. This entertaining introduction covers all major naval actions along the coast as well as the actions of Confederate commerce raiders. But take note, the book is exactly what the title indicates, as there is no coverage of the gunboat battles along the western rivers. If the exploits of Farragut or Semmes interest you at all, and you are looking for a good overview, consider Tucker's book.

Nathaniel Cheaires Hughes, Jr., Bentonville: The Final Battle of Sherman and Johnston, UNC Press, 1996.

I really enjoyed Hughes study of the battle of Belmont, so this book was an easy selection for an introduction to the battle of Bentonville. Hughes provides a quick summary of the campaign and then lays out the often confusing details of the battle with clarity and precision. The main drawback of the book is a lack of detailed maps, but this deficiency is easily remedied using Mark Moore's atlas (his maps are also available online here). This book will serve for most students of the war looking for solid coverage of the Bentonville campaign. For me, while I enjoyed the book, I find it has only whetted my appetite for Mark Bradley's work, which promises more detail and includes Moore's maps within the text itself.

Welcoming a Friend

2009-10-27T16:41:00.003-04:00

I've been distressed lately by a number of postings on Civil War related blogs that, in my view, have descended to the level of personal attacks. I guess this is inevitable given the passion still surrounding the war, preservation, and a host of other related issues.

So I am happy to welcome a friend to the blogosphere. Dylan Hyde, a reader of my blog, has started his own blog, Muddy Boots. I met Dylan at the Antietam Anniversary hike in September. His focus, though similar to my own, has a unique flair for local history, aided by his use of the diary of Jacob Engelbrecht, a resident of Frederick during the war. Recent postings include diary entries concerning John Brown's raid on Harper's Ferry.

Welcome, Dylan. I hope you find, as I have, that a great spirit of cameraderie exists among the battlefield enthusiasts in the blogosphere. Happy tromping!

Antietam 147th Anniversary Hike - Part 2

2009-10-04T20:38:00.003-04:00

After lunch at the Battleview (why did I order a whole cheesesteak?), I headed to the National Cemetery parking lot for the afternoon portion of the Anniversary Hike. Ranger Brian Baracz covered the fighting at the Middle Bridge and Ranger John Hoptak narrated the attack of the Federal IX Corps.

I have covered the Middle Bridge action in more detail in a previous post. Notable on this visit was the progress made by the battlefield's resident stonemason, who has nearly completed the wall running east from Rodman Avenue about 100 yards from Route 34. You can also see some of his handiwork along the Roulette Lane. This work is key to restoring the battlefield to its 1862 appearance, and it happens one rock at a time.

Moving east along the stone wall, we linked into the new Three Farms Trail that winds along Antietam Creek through the fields and woodlots of the Newcomer, Roulette, and Sherrick Farms. With the opening of this and the Bloody Lane Trail, you can now hike the entire battlefield along a series of linked trails.

As we passed along the creek bottom moving south, the arduous terrain confronting the advance of the IX Corps came into view. Not far from the creek, the terrain rises sharply perhaps 50-60 feet. How any troops could maintain order scaling such heights is beyond comprehension, and so it is no wonder the IX Corps consumed several hours deploying after taking the Rohrbach Bridge. From high ground on the Sherrick Farm, the nature of the terrain to the south is clear – a series of steep ridgelines and deep ravines rising steadily to the west. As John, Keith, and Brian pointed out, the IX Corps not only advanced quite a distance west from the bridge, they also climbed perhaps 400 feet to reach the area of the Ninth New York monument, only a stone’s throw from the Harpers Ferry Road.

We paused on the grounds of the Otto Farm, where John explained the predicament of Ambrose Burnside. Questions remain even today as to the nature of Burnside’s orders and exactly when he received them. McClellan’s two official reports of the action, one written shortly afterward and the other in hindsight, do not agree on either of these points. All of this is overshadowed by the legendary assault of A.P. Hill’s Division, which drove the IX Corps back to its start position after it carried its advance nearly to “the spires of Sharspburg.” While John argues convincingly that Burnside considered his attack a diversion in favor of the attempt to turn Lee’s left, he clearly had an opportunity to turn the tide of battle. I asked John if he thought the IX Corps had enough troops, even after Hill’s arrival, to carry the day on this portion of the field. He did, though his narrative of the action made it clear that more than mere numbers decided the day. Hill’s men were battle-hardened veterans, while some of the men under Burnside’s command had only just learned the manual of arms.

For a detailed discussion of the Final Attack Trail, which we covered on this portion of the hike, see my previous posts here and here. If you have not ventured onto this portion of the battlefield before, I think you will find it well worth the effort. And be sure to pick up Range Keith Snyder’s trail guide in the Visitors Center beforehand. The guides available for Antietam are a handy reference including maps, quotes from the men who fought here, and descriptions of the action for each stop on the trail.

On this final leg of the Anniversary Hike, Keith did not disappoint. One of the more colorful accounts of all Medal of Honor recipients at Antietam concerns a Captain of the Ninth New York, Adolphe Libaire. The Ninth, a zouave regiment attired in short blue jackets, baggy blue pantaloons, and red fezes, advanced under a galling fire. The color guard was shot down. Men who rushed forward to retrieve the colors also fell, and the advance faltered. Captain Libaire, undaunted, raised the colors, turned to his men and shouted “Follow me, damn you,” and led a final rush toward a stone wall that marked the limit of the regiment’s advance on that bloody day.

Later, as the IX Corps retreated under Hill’s devastating counterattack, Frank Whitman and Marcus Haskell both risked their lives to save comrades under fire. As Keith, a soldier himself, so aptly puts it, there is “no greater love” displayed by mankind than that shared between men in the midst of combat.

One final surprise awaited us before we headed home for the day. The owners of the Old Stone Mill (along the current Burnside Bridge Road) opened their home to us and allowed us to explore both the old mill building and the trace of the old Rohrbach Bridge Road that runs through their property. Craig Swain, over at To the Sound of the Guns, covered this part of the hike in detail, so I will commend you to his blog for a description of our visit. Craig also describes the closing moments of the hike, which ended once again in the National Cemetery with a few appropriate remarks that reminded us why we continue to gather on the great battlefields of that long ago war.

PS This post has taken much longer to publish than I anticipated. I hope to resume more regular posts this week when my shiny new laptop arrives from Dell.

Antietam 147th Anniversary - From the Cornfield to the Bloody Lane

2009-09-20T22:01:00.001-04:00

We returned to the Cornfield to begin the morning portion of the anniversary hike. The unifying theme of this year’s hike was the Medal of Honor. Ranger Keith Snyder related the stories of men who earned their country’s highest honor on the field of Antietam. Twenty soldiers received the medal for actions at Antietam. Keith also noted the Confederate equivalent award, assignment to a Roll of Honor. Surviving veterans elected one member of each company in a regiment to the Roll. Not al regiments participated, and the Confederacy lacked the resources to produce a physical medal.

As Hooker’s initial assault cleared the Cornfield, Battery B, 4th US Artillery (Campbell) deployed astride the Hagerstown Turnpike. As the Iron Brigade went into action, their commander, John Gibbon, assisted in directing the fire of his old outfit. Jackson ordered his reserves forward. Hood’s Division swept into the Cornfield. The 1st Texas advanced along the western edge, their ranks decimated by a withering fire from the Iron Brigade and Campbell’s Battery to the north and west. A Federal soldier later retrieved their color in the midst of a heap thirteen bodies of the men who died to protect it.

The rest of the Texas Brigade wheeled toward the Hagerstown Turnpike and blazed away. Losses on both sides were terrific. The commander of Battery B went down in the hail of fire. A fifteen year old soldier, Johnny Cook, led his commander to safety, returned, and served on a gun crew during the hottest part of the fight. Another soldier, borrowed from the 23rd New York, found himself the lone survivor of his gun crew. Undaunted, he coolly loaded and fired on his own. Not satisfied, he rejoined his regiment and continued the fight. Both of these soldiers received the Medal of Honor.

On the opposite end of the Cornfield, near the East Woods, Law’s Brigade of Hood’s Division drove the Federals over the fence bordering the north edge of the field. The 2nd Mississippi regiment continued to advance and found themselves in a storm of shot and shell from front and flank. Federal reinforcements poured in and Hood’s Division relinquished their hard won position. The Cornfield had changed hands for the second time that day. The 2nd Mississippi regiment chose one man per company for its Roll of Honor. Keith read the names of each man aloud. Most of them gave their lives at Sharpsburg.

John Hoptak set the scene following the struggle for the Cornfield, when Edwin “Bull” Sumner rode onto the field and led Sedgwick’s Division to disaster in the West Woods. John has a way of evoking sympathy for the scapegoats of the Army of the Potomac at Antietam. Had Sumner been released earlier in the morning as he desired, and with his entire corps, perhaps his assault would have met with more success. John did not absolve Sumner, however, of the chaos wrought by the formation of Sedgwick’s Division in its attack, which he demonstrated physically, organizing our group into three successive lines.

After a short break, we moved on to Bloody Lane. Here again, French’s Division stumbled into the attack in three successive lines. Here we walked in the footsteps of the 5th Maryland Regiment. The sunken road, invisible at first, rises into view as you crest the higher ground in its front. The chilling aspect of rifles rested on fence rails awaiting the soldiers of French’s Division as they marched over this same ground truly comes home as you move in their footsteps. Ranger Brian Baracz, who provides much of the tactical detail at each stop, relates that Colonel Gordon of the 6th Alabama claimed the entire Federal front line fell at the first fire. Brian builds a comprehensive picture of the events of this chaotic battle using carefully selected anecdotes in the words of the soldiers themselves. That French’s units did not disintegrate entirely is a tribute to the bravery of these men and their officers. Keith described the heroism of Lieutenant Charles Tanner of the 1st Delaware, who advanced under the withering fire from the lane in an attempt to save his regiment’s colors from capture. He was wounded in the process, but did save the colors, and received the Medal of Honor for his bravery.

As French’s Division ground to a halt before this withering fire, Richardson’s Division assaulted the Bloody Lane to their left. In front of the Irish Brigade, about 100 yards from the lane, stood a fence that threatened to impede their advance. Private Samuel Wright recklessly exposed himself, tearing down the fence, doubtless saving many lives that may have been sacrificed in crossing the obstacle under fire. The Irish Brigade slugged it out with G.B Anderson’s men at a distance of perhaps 30 yards. In the confusion that ensued among the Confederate defenders of the lane as one officer after another was shot down, a misunderstood command resulted in the withdrawal of Rodes Brigade, and the entire position collapsed. Richardson, while attempting to organize another assault to carry the day, was wounded by an artillery shell before he was able to do so.

Later in the day, the VI Corps arrived to shore up the Federal defenses on this part of the field. Irwin’s Brigade faced the remnants of D.H Hill’s division on the Piper Farm. Why he ordered the 7th Maine regiment forward to attack rebel positions that had resisted much stronger assaults earlier in the day is beyond understanding. Perhaps he was drunk, as Major Thomas Hyde, commander of the 7th Maine, alleged afterward. The Maine men never had a chance, and suffered heavy casualties to no good purpose. But as Keith explained, the bravery and coolness under fire displayed by Major Hyde earned him a citation for the Medal of Honor. Richard Curran, an assistant surgeon in Irwin’s Brigade, also earned the medal on this part of the field, recklessly exposing himself far more than his responsibilities required to aid the wounded left in the wake of Irwin’s disastrous assault order. A sad close to the action on the northern end of the battlefield, and yet heroism and compassion still rise above the folly of this final act at the Bloody Lane in the battle of Antietam.

Morning in the Cornfield

2009-09-17T08:31:00.001-04:00

Morning in the Cornfield. A gray dawn. The rain, heavy at first, tapers off to a drizzle. Rain quiets the crowd and adds a somber tone to the scene, already heavy with the memory of sacrifice 147 years ago today. Rangers Keith Snyder, Brian Baracz, and John Hoptak read from diaries, letters, and reports of men who survived this fight, “the very vortex of hell.”

Battery B, John Gibbon’s old outfit, the man who trained the Iron Brigade. Their fire tore through Confederate ranks, knocking dirt, rocks, fence rails, and men about with each discharge of canister. Keith describes this moment in the chaos of battle so you can almost see it.

We move on the fence bordering the northern edge of the Cornfield and move south through the “corn.” A ranger reads from a soldier’s account – “Men I cannot say fell; they were knocked out of ranks by the dozen.” Soldiers of the 12th Massachusetts, which lost 67% of its strength that morning in less time than I will it take to write this post, describe a scene of complete horror. Both sides stand toe to toe, blazing away with equal abandon. When the morning waxes in to afternoon and fighting on this part of the field subsides, over 2000 men lie in the Cornfield and surrounding woods.

Ranger Keith Snyder reminds us we are standing on sacred ground. “If you don’t think so,” he says, know that only two days ago a soldier of New York, whose remains were found in the northwest corner of the Cornfield, departed for Saratoga National Cemetery in his home state, to be buried there with full military honors. This soldier, and so many others like him in his generation and our own, has earned our undying gratitude for laying his life on the altar of freedom. And so we gather today and remember.

"Squawk Boxes"

2009-09-15T21:17:00.005-04:00

From Petersburg

If you have been touring battlefields as long as I have, you have listened to more than your share of recordings over a tinny speaker scattered around the auto tour routes of our national battlefields. I call them "squawk boxes." Sadly, many of these no longer work, and I wonder if the parts to repair them are still available. On my recent trip to Petersburg National Battlefield, almost all of them were broken. I won the dollar in the picture from my friend when I bet the next squawk box would be out of order.

I don’t recall many of these at Gettysburg, but one stands out that was installed on Oak Hill near the observation tower. The narrator described how the XI Corps line was “smashed” by Jubal Early’s Division. The narratives may not have weathered the test of time well, and might seem a bit camp to modern ears, but they bring to mind the days when my Dad first introduced me to these places. For me, they are as integral a part of the landscape as the cannon, rail fences, and monuments.

My favorite squawk box of all time stands along the line of artillery pieces facing the Hornet’s Nest at Shiloh. “Get every gun you can find,” the narrator booms, quoting General Ruggles. This one still worked four years ago when I visited Shiloh – impressive considering I first listened to it almost twenty years before. Antietam has one at the Cornfield tour stop. I am planning to spend Thursday there for the all day anniversary hike, so I’ll be sure to check on it.

Petersburg: Battery 5 and the Dimmock Line

2009-09-14T19:25:00.003-04:00

From Petersburg

The Federal Eighteenth Corps, under William F. “Baldy” Smith, crossed the James and advanced on Petersburg., supported by Augustus V. Kautz’s cavalry division. As his troops approached the Dimmock Line, the main defenses of Petersburg, Smith discovered they were lightly manned and determined to attack on a broad front with dispersed formations to minimize casualties.

PGT Beauregard, in command of the rebel forces defending the city, scrambled for troops to man its fortifications. Lee, with the Army of Northern Virginia, remained north of the James, unwilling to uncover Richmond until he was certain about the destination of the majority of Grant’s forces. Beauregard would have to defend the city’s fortifications, known as the Dimmock Line, with a scratch force consisting of Henry Wise’s Brigade and reinforcements rushed to the scene from Bermuda Hundred.

Battery 5 (see slideshow) guarded the western face of a salient in the Dimmock Line jutting northward along the bed of the Petersburg and City Point Railroad. Without sufficient supporting infantry, the battery itself was indefensible. Smith’s troops attacked near dusk. They overran Battery 5 and large portions of the Dimmock Line, but failed to advance beyond Harrison Creek (see slideshow) to the west. Beauregard positioned his reinforcements on high ground along Harrison Creek and braced for another assault on the following day. Fighting from these new positions, the rebels gained enough time to establish a permanent line along the Jerusalem Plank Road farther west.

Today, the Petersburg Visitors Center stands nearby the remains of Battery 5. The fortifications are well preserved and offer an excellent example of the forts both armies used to position batteries at various points in their lines at Petersburg. In the woods just beyond Battery 5 stands the Dictator (see slideshow), a monstrous Federal seacoast mortar used to shell batteries north of the Appomattox River during the later stages of the siege.

South of Battery 5, and the next stop on the tour route, lies Confederate Battery 8, renamed Fort Friend after it s capture by troops of the USCT during the mid-June fighting. This fort offers a study in reversing works, as the Federals refaced the ramparts and enclosed the position once they captured it.

From Petersburg

5th New York (Duryee's Zouaves) Commemoration

2009-09-07T10:46:00.001-04:00

From 5th New York

The men of the Co. A, 5th New York Infantry (Duryee’s Zouaves) marched quietly, the lieutenant’s voice calling the cadence as they approached the regiment’s monument on the crest of the hill above Young’s Branch on the battlefield of Second Bull Run. The day is clear and hot, though perhaps not as humid as the August day one hundred forty-seven years ago when the regiment met its destiny atop this same hill.

Together with the 10th New York, another Zouave outfit, the 5th New York made up Warren’s Brigade of Porter’s Fifth Corps, Army of the Potomac. While Porter’s corps wasted its valor assaulting Stonewall Jackson’s position along the unfinished railroad in the area known as the Deep Cut, the 5th NY rested on the flank in reserve. Without warning, men of the 10th NY dashed past, fleeing the skirmish line in terror. The sledgehammer blow of Longstreet’s Corps was about to fall on the unsuspecting veterans of the 5th NY. Undaunted, they tried to form line. In their short and futile attempt to stem the tide of Longstreet’s assault, the 5th NY suffered 300 casualties of 500 men engaged.

Given the magnitude of their sacrifice at Second Bull Run, the veterans of the 5th NY saw fit to place their only monument atop that same ridge where they left so many of their comrades behind. In continued remembrance of their sacrifice, current members of the 5th NY meet on the battlefield each year on the anniversary of the fighting. After a guest speaker set the scene, the unit came to attention and the color bearers rested the national and regimental flags in the corners of the wrought iron fence enclosing the monument. Each member present posted forward, saluted the monument, and called the roll of men of their assigned company who gave “the last full measure of devotion” at this very spot one hundred forty-seven years ago.

I am confident the veterans of the 5th NY would have approved of this humble ceremony commemorating their service in the central conflict of this country’s existence. Once they had passed on, their monument fell into disrepair, its location on the battlefield largely forgotten. In the 1980’s, reenactors of the 5th NY took it upon themselves to refurbish the monument and established the annual ceremony I attended this past week. Without the efforts of organizations such as Co. A, 5th NY, we might conveniently forget those they seek to commemorate. The way they have chosen to do so is, I think, uniquely fitting.

Bobby Horton

2009-09-04T14:09:00.000-04:00

I purchase the Songs of the Union CD by Bobby Horton at the Petersburg Visitors Center this past weekend. The only period music I've ever owned was on the soundtrack to the Ken Burns film. I purchased this on cassette, because I had no CD player at the time (I also walked to school uphill both ways, etc., etc.). That wore out long ago, so the Gettysburg soundtrack has been my old standby for lack of anything else.

Those of you who play Talonsoft or HPS games by John Tiller will recognize Horton's music instantly. Incidentally, he also happens to be the man behind Ken Burns's soundtrack as well. I now find myself humming and singing these tunes through the day. I didn't really plan it this way, but for me the music opens a new path to understanding the soldiers of the Civil War.

For those of you interested in this sort of thing, Bobby Horton has produced 4 CD's of Union tunes, 5 Confederate, and the soundtrack to the NPS film at Vicksburg NMP. Check out his music on Amazon or at www.civilwarmusic.com.

Preservation Victories

2009-09-01T12:56:00.001-04:00

Given the recent news on the fate of the Wilderness Battlefield, I thought some good news from the perservation front might be in order. I received a notice from CWPT President Jim Lighthizer today announcing the succesful acquisition of development rights to land at the center of the Port Republic battlefield in the Shenandoah Valley. Jackon's Valley Campaign is one of my favorites and CWPT previously preserved and interpreted land at both Port Republic and Cross Keys. Congratulations to CWPT, the Shenandoah Valley Battefields Foundation, and all who contributed to this worthy endeavor. On a more personal note, I visited numerous battlefields this past weekend on my annual Civil War battlefield tour. The tour included several sites that represent major victories for battlefield preservation.

I last visited most the eastern and western front sites at Petersburg many years ago. The area around the Crater seemed much improved. Parking has been relocated to a less intrusive spot, and the overall viewshed was more open than I remember. As we toured the area, park work crews removed trees, opening the viewshed from Fort Morton and the fourteen gun battery toward the Crater. Visitors will soon be able to view the scene from the perspective of Ambrose Burnside. Forts Fisher, Wadsworth, and Gregg on the western front are in an excellent state of preservation and well maintained. Sadly, the brochure boxes at the latter two sites were empty, so be sure to check at the visitors center beforehand for a copy of these guides. We detoured five miles south from Fort Wadsworth to visit Reams Station, a site preserved largely by the efforts of CWPT. Though a bit overgrown, the core of the battlefield is preserved. Here visitors can stand in the apex of Hancock's earthworks along the old Weldon Railroad (current Halifax Rd.) in the very position where Mahone's forces captured a 12 pounder that now resides in the visitors center.

From Petersburg we raced north, running out of daylight, toward the North Anna battlefield in Hanover County. This park exists mainly through cooperation by CWPT, Hanover County, and a local quarrying company. You may have read about the earthworks here. I was a bit underwhelmed at first, comparing them to the massive earthworks of Petersburg. Nevertheless, as my friend pointed out, these are temporary infantry works. With that understood, they truly are remarkable examples of the fortifications used by the armies in the Overland Campaign. As the interpetive signs indicate, the works here along the western face of Lee's famous inverted 'V' position demonstrate varying methods of construction and placement of traverses, not to mention positions to the rear constructed for a brigade commander and his staff. Definitely worth a visit, and a great success story of cooperation and compromise between competing interests.

Casting the war behind fortifications aside, we ventured to Trevilian Station and Brandy Station the following day. Both of these battlefields exist through the cooperation of dedicated local preservationists and CWPT, along with the Civil War Trails program. The Ogg Farm, which saw heavy fighting on the second day of Trevilian Station, remains largely undisturbed, and recent Civil War Trails markers detail the action there. Brandy Station is simply one of the most beautiful places I have visited in Virginia. I could have been developed into a racetrack. Admittedly, Fleetwood Hill has been partly lost to a mcmansion, but the successes are substantial. The area around St. James Church features excellent viewsheds and an interpretive trail covering Buford's advance from Beverly Ford. The Graffiti House, home of the Brandy Station Foundation, offers a quick orientation film, guided battlefield tours during the Summer, and interesting examples of Civil War graffiti lining the walls of the house. The house was scheduled to be burned down when the former owner discovered the graffiti beneath the existing wallpaper. For the rest of the story, I encourage you to visit.

Last up on our weekend tour were the battlefields at Manassas. Many of you are aware of the recent landscape restoration efforts of the park. I recall walking along the Deep Cut years ago and the difficulty of understanding the fighting that occurred there due to the tree growth in the area since the Civil War. The slope from Featherbed Lane to the Deep Cut is now open ground, and the clearing has been completed almost to the Brawner Farm area, opening a viewshed that did not exist previously. While this land was preserved long ago, I am excited by the landscape restorations completed by the NPS both here and at Gettysburg (I'm sure there are other projects in the works as well). Let's hope these efforts, and the funding to support them, continue.

I'll be posting more about my tour within the next few weeks. In the meantime, I hope this provides a tonic for those of you, like myself, who were disappointed in the recent news about the Wilderness Battlefield.

Off to Petersburg + A Review of The Last Citadel

2009-08-27T16:59:00.003-04:00

I managed to finish Noah Andre Trudeau's The Last Citadel this week in preparation for my upcoming tour of Petersburg. To borrow from one of the jacket reviews, this is an excellent popular history of the Petersburg Campaign from the crossing of the James to the occupation of Petersburg. Oddly, Trudeau discusses Five Forks only in terms of its results, while other engagements during the siege receive detailed treatment. This is almost appropriate in relation to the drama of the narrative - he repeats a paragraph describing Horace Porter's receipt of the news of Five Forks and Grant's decision to order a "general assault along the lines" four times - once for the section on the Sixth Corps assault (the breakthrough in AP Hill's sector), followed by the Second (Sutherland Station) and Twenty-Fourth Corps (Forts Gregg and Whitworth) assaults, and finally for the Ninth Corps assault (Fort Mahone).

Last Citadel, while just the sort of overview of the campaign I needed to prepare for my trip, leaves me wanting more. Yet aside from numerous studies of the battle for The Crater, I know only of A. Wilson Greene's work on the final battles of the Petersburg Campaign as detailed tactical studies go. I have read sections of Greene's work, and highly recommend it based on that alone. He is evidently working on a three volume study of the campaign for UNC Press (I think is stumbled on this information over at Civil War Memory, a new addition to my blogroll). If so, I look forward to its publication. While I am sure to have missed something, the only other item of note is Blue and Gray Magazine's tour Guide for Five Forks and the battles around Hatcher's Run.

If you haven't already read this book, and you want to learn the story of Petersburg, start here. The maps included are servicable for an overview of this sort, but include little detail beyond roads and watercourses. Some may bristle at the lack of end notes. Trudeau does discuss the sources he used, but those who desire to track details down to primary sources will have their work cut out for them. For me, these are small issues for an otherwise enjoyable book.

Having read it, I hope to include Reams Station and Deep Bottom on the tour. Reams Station, site of Winfield Hancock's last engagement at the head of the Seconds Corps, includes a number of interpretive markers placed by CWPT. In the wake of the recent bad news about the Wilderness, I will enjoy visiting the site of one of CWPT's many victories. If all goes according to plan, I will blog about these sites in addition to The Crater, Fort Stedman, and some general observations on Petersburg on my return.

One final item. I am now on Twitter as cwbattlefields. I'm still not sure how I feel about it; it seems a bit self-important. But I thought it might be fun to tweet a few notes from the trenches, so to speak. We'll see how it goes. I won't be sending inane updates about passing milepost x on Interstate 95 or informing you that I just sat down for pizza (unless it's really really good).

It Ain't Over 'Til its Over

2009-08-25T10:32:00.002-04:00

Many of you have probably checked the new this morning, as I did, to find the Orange County supervisors approved the Walmart near the Wilderness Battlefield by a margin of 4-1. In the interest of diplomacy, let's just say I am disappointed.

The following excerpt is from a letter by Jim Lighthizer, president of CWPT:

“Today’s vote is not just a setback for preservationists. Orange County residents are losers as well. If the county had embraced the preservation planning process first proposed by the Wilderness Battlefield Coalition in January, there would have been an opportunity to mitigate the transportation and development impacts of the proposal. Instead, the board voted to repeat the mistakes made by other localities, who are now struggling to address the problems created by similar piecemeal development and rampant sprawl.

“The ball is now in Wal-Mart’s court. Wal-Mart better understands the nationwide anger generated by its proposal to build on the doorstep of a National Park. It is in the corporation’s best interests to work with the preservation community to find an alternative site. After all, building a big box superstore on the Wilderness Battlefield would belie recent attempts to portray Wal-Mart as environmentally sensitive. We are optimistic that company officials will see the wisdom of moving elsewhere.

“The Civil War Preservation Trust and the other member groups of the Wilderness Battlefield Coalition will now carefully weigh options for continued opposition of this misguided proposal. This battle is not over yet.”

You can find the full text of it here.

While I believe in private property rights, I also believe we have the right to act to protect resources of national significance from local parties not otherwise inclined to do so. Please support CWPT in their efforts to encourage Walmart to build in a less historically sensitive location.

Across the Potomac with General Jubal A. Early

2009-08-23T22:01:00.001-04:00

From Whites Ferry

Last weekend my wife and I hit the road for some random sightseeing around Frederick, Maryland. We had driven around Sugarloaf, an small mountain south of Frederick, once before. Sugarloaf served as a signal station for both sides during the Antietam campaign (more on that later).

With plenty of time to spare, I plugged Lucketts, VA, into Google Maps on my BlackBerry. I have always loved the drive along Route 15 through the Loudon Valley. This is also a part of the Mosby Heritage Area. I must confess I know very little of Mosby’s operations, though Wert’s history of Mosby’s Rangers is on my reading list.

Anyway, after fortifying ourselves with some Kettle Korn and Bavarian Style Cinnamon Roasted Almonds, we detoured onto the Whites Ferry Road in hopes that one of the ferries across the Potomac still existed. Whites Ferry is indeed still in operation.

We crossed the Potomac in a few minutes aboard the General Jubal A. Early. The town of Whites Ferry, on the Maryland side of the Potomac, includes a general store and café, a few other buildings, and a Civil War Trails site we saved for another day.

Lee’s troops actually used White’s Ford and Edwards Ferry (northwest of Whites) to cross into Maryland in 1862, but we enjoyed this interesting diversion from the standard trip along Maryland’s highways.

My Letter to Orange County

2009-08-21T09:16:00.004-04:00

Most of this letter was composed by CWPT (I added the fifth paragraph). Visit http://www.civilwar.org/take-action/speak-out/wilderness-walmart/ to send your own letter to the supervisors of Orange County, VA, and to Walmart CEO Michael Duke as well. Get involved. Here's the letter:

Aug 21, 2009

Supervisor _________

Dear Supervisor _____________,

I oppose the construction of a Walmart Supercenter at the proposed location in Orange County. The site Walmart proposed is within the historic limits of the battlefield and across the road from the National Park. In addition, a Walmart Supercenter at this location will increase development pressures on the nearby National Park and wreak havoc on traffic in the region.

Today, just 21 percent of the Wilderness Battlefield is protected from development. This Walmart Supercenter would be built within one-quarter mile of the National Park and would pave the way for desecration of the Wilderness with unnecessary commercial growth. Such a large-scale development is inappropriate next to a National Park.

I am not opposed to a Walmart in Orange County, but I am opposed to building a Walmart on the Wilderness Battlefield. Please take the time to find another site in Orange County for the Walmart that will not have a negative impact on the battlefield.

The Wilderness Battlefield is the most visited tourist attraction in Orange County. I think it would be very shortsighted to sacrifice such hallowed ground and the valuable tourist dollars it provides for the sake of building a Walmart at this exact location, especially when other suitable locations exist in the county.

I understand the economic considerations that may carry equal or greater weight in your decision process. I hope you understand the importance of the battlefield to thousands of enthusiasts like myself who travel to Virginia each year. Is there no way to protect the battlefield and achieve the goal economic development at the same time? I hope you will find a way to balance these concerns. This is not a decision you can take back. Once development impacts a battlefield, there is no turning back. Please consider carefully, as your decision on this impacts not only your current constituents, but future generations. I hope you will take the long view. Protect the battlefield, and locate the Walmart in a more suitable location.

I urge you in the strongest possible terms to consider alternate locations for this Supercenter. Walmarts can be built just about anywhere, but we cannot move the hallowed ground where America's vital history happened. In this instance, the preservation of the Wilderness Battlefield, a part of the shared history of every American, must trump Walmart's desire to locate a store at this site.

Sincerely,

Mr. Steven Mynes

Civil War Tour 2009

2009-08-17T14:18:00.000-04:00

Every year I spend a weekend on the road with an old friend touring Civil War battlefields. After unexpected back surgery earlier this Summer, I thought we might have to cancel this year. Instead, we decided to limit the driving and focus on Virginia (I had hoped to take in a few sites in Kentucky and Tennessee - perhaps next year).

We will begin with the eastern sites on the Petersburg front, including the Crater and Fort Harrison. I expect this will take the better part of a day to accomplish. From Petersburg, we will head to the North Anna Battlefield park. This is a county park with some of the best preserved earthworks in Virginia. Hopefully we can accomplish all of this on day 1. As we are leaving the night before to knock out most of the driving time to Petersburg, I think we can accomplish all of this, if I discipline myself not to detour every time I see a Civil War Trails sign.

Day 2 will begin with Trevilian Station, the first of two battlefields on our route established by private preservation groups and the efforts of the Civil War Preservation Trust. Continuing the focus on cavalry actions and privately operated sites, a tour of the Brandy Station battlefield is next. I have passed this battlefield many times en route to other sites, and it's about time I spent a day on the field. Given time, we will wrap up day 2 with a visit to Bristoe Station Heritage Park. A short loop trail in this county park surveys A.P. Hill's futile and costly assault on Federal troops positioned along a railroad bed.

If time permits, we may detour to the Wilderness battlefield for a few photos before the Super Wal-Mart destroys the viewshed. Hopefully the short-sighted sprawlocrats of Orange county will listen to the urgings of men and women with a longer view of history than their own and work with Wal-Mart to find a location that does not directly impact the battlefield. Given the tone of their public statements to date, I hold out little hope for a compromise. I may not have a vote in Orange County, but perhaps my wallet does. I will not be spending any money in Orange County, nor will I be stocking up on supplies for the trip at Wal-Mart as I usually do. Thanks, but I'd rather pay more.

A short drive on day 3 will bring us to Manassas. I plan to tour sites from both battles, starting with 1861 in the morning and wrapping up with 1862 in the afternoon. I am particularly looking forward to seeing areas along the unfinished railroad defended by Jackson's troops, as I have not been there since the park completed landscape restorations. As we will be visiting on the anniversary of Second Manassas, I hope to find time for a ranger program or two. My friend is also a member of the 5th New York (Duryee's) Zouaves. Each battle anniversary, the Fifth commemorates the regiment's sacrifice to buy time in the wake of Longstreet's assault, which crushed the Federal left. This will provide a fitting close to a weekend spent on hallowed ground.

Hope for the Sesquicentennial

2009-08-04T22:27:00.002-04:00

Discussions of the upcoming sesquicentennial of the Civil War have been overshadowed by concerns that cash strapped states may scale down or even scrap commemorative plans as a result of budgets constrained by the recession. At least two states have managed to develop web sites for their sesquicentennial programs despite trying times.

I stumbled across North Carolinas site while searching for information on the Burnside Expedition in 1862. The site includes a chronology of the various campaigns in the state, a number of historical articles, maps by Mark A. Moore (these are first rate), and a list of events planned at various state historic sites. Definitely worth a look, and a great effort that other states ought to take note of. Visit the site at www.nccivilwar150.com/default.htm.

Virginia has also cobbled together an impressive site, though it seems much of the content is in development. Clicking an interactive map opens a list of events, both historical and current, for a given county, though this section needs quite a bit more work. The state has involved local round tables in the planning stage, and as Governor Tim Kaine is a staunch supporter of Civil War battlefield preservation, it is safe to assume Virginia’s commemorative programs will be substantial. Virginia’s site is http://www.virginiacivilwar.org/index.php.

Hopefully more states will follow suit with their own sesquicentennial programs. Bills have been introduced her in Maryland to establish a commission, but support may be lacking. Let’s hope Maryland’s lawmakers have the foresight to look beyond the current budget crunch and plan a meaningful program. If nothing else motivates them, perhaps the thought of increased tourism may spur them to action.

The Gettysburg Cyclorama Experience

2009-07-23T16:25:00.002-04:00

Controversy seems to haunt every discussion of the new Gettysburg Visitors Center. Most recently, the Gettysburg Foundation increased the price of the combined ticket for the Cyclorama, film, and museum to $10.00. Some may wonder if the attraction, as they have styled it, is worth it. Regardless of your opinion of the Foundation or its most recent actions, see the Cyclorama. This experience alone is worth the price of admission.

I read last year of the painstaking efforts to restore the painting, and its surrounding diorama, to its original form. I viewed it many years ago in the old building atop Cemetery Ridge, and left somewhat underwhelmed. Something was missing. Through the efforts of conservationists and modern artists, what was lost in the experience has been restored.

I ascended the stairs to the viewing platform for the Cyclorama from the movie theater where I viewed A New Birth of Freedom for the first time. I found it a good introduction to the Civil War and the Battle of Gettysburg, as well as the meaning of both for modern Americans. If you have trouble accepting slavery as the root cause of it all, take your Ipod with you. The film is not intended for diehards or those who want to debate the finer points of Civil War scholarship, nor should it be. The Park Service is trying to reach the majority of visitors, including those who cannot place the Civil War in its proper decade, so compromises and allowances had to be made.

Stepping on to the viewing platform, I moved forward to the railing. Happily, I had positioned myself almost directly in front of Armistead’s breakthrough. The platform places the viewer opposite the middle ground of the painting. Below, fences, the wreckage of battle, and even soldiers emerge from the painting. The effect of the diorama is truly remarkable.

The narration begins and lighting illuminates the center of the action. The painting itself comes alive with booming cannon and exploding artillery shells, and all seems bathed in a strange reddish hue that enhances these effects. The action is everywhere. Rebel cannons boom in the distance while Federal guns nearby open in reply. At length, the bombardment subsides, and rebel infantry steps off. I focus on a figure kneeling below, and I am sure he is about to rise to his feet in defiance of the gray tide. In the strange light bathing the chamber in an eerie glow, the illusion is complete. The rebels continue to close, until Armistead’s last gallant stride falters in a storm of shot and shell and frenzied shouts of confusion, victory, and defeat.

In what seems only a moment, the charge is over. The rooms brightens, and the time to explore the painting on my own is all too brief. My thoughts on leaving focus on the fury and the frenzy of Pickett’s Charge (I still use the old name), on what the men in blue and gray achieved and suffered on that hot July afternoon so long ago. One other thing comes to mind as I think back on my visit to the Cyclorama – I need to see this again.

A note - I am finally getting back to normal after unexpected back surgery at the end of June, and planning some late sumer battlefield jaunts, so stay tuned.

Gauley Bridge

2009-06-15T20:30:00.000-04:00

From Gauley Bridge

The town of Gauley Bridge, West Virginia, like many others along The Midland Trail (US Rt. 60), attracts few visitors. Sited where the confluence of the Gauley River and the New River form the Kanawha River, the town probably sees little excitement these days. But when armies of the North and South contended for western Virginia in 1861, the town was an ideal location for a supply depot, while the bridge from which it derives its name controlled access to the Kanawha and New River valleys along the James River and Kanawha Turnpike.

Federal forces under General Jacob D. Cox advanced along the turnpike from Charleston Toward Gauley Bridge following McClellan’s victory at Rich Mountain in July 1861. Confederate Brigadier General Henry Wise, commanding a rag tag assortment of troops styled “Wise’s Legion,” abandoned Gauley Bridge, burning the bridge behind him. Troops of the 11th Ohio Infantry had established a reputation at effective bridge builders during Cox’s advance through the Kanawha Valley, and he tasked them with finding a way to repair the Gauley River crossing. Judging the 350’ span too difficult to rebuild, the resourceful Ohioans anchored cables to the stone abutments and constructed a ferry capable of carrying “two hundred men or four loaded army wagons and their animals, or two guns and their caissons” (Newell, Clayton, Lee vs. McClellan, p. 194).

Other sites of interest along US RT. 60 in West Virginia include Sewell Mountain, where forces of both sides entrenched during the later stages of the campaign. Here Lee struggled to find an opening to assault the Federal position, only to find as he finally marshaled his troops for an assault that the Federals had slipped away in the night. As a consolation, perhaps, Lee first saw Traveller on the slopes of Sewell Mountain. A state historical marker now stands nearby. Also not far from Gauley Bridge, Carnifex Ferry State Park preserves the site of a large skirmish between Federal troops under Rosecrans and the Confederate brigade of John B. Floyd.

The West Virginia campaign of 1861, featuring engagements best characterized as minor skirmishes by late war standards, nevertheless offers a fascinating glimpse into the character of the early war and the early careers of important leaders including Robert E. Lee and George Brinton McClellan.

Rich Mountain Battlefield

2009-05-20T23:19:00.003-04:00

From Rich Mountain

Rich Mountain Battlefield lies a few miles from the town of Beverly, West Virginia along the old Staunton-Parkersburg Turnpike. “It’s a turnpike,” I told my wife. “How bad can it be?” The old road is now used mainly by recreational vehicles. Surfaced in gravel, it snakes its way up the mountain to the site of the battle between Federal forces under William S. Rosecrans and a small Confederate detachment under Captain Julius De Lagnel. This is not one for the faint-hearted, but the site is accessible by car and is well worth the time to visit.

Rich Mountain, a minor skirmish by late war standards, loomed large in the early careers of Rosecrans and George McClellan. Of more significance, McClellan’s indecision in the face of uncertainty here foreshadowed his efforts in later campaigns. McClellan sent Rosecrans with 2000 men, guided by a local farmer’s son, to flank the rebel position at Camp Garnett at the western foot of Rich Mountain. The march was expected to take three hours. Ten hours later, Rosecrans finally reached his flanking position at the Hart House.

Lieutenant Colonel John Pegram, commanding the 1300 troops at Camp Garnett, dispatched five infantry companies (perhaps 350 men) and a six pounder under the command of Captain De Lagnel to defend an overgrown track near the Hart House at the crest of the mountain. Ironically, though De Lagnel was in the right place to intercept Rosecrans, he faced his line in the wrong direction, expecting an attack from the North. Skirmishers from both sides clashed at Rosecrans closed in on the Hart House. Though the rebels anticipated an attack from the opposite direction, the Federals labored under the false assumption that all of the Confederate defenders were at Camp Garnett..

Despite their initial confusion, De Lagnel’s troops managed to repulse the first two Federal attacks. The Confederates let out a cheer and assumed they had won the day. Rosecrans, undaunted, launched another assault and carried the position.

Meanwhile, McClellan, fretting in the absence of any communications from Rosecrans, called off his supporting attack until the following day. Pegram’s grasp of the situation was no better. Hearing the cheers of De Lagnel’s men, he assumed his forces had achieved victory, and was dismayed to learn of their defeat. Even worse, his main escape route along the turnpike was now occupied by a superior force. Determined to avoid capture, Pegram set out in an attempt to escape the trap. Two days later, exhausted, hungry, and possibly lost, he decided to surrender his command.

The battlefield today consists of a small tract at the top of Rich Mountain near the site of the Hart House. The house no longer stands and trees have encroached upon much of what open pasture there was at the time, so interpretation of the site takes a bit of imagination.

Several plaques detail the action and guide visitors to the stable yard, a key to the rebel defense. Large flat rocks cover the ground here, and several contain inscriptions left by veterans of the action. Standing at the foot of the wooded slope from which Rosecrans launched his attack, visitors can easily imagine the consternation in the rebel ranks as they reoriented their defense to repel an assault from the opposite direction.

Though I lacked the time to explore Camp Garnett further west along the turnpike, the site boasts well preserved earthworks and is certainly worth a visit. Rich Mountain Battlefield would not exist today but for the efforts of the (http://www.richmountain.org). See their web site for information on the campaign and battle, as well as a schedule of events.

A Matter of Interpretation

2009-05-14T12:07:00.001-04:00

While browsing the Harpers Ferry NPS site to plan a hike of Maryland Heights, I learned the park houses the Harpers Ferry Center. The center develops Long Range Interpretive Plans for other park units. One recently developed plan outlines changes for Fort Donelson National Battlefield (this is a PDF file).

I have not read the plan in its entirety, but did note several items of interest. The plan recognizes an increasing lack of historical knowledge among general visitors, a need for modernization, and a lack of interpretive resources and staff (professional and volunteer). The plan also argues that interpretation must recognize the larger impact of the battle on slaves, civilians, and women, rather than focus simply on the military aspects of the site. Couched within these arguments is the conviction that the cultural shifts change not only the questions we ask of history, but the relevance of various aspects of it.

I applaud a more comprehensive interpretive approach so long as the war and the battlefield itself are not de-emphasized to the point of insignificance in the quest for cultural relevance. I am reminded of the debate on the new museum at the Gettysburg visitors center. I am all for a comprehensive approach to interpretation that still recognizes the paramount importance of the specific site and the battlefield in question. The new Gettysburg facility does so, with one exception. I was disappointed by the decision to display such a limited portion of the artifacts available in the park’s collection, and the assumption that large displays of firearms or other artifacts are somehow not important. In light of that, I would offer this plea: in the effort to ensure that no group is marginalized by the interpretive efforts of these sites, let’s not forget the good-old-fashioned Civil War buffs who visit these places regularly year after year, and who think that the stories of these battles and the soldiers who fought them are worth telling and re-telling from generation to generation.

A Quick Visit to Monocacy National Battlefield

2009-05-11T22:37:00.000-04:00

Monocacy National Battlefield has been in the news recently because Frederick County, MD planned to build a waste to energy facility, basically an incinerator, within sight of many core areas of the battlefield. The board of supervisors recently dropped the proposal by a vote of 5-1. While this is certainly good news, we can only hope the idea never resurfaces.

I visited Monocacy briefly at the end of April. Changes in the park over the last few years are impressive and exciting. The new visitors center expands on the exhibits available in the former Gambrills Mill facility, from a more attractive display of the fiber optic map to interactive displays for younger visitors. A new tour stop now exists on the Best Farm, site of the skirmishing north of the Washington Turnpike Bridge and also of several Confederate battery positions.

With the addition of the Best Farm to the Thomas and Worthington Farms already included in the park, it now encompasses most of the corps areas of the battlefield where Early’s troops struggled against veterans of Rickett’s division of the Sixth Corps of the Army of the Potomac. Sadly, with the exception of a small city park featuring several Civil War Trails markers, the Jug Bridge (northern) sector has not been preserved.

While visiting, I purchased B.Franklin Cooling’s Monocacy, The Battle that Saved Washington. Cooling’s work places the campaign in context, captures Wallace’s desperation as commander of a hastily assembled defense force, and explains the reasons for Early’s failure to seize the Washington fortifications following his victory at Monocacy. It is a serviceable account with sufficient tactical detail, though the maps are a bit lacking. I look forward to the upcoming account (2010?) by J.D. Petruzzi and Eric Wittenberg. Given their previous work, we can expect a first rate tactical account, as well as a driving/hiking tour of campaign and battle sites.

I plan to spend more time at Monocacy this summer, and will likely post on the Thomas and Worthington Farm trails, where most of the heavy fighting occurred.

Hauser's Ridge (Nicodemus Heights, Part 2)

2009-05-05T22:57:00.004-04:00

From Hauser's Ridge Map

Their position atop Nicodemus Heights rendered ineffective by the West Woods as Federal Soldiers closed in on the Dunker Church, Pelham’s batteries limbered up and redeployed on Hauser’s Ridge to the south. The western edge of the West Woods hugs the base of the ridge, which rises steadily to its crest perhaps 200-300 yards farther west. Here, as if by design, the rebels deployed their guns directly in the path of the advance of Sedgwick’s Division of the Second Corps.

Edwin “Bull” Sumner led Sedgwick’s men forward to clear the West Woods. This accomplished, he planned a massive left wheel by the entire division to clear the northern part of the battlefield all the way to the town of Sharpsburg. Initially, the advance met with little resistance. As they emerged from the tree line, they met a storm of shot and shell from the batteries atop Hauser’s ridge. Remnants of Jackson’s Division joined in to halt the Federal advance. This was the first of several shocks that would virtually destroy Sedgwick’s Division as a fighting force for the balance of the battle.

Sedgwick’s lead brigade under Gorman faltered under a withering fire from the ridge in their. The 1st Minnesota, Gorman’s right flank regiment, suffered 118 casualties within minutes. In the center, the 15th Massachusetts regiment lost 348 men, over 50% of its strength. The commander of the 15th, Lt. Colonel John W. Kimball, reported twice driving off the batteries in his front before the left of the brigade collapsed under the weight of the flank attack by McLaws’s Division.

While the artillery fire was not the decisive factor in Sedgwick’s repulse, the rebel guns on Hauser’s ridge stalled the Federal advance and amplified the devastation of McLaws’s slashing attack from the south. Here, as on Nicodemus Heights farther north, Confederate artillerists established local superiority, providing critical support to their outnumbered infantry in tactical situations where their Federal counterparts lacked effective artillery support. Both positions were outside the range of McClellan’s large caliber rifles that so dominated the area around the Dunker Church, the “artillery hell” described by S.D. Lee, commander of the rebel artillery battalion assigned there. Pelham and other Confederate artillerists used this advantage to provide aggressive and effective support at the right place and time, materially assisting Jackson’s troops in their defensive efforts on that bloody morning.

Nicodemus Heights (Spring Hike at Antietam National Battlefield)

2009-04-19T22:21:00.001-04:00

Federal soldiers move forward through the dense stalks of corn, heavy with the dampness of the morning fog that lingers along the banks of the Antietam. They march with the grim determination of veterans. From another cornfield crowning the ridge to their right, the hollow boom of artillery shatters the silence and soon the shot knocks men and stalks about indiscriminately. First one gun, then another, until it seems the distant hilltop is alive with fire and smoke.

Atop Nicodemus Heights, Confederate gunners of Stuart’s Horse Artillery under Major John Pelham cannot believe their luck. One thousand yards to the front, the men of Hooker’s I Corps of the Army of the Potomac drive south into the Cornfield. Their guns are positioned squarely on the flank of Hooker’s assault. Seldom does artillery find itself with such a target of opportunity, and Pelham is not one to neglect it. For nearly ninety minutes, his batteries rain shot and shell on the hapless Federals.

Finally, as Hooker continues to advance toward the Dunker Church, the West Woods screens his right, and Pelham’s gunners withdraw south to Hauser’s Ridge. Soon Sedgwick’s division of the Second Corps of the Army of the Potomac will drive to the edge of the woods, right beneath the muzzles of Pelham’s guns. Caught in a merciless rain of shell and canister from their front and the scything volleys of rebel infantry attacking their left, Sedgwick’s division disintegrates and will not fight again this day.

A number of Federal officers called attention to the commanding artillery position on their right, but no troops could be spared from the main effort. And as the tide of battle shifted south and the rebel guns shifted their position accordingly, the matter was perhaps forgotten.

Today, Nicodemus Heights lies entirely on private property. Though the crest of the hill is still visible beyond the Hagerstown Pike to the west of the Miller Cornfield, trees have obscured much of the field of fire enjoyed by Pelham’s gunners on the day of the battle. Early Spring provides the best opportunity to understand the significance of this ground in the morning phase of the battle of Antietam. Ranger Brian Baracz recently conducted a tour of Nicodemus Heights and Hauser’s Ridge, and I had the opportunity to explore this area of the battlefield that is normally inaccessible to the public.

We started off from the North Woods and crossed the Hagerstown Pike to the Nicodemus farm. The elevation dropped sharply as we moved across the Pike. A series of small hillocks mark the site of the Nicodemus house, perhaps 200 yards to the west. Confederate reports mention “leapfrogging” among these later in the day as they changed position to present a more difficult target to Federal gunners on the Poffenberger farm and in the Cornfield. The field of fire from these positions is now largely obscured by trees.

The ground dipped once again as we moved west toward Nicodemus Heights, which rises so abruptly one wonders how Pelham’s gunners managed to deploy their pieces on its crest. The view from the crest encompasses the scene of the morning’s fight from the North Woods to the Cornfield at a distance of approximately 1000 yards – effective range for both smoothbore and rifled guns. The sharp crest of the heights presents a narrow target, and Brian noted that a large number of Federal rounds were found imbedded in the steep western face of the hill. The West Woods obscures the battlefield to the south of the Cornfield. Once Hooker’s advance cleared the Miller farm, Pelham’s gunners limbered up and headed south in search of a more effective position. Strangely, no Federal forces occupied the ground despite its obvious tactical advantages.

Up next: Confederate Artillery on Hauser’s Ridge Shatters Sedgwick’s Assault, plus pictures from the hike.

Wilson’s Creek: The Second Battle of the Civil War and the Men Who Fought It (William Garrett Piston and Richard W. Hatcher III, UNC Press)

2009-04-10T22:40:00.003-04:00

As the people of the North measured their disappointment in the wake of disaster at Bull Run, General Nathaniel Lyon set out with another inexperienced Federal army to drive rebel forces from Missouri. The resulting battle at Wilson’s Creek cost Lyon his life, and though his army suffered another defeat, Confederate ambitions in Missouri were dealt a blow from which they never quite recovered.

The first major theme the authors develop demonstrates a unique facet of the armies at this early stage of the war. Drawing upon letters, diaries, and newspaper accounts, they suggest loyalty to the company, and a corresponding pride in their hometown or county, motivated the soldiers of 1861. This contrasts with developments later in the war, when men identified themselves more closely with their regiments.

The authors also focus attention on the unique command situations of Lyon’s army and the tensions between Ben McCulloch, commander of Confederate forces in the area, and Sterling Price, commander of the Missouri State Guard. Lyon emerges as a possibly deranged crusader bent on wiping the stain of secession from the earth, and a man capable of decisive action who nevertheless questioned his decisions on the very eve of battle. His death on the field of battle spared him any recriminations, and established his place among northern heroes in the early days of the war. Piston and Hatcher also detail the difficulties between Price and McCulloch that would eventually lead to an inability to cooperate effectively later in the campaign.

As expected, a substantial portion of the book details the battle itself. The authors do not disappoint. The confusion and chaos of this struggle between two inexperienced armies emerges with surprising clarity and detailed maps complement the text. Piston and Hatcher’s book has already become the standard work on this pivotal campaign. This book will satisfy those searching for a detailed treatment of the battle of Wilson’s Creek, and also serves as a penetrating look into the psychology of the armies that took the filed in the early days of the Civil War.

Note: As this review ran a bit long, I included it as a regular post.

Fredericksburg Part 2: Franklin's Assault

2009-03-25T23:30:00.002-04:00

As you follow the tour road South and leave behind the determination and despair of the struggle for the Sunken Road, Fredericksburg becomes quite a different battlefield. Thoughts of senseless slaughter at the foot of Marye’s Heights give way to considerations of lost opportunities.

The center of Lee’s position was nearly unassailable, anchored on the commanding height of Howison’s Hill. Here Lee positioned his headquarters and also placed the army’s largest field pieces – a pair of 30 pound Parrott Rifles. The lunettes constructed for these pieces still exist, though the view from both sites is now largely obscured by tree growth. The tour road runs through modern woods along the remains of the earthworks that run the entire length of Lee’s lines, so the view from your car seat is limited at best.

Dismount for the trail to Bernard’s Cabins (see my previous post), as well as the site where Meade’s division breached A.P. Hill’s line and Brigadier General Maxcy Gregg received a mortal wound attempting to stem the tide of the Federal advance. Note the ravine just within the tree line descending eastward. At the time of the battle, the ravine descended to a marshy area considered impassible to attacking troops. Hill left this area largely uncovered, and Meade’s attacking troop exploited the gap, finding the march was not such an obstacle as the rebel commander thought. Had Meade received timely support, perhaps the Federal effort here would have turned the tide of battle against Lee.

Continuing South, you emerge from the woodline along the slopes of Prospect Hill, where Jackson deployed the bulk of his artillery. The hill ascends sharply from the gently rising plain to the east. Though trees now cover much of the field, the railroad embankment perhaps two hundred yards from Jackson’s position afforded the only protection available to attacking Federals during their assault.

The monument across the tracks at the base of the hill, popularly known as the Meade Pyramid, was actually one of several erected by the railroad after the war to mark sites of historical significance along its lines. Meade’s troops penetrated Hill’s lines just to the north of the pyramid.

The guns lining Prospect Hill to the south mark the right of Jackson’s position. These guns had a commanding view of much of the plain to the east where Franklin’s troops formed up, and yet the area was nicknamed “Dead Horse Hill” as a testament to the effectiveness of the Federal bombardment prior to their attack. Stuart’s cavalry and additional artillery extended the line to the east in a broad arc encompassing the area of the Federal deployment. Far out in front of the right flank, John Pelham fought two guns with such effectiveness and against such extreme odds that Robert E. Lee marveled to see “such courage in one so young.” See my previous post on the Pelham marker for details.

The battlefield of Fredericksburg truly presents as study in contrasts. While development has encroached upon the Sunken Road and Pelham’s Corner, the recent acquisition of the Slaughter Pen Farm on the southern part of the field represents one of the most significant preservation victories in recent memory. And while Burnside wasted the lives of his men in fruitless assaults against Marye’s Heights, Franklin squandered the Federals’ one real opportunity to win the battle, failing to support Meade’s breakthrough and turning in a generally mediocre performance. In the end, this battle was indecisive, another misstep for Lincoln along the path toward an effective commander for the Army of the Potomac. Nevertheless, there are few sites that inspire reflection and appreciation of courage and sacrifice like the sunken road and the stone wall at the base of Marye’s Heights.

Signs of Life

2009-03-20T09:48:00.003-04:00

Winter is finally over, and I hope my long absence from this blog is as well. I am working on the last post for my Fredericksburg trip in January and also a mini-review of Wilson's Creek, a great book by William Piston and Richard Hatcher III featuring detailed coverage of the battle and an analysis of unit loyalties and identities in early war armies.

This weekend also marks the beginning of my Spring hiking schedule. The staff at Antietam began last week with a hike focusing on the Irish Brigade (I missed this one). This week's hike will explore Confederate artillery positions on and around Nicodemus Hill, and offers a rare opportunity to explore privately held land. I'm told Brian Baracz is leading this one, so I expect to cover some challenging terrain (briars, steep slopes -- who knows). He also has a knack for selecting poignant vignettes from memoirs and diaries to highlight the significance of otherwise unobtrusive terrain features, so I'm looking forward to it.

The hike starts at the North Woods stop around 1:15pm on Sunday. Hope to see you there!

Off the Beaten Path at Fredericksburg: The Bernard's Cabins Trail

2009-01-20T23:56:00.004-05:00

From Bernard's Cabins

A small sign along the Fredericksburg tour road marks the trail to Bernard’s Cabins. The cabins no longer exist, but I will hike any reasonable distance to see an artillery position. I’ve been fascinated by Civil War artillery since I was old enough to climb on cannons (not an endorsement, mind you). My wife can identify a Napoleon, and sometimes a Parrot Rifle. The sun was out and the temperature had reached the mid-40’s, so I set out through the woods in hopes that the gun position had not been lost to development or tree growth.

I emerged from the woods in a large clearing extending to the Richmond, Fredericksburg, and Potomac Railroad embankment and the open ground of the Slaughter Pen Farm to the east. The ground rises from the edge of the woods, forming a knoll several hundred yards from the railroad embankment. Here, Captain Greenlea Davidson directed the fire of three batteries. Bernard’s Cabins, which the gunners tore down to clear their field of fire, had been home to slaves working one of the larger plantations in the area.

Davidson’s gunners endured a fierce bombardment by Federal artillery under the command of Charles Wainwright followed by infantry assaults directed by Meade and Gibbon that. To make matters worse, one of Davidson’s batteries was supplied with defective ammunition and had to be withdrawn.

The rebel cannon were supported by troops of A.P. Hill’s division deployed to their right front along the railroad and in trenches to their rear. Meade and Gibbon exploited a gap in Hill’s lines and nearly carried his lines. James Lane’s brigade was driven back from the railroad embankment in disorder and Gibbon’s Federal troops surged into the woods beyond, threatening to turn Davidson’s gunners out of their position.

Several batteries under Latimer deployed on Davidson’s left, and a timely counterattack by Edward Thomas’s Georgia brigade. Under pressure from Thomas’s men and scathing volleys of canister from Davidson’s gunners, Gibbon’s assault lost momentum. Without support, Gibbon reluctantly withdrew his troops and Thomas, along with rallied elements of Lane’s command, reestablished the Confederate line along the railroad embankment.

The batteries under Davidson’s command maintained their position throughout the battle.

Fredericksburg Part 1: The Sunken Road

2009-01-10T22:09:00.002-05:00

When I last visited many years ago, the Sunken Road section below Marye’s Heights seemed like a tiny island awash in a sea of development. To some degree, it still is, but crisp days in January are ideal for visits to places where solitude and reflection must reconstruct the scene.

A walking tour affords an indelible impression of the strength of Lee’s lines. A gentle, almost imperceptible slope extends perhaps fifty yards from the Sunken Road. Here the vista ends, lost to modern development forever. But it is enough. The wall itself rises perhaps four feet from the road surface, but Lee’s men had ample time to improve their position into a formidable entrenchment.

A short walk from the Visitors Center, the Innis house still stands just a few feet from the stone wall. A bullet scarred interior wall bears silent witness to the ferocity of the combat here. A scant forty yards beyond, the Federal assaults ground to a bloody halt in the midst of the storm of fire pouring from the Sunken Road. But they did not contend against infantry alone.

Immediately behind the Sunken Road, Maryes Heights rises abruptly to an elevation of forty feet or more. From its crest, visitors can still see the spires of the two largest churches in the town of Fredericksburg. During the battle, the guns of the Washington Artillery lined the heights here. Seldom has artillery commanded a more spectacular field of fire.

Once they emerged from the town of Fredericksburg, the hapless Federal soldiers faced an advance across two thousand yards of open ground under the muzzles of the guns of the Washington Artillery at every turn. That any of them advanced within even within one hundred yards of the stone wall is a supreme tribute to their courage under fire.

The National Cemetery at Fredericksburg occupies the southern shoulder of Maryes Heights, a fitting tribute to the men who gave their lives in what must have seemed to them a pointless struggle against insurmountable odds. It is hard to excuse Burnside for his inflexible and unimaginative frontal attacks. But Abraham Lincoln gave meaning to every battlefield sacrifice with his short and eloquent address on the establishment of the National Cemetery at Gettysburg less than one year later.

One final note on my tour of the Sunken Road. The most prominent monument on the battlefield at Fredericksburg commemorates the heroism of Sergeant Richard Kirkland of the 2nd South Carolina Regiment. Kirkland, at the risk of his own life, left the safety of the rebel lines in the sunken road to comfort the federal wounded lying only yards in front of his position. In an arena of death where man’s inhumanity was so prominently displayed, Sergeant Kirkland’s actions remind us that even in the midst of bitter conflict, the “better angels of our nature” also reign.

Next Up: Fredericksburg Part 2: Franklin’s Assault

Fredericksburg - A Study in Contrasts

2009-01-04T21:54:00.004-05:00

From Fredericksburg

Happy New Year to all! I started off the year with a visit to Fredericksburg. Posts on the battlefield tour are forthcoming. I have not visited this site for many years, and time has brought changes both exciting and sobering.

Once I finished the main battlefield tour, I set out for the Pelham Marker. Along the way, I passed the Slaughter Pen Farm, recently saved from development by the Civil War Preservation Trust. Surrounded by industrial and commercial properties, this tract alone affords an unobstructed view of the terrain Meade’s troops advanced across in the most successful attack of the day on Lee’s lines. The purchase of this farm is one of the great victories for battlefield preservation in recent years.

And yet just a few hundred yards away the Pelham Marker stands at a busy crossroads, hemmed in by a CVS on one corner, and the Pelham’s Corner Rite-Aid and gas station on another. Here, Pelham advanced well in front of Lee’s lines and directed the fire of two guns against the flank of Franklin’s assault. Pelham drew the fire of several Federal batteries and delayed the Union assault for over 30 minutes. With one gun out of action, he shifted position repeatedly and kept firing with his remaining Napoleon, ignoring calls to return to his lines and retiring only when his ammunition was nearly exhausted. Lee witnessed this brave and reckless display and commented “It is glorious to see such courage in one so young.”

To be fair, the developers reserved a small plot for the original stone marker and two interpretive signs donated by a corporate sponsor. But any impression of Pelham’s vantage point or the field of fire of his intrepid gunners exists now only in the mind’s eye. And so Fredericksburg offers a study in contrasts. Many areas of the battlefield lie almost untouched by development, while others have been lost forever. With this in mind, I thought it fitting to open the year with a few thoughts on the importance of preservation. Please support the efforts of the Civil War Preservation Trust and your local preservation groups this year.

Antietam 146th Anniversary Commemoration, Part 4 - The I and XII Corps at Antietam

2008-12-29T21:42:00.002-05:00

The quiet, pastoral setting of the Cornfield and East Woods at Antietam National Battlefield stands in stark contrast to the ferocity of the struggle waged by veterans of the Army of Northern Virginia against some of the most experienced and greenest troops in the Army of the Potomac. Here the Iron Brigade and the Pennsylvania Reserves faced the likes of Hood’s Texans and the Louisiana “Tigers.”

The Federal I Corps under Major General “Fighting” Joe Hooker and the XII Corps under Major General Joseph K. Mansfield, fresh from a desk in Washington, crossed the Antietam at the Upper Bridge and nearby fords and advanced to attack Jackson’s wing of Lee’s army.

After a short discussion of the advance of the I Corps from the area of the North Woods, Brian guided us through the East Woods and across the fields where the men of the XII Corps deployed. Brian has a real knack for finding challenging terrain to explore. Here, it mostly consisted of a few briars and tall grass soaked with the morning dew. We paused to consider Mansfield’s foolhardy and fatal attempt to stop his troops from firing into their own men, only to suffer a mortal wound after discovering the men in his front were indeed the enemy.

The XII Corps was a patchwork organization built upon the nucleus of Banks’s corps, men who had fought with varying degrees of success against Jackson’s men in the Valley. New regiments joined the corps prior to Antietam, often exceeding the existing strength of their parent brigades. To describe these new men as green understates the sad fact that many had yet to master even the rudiments of military drill. And yet several of these regiments fought tenaciously when not called upon to execute complex maneuvers.

As we tramped back through the East Woods toward the southeast corner of the Cornfield, Brian discussed the open nature of the managed woodlots framing this section of the battlefield. He also paused here to consider the experience of the 6th Georgia Infantry. This regiment sustained horrific losses resisting the advance of XII Corps through the woods and the increasing pressure of Federal infantry battling for control of the Cornfield.

The hike concluded with an overview of the fighting in the Cornfield. I will be covering the Cornfield in more detail next year once the weather warms and I am able to get in a few more hikes. We returned to our starting point in the North Woods with a greater appreciation of the efforts of the men of the Union I and XII Corps in one of the fiercest struggles of the war.

The Christmas Stocking

2008-12-28T09:19:00.000-05:00

Our family scaled back a bit for Christmas this year, but my stocking nevertheless contained two gems I look forward to reading in the new year. The first, Antietam, South Mountain, and Harpers Ferry: A Battlefield Guide, by Ethan S. Rafuse, will be handy as I plan to expand my study of the Antietam campaign and to cover the battlefield itself in more depth next year. I also received Cox: Personal Recollections of the Civil War-West Virginia, Kanawha Valley, Gauley Bridge, Cotton Mountain, South Mountain, Antietam, the Morgan Raid & the East Tennessee Campaign - Volume 1. I’ve had Jacob D. Cox's memoir on my Amazon wish list for some time now, so it is a welcome addition to my library. I often pass by the sites of Kanawha Valley campaign on my way to visit relatives in West Virginia. I hope to include some of these sites in my postings next year as well.

A belated Merry Christmas to all and best wishes for a happy and successful New Year. I am polishing up my final posts on the Antietam Anniversary hikes and will post them shortly.

Antietam 146th Anniversary Commemoration, Part 3

2008-12-10T23:30:00.003-05:00

From Antietam 146th Anniversary Commemoration, Part 3 - The Middle Bridge

Many historians conveniently divide the battle of Antietam into morning, midday, and afternoon phases. This oversimplifies a complex battle and ignores the fighting around the Middle Bridge entirely. True, this was not one of the decisive contests of the battle, but understanding the action in this neglected area of the battlefield brings us one step closer to a more comprehensive picture of Antietam.

Ranger Brian Baracz led us over some of the most difficult terrain on the battlefield. West of the Middle Bridge, the typically rolling terrain condenses into a series of steep hills and deep ravines feeding into the valley of the Antietam, similar to the terrain faced by the IX Corps in their ill-fated advance later in the day. Brian has a knack for finding challenging terrain. He also finds quotes from reports, letters, and diaries that illustrate the salient points of the fighting and the experience of the men on the firing line.

We started off down the Boonsboro Pike, crossed at Rodman Avenue, and turned southeast along a recently restored stone wall bisecting the advanced position of Federal skirmishers who pressured rebel infantry and artillery cobbled together for the defense of Cemetery Hill (1). Continuing on, we crested the ridge and descended through a ravine to the banks of Antietam Creek, picking up a new trail along the creek to the Newcomer farm. The fields along the creek bottom here were filled with cavalrymen of the Army of the Potomac on September 17, 1862 (2). They waited in vain for an opportunity to sweep the rebel army from the field in a grand cavalry charge. Only a few batteries of horse artillery were engaged. This section of the trail will form a part of the Three Farms Trail, another step in the effort to create a series of linked trails covering the entire battlefield. Brian also informed us the park will soon acquire the Newcomer House, which was remodeled as a museum by its previous owner and will likely serve the same purpose in the future.

As skirmishers from the regiments of U.S. Regulars secured the area around he Newcomer Farm, Federal artillery crossed at the Middle Bridge and deployed on the heights beyond (3). Union guns positioned here dueled with rebel cannon posted on Cemetery Hill and beyond it to the south during the afternoon as the Regulars skirmished in the fields beyond, pushing Lee’s center to the breaking point. But General George Sykes, commanding the division of Regulars, chose discretion over valor and failed to push his advantage. Once again, as at other points on this bloody field, Lee’s army was saved by stubborn resistance and the unwillingness of Federal commanders to make one final push.

Despite Sykes’s caution, Federal skirmished managed to push nearly to the outskirts of Sharpsburg. A small triangular filed just west of the southern extension of Bloody Lane where it joins the Boonsboro Pike marks the position of the 4th U.S. Infantry. Skirmishers from this regiment pressed up the hill beyond before Sykes recalled them lat in the afternoon (4). The Hagerstown Pike is only a few hundred yards over the crest of the ridge beyond. Had McClellan pushed Sykes more aggressively and perhaps committed the Sixth Corps to the fray, Lee’s center must have collapsed under the strain. Perhaps not, but such are the perennial what-ifs of the battle of Antietam.

(Next Up: The I and XII Corps at Antietam with Ranger Brian Baracz)

Antietam 146th Anniversary Commemoration, Part 2

2008-12-02T23:42:00.001-05:00

After a short break, I joined Ranger Mike Gamble to explore the route of the Irish Brigade in its legendary assault on the Bloody Lane. Mike’s guided walks are notable because he always provides maps with major points of interest noted for his particular subject. We started off along the trace of a lane between the Mumma and Roulette farms. The Mumma Farm is almost entirely a reconstruction, as the rebels burned the original structure, but the Roulette house maintains much of its original appearance. Mike pointed out the “witness hinges” on the cellar door of the house, and the Cultural Resources staff detailed some of the recent restoration efforts on several of the outbuildings.

Continuing along the Roulette Lane, we filed off into the ravine where the Irish Brigade formed up. Here the officers ordered packs down, and the men prepared to assault the Sunken Road. As the brigade left the shelter of the ravine, fire from rebel skirmishers on the crest of the ridge north of the lane began to tell. All of the regiments of the brigade, with the exception of the 29th Massachusetts, were armed with smoothbore muskets. Brigadier General Thomas Francis Meagher, leading his men from horseback, planned to deliver three volleys once he closed the distance to the road and then pitch in with the bayonet and trust to the impetuosity of Irish soldiers in close combat.

Soon Meagher was down – fallen from his horse. Neither Mike nor other historians I have questioned believe Meagher was drunk, as some have claimed. But the Irish fought on. The 29th Massachusetts, advancing on the right center of the brigade, approached on the reverse slope of the ridge north of the lane where the elevation shielded them from rebel musketry. This, and the superior range of their rifled muskets, combined to keep their casualties lower than the other regiments of the brigade. The 63rd, 69th, and 88th New York regiments were not so lucky. With most of the regimental commanders down and ammunition running low, the Irish brigade retired, and left the seizure of the Bloody Lane to Caldwell’s Brigade.

(Next Up: The Middle Bridge hike with Ranger Brian Baracz)

Antietam 146th Anniversary Commemoration, Part 1

2008-11-30T20:12:00.004-05:00

With the upcoming Illumination program on December 6, my thoughts return to the 146th Battle Anniversary Commemoration at Antietam National Battlefield. The anniversary program offered opportunities to explore lesser known areas of the battlefield and to develop new perspectives on famous aspects of the battle such as the fighting in the Cornfield or at Bloody Lane. The park’s historians guided a series of two hour hikes during the weekend of September 13-14, and the entire team conducted an all day hike of the battlefield (with a break for lunch) on the actual anniversary of the battle, September 17. I participated in a number of these hikes, and I am grateful to rangers Brian Baracz , Mike Gamble, and Keith Snyder for making this one of my most memorable and rewarding experiences since I first began touring battlefields so many years ago.

I arrived early on September 13 packing bottled water and my usual assortment of maps – Trailhead Graphics contour map with monument locations, a selection of views from the Carmen-Cope maps detailing troop movements, and the Bowlby map, which identifies crops planted in the area at the time of the battle. The weather was perfect – cool and clear with an early morning fog blanketing the valley along Antietam Creek, much as it would have been in September, 1862.

Keith Snyder led the first hike of the morning, focusing on artillery at Antietam with an emphasis on the morning action in the Cornfield – an appropriate introduction for the battle known as “Artillery Hell.” Keith reviewed the role of artillery in general and the specific tasks of members of the gun crews as an introduction. As we stood on the ground occupied by S.D. Lee’s battalion, Keith noted the field of fire of Lee’s guns, and their exposure to the big Federal twenty pounders lining the ridge across the Antietam. On our way to the Cornfield, we stopped at an unlikely place, or so I thought – the junction of the Mumma Farm Lane and Smoketown Road. No fewer than a dozen batteries of both sides occupied this area during the course of the battle. While this ground appears unimposing from a distance, it commands a clear view of the Cornfield area, much of the Bloody Lane, and parts of the West Woods.

Moving on to the Cornfield, Keith discussed the positions taken by several Federal batteries in and north of the Cornfield itself. From here, these batteries dueled with Lee’s guns and swept the corn with canister and shell as infantry of both sides struggled for an advantage. Standing where commanders fought their batteries in one of the most desperate battles of the war conveys the advantages of observation and clear fields of fire that even slight elevations provide on the battlefield. Antietam requires direct experience of the ground for a full understanding of the battle. Maps often represent the area bound by the East, West, and North woods as gently sloping farmland, but there are numerous examples of subtle changes in the terrain that offer significant military advantages (and disadvantages).

Keith’s last stop was the position of Campbell’s Battery near the Hagerstown Road, represented by a single gun surrounded by corn in summer and almost invisible. Here General Gibbon stopped to adjust the fire of his old Regular Army battery. And here Sergeant Herzog, with a mortal wound in his abdomen, dispatched himself with his pistol when told he could not survive more than a few hours. Keith has a particular talent for bringing the human dimension of the conflict to life with gripping stories like this, and also demonstrates a tremendous respect for the men who fought at Antietam and the sacrifices they made.

(Next Up: The Irish Brigade at Bloody Lane with Ranger Mike Gamble and the Middle Bridge with Ranger Brian Baracz)

Pamplin Park

2008-11-21T21:06:00.002-05:00

The men of the Sixth Corps of the Army of the Potomac waited in the chill dampness of an early April morning for the signal to begin their all out assault against Lee’s lines southwest of Petersburg. For them, though they could not know it, this was to be the last great struggle against the vaunted Army of Northern Virginia. One week later, forced to abandon Petersburg and Richmond, Lee’s army, decimated by the breakthrough at Petersburg and the disaster of Saylor’s Creek, reached Appomattox Courthouse to find their path to safety and supplies blocked by Union cavalry, with infantry close behind.

Pamplin Park, a privately funded historic site located on the site of the Sixth Corps breakthrough near Forts Gregg and Whitworth, features an interpretive trail at the site of the assault, a fortifications exhibit, recreated camp structures staffed by costumed interpreters, field and farm exhibits at the restored Tudor Hall Plantation, and the acclaimed National Museum of the Civil War Soldier.

The soldier museum features exhibits on numerous aspects of a typical soldier’s experience, including camp life, training, equipment, and medical treatment. In one room, visitors face a life size video of a regimental firing line. The command to fire rings out and the room is filled with noise and the whir of bullets – simulated by jets of compressed air firing from the walls as smoke fills the screen in front and the command to reload echoes above the din. At the beginning of the tour, I chose a soldier to follow through the war as I progressed through the exhibits on the museum. The extracts from memoirs and letters specific to each soldier provide a unique experience for each visitor. During my visit, I learned how a certain private (I don’t wish to spoil it for anyone) escaped from a prisoner of war camp after his capture and decided he had had enough of war and returned home. I did not have time for the film in the museum, which purports to be a gritty, realistic portrayal of soldier life and the horrors of war.

Leaving the museum, I headed straight for the fortifications exhibit. Made of realistic synthetic materials to preserve the exhibit, the fortifications reconstructed here include a rampart, ditch, abatis, and chevaux de frise. The rampart terminates with an artillery platform complete with embrasure where uniformed reeanactors demonstrate artillery drill several times per day. Reconstructed cabins and other camp buildings lie just beyond the fortifications exhibit. Reenactors also staff the camp and will readily answer questions about life in the siege lines at Petersburg.

The park also houses the Breakthrough Museum, the gateway to the interpretive trails tracing the course of the Confederate works where troops of the Sixth Corps finally broke Lee’s lines on April 2, 1865, forcing the evacuation of Petersburg and Richmond. A short film describes the action, and the museum also displays Don Troiani’s Medal of Honor, which captures the moment when Captain Charles Gould of the 5th Vermont Infantry vaulted over the ramparts of the fortifications – claiming the distinction of first man into the rebel works. He suffered three wounds and was later awarded the Medal of Honor.

Gould’s regiment approached the rebel lines along the course of a ravine cloaked in early morning mist. The remainder of his brigade crossed open ground gently sloping down toward the Confederate position. The men gripped their rifles and strained for a glimpse of the opposing lines in the early morning mist, awaiting the inevitable storm of musketry and canister from the desperate rebel defenders. But Lee’s forces had been stretched beyond their limits. The Federals pierced the lines in several places almost simultaneously. Nearby, General A.P. Hill hastily departed from a meeting with Lee to determine the situation in his front. He would be dead within the hour, not far from the ground preserved today by the park (a marker erected on the spot where Hill was killed is still accessible). A podcast for the battlefield trail is available on civilwartraveler.com. As I was touring with a friend, I did not take advantage of this, but I’m hoping to take advantage of other podcasts for yours I am planning in the Spring.

While I did not spend any time touring Tudor Hall Plantation, also on the grounds of the park, I noted several items of interest. Costumed interpreters staff the home and farm buildings, and demonstrate the tasks of everyday life in the nineteenth century, including planting and tending crops.

Few sites offer the range of interpretation Pamplin Park provides. I thoroughly enjoyed my visit and will visit again the next time I travel to Petersburg. Plan to spend the better part of a day touring the park, especially if you want to take in the soldier’s museum and film.

The Bloody Lane: A Tour with Vince Armstrong, Part 2

2008-10-20T22:47:00.003-04:00

After a break for lunch, we set off once again from the junction of the Mumma Farm Lane and Smoketown Road to begin the afternoon portion of the tour, covering the attacks of French and Richardson against the Sunken Road. Vince had several surprises in store here as well.

As he reveals in Unfurl Those Colors, Vince does not accept the standard story of French’s Division blundering blindly into combat at the Bloody Lane. Once again, the terrain provides an important clue. During his initial reconnaissance, Sumner would have seen not only Green’s Division in the swale northeast of the Dunker Church, but also the rebel position in the Sunken Road in the area of French’s attack. In a post-war letter, Sumner’s son, who served as an aide during the battle, explained that he delivered an order to French to press his attack shortly after the advance into the West Woods.

It is important to note French was ordered to “press,” and not to begin, his attack. Also, he describes riding past the position of the Rhode Island Battery on hi way to French. This is a clear reference to Tompkins battery, represented today by the four Parrot Rifles just east of the Visitors Center. Vince argues that the language of the younger Sumner’s recollections suggests not only that French had positive orders to attack where he did so, but also that Sumner was aware of his location from the beginning. There is no similar evidence for Richardson’s Division, though his troops were deliberately held back from Sumner for reasons known only to McClellan.

Vince continued on to the Roulette Farm, then northeast along the Roulette Farm Lane to the ravine where the Irish Brigade deployed prior to their advance toward Bloody Lane. The lane itself is hidden from view along the path of their advance until the last 50-100 yards, and some primary source evidence suggests the Confederates may have defended the position from the military crest of the ridge north of the lane for the larger part of the engagement, only becoming trapped in the lane during the final moments of the struggle for Lee’s center.

We moved south toward the lane along the path of the 29th Massachusetts Infantry, the only non-Irish regiment in the Irish Brigade, and also the only unit in the brigade armed with rifles. Their advance also aligned directly with the portion of the Sunken Road obscured by higher ground to the north. These factors combined such that the 29th suffered the lowest loss of the brigade that day. Then too, the 29th did not receive the order to charge in conjunction with the three Irish regiments of the brigade. Vince believes Brigadier General Thomas Meagher, commanding the brigade that day, intentionally left the 29th in position. Meagher states that he decided to trust the impetuosity and élan of the “Irish” in the charge. Perhaps, as Vince suggests, we should take him at his word, and not assume the order to the 29th Massachusetts miscarried.

Though the attack of the Irish Brigade did not gain the position on its own, the situation for the Confederates deteriorated rapidly as Caldwell’s Brigade moved up on the left and flanked their position in the lane. One final item of note concerns the conventional wisdom that the rebel formations defending this area disintegrated and that Lee’s army was finished if only McClellan had followed up this success in the center. But this ignores the presence of Anderson’s Division. Though engaged heavily in the fighting for the Bloody Lane, Anderson’s troops still packed enough of a punch to repulse the advance of the 7th Maine Regiment later that afternoon with heavy loss. The absence of battle reports from Anderson’s Division in the Official Records is lamentable in this case, but Vince is now working on the story of this fight from the Confederate perspective. I look forward to the results of his latest research. If Unfurl Those Colors is any indication, his conclusions will demand we approach the engagement with a fresh perspective, and may shatter long held misconceptions.

The West Woods: A Tour with Vince Armstrong

2008-10-16T21:24:00.004-04:00

From West Woods

Marion “Vince” Armstrong’s recent work, Unfurl Those Colors, presents an unconventional and perhaps controversial analysis of the role of Major General Edwin V. Sumner and the Second Corps of the Army of the Potomac in the battle of Antietam. On October 11, Vince guided a tour of the West Woods and Bloody Lane for members of the Save Historic Antietam Foundation, relating his conclusions with particular attention to the impact of the terrain on the events of September 17, 1862.

The tour began at and then proceeded to Cornfield Avenue at the historical western boundary of the East Woods. As a prelude, Vince discussed Sumner’s initial reconnaissance of the battlefield, which is critical to understanding the deployment of his corps. Among the gentle slopes marking the northern part of the battlefield are several commanding elevations not apparent at first glance. One of these, at the junction of the Mumma Farm Lane and the Smoketown Road, offered Sumner a clear view of the western leg of Bloody Lane, the swale northeast of the Dunker Church where Greene’s Division was deployed at the time, and the advance of the 125th Pennsylvania into the southern terminus of the West Woods.

As Sumner moved to the north along the edge of the East Woods, he noted the noise and smoke from firing in the northern edge of the West Woods, and decided to advance Sedgwick’s Division to the West Woods to secure it prior to a general advance toward the town of Sharpsburg from the north and west, as ordered by McClellan. We followed Vince along the general route of advance of Sedgwick’s troops to the position of the 1st Minnesota at the northwestern edge of the West Woods, then moved southeast through the woods to the 15th Massachusetts monument. Vince argues that the casualties sustained by these regiments and the number of rounds expended suggest a harder fight in the West Woods than many historians suggest.

Continuing southeast through the woods, Vince paused in a ravine running roughly north-south and illustrated how this feature became a channel for Barksdale’s attack against Sedgwick’s flank. He also pointed out the critical flaw in Sedgwick’s line. As the division advanced in three brigade lines, the first brigade under Gorman obliqued to the right, but the leftmost regiment, the 34th New York, failed to hear the order and continued directly west toward the southern edge of the woods just beyond the Dunker Church. In the second line under Dana, the 7th Michigan also drifted away from its brigade. Barksdale’s men, taking the path of least resistance through the ravine mentioned above, poured into the gap opened by the mistaken deployment of these two regiments with devastating consequences. Vince argued that Sedgwick’s undoing was not necessarily the unwieldy formation of his division into three lines, but the gap opened on his left by the misalignment of these two regiments.

Throughout the tour, Vince emphasized the importance of a firsthand appreciation of terrain in reaching his conclusions about Sumner and the attack of Sedgwick’s Division. The gently rolling terrain on the northern part of the battlefield is deceptive. Moving as little as 100 yards alternately reveals or obscures large expanses of the field, and elevations that appear slight from a distance may dominate the surrounding terrain in unexpected ways. Vince’s awareness of the terrain shines through in Unfurl Those Colors, and lends weight to his sometimes controversial conclusions.

Malvern Hill

2008-10-06T21:26:00.002-04:00

From Malvern Hill

The battle field of Malvern Hill is a quiet, secluded place today, almost incongruous with the devastation wrought by concentrated Federal artillery upon hapless attempts by Lee’s infantry to dislodge Mclellan’s army from its final defensive position of the Seven Days battles. Malvern Hill is not very much a hill at all, but a slight rise hemmed in by woods and swampy creek bottoms feeding into the James River.

On this gently sloping plain, under a burning sun on July 1, 1862, sixteen guns commanded by Henry J. Hunt punished rebel infantry attacks and delivered a lesson on the awesome defensive power of Civil War artillery supported by solid ranks of infantry in the open. It was a lesson Lee would have done well to remember little more than one year later as he gazed across another expanse of open ground commanded by Federal artillery just south of the town of Gettysburg.

I followed the trail from the rebel lines toward the Federal right, and then along the Union line to the small exhibit shelter. The tiny silhouettes of several cannon marking the area of an abortive attempt by Lee’s gunners to concentrate their own artillery are visible in the distance from the line of cannon marking the Union position. There is no cover, nowhere to pause in relative safety to dress ranks, just as there was almost no chance the series of uncoordinated attacks launched across this ground would pierce the Federal defenses.

Visible along the trail just beyond the main Federal position are the vast open fields where Federal reserves watched and waited as the battle unfolded. These reserves might have been deployed for a decisive counterattack, but that remains one of the intriguing what-ifs of the Seven Days campaign.

The battlefield at Malvern Hill is easily understood from the exhibit shelter for those with no time to hike the battlefield trail. Indeed, most of the field is visible from here. A visit to the two main sites of the Seven Days Battles, Gaines Mill and Malvern Hill, makers for an easy afternoon excursion if your travels take you to the Richmond area.

Gaines Mill

2008-09-04T23:15:00.004-04:00

From Gaines Mill

Robert E. Lee assumed command of Johnston’s Army of Virginia in the confusion following Johnston’s wounding in the fighting at Seven Pines. Within days, Lee’s re-christened Army of Northern Virginia delivered a series of sledgehammer assaults against the right wing of McLellan’s Army of the Potomac. General Fitz John Porter commanded this wing of McLellan's army. He posted his troops in a strong position behind Boatswain’s Swamp along the northern bank of the Chickahominy River in the area of Gaines Mill. The battle of Gaines Mill in June 1862 was the second largest engagement, in terms of losses, fought between the armies of the Union and Confederacy up to that time.

When I last visited the Gaines Mill battlefield, the park unit consisted of a small plot of ground in the area of the Watt house, near the center of the Union position where Hood’s Texans broke through after a long day of fruitless assaults all along the line. Today, the battlefield is much larger, and includes a walking trail along the wooded ravine formed by Boatswain’s Swamp that offers views of the ridge defended by Porter’s Fifth Corp of the Army of the Potomac.

The steepness of the ridgeline above Boatswain’s Swamp allowed supporting lines of Federal soldiers to fire over the heads of their first line. Lee’s assault troops struggled from the outset, traversing thickly wooded slopes on both sides of a swampy morass running along the bottom of the ravine. Their formations broken by terrain and a withering fire, most of these assaults broke against the formidable Union position. Near the area where Hood’s Texans finally broke the Federal line, a draw descends to the bottom of the ravine, a ready avenue of attack offering a relatively sheltered approach.

As the trail winds its way southward along the ravine, it emerges near the Union left, where the final tragic scene of the battle of Gaines Mill played out. Here the 6th Pennsylvania Cavalry (Rush’s Lancers) formed for a last ditch charge to stall the Confederate advance. Their charge failed with predictable results and in the end, this only added to the confusion in the wake of Hood’s breakthrough.

My most recent visit to Gaines Mill offers a poignant lesson on battlefield preservation. True, the park service has preserved and interpreted much more of the site than when I last visited many years ago. But a fence stands at the bend in the trail where visitors view the area of the 6th Pennsylvania’s charge and a final desperate stand by Federal batteries overwhelmed in the chaos of defeat. These areas of the battlefield remain in private hands. I hope one day to return and find the trail extended to these areas of the battlefield. To that end, I am proud to be a member of the Civil War Preservation Trust. To find out more about CWPT and their efforts to preserve Civil War sites across the country, visit their web site at .

The USS Monitor Center

2008-08-28T21:07:00.004-04:00

The duel between the USS Monitor and CSS Virginia is perhaps the most famous ship action in American history. To many, the fight sounded the death knell of wooden ships and ushered in the era of modern naval warfare. Whether you agree or not, a visit to the USS Monitor Center in Newport News, Virginia is a must for anyone with an interest in the battle of Hampton Roads and the strange new ironclads that fought to a stalemate there in 1862.

The USS Monitor Center is part of the Mariner’s Museum. While I visited mainly to see the center, the larger museum contains hundreds of interesting exhibits and model ships, including a notable gallery on the age of Nelson. Whether you intend to see the entire museum or not, consider a visit. The Monitor Center alone is worth the price of admission.

A full scale replica of the Monitor’s turret stands just beyond the Nelson gallery in the main museum. Near the turret is a Dahlgren replica mounted on a naval carriage. This is an impressive cannon, and I wonder how the battle might have been different had the Monitor’s crew used full instead of half charges for their guns.

Within the center itself are reconstructed officer’s cabins, videos of uniformed reenactors portraying various crew members, and a room containing the red distress lantern the Monitor’s crew hung above the turret shortly before she passed beneath the waves. One room contains a scene of the CSS Virginia in dry-dock. A replica of the bow of this massive vessel stands across the room, and as I moved through the exhibit, I entered by the port side and saw a reconstruction of the inside of the ship and peered through one of the gun ports on the bow.

The Battle Theater presents the story of the battle of Hampton Roads using stunning CGI graphics and surround sound in a three-sided theater – this is truly something to see and was one of the highlights of the visit. Another film details the efforts to raise the turret and preserve various artifacts from the ship, and the center includes a full-scale model of the turret as it was found on the bottom of the ocean, the guns upside-down and everything encrusted with sand and mud and debris. Beside this display is a cutaway model of the turret including one of the massive Dahlgrens mounted on it carriage.

Imagine walking on the deck of the Monitor as she was in 1862 and standing beside the massive gun turret. At the Monitor Center, you can (almost). Just outside the museum stands a full scale replica of the Monitor. I was truly impressed by the size of the ship. Plates on the deck detail various aspects of the ship and its crew.

Back inside the museum, the last gallery of the center focuses on the engines and the area beneath the massive turret. The cutaway replica of the turret stands immediately above. As conservation continues, this area may eventually contain the Monitor’s engines. On the way out, visitors can see the huge tanks containing the Monitor’s turret, engines and guns. Reversing the decay of ages will take several years at the least. Still, as I gazed down at the Dahlgren guns in their murky chemical bath, I was moved by the realization that I stood before one of the guns whose blasts marked the end of the age of sail and ushered in the age of iron.

I planned to spend two hours at the Mariner’s Museum and the USS Monitor Center. I spent five hours there, and it was well worth it. If your next Civil War tour takes you anywhere near Newport News, Virginia, plan to spend some time here.

Book Review Roundup

2008-08-24T14:31:00.003-04:00

As mini-reviews of books and Civil War web sites accumulate, I will consolidate them into permanent posts. The first three mini-book reviews follow.

Unfurl Those Colors (Marion V. Armstrong)

While I won't be doing formal book reviews, I will include opinions on recent reading. For thorough reviews, check out CWBN and CWBA, both listed in my favorite blogs list.

Unfurl Those Colors details the role of the Second Corps of the Army of the Potomac in the Antietam Campaign. Armstrong argues that Sumner's performance was not quite as bad as Sears and other historians contend.

Armstrong also argues that Sumner's decision to commit Sedgwick in the West Woods was reasonable given battlefield conditions, and that French's division did not drift toward the Bloody Lane, but was directed to attack to support the Federal right. His argument weakens a bit in his defense of Sumner's conduct after the destruction of Sedgwick's division.

Overall, Armstong delivers a detailed and entertaining analysis of the Second Corps' attacks upon the West Woods and Bloody Lane. Well worth reading, and sure to spark debate on these controversial actions.

The Ninth Corps at Antietam (John Schildt)

While this book provides interesting detail about the Ninth Corps in the Maryland campaign, I find it difficult to recommend due to a disjointed presentation, missing foot notes, and a lack of editing.

The main strength of the book is its diverse coverage of the Ninth Corps. Schildt includes brief histories of most of the regiments of the corps, material on hospitals after the battle, a narrative of Lincoln’s review of the corps during his visit to the battlefield, and extracts from regimental monument dedications.

If you are particularly interested in Ninth Corps minutiae, consider this book.

Roll Call to Destiny (Brent Nosworthy)

Brent Nosworthy’s new book compiles detailed accounts of several Civil War actions originally intended for his previous. Each examines a representative tactical situation, such as infantry in rough terrain, infantry assaulting fortifications, cavalry vs. cavalry, and artillery in attack and defense.

Aside from its generally entertaining vignettes, the book stands out for detailed tactical observations not always found in other works. What the book lacks in unity and synthesis is corrected when taken together with Nosworthy’s previous book. And as the accounts of each action stand alone, this is a great read for time-challenged Civil War enthusiasts.

Highly recommended, along with Bloody Crucible of Courage (get this book if you don’t have it).

Averasboro Battlefield

2008-08-19T23:42:00.003-04:00

I finished my tour of Bentonville with several hours of daylight remaining and struck out for Averasboro. The latter is about one hour’s drive over rural roads from Bentonville, and is well worth a visit. Though I did not arrive in time to see the visitors center, I saw enough of the field to make the detour worthwhile, and will definitely visit again in the future when opportunity offers.

The battle of Aversaboro was fought prior to the climax of the campaign at Bentonville. Hardee’s delaying action on March 16, 1865, assisted by a steadily worsening rain falling throughout the day, separated Sherman’s wings under Slocum and Howard, giving Johnston a chance to defeat them in detail.

As the visitors center was closed, I missed the map room display and also a diorama of the Federal assault on Hardee’s first defensive line, manned by the troops of Rhett’s brigade. The generally flat, open terrain of the battlefield seems at first glance to offer few opportunities for defense. To compensate for this, Hardee deployed in three lines. To the rear of Rhett’s troops in the first line, Hardee posted Elliot’s Brigade of Taliaferro’s Division behind field works. McLaws Division anchored the third and final defensive line, straddling the Raleigh Plank Road (modern Rt. 82) near the present location of Chicora Cemetery.

With sunset fast approaching as I pulled in to the visitors center parking lot, I toured the battlefield in reverse chronological order. The visitors center appears to be located near the site of a ravine defining the northwestern flank of the last rebel defensive line, an area marked by heavy fighting between Vandever’s Federal brigade and Wheeler’s cavalry. Chicora Cemetery, roughly the center of Hardee’s third line, is a short distance to the south along Route 82. The cemetery contains several Confederate graves and also a reconstructed slave cabin from one of the local plantations present at the time of the battle.

Continuing further south along Route 82, I passed the second confederate defensive line, then pulled off to the right on a small side road marking the position of the first rebel line, manned by the Rhett’s troops. Here, Case’s Federal brigade moved north along a tree-lined ravine to the west of Rhett’s position and stormed out of the woods, rolled up the rebel flank and overran two artillery pieces. A small hillock to the south marks the position of the Federal artillery, and is the only elevation of note in the battlefield.

One of the notable aspects of Averasboro, and of the Bentonville battlefield as well, is the detail of the roadside historical markers. Unlike many historical markers that provide and incomplete picture at best, these provide interesting and relevant detail. Both of these battlefields are success stories of preservation efforts by state and private organizations. And both are well worth a visit.

(Photos to accompany the Bentonville and Averasboro posts coming soon.)

Note: Map from the David Rumsey Collection, courtesy of Cartography Associates (see www.davidrumsey.com for numerous maps of Sherman’s campaigns).

Bentonville Battlefield

2008-08-10T21:19:00.004-04:00

The battle of Bentonville, perhaps the Confederacy’s last hope to stave off final defeat, witnessed the last charge of the Army of Tennessee and was the climactic contest of Sherman’s campaign to subdue the Carolinas. The battlefield is marked by alternating areas of open fields, stands of tall oaks or scrub pine, and swampland. The only elevation changes of note are two depressions. The first of these, formed by a Y-shaped ravine on the western part of the field, figured prominently in the early stages of the fight. The second, formed by the course of Sam Howell Branch, marked part of Johnston’s defensive line on the second and third day of battle.

The action at Averasboro on March 16, 1865, separated the wings of Sherman’s army under Slocum and Howard as Johnston gathered a scratch force combining elements of the Army of Tennessee with forces of the department of North Carolina under Bragg, and of South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida under Hardee. The Federal Fourteenth Corps, under Jefferson C. Davis, led Slocum’s advance toward Bentonville along the Goldsboro Road (SR1008).

Bentonville Battlefield is a North Carolina State Historic Site featuring a four stop driving tour. The visitor’s center offers a fiber optic map detailing the events of the first day’s battle, a short introductory film, and a small book store. Contact them for Moore’s Historical Guide to the Battle of Bentonville and Bradley’s Last Stand in the Carolinas. Both of these excellent works are generally unavailable elsewhere. The maps on the battlefield’s web site (http://www.nchistoricsites.org/bentonvi/) are drawn from Moore’s work, one of the finest battlefield guides I have seen. It includes detailed maps for every phase of the action and references to help you orient your view from the various roadside markers on the battlefield, as well as maps for the preceding engagements at Averasboro and Monroe’s Crossroads.

The driving tour at Bentonville contains four stops. Three focus on the action of March 19, while the fourth is near the site of Union General Joseph Mower’s breakthrough on March 21, near the site of Johnston’s headquarters. Numerous historical markers also line the roads that traverse the battlefield. Moore keys all of the maps in his guide (and on the battlefield web site) to the location of these markers, so it is possible to orient the maps from each of them to enhance your understanding of the action. I focused on the main tour stops on this visit.

The first stop, “Confederate High Tide,” is just to the north of the Federal line on March 19, where Stewart’s Army of Tennessee drove hard against the Federal center (photo 1). The broad expanse of open farmland framed by woods to the east and west here offered an excellent field of fire for a concentration of Union guns to the south. These cannon shored up the Federal line and unleashed a storm of fire on the charging rebels, buying time for brigades of the Fourteenth and Twentieth Corps to form an effective defense.

While the Army of Tennessee attacked in the center, Hoke’s Division of Bragg’s Department of North Carolina command attacked the Union right defended by Morgan’s Division of the Fourteenth Corps. Stop 2, “Morgan’s Stand,” offers views of the swampy woodland defended by Morgan’s troops (photo 2). Several brigades veered eastward from the Confederate center, increasing the pressure on Morgan and bending his left back perpendicular to his main line. Just as his men repulsed Hoke’s attacks from the west, the rebels appeared in his rear. Morgan’s men, with the pluck of seasoned veterans, simply hopped over their works, fought them in reverse, and repulsed these attacks as well.

Stop 3 of the tour straddles the position of the 100 young soldiers of the North Carolina Junior Reserves, the largest brigade in Johnston’s army. The Reserves were only lightly engaged during the fighting at Bentonville, but their position marks the pivot point between the two Confederate wings in their attacks on March 19. Later, when Howard’s wing of Sherman’s army approached from the east, the Reserves pulled back to the north, forming the southern apex of Johnston’s horseshoe shaped defensive line on March 20-21. The view to the east from this position (photo 3) takes in Cole’s Plantation, where Stewart’s Army of Tennessee attacked and routed Carlin’s Division of the Fourteenth Corps in the opening phases of the battle. The ravine marking Carlin’s position conforms roughly to the tree line visible in the distance to the right.

As the fighting drew to a close on March 19, the hard pressed soldiers of the Federal Fourteenth and Twentieth Corps worked to improve their positions for the expected renewal of the rebel assaults the following day. Johnston, however, taking stock of his losses and the approach of Howard’s wing of Sherman’s army, decided to pull the Army of Tennessee back to his start line. He also ordered Hoke’s Division to disengage and take up a new position fronting eastward across the wooded ravine marking the course of Sam Howell Branch and then bending back to the northwest along the Bentonville Road. McLaws Division deployed to the left of Hoke, and Wade Hampton’s cavalry troopers covered the extreme flank to the north.

March 20 saw no action as Howard’s men moved onto the field and linked up with Slocum’s battered wing. March 21 dawned overcast and rainy, and the armies faced one another over the ramparts of hasty fortifications. Toward late afternoon, Union General Joseph Mower advanced his division without orders and punched a hole in Johnston’s left. Mower’s men surged across large areas of swampy ground and quickly overwhelmed the rebel defenders, nearly overrunning Johnston’s headquarters (photo 4). Johnston and his staff, surprised at this turn of events, fled the area on foot as Generals Hardee and Hampton scraped together available infantry and cavalry for a counterattack. With no support at hand, Mower’s troops grudgingly gave ground and retreated back to their original positions. Howard pressed Sherman for authorization for a general attack, but Sherman demurred.

Johnston’s army withdrew from the field on the night of March 21. This last desperate attempt to stop Sherman’s advance cost his armies 1,527 casualties. Sherman’s forces suffered 2,606 casualties. In less than two weeks, Grant’s armies broke through at Petersburg and began the final pursuit of Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia. Johnston withdrew westward toward Durham, North Carolina. He surrendered his army and all Confederate forces east of the Mississippi on April 26, 1865 at Bennett Place, near Durham.

Civil War Weekend 2008

2008-07-31T21:11:00.001-04:00

Three weeks since my last post – please accept my apologies for such a long delay. I was busy preparing for Historicon, the largest historical miniatures wargaming convention in the USA. My other hobby is miniature wargaming and I also import several ranges of historical miniatures from the UK. Interestingly enough, I built a diorama of the action in the Forty Acre Cornfield at Antietam to display in my booth at the show. But enough on that – I may return to it later as a sidebar.

Tomorrow I leave for my annual Civil War weekend with my friend Matt, who has been touring battlefields with me since the early days. We are heading South, of course. The first stop is Bentonville, NC. I have purchased a copy of Mark Moore’s excellent guide and printed out full color maps for each tour stop from the battlefield web site. Time permitting (and the schedule is tight) we may get to Averasboro as well.

From North Carolina, we will head northeast to Newport News, Virginia. The Mariner’s Museum there houses the USS Monitor Center. Besides a full scale replica of the Monitor, the center contains many artifacts from the wreck of this most famous of ironclads, including a significant portion of the turret. Side excursions will include Gaines Mill, Glendale, and Malvern Hill as time allows.

On Sunday, we head west to Pamplin Park, located on the site of the April 2, 1865 breakthrough that shattered Lee’s Petersburg defenses and precipitated his retreat to Appomattox. Pamplin Park contains the National Museum of the Civil War Soldier, where visitors follow the experiences of a single soldier through the war and a series of interactive exhibits. The park also features a section of reconstructed works, including trenches and abatis, as well as several trails interpreting the site of the breakthrough.

On the way home, I hope to stop off at the North Anna Battlefield Park. This may be overly ambitious, but I am hopeful nonetheless. I expect this weekend to provide material for many posts in the weeks to come.

The Siege of Harpers Ferry

2008-07-07T22:07:00.004-04:00

Harper’s Ferry offers a unique combination of scenic beauty, history, and entertainment. It’s a great place for a day trip. In fact, I drove to Harper’s Ferry twice over July 4th weekend. To be honest, the first trip was a washout – it poured from the minute I crossed into West Virginia. Since we live less than an hour away, I decided to try again the next day.

Confederate troops opened their siege of Harper’s Ferry in September 1862 with a three pronged effort to capture the commanding elevations surrounding the town. McLaws seized Maryland Heights to the north, driving the Federal garrison pell-mell down the slope and across the bridges to the town. Walker’s Division occupied Loudon Heights to the south. Jackson’s troops invested the Federal position on Bolivar Heights from Schoolhouse Ridge to the west.

I first hiked along the Federal skirmish line between Bolivar Heights and North Schoolhouse Ridge, where three green New York regiments spent an uneasy night on the line awaiting a frontal attack that never came. Jackson had something else in mind. He sent a column under A. P. Hill to outflank Bolivar Heights from the south. Hill placed several batteries to enfilade Bolivar Heights, and after a sharp morning bombardment, his infantry started their advance. White flags appeared in the Federal lines as the infantry closed in.

On Bolivar Heights, Union Colonel Dixon S. Miles, commanding Harpers Ferry, determined further resistance was useless. Shortly thereafter, he was mortally wounded by one of the last salvos from the rebel artillery. The Federals never should have attempted to defend Harpers Ferry in the first place. Once the rebels seized Maryland and Loudon Heights, the contest was simply a matter of time. Looking from Bolivar Heights to the dominating summits of the other elevations to the east, the indefensibility of the post is clear. What McLellan may have done with the 12,000 troops surrendered here is a matter of speculation. He certainly made no strenuous effort to save them from the trap.

The trails along Bolivar Heights offer excellent views of Shoolhouse Ridge, Maryland Heights, and Loudon Heights. Take a map, and start at the Bolivar Heights area on Washington Street just off Route 340. I started my hike without a map from the Federal skirmish line area at the western end of Bolivar Heights, and ended up walking the trails between the two areas. The drive between is much easier, and you won’t miss anything. I plan to take in the southern end of Schoolhouse Ridge and Maryland Heights on my next visit.

Antietam: The Final Attack Trail Part 2

2008-06-30T23:41:00.003-04:00

The men of Ewing’s Brigade of the Kanawha Division steadied themselves behind the fence rails along the Otto farm lane as men of the 16th Connecticut and 4th Rhode Island streamed past. The Ninth Corps’ flank, and the success of their drive toward Sharpsburg, threatened to unravel under the relentless pressure of A.P. Hill’s slashing attacks. As Gregg’s South Carolinians drove eastward through the 40 Acre Cornfield, Archer’s Brigade formed along the Harper’s Ferry Road and prepared to join the fray.

The 23rd and 30th Ohio regiments of Ewing’s brigade scaled the fence in their front and steeled themselves to repel the rebels closing in from the south and west. The 23rd Ohio drove westward just to the north of the corn, while the 30th Ohio moved to the bottom of the ravine, entered the corn, and drove up the opposite slope. Once more, however, confusion reigned in the Federal ranks, and the 12th Ohio failed to advance with the rest of the brigade. Both the 23rd and 30th Ohio halted at the stone wall bordering the western end of the cornfield and poured a telling fire into the flank of the 7th and 37th North Carolina regiments of Branch’s Brigade, the second of A.P. Hill’s units to reach the field. The North Carolina regiments recoiled under this fire, but support was not far behind.

Archer’s tiny brigade of Hill’s division, reduced to less than 400 men by the grueling march from Harper’s Ferry, drove west from the Harpers Ferry road and charged the stone wall manned by Ewing’s Ohio regiments. At first, the Ohio boys held their own. Gregg’s men, however, still held the southern and western portions of the cornfield, and increased the pressure on the Ohioan’s flank until the position at the wall became untenable. Ewing refused his left flank, facing the 23rd and several companies of the 30th Ohio to the southwest. Other companies of the 30th Ohio retired east toward the Otto Farm Lane, where they mingled with remnants of the 16th Connecticut of Harland’s brigade.

Ewing’s last regiment, the 12th Ohio, nearly broke under a prolonged fire of infantry and artillery, some of it from friendly batteries. At length, the regiment took position along the western fence line of the Otto Farm Lane, unwilling to advance into the teeth of Gregg’s veterans, convinced that the same unhappy fate that befell Harland’s regiments awaited them in the broad expanse of corn to their front.

As dusk settled over the smoke filled ravines of the Otto Farm, Gregg’s men consolidated their position. Sturgis’s division of the Ninth Corps, having replenished its ammunition after its fight for the Rohrbach Bridge, relieved Ewing’s hard pressed brigade and took position along the Otto Farm Lane, facing west. These Federals engaged Archer’s and Gregg’s men with a desultory fire until dusk put an end to the contest.

A. P. Hill’s driving counterattack had unraveled the Ninth Corps offensive. Hill’s veterans exploited the rugged, confused terrain south of Sharpsburg and fought with determination and vigor. Behind the scenes, Lee himself drove every serviceable gun he could find into action along the ridge crowned by the Harpers Ferry Road, while McClellan, fretting precious hours away at the Pry House east of Antietam Creek, sent only a single battery to support the Ninth Corps in its hour of need.

Darkness brought an end to the fighting. Though Burnside expressed his willingness to continue the fight on the morrow if properly supported, McClellan would let September 18th pass without action. Lee’s army withdrew across the Potomac the following day, and but for a short, sharp action at the ford below Shepherdstown, the Maryland campaign was over.

The New Gettysburg Visitors Center

2008-06-25T14:49:00.001-04:00

I visited the new Gettysburg Visitor’s Center this past week with a few family friends. Like many of you, I suspect, I am often called on to give tours at Antietam or Gettysburg for relatives and friends. This was my third visit to the new facility. We spent just over two hours there and skipped most of the Gettysburg Address exhibits to save time for walking the field.

The museum offers a much broader perspective of the war and the exhibits are more topical than the previous museum’s long ranks of muskets and rifles. I do miss the old weapons displays, but they survive in a limited form, and there are numbers of them scattered about in thematic displays. Overall, the presentation has improved dramatically.

Short films provide introductions to each day’s fighting, summaries of the war prior to and after Gettysburg, and an overview of slavery and its impact on American society. The latter film may not sit well with the states rights crowd. The battle films use animated maps to detail the action. Presentation is geared toward general interest in every case. Controversies and regimental detail are lacking, but I tend to agree with the targeting of exhibits toward a general audience. After all, before I was a buff, I was a kid with a copy of They Met at Gettysburg, and it was all new to me.

The exhibits are generally good, but several stand out for me. Interactive touch-screen displays allow you to select any regiment and find its location on the field, along with a picture of its monument. Plaques display the formations and tactics of each service branch using drawings reminiscent of the old American Heritage battle diagrams (or the more recent Battle in the Civil War by Paddy Griffith). Finally, the Pickett’s Charge exhibit includes three displays relating the experience of the men as they marched toward the Union lines. Plaques explain the weapons bearing on them at various distances, and cases filled with shell fragments, bits of fuse, and bullet fragments immerse the viewer in an impression of the destructive power of concentrated infantry and artillery fire.

After three visits and perhaps six hours spent in the new museum, I am favorably impressed with both the quality and quantity of the exhibits. Definitely worth a visit, even if you have been to Gettysburg many times before. And it’s not only the new Visitors Center – the battlefield itself has changed dramatically in recent months. The NPS landscape restoration program has turned back the clock on the field of the second day’s battle around Little Round Top and Devil’s Den to 1863. I will be visiting again soon to explore the field and will post my impressions here, along with a few pictures.

Next Up: Antietam’s Final Attack Trail Part 2 (finally)!

Antietam: The Final Attack Trail Part 1

2008-06-15T21:12:00.003-04:00

On a recent visit to Antietam Battlefield I hiked the Final Attack Trail for the second time. The trail winds across the Otto Farm and the Forty Acre Cornfield, a tortured landscape of deep ravines and sharp elevations. Here, the advance of the Federal Ninth Corps unraveled under the pressure of a slashing flank attack by veterans of AP Hill’s Light Division in the final act of the bloodiest day in American history.

I set off with my backpack stuffed with books, maps, and a bottle of water. I carried along Carmen’s history of the campaign, Antietam: The Soldier’s Battle, and the War College guide. For hikes at Antietam, I always carry Trailhead Graphics’ battlefield contour map, and I also printed out two detailed views of the area extracted from the Carmen-Cope maps of the situation at 3:30pm and 4:20pm (these include unit positions). More on the Carmen-Cope maps in a later post. Many thanks to Antietam on the Web, where I first learned of this excellent resource. A narrative of the action as I understand it follows.

Harland’s Brigade of Rodman’s Division held the extreme left of the IX Corps line. The 11th Connecticut regiment of the brigade, recovering from its costly skirmish at the Rohrbach Bridge, remained behind. The 4th Rhode Island deployed on the left, the green 16th Connecticut in the center, and the 8th Connecticut on the right, linking up with Fairchild’s Brigade (see map above).

The two left regiments advanced into the ravine on the eastern end of the Forty Acre Cornfield and halted to await further orders, while the 8th Connecticut continued to advance along with Fairchild’s men. A gap opened in the center of the brigade just as Hill’s Division arrived on the scene. Gregg’s veteran South Carolina brigade seized the high ground at the southern and western edges of the cornfield (see picture map above).

One of Gregg’s regiments carried a flag that appeared to be the stars and stripes. Two officers and a color bearer from the 16th CT moved forward to investigate. Gregg’s men shot down the 16th CT’s color bearer within yards of their position and the two officers sprinted back to the regiment. Some of Gregg’s men may have been wearing coats or trousers from Federal uniforms captured at Harper’s Ferry, though whether this was apparent in the head high corn is debatable.

As Gregg’s men advanced, they unleashed a scathing volley. The Connecticut men had never loaded their rifles and had mastered only the rudiments of drill, a situation all too common in the Army of the Potomac in this campaign. Men fell, confusion reigned, orders were misunderstood. The 16th broke and ran to the rear, dragging the right wing of the 4th Rhode Island along with them in their haste to escape.

Ewing’s Brigade of the Kanawha Division was close behind in support of Rodman’s Division. As the demoralized men of the 16th CT and 4th RI streamed past, the security of the IX Corps flank, and the fate of its offensive, passed into their hands. More on that in my next post.

Fire on the Mountain

2008-06-12T22:16:00.004-04:00

This past Saturday, June 7, my wife and I headed to Fox's Gap on South Mountain for "Fire on the Mountain." Confederate artillery crews serving a battery of four Napoleon cannon demonstrated arillery drill and simulated counterbattery fire against a Federal battery deployed some 600 yards away. The rebels occupied the position held by Bondurant's battery during much of the fighting for Fox's Gap on September 14, 1862.

We started the day at Turners's Gap on Alt 40 near the South Mountain Inn (known as the Mountain House in battle reports). From there, the Applachian trail winds southward along the crest of South Mountain to Fox's Gap. The trail runs along the route of an old logging path known as the Wood Road, and was used by various rebel units moving to the defense of Fox's Gap.

The rebel battery demonstrated firing by piece and by section, followed by a tactical simulation of counterbattery fire and defense against infantry. The boom of the big brass guns echoed across the mountainside, hinting at the din of battle long ago in September, 1862. The heat was intense, the temperature approaching 100 degrees at mid-day. Many thanks to the reeanactors who carried out their drill commands with clarity and precision in an open field undert the hot sun while many spectators struggled to find a shady spot to watch the demontration. Thanks also to the property owner. Much of the battlefield is still in private hands, and without the generosity of these fine folks, events like "Fire on the Mountain" would not be possible.

Note: I added a slideshow above using Picasa by Google. Enjoy the photos!

A New Civil War Blog for Battlefield Enthusiasts

2008-06-04T22:30:00.003-04:00

Civil War Battles and Battlefields will feature travel narratives of my frequent visits to historic sites and my thoughts on recent readings in Civil War history and historiography. I live in central Maryland, an ideal location for a Civil War buff. Gettysburg, Antietam, Harper’s Ferry, South Mountain, and Monocacy are all within an hour’s drive, and most of the Virginia battlefields are within easy day trip range.

I hope to convey some of my enthusiasm for these places, to give those who cannot visit these sites as often as I do a chance to experience the excitement of walking in the footsteps of the men who fought in these places over a century ago.

I will include photos and maps occasionally to enhance the sense of place in my travel pieces. In my opinion, the best site for photos of Civil War sites on the net is http://www.civilwaralbum.com. If you have not seen this site before, you are in for a real treat. So I won’t be posting virtual tours; rather, I hope to create specific impressions.

More often than not, my posts will focus on a narrow aspect of a particular battle. Generalists will find books and magazines more useful, perhaps. Occasionally, I may cover living history events, museums, preservation issues, or interesting Civil War sites on the net. I plan to post once per week during Spring and Summer, and semi-monthly during the colder months. Posts will average 500 words or less.

The first series of posts will narrate my recent explorations of Antietam Battlefield’s Final Attack Trail, where A.P. Hill’s Light Division pitched into the flank of Burnside’s IX Corps, snatching away the last, and possibly best, chance for a decisive Federal victory at Antietam.
Enjoy Civil War Battles and Battlefields. I welcome your comments, questions, and criticisms.