THE THIRD DAY’S BATTLE.
On Saturday brisk skirmishing between the two armies was kept up all along the line for the greater part of the day. A brigade of the enemy, commanded by General Gordon, cut off communication between General Sedgwick and Germania Ford, and obliged Sedgwick to withdraw toward Wilderness Tavern. In the course of the afternoon, it became evident that General Lee was withdrawing his main force toward Spottsylvania Court House, and General Burnside moved his corps out on the road leading to the same point. In the course of the night orders were issued to the surgeons in charge of the hospitals to remove their sick and wounded to Ely’s Ford, and the supply trains were ordered to move in the direction of Todd’s tavern. Subsequent to these changes, Fredericksburg became a depot for the sick and wounded, and was also made a basis for supplies.
In the course of the afternoon of Saturday, a sharp engagement took place between the Union and rebel cavalry—the loss on both sides being about equal, and not exceeding two hundred and fifty on either side. In the shadow of the darkness, Generals Burnside and Sedgwick moved along the old Chancellorsville road, and arrived at a field near Spottsylvania about noon of the following day. In the mean time General Warren, having marched the whole of Saturday night, also reached a place within three miles of Spottsylvania Court House, at an early hour in the morning. Here he encountered the troops of General Ewell, together with a portion of Longstreet’s command, who had also reached the same place, about the same time. In fact, the two armies had raced from the Wilderness battle-ground, in order to gain the choice of position at Spottsylvania; but the rebels had arrived first, and had thus gained the advantage. On Sunday morning the National troops were formed in line of battle two and a half miles north of Spottsylvania Court House. The rebels opposed them, defiant and formidable. Then began the terrible
BATTLE OF SPOTTSYLVANIA.
May 8–12, 1864.
While the advance troops of Warren’s corps pressed down the road, shells were thrown into their ranks with great rapidity, but the enemy fell back before them, making but feeble resistance. A short distance further on—at a place called Alsop’s farm—the artillery of the enemy was found to be stationed. The Union batteries were speedily placed in position to command those of the enemy. The Union battle line was hastily formed, and comprised General Griffin’s division on the right, and General Robinson’s on the left.
Firing began immediately on both sides. The Unionists advanced in a strong line upon the enemy, driving him back into a clearing in the woods at his rear, and then began the serious work of the day. The National troops rushed forward upon the enemy with all the impetuosity of dauntless bravery, and the fight became general in all directions. The remaining two divisions of Warren’s corps, commanded by Generals Crawford and Cutter—the latter in command of the lamented General Wadsworth’s troops—were hurried forward with all possible haste. The slaughter was horrible—men fell not by twos, or threes, or dozens, but by scores and hundreds, till the very earth seemed to sicken with the deluge of blood poured out upon its bosom. For four hours a battle raged, which, for the bravery displayed by the participants, the fury with which it was carried on, and the carnage it created, was not exceeded by any fight during the war. It will be understood, of course, that all this fighting took place before the arrival of the remaining corps of the army. The troops of General Warren, opposed as they were to three times their own number, felt how much depended on their holding their ground, and they fought with almost unexampled desperation. At the close of four hours one brigade of the Sixth corps came to the assistance of General Warren’s troops, which thus reinforced, not only held the enemy at bay, but drove him back. This closing struggle lasted for a considerable time, and was by far the fiercest of the day. The enemy threw his entire strength upon the Union line, but was nobly repulsed at every point, and compelled to fall back. With the exception of the single brigade alluded to above, the Fifth corps did the whole of the fighting of this hard-fought, well-won, and bravely contested day’s battle.
Many officers were wounded, among whom were General Robinson, Colonel Dennison, and Captain Martin. Major Stark and Colonel Ryan were killed. The regiments suffered terribly, especially the First Michigan, which went into the fight two hundred strong, and came out with a remnant of twenty-three. The Union loss in killed, wounded, and missing was estimated at thirteen hundred.
No great battle took place on Monday, the 8th. The time was occupied for the most part in skirmishing, followed at intervals by heavy cannonading. Toward evening General Grant ordered an advance on the enemy, which was made by the divisions of Generals Birney and Gibbon, followed by General Carroll’s brigade. This force crossed over to the south bank of a branch of the Po river, where a severe battle with infantry and artillery took place, both sides charging alternately. The Unionists were finally obliged to retire, and the enemy held Spottsylvania Court House.
Upon this day the National cause suffered one of its greatest losses in the death of an officer whose place could not easily be filled. One of the most gloomy and saddening calamities of the disastrous battles of Spottsylvania Court House, was the death of General John Sedgwick, commanding the sixth corps. General Sedgwick was an almost recklessly brave man, and constantly exposed to the enemy’s bullets a life too precious to have been held lightly. He was killed on Monday morning, by a sharpshooter, while superintending the placing of a section of artillery. The ball entered his head one inch below the left eye, and passed out at the back of the right ear, causing instant death. No general of the United States service was more highly respected or more sincerely beloved.
General Sedgwick was a native of Cornwall, Litchfield County, Connecticut, to which place his ancestors removed from West Hartford one hundred and twenty years ago, and he resided on the old homestead, which has been in possession of the family during all these years. His grandfather, General John Sedgwick, was an officer in the Revolutionary War, and transmitted an honored name to the distinguished Sedgwick families of Connecticut, Massachusetts and New York. General Sedgwick was born in 1811, and graduated at West Point in 1837.
He was always warmly attached to the Litchfield home, and in all his active military life looked forward to the time he might retire to it in his declining years. Just before the rebellion broke out he had seriously contemplated such retirement, and on the first demonstration of treason he told a relative that his hope had been to leave public life, but added that it could not be now, for his country needed his services. In private life General Sedgwick was an unassuming, retiring man, possessing strong feelings and attachments. He was never married, but kept up his ancestral estate under the care of an unmarried sister, who was devotedly attached to him.
The remains of General Sedgwick were brought to New York city, where they lay in state at the City Hall, and were subsequently taken to his native home, where he was buried with military honors.
Terrible as had been the fighting of the previous days, it did but serve as a prelude to that of Tuesday, the 10th. The belligerents still occupied substantially the same positions which they had held upon the previous day. The Union army faced the rebels in a crescent-shaped line, extending, from end to end, about six miles. The enemy was protected by a line of forest and underbrush along his whole centre; and at other points by strong breastworks. At an early hour preparations were made for the grand assault, but the attack did not take place until a late hour in the afternoon. From time to time severe skirmishing occurred between the combatants, becoming with every hour more severe, till at last it merged into a general and most desperate engagement. General Grant had given orders for the decisive attack upon the enemy to be made precisely at five o’clock. As the hour drew near the anxiety and excitement became intense. At that time the enemy were discovered in force upon the right flank, and immediate preparations to meet this onslaught became necessary, which delayed the preconcerted attack. General Grant, however, was equal to that emergency, and the enemy was met and held in check. The assault upon the rebel lines was then fixed for half past six o’clock; and the enormous columns of the whole army rapidly gathered together for the coming struggle. At the precise time a discharge burst at the same instant from the mouths of twelve signal guns, and put the whole mass of men in motion. Cheer after cheer burst from the patriot ranks as they swept resistlessly onward, which was answered back by savage yells from the defiant foe.
The enemy were driven into their intrenchments in gallant style, and Upton’s brigade of Wright’s division, Sixth corps, got into the rebel rifle-pits, capturing twelve guns and about one thousand prisoners.
Not being supported by other portions of the line, who were unable to gain the tier of works in their front, this brigade was forced to evacuate its advanced position, leaving the captured guns after spiking them, but bringing off all the prisoners.
The enemy suffered heavy losses during the fight, from shells falling into their works, and the destructive infantry fire, which was delivered with remarkable precision.
In writing of this battle a correspondent of the daily press speaks in the following language:
“The woods between the contending armies were all on fire from shells, and the wind blowing strong to the northward, gave the enemy a decided advantage over our troops, who were stifled and blinded by the heat and smoke. Numbers of the wounded of both sides must have been burned to death by the devouring element.
“At dusk the scene was one of awful sublimity. A battery of thirty-two-pounders posted on the right of the Spottsylvania road, kept up an incessant fire until half-past eight, when quiet was restored.”
The National loss in this most terrible battle was estimated at ten thousand men; the rebel loss was not less severe. The loss in Federal officers was very heavy. Among the killed were Brigadier-Generals Stevenson and Rice.
The enemy’s position was, unquestionably, very strong; but the favorable results of the fighting were all on the Union side. It was at this time that General Grant sent to Major-General Dix his celebrated dispatch, couched in the following words:
“We have now ended the sixth day of very heavy fighting. The result to this time is much in our favor. Our losses have been heavy, as well as those of the enemy. I think the loss of the enemy must be greater. We have taken over five thousand prisoners in battle, while he has taken from us but few except stragglers. I propose to fight it out on this line if it takes all summer.”
On Wednesday, the 11th, the fighting of the day consisted of sharp skirmishing, which at no time emerged into a battle. During the afternoon a refreshing rainstorm visited the thirsty earth—the first rain which had fallen during the campaign. It was indeed welcome, cooling the atmosphere and laying the dust which had, together with the excessive heat, almost stifled the soldiers.
Upon the following day, the 12th, the battle was again resumed with great violence. A dense fog succeeded the rain of the previous day, veiling the earth in mist, through which the armies could with difficulty distinguish each other. The first movement was made by the Second corps, which moved up to the enemy’s lines at the dawn of day. The first line was formed by the divisions of General Birney and General Barlow; and the second line by the divisions of Generals Gibbon and Mott. General Barlow’s division, moving in battalions, advanced boldly across the rugged and woody space separating the two armies; and soon with a loud cheer rushed forward upon the enemy’s intrenchments. With louder and more exultant cries the brave fellows leaped over the intrenchments, and dashed upon the astonished enemy, compelling their surrender in a body. An entire division of the rebels was completely surrounded, and officers and men obliged to surrender. Three thousand prisoners—including two general officers—General Edward Johnson, and J. H. Stewart—were captured. Immediately after this very brilliant feat General Hancock dispatched the following report: “I have captured from thirty to forty guns. I have finished up Johnson, and am now going into Early.”
The next assault was made upon the second line of rebel rifle-pits, which were taken possession of after a long and desperate resistance. Immediately following this the whole line became engaged. Like all great battles, the scene was one of appalling grandeur. Hour after hour passes by, but no one takes any note of time—the roar of battle—with all the varied cries, shrill and hoarse, shrieks and groans—is all that is heard; and the clouds of smoke, the flash of fire, and the reeling and falling of the dead and wounded is all that is seen. At times, while the shrill and appalling battle cry which leads on each assault of the columns is silent, the stifled groans of the wounded are heard, and trains of litter bearers and ambulances follow each other, bearing away the wounded.
The entire line had moved up to assist the brave Second corps (General Hancock), which, up to this time, had borne the whole brunt of the fighting. The Ninth corps, now rushing into the extreme left, joined its weight to that point. The Sixth corps had advanced against Ewell’s troops, and General Warren’s corps had moved up on the extreme right. All were now hotly engaged, and pressed the enemy severely. The rebels soon made a desperate effort to regain the lost works, but the charge was nobly met by the Second and Ninth corps, and, after a furious and bloody battle of three hours, the enemy was forced to fall back.
During this time the Union right and centre had charged the enemy’s position with all the gallantry inseparable from such thoroughly brave men, but without success; the rebels were found to be, for the time at least, impregnable behind their powerful works, in force strong enough to hold their ground against twice the number of the Unionists; besides which every avenue of approach was guarded by most formidable artillery.
After a temporary lull in the fight, about midday, General Meade made an effort to turn the enemy’s right; and crowded his troops down toward his own left, still keeping up a severe artillery and infantry fire. At this time the rain again began to fall, and continued to become heavier during the whole afternoon, till night. But the battle, instead of slackening, became, if possible, still more terrible. The enemy rapidly concentrated on the right, charged the Unionists, and again the ground was fought over with desperation. Night at length closed one of the most dreadful contests on record, after a duration of fourteen hours, and darkness settled down upon the wet, gloomy, blood-stained battle-field.
The first decided and important success of this series of movements was that of General Hancock, on the morning of the 12th, which secured an advance of a mile to the line at that point.
The courage, skill, and determined bravery exhibited upon the part of all the troops engaged is deserving of the very highest commendation; and so admirably did every division, brigade, and regiment behave, that it is not possible to name any in particular as more highly deserving of praise than the rest. The loss in killed and wounded numbered ten thousand men; that of the enemy was estimated as being equally severe. About three thousand prisoners were captured.
Upon the next day—Friday the 13th—it was discovered that the enemy had fallen into a new position of defence, and had withdrawn his main force on the left. The rain still fell heavily, so that the roads were rendered very difficult. Artillery firing, and occasionally brisk skirmishing, were kept up from time to time throughout the day, between small bodies of the troops.
It was at noon this day that General Meade issued the following address to his army:
“Soldiers! The moment has arrived when your commanding officer feels authorized to address you in terms of congratulation.
“For eight days and nights, without almost any intermission, through rain and sunshine, you have been fighting a desperate foe in positions naturally strong, and rendered doubly so by intrenchments. You have compelled him to abandon his fortifications on the Rapidan, to retire and to attempt to stop your progress, and now he has abandoned the last intrenched position, so tenaciously held, suffering in all a loss of eighteen guns, twenty-two colors, eight thousand prisoners, including two general officers.
“Your heroic deeds, noble endurance of fatigue and privation, will ever be memorable. Let us return thanks to God for the mercy thus shown us, and ask earnestly for its continuance.
“Soldiers! Your work is not over. The enemy must be pursued, and, if possible, overcome. The courage and fortitude you have displayed renders your commanding general confident that your future efforts will result in success. * * *
“We shall soon receive reenforcements, which he cannot expect. Let us determine, then, to continue vigorously the work so well begun, and, under God’s blessing, in a short time the object of our labors will be accomplished.”
Upon the next day—the 14th—the enemy, although he had fallen back, still held tenaciously to the Court House. By this time General Meade’s line stretched at right angles across the Fredericksburg and Spottsylvania roads, leaving on its right the corps of General Hancock, and on the right centre the Ninth corps of General Burnside. General Warren held the left, and General Wright the left centre. The position of the enemy was now that of a semi-circular line of earthworks, with rifle-pits here and there. These works were well established, on commanding heights, the entire position being flanked on right and left by dense woods. The enemy was still busily engaged in strengthening his breastworks; and General Grant’s troops were speedily armed with spades, so that on both sides the work of intrenching went forward diligently.
During this time much severe fighting was done on the extreme left.
The next day was the Sabbath—the 15th of May—and one of the few Sabbaths which passed without a battle when the opposing armies confronted each other. Reconnoissances were made by both Unionists and rebels, and positions in every direction were still further strengthened, for all felt that a momentous movement was close at hand. The pickets exchanged occasional shots, and the dense woods flanking the enemy’s strong defences were shelled severely, for the purpose of driving out any lurking foes who might be concealed there. Late in the afternoon a brief but sharp engagement took place between a force of the enemy and Birney’s division, in which the rebels were defeated and suffered considerable loss.
On the 16th the roads were found to be in such a condition from the recent rains that any movement against the enemy was impracticable. During the afternoon a fresh breeze sprang up, and the sun shone down with almost tropical intensity. The roads dried up rapidly, and on the 17th they were found to be in good condition. The sun still shining brightly, continued to dry them up so well that a movement was decided on for Wednesday. These days of rest had greatly refreshed the army; the troops were in fine health and spirits, and eager for work.
It had all along been General Grant’s desire to outflank the enemy, and force him to abandon his strong works, rather than to compel his retreat by falling upon him, and, in order to do this, all his movements had been made against the enemy’s right. He now determined to change his mode of operations, and to make a bold assault upon the enemy’s left. With this view, preparations were made on Tuesday night, under cover of the darkness, and batteries and troops were moved up for the assault. The new Union line was formed before morning, and ran direct from right to left. This line was composed of four divisions, commanded respectively by Hancock, Burnside, Warren, and Wright.
With the first dawn of day, on the morning of the 18th, the assault was made. The enemy’s skirmishers were driven back at the first onset, and again the loud, reverberating roar of cannon echoed back from the surrounding hills. The air was filled with splinters of shell and whistling shot, flying along on the wings of destruction. The rebel left was found to be much strengthened to meet the attack against it, for General Lee, suspecting Grant’s movement, had made preparations to receive him. Charge upon charge was made upon the rebels, and first one and then another of their lines of rifle-pits were captured, together with many prisoners. With cheer upon cheer, the Union troops pressed on, until suddenly they came upon a dense, impregnable abattis, behind which lay concealed a long line of riflemen; while behind these again were stationed a heavy, frowning array of batteries. To advance was to bring certain, inevitable death upon a countless number of the brave Unionists, while, at the same time, the prospect of success in the charge was very dim. The troops were therefore ordered to retreat, and fell back in good order, under a destructive fire opened on them by the enemy. Brigadier-General Barlow, commanding the First division of the Second corps, is entitled to honor as a brave man and a thoroughly competent officer, for the admirable behavior of his troops under severe fire.
It was now clear that the enemy’s position at this point could not be carried except by an incalculable loss of life, and the attempt was, therefore, for the time abandoned. The Union loss during this short but sanguinary conflict numbered twelve hundred.
Both armies remained quiet for the remainder of the day, but kept a constant watch upon each other’s movements.
During the night, General Grant, having ascertained the enemy’s strength and precise position, sent off a detachment of troops, in command of General Torbert, to a point on the Richmond and Fredericksburg road, called Guinea’s Station, situated about ten miles southeast of Spottsylvania. By this movement the Unionists gained a position in the enemy’s rear, and destroyed much valuable rebel property along the railroad. During the next day reinforcements for Grant’s army arrived from Belle Plains, and a considerable portion of the day was occupied in receiving and arranging the newly arrived troops. A portion of the National troops moved toward Guinea Station, but no fighting took place between the hostile armies, who were at that time within artillery range of each other, but remained so quiet that not even a gun was fired.
Between four and five in the afternoon, however, firing was heard upon the Fredericksburg road, which turned out to be from a strong division of the rebel General Ewell’s corps. The enemy had fallen upon the Union baggage train as it filed along in rear of the right flank, but were gallantly met and repulsed by General Tyler’s division of heavy artillery, armed as infantry. These troops were mostly new recruits, and, though thus unexpectedly called into action by this sudden irruption of the rebel raiders, they acquitted themselves with great credit, and succeeded in checking the enemy’s advance. They were warmly commended by General Meade. Before the rebels could make a second charge, or follow up any advantage they might have gained by dint of superior numbers, Colonel Tannatt’s brigade came to the assistance of Tyler, and Ewell’s men were effectually brought to a halt. Another brigade came forward at this point, and the enemy was driven in great confusion back into the forest.
Again, at five o’clock, the rebels, with the desperation of starving men, made a second attack on the baggage-trains, but were speedily driven back.
During these brisk, but deadly conflicts, the Unionists lost upwards of six hundred men; the rebel loss was not so heavy. For the remainder of the day, and during the night, the baggage-trains were closely watched, but no further attempts were made upon them.
From the 20th of May onward, the movements of General Grant contemplated forcing General Lee to abandon his position at Spottsylvania, and fall back towards Richmond. Continued efforts were, therefore, made to flank the rebel army. Nor were these efforts unsuccessful. On May 23, General Grant’s army was in a position facing westward, extending from Guinea Station to Milford, while the enemy had fallen back beyond the North Anna river.
A fight took place at Taylor’s Bridge Ford, on the 23d, in which General Birney’s division behaved with great gallantry. The bridge, of course, was the point at issue, and both parties contested the prize with desperate valor—the rebels striving to hold, and the Unionists to take it. About five hundred men were killed on each side. The National troops succeeded in obtaining possession of the bridge, but it was repossessed by the rebels during the night, and again taken by the Unionists in the morning.
On the 24th, the whole army crossed the North Anna; and on the 29th it had crossed the Pamunkey, its base being White House. The rebels continued to fall back. There was some fighting on the 30th and the 31st of May, but no serious engagement until the
BATTLE OF COAL HARBOR.
June 1–3, 1864.
At the time this battle was fought, the Eighteenth Army Corps (General Smith) which was detached from the Army of the James, had reinforced the army of General Meade. The first charge was made by this corps, which took and held the first line of the enemy’s rifle-pits, capturing six hundred prisoners. Finding himself thus attacked on his right wing, the enemy retaliated by a severe assault upon the National right, thinking it had been weakened to sustain the charge by the left. Longstreet’s corps, on the rebel side, did most of the fighting. Warren’s and Hancock’s divisions were, on the Union side, especially assailed. The enemy made repeated charges, which were as repeatedly repulsed. Artillery was freely employed in this fight, and the losses on both sides were very heavy. The rebels being intrenched, their loss was not so severe as otherwise it would have been. The Union loss was about two thousand.
BATTLE OF COAL HARBOR, VA., JUNE 3, 1864.
Thursday, the 2d of May, proved rainy, and General Grant, for this reason, delayed a further attack of the enemy, although he permitted one or two charges, which resulted in no positive success. Skirmishing, of course, was frequent, owing to the close contiguity of the lines of battle. The first day’s operations had put the Union army in possession of Coal Harbor, and General Grant’s design now was to push the rebels across the Chickahominy river—his ultimate object being to hem in the army of Lee within the cities of Petersburg and Richmond, isolate those places on all sides, and then compel the surrender of the rebels, either through starvation or in one general and desperate battle. The rebel commander penetrated this design, and, naturally, opposed it at every point; and so skillful and successful was his resistance, that—as will presently be seen—he was enabled to prolong this contest through a period of ten months, holding Petersburg and Richmond all the while, and keeping open his communications with the south and southwest, by way of Weldon and of Lynchburg. His defenses, it is true, were of the most formidable character, and so extensive, that it was impossible for General Grant to concentrate sufficient force for successful assault, at any one point, without weakening his own lines, which were far more extended than the rebel defenses, and thus expose himself to an attack from General Lee.
The battle of the second day at Coal Harbor—being the 3d of June—was desperate and bloody. The assault was commenced by the National forces at half-past four o’clock in the morning. The brigades of Generals Gibbons and Barlow, of General Hancock’s division, made the first attack on the rebel lines. It was a dark and cloudy morning, and, at intervals, rain poured down upon the battle-field. Barlow’s and Gibbons’ brigades took a portion of the rebel works, but were not able to hold their prize. They captured many prisoners, however, and then, falling back, took up an advanced position and intrenched themselves. The Eighteenth and Sixth corps met with about the same success, capturing works which they were subsequently obliged to resign, and finally intrenching themselves in a new position close to the enemy’s line. On the Union right the battle was less severe than upon the left. Far to the left General Wilson’s cavalry fought that of Wade Hampton. All day long the battle raged furiously, and even encroached upon the night—a fierce assault being made by the rebels at nine o’clock in the evening, which was repulsed by the soldiers of Hancock, Smith, and Wright. But the results were scarcely commensurate with the sacrifices made for their attainment.
On the morning of the 5th, the National troops held their advanced position, and it was found that the enemy’s left wing, in front of the forces of General Burnside, had been drawn in during the night. The Union losses, during the three days operations around Coal Harbor, are set down at not less than seven thousand five hundred.
For several days succeeding this battle, both armies occupied themselves in strengthening their respective lines of battle. A truce of two hours, declared on the 6th, enabled the belligerents to bury their dead and relieve their wounded.