Beyond the Crater

New Civil War Battle Blog: Scott Patchan’s Shenandoah 1864

bschulte — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 04:37:16 +0000

I received an email from Facebook tonight which alerted me to Scott C. Patchan’s new battle blog, Shenandoah 1864: The Valley Campaign. Scott is an expert on the lesser known 1864 Valley Campaign, much less covered than its famous 1862 cousin. He has authored three books on the subject, The Forgotten Fury: The Battle of Piedmont, Shenandoah Summer: The 1864 Valley Campaign, and the upcoming Opequon Creek: The Last Battle of Winchester. Scott introduces the blog with the following comments:

My purpose in writing this blog is to move beyond the bounds of traditional publications and share aspects of my research with fellow Civil War enthusiasts that might not otherwise see the light of day. Having met so many good friends over the years in the course of my research, I hope to make many more through this blog.

I’m looking forward to reading more of this new information compilation Civil War Battle Blog. Go check it out, and welcome Scott to the Civil War Blogosphere!

Number 207. Report of Lieutenant Colonel Byron M. Cutcheon, Twentieth Michigan Infantry

bschulte — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 14:00:40 +0000

No. 207. Report of Lieutenant Colonel Byron M. Cutcheon, Twentieth Michigan Infantry.¹

HDQRS. TWENTIETH Regiment MICHIGAN VOL. INFANTRY,
Before Petersburg, Va., August 7, 1864.

CAPTAIN: *

FIFTH EPOCH.

June 12, we withdrew from Cold Harbor, bringing up the rear of the division as rear guard, which duty we performed up to 11 p.m. of the 13th of June. Reached

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*For portion of report (here omitted) covering operations from May 4 to June 12, 1864, see Vol. XXXVI, Part I, p.975.

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James River at 6.30 p.m. of the 14th and sent out seventy-five men on picket. On the 15th crossed the James River, marched all night, and took up position in front of Petersburg. At 7 p.m. on the 16th sent out ninety men as skirmishers.

On the 17th day of June we supported the charge of the First Brigade, suffering but slight loss.

On the 18th of June the regiment made a charge across a wide open field and through a deep cut on the Suffolk railroad, suffering very severely from a galling cross-fire; then charged again from the railroad up to within 160 yards of the enemy’s works and threw up rifle-pits. Our loss on this day was about one-half the effective force engaged. About midnight the regiment was withdrawn from the front and lay in reserve, where it remained until the 20th of June, when it again moved into the trenches.

This completes the report of Major Grant.

The regiment remained in the trenches until July 25 without relief. On the 25th we were withdrawn to the rear, where we rested two days, and on the 27th of July we moved two miles and a half to the left and rear of the Suffolk railroad. We were occupied with the picket duty until the evening of the 29th, when we again returned to the front, bivouacking near the headquarters of the Fifth Army Corps.

For the operations of this command in the assault upon the enemy’s lines before Petersburg on the 30th and the operations on the 31st I respectfully refer to my report forwarded on the 3rd instant* and the list of casualties appended. The following is the list of casualties during the operations around Petersburg.+

I cannot close this too lengthy report without at least an allusion to the conduct of the officers and men of this command. It is only necessary to state that at all times and under all emergencies they have discharged their duties faithfully, gallantly, and uncomplainingly. Our casualties have been greater in number than the number of muskets we carried at the beginning of the campaign. We entered the campaign with 22 officers; of these, a major, 3 captains, and 4 lieutenants have been killed; the colonel commanding, 3 captains, and 3 lieutenants wounded, and a captain and lieutenant missing; total loss of officers, 17.

Among so many gallant officers it is impossible to speak of all who merit it, whether living or dead, but I must make an exception in favor of Major George C. Barnes, who fell gallantly leading his regiment in the charge of June 18. He was a brave, intelligent, and thoroughly reliable officer, often tried and never found wanting. Also Major (late Captain) Grant, who assumed command on the death of Major Barnes, of whom all may be said that has been said of the latter. One other man deserves special mention. Color-Sergt. Alexander Bush, after having carried his colors with the greatest bravery in every action of the campaign, was reported wounded and missing after the assault of the 30th of July; his commission as first lieutenant came two days too late to reward his gallantry. In short, the command has honored every call upon it and only ninety-one effective men now remain in the ranks.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

BYRON M. CUTCHEON,

Lieutenant Colonel, Commanding Twentieth Regiment Michigan Vol. Infantry.

Captain THOMAS MATHEWS,

Actg. Asst. Adjt. General, 2nd Brigadier, 3rd Div., 9th Army Corps.

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*See p.509.²

+See appendix following.

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B. M. CUTCHEON,

Lieutenant Colonel, Commanding Twentieth Regiment Michigan Volunteers.
HEADQUARTERS TWENTIETH MICHIGAN INFANTRY,
Before Petersburg, Va., August 3, 1864.

CAPTAIN: In obedience to circular of this date I have the honor to make the following report of the operations of this regiment in the action of July 30, 1864:

We left the bivouac at about 4 a.m., having left knapsacks under guard, and halted in the covered way near Roemer’s battery. When the mine was sprung we advanced at the double-quick and formed in the brigade column in rear of our works, the regiment being the third battalion in the column. We lost several men before the charge was made. At 8.30 a.m. we formed in the trenches for the charge, the Second Michigan on our right and the Forty-sixth New York on our left. We were ordered to follow and be guided by the movements of the regiment upon our right. The regiment on our right moved by the right flank, on the double-quick, toward the fort, and I led my regiment in the same direction. Seeing that great numbers of men were crowded behind the fort I moved by the left flank, and threw my regiment upon the enemy’s rifle-pit to the left of the fort. The enemy occupying the pit surrendered to the number of between 30 and 40, including 2 commissioned officers, to my certain knowledge. When the first rebel counter-charge was made I moved my command over the rebel rifle-pit and into the left of the fort, or battery, which was only slightly injured, and planted our colors beyond the fort. When the stampede of the troops took place my command did not participate beyond a very few men, who were carried away in the rush. This regiment participated actively in repulsing the rebel charge, both in the forenoon and afternoon, behaving with gallantry and coolness. All the men of the command participated in the charge except some half a dozen, against whom I have directed charges to be preferred. A few of the men being lost in getting over the breast-works went to the left with the Forty-sixth New York Regiment and returned again to our lines; one officer also being delayed in getting his men over made the same mistake and went with the Forty-sixth into the ravine to the left. All the rest, officers and men, went into the enemy’s works and remained

till afternoon. At about 1.30 p.m. I came back to our lines to endeavor to obtain water and ammunition for the men, and also to try to get a gun silenced that was enfilading us from the battery on the left. I did this by permission of Brigadier-General Hartranft, who was near me. Before I could return the last charge was made and nearly all our forces came back. It was sometime before I learned that any part of my command was still in the rebel fort, but I learned at about 3 p.m. that our colors were still flying on their works, defended by about thirty of the men of my command; of these about ten made their escape and the remainder were taken, among them all that remained of the color guard, of whom only two remained uninjured. So far as I can learn the colors of the Twentieth and Second Michigan were the last displayed on the reel fort. After the withdrawal of our forces I assembled the remains of my command and was assigned to a position in the trenches adjacent to the Eighteenth Corps, where we remained till the 1st of August.

I append a list of casualties.*

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

BYRON M. CUTCHEON,

Lieutenant-Colonel, Commanding Twentieth Michigan Infantry.

Captain THOMAS MATHEWS,

Actg. Asst. Adjt. General, 2nd Brigadier, 3rd Div., 9th Army Corps.

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*Embodied in table, p.247.

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Source:

The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XL, Part 1 (Serial Number 80), pages 588-591 ↩
This is a typo. The correct page number is 590. ↩

June 15, 1864 Boston Daily Advertiser: The Movement To The James River

bschulte — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 01:43:09 +0000

Editor’s Note: This article was transcribed by Ken Perdue.

THE MOVEMENT TO THE JAMES RIVER. — The rebels have for a week past been speculating as to the possibility of that movement to the James River, which it now seems probable has been undertaken by General Grant. They had reports a week ago last Saturday that pontoons had been taken up the James River, to enable Grant to cross and begin his approaches on the south side. The Richmond Enquirer of the 8th says: —

“The south side is now the point for which Grant is making — he has abandoned all hope of taking Richmond except by siege — by taking possession of Petersburg, and with his cavalry cutting and destroying the Danville railroad and starving the city into surrender. He is endeavoring to repeat the Vicksburg campaign. His failure to cross the Chickahominy may materially alter his plans; but should he once succeed in fixing himself on the south side, either north or south of the Appotomax, while his army would be no more formidable there than anywhere else, his cavalry could do us much damage and put us to many inconveniences. It is rumored that a cavalry command from the James river, crossed the Chickahominy yesterday, at the Forge Bridge, in Charles City county, going to Grant’s army. It is supposed to be a party reconnoitering the way for Grant to the James river. All circumstances point to Grant’s going over the James if Lee will permit him.”¹

Source:

Boston Daily Advertiser, June 15, 1864 ↩

Number 206. Report of Colonel William Humphrey, Second Michigan Infantry, of operations June 12-19

bschulte — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 14:00:13 +0000

No. 206. Report of Colonel William Humphrey, Second Michigan Infantry, of operations June 12-19.¹

HEADQUARTERS SECOND MICHIGAN INFANTRY,
Before Petersburg, Va., August 14, 1864.

CAPTAIN: +

FIFTH EPOCH.

At 10 p.m. of the 12th [June] the regiment, with the brigade, withdrew from its position about Cold Harbor and took up its line of march for the James River, going via Tunstall’s Station and crossing the Chickahominy at Jones’ Bridge, reaching Wilcox’s Landing, on the James, about 5 p.m. of the 14th. On the evening of the 15th crossed the river and moved direct for Petersburg, before which place we arrived about 3 p.m. of the 16th. After dark we moved to a position

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+For portion of report (here omitted) covering operations from May 4 to June 12, 1864, see Vol. XXXVI, Part I, p.953.

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just in rear of the left of the Second Corps, where we remained until 10 a.m. of the 17th, when we were moved to the left and front preparatory to a charge on the enemy’s second line of works. This charge did not succeed. By some error the lines were not formed correctly, but so formed that when the advance was ordered and the column moved forward it moved not toward the enemy’s line it was intended to carry but along his front in a direction parallel to this line. The men suffered severely during this charge and my loss in killed and wounded was heavy. The regiment moved along the front of the enemy’s pits for some 200 yards exposed to a sharp fire on their flank, then sought the protection of the works of the Second Corps. It was now about 4 p.m. Another charge was to be made, and the regiment was moved into line with the rest of the brigade as a support for the First Division, which was to make the assault. When the First Division advanced I moved forward to a pit some thirty yards in front of the line on which my instructions, but the remainder of the brigade did not move, and I halted my regiment in the pit, where I remained till the morning of the 18th.

At 6 a.m. of the 18th another advance was ordered. In this advance my regiment formed part of the first line. The order under which we moved was to go forward to the Norfolk railroad and drive the enemy from the shelter afforded his troops by its cuts and embankments. By 10 a.m. we occupied the road. A farther advance was ordered in the afternoon, and was attempted, but was attended with only partial success. We, however, succeeded so far as to establish our pickets on the line now occupied as our advance work. At 1 a.m. of the 19th the regiment was moved to the rear and bivouacked with the rest of the brigade in the pine woods, and soon after was transferred to the Second Brigade.

My losses during these two days (17th and 18th) were excessively severe. On the morning of the 17th the regiment numbered 310 men present for duty. I lost in killed, 19; wounded, 156; missing, 13; giving a total of 188, or over 60 per cent. of the number engaged.

The above hastily prepared report of the part taken by my regiment in the operations of this army for the part of the time it was attached to the First Brigade, together with the attached report of casualties for the same time, is most respectfully submitted.

I remain, captain, your obedient servant,

WM. HUMPHREY,

Colonel, Commanding Brigade.

Captain JOHN D. BERTOLETTE,

Asst. Adjt. General, 1st Brigadier, 3rd Div., 9th Army Corps.

Source:

The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XL, Part 1 (Serial Number 80), pages 587-588 ↩

Number 205. Report of Colonel Charles V. De Land, First Michigan Sharpshooters, of operations July 30

bschulte — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 14:00:35 +0000

No. 205. Report of Colonel Charles V. De Land, First Michigan Sharpshooters, of operations July 30.¹

HEADQUARTERS FIRST MICHIGAN SHARPSHOOTERS, August 3, 1864.

CAPTAIN: The participation of this regiment in the action is hereby stated as follows: We went into the action with about 100 guns. In the charge on the enemy’s works the regiment took a small section on the left of the fort, capturing about 30 prisoners in their works. The command aided in repulsing two charges and also in clearing a small “flanker” of rebels, capturing about 20 more, making about 50 in all. A part of the regiment, under the orders of General Bartlett, assisted in working two pieces of cannon found near the fort as long as ammunition could be obtained, then the works were abandoned. We lost a large number of prisoners and one State color. I was disabled before the charge was made and Captain E. C. Dicey, who led the regiment, was captured, and I am thus unable to give full particulars. The following is a list of our losses.*

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
C. V. DE LAND,

Colonel, Commanding.

Captain THOMAS MATHEWS,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

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*Aggregating 2 men killed, 4 officers and 10 men wounded, and 3 officers and 26 men captured or missing.

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Source:

The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XL, Part 1 (Serial Number 80), page 587 ↩

Today in the Petersburg Campaign: March 15, 1865

bschulte — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 12:00:30 +0000

March 15, 1865

Skirmish near Ashland, VA, with Maj. Gen. Philip H. Sheridan, USA.

Skirmish at Hanover Court-House, VA, with Maj. Gen. Philip H. Sheridan, USA.

Note: All “Today In The Petersburg Campaign” blog entries are used with permission from Ronald A. Mosocco’s Chronological Tracking of the American Civil War per the Official Records of the War of the Rebellion. Order the book HERE.

Number 204. Report of Colonel William Humphrey, Second Michigan Infantry, commanding Second Brigade, of operations July 30

bschulte — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 14:00:01 +0000

No. 204. Report of Colonel William Humphrey, Second Michigan Infantry, commanding Second Brigade, of operations July 30.¹

HDQRS. SECOND Brigadier, THIRD DIV., NINTH ARMY CORPS,
Before Petersburg, Va., August 4, 1864.

CAPTAIN: I have the honor to make the following report of the operations of my command during the action of July 30:

According to orders from the general commanding the division I moved the brigade into the covered way leading by the right of Roemer’s battery to the front before daylight of the morning of the 30th. I was to hold my command here until the First Brigade, General Hartranft commanding, which I was to follow in the attack, should move forward from the ground on which it was then formed, then to move to and form on the ground it should leave. This being done I was to follow General Hartranft in his movement as closely as possible, and after passing through the enemy’s line of works to take position to his right, forming the connection between him and the left of the First Division. These instructions were promptly carried out so far as circumstances would permit. As soon as the advance commenced I moved my command forward, and as fast as the regiments of the First Brigade were advanced formed in column of battalions on the ground thus cleared. This was at 5.15 a.m.; but the whole of the First Brigade was not moved beyond our pits, hence I could follow my previous instructions no further. But wishing to assist the troops occupying the captured redoubt, I requested permission to form the brigade incline behind our work for a charge on the pits. The line was formed with its right opposite to the left of that part of the enemy’s line then held by our own men, the left resting on the road. The regiments were placed from right to left in the following order, viz: First Michigan Sharpshooters, Second and Twentieth Michigan Infantry, Forty-sixth New York and Fiftieth Pennsylvania Infantry, with the Sixtieth Ohio Infantry and Twenty-fourth New York Cavalry (dismounted) in rear of the Forty-six New York and Fiftieth Pennsylvania. At 8 a.m. the three regiments on the right of the line charged across the field as directed, taking the pits in their front and the men by whom they were occupied. After clearing our pits the Forty-sixth New York hesitated, lost the connection with the regiment on its right, broke, and crowded through and carried with it the regiment on its left to the road. These regiments were afterward put in the pits forming our front line, where they remain to this time. This charge, so far as the instructions were carried out, was a success, and had it not been for the causeless breaking of the Forty-sixth New York there is no doubt but the whole line would have been carried and the troops occupying it captured, and the achievement of the object for which we set out in the morning rendered more than probable.

The regiments that reached the enemy’s works helped hold these works against the three assaults of the enemy, and were among the last to obey the order to retire at 2.30 p.m. As I have already forwarded you reports of the losses they need not be reported here.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

WM. HUMPHREY,

Colonel, Commanding Brigade.

Captain ROBERT A. HUTCHINS,

Asst. Adjt. General, Third Division, Ninth Army Corps.

Source:

The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XL, Part 1 (Serial Number 80), pages 586-587 ↩

Today in the Petersburg Campaign: March 14, 1865

bschulte — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 12:00:34 +0000

March 14, 1865

Skirmish at the South Anna Bridge, VA, as Maj. Gen. Philip H. Sheridan, USA, and his cavalry move towards Petersburg, VA.

Number 203. Report of Lieutenant Colonel Byron M. Cutcheon, Twentieth Michigan Infantry, commanding Second Brigade, of operations June 16-July 27

bschulte — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 14:00:09 +0000

No. 203. Report of Lieutenant Colonel Byron M. Cutcheon, Twentieth Michigan Infantry, commanding Second Brigade, of operations June 16-July 27.¹

HDQRS. SECOND Brigadier, FIRST DIV., NINTH ARMY CORPS,
Near Poplar Spring Church, Va., October 23, 1864.

CAPTAIN: +

On the evening of the 15th of June the brigade appeared in front of Petersburg and moved into position.

BATTLES OF PETERSBURG.

On the 17th of June the brigade took position in a ravine in front of the enemy’s second line, which they had hastily constructed during the night of the 16th. When the charge was ordered the First Brigade, which was upon the left of this brigade, by some means took the wrong point of direction, and instead of moving against the enemy’s works they swept past in front of them, receiving their full fire. Perceiving this miscarriage, Colonel Christ, commanding this brigade, ordered it to halt at the crest of the hill and throw up a slight breast-work, which they did. Later in the day the First Division charged and carried the works. The Sixtieth Ohio was then ordered forward to fill the space between the First Division and the Second Corps, which it did, but the space was so great and the regiment so small that it formed a very weak line. Still later the First Division was dislodged from the position they had gained and the Sixtieth Ohio was obliged to fall back with them. After dark the First Michigan Sharpshooters, Captain Levant C. Rhines commanding, was ordered to charge upon the angle of the enemy’s works, which they did in most gallant style, capturing the works, with 3 officers, 86 enlisted men, and a stand of colors, which were sent to the rear. The enemy, however, were not disposed to yield the point and soon returned to the fight, which now became a fierce hand-to-hand conflict, in which Captain Rhines, who had displayed the

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+For portion of report (here omitted) covering operations from May 4 to June 15, 1864, see Vol. XXXVI, Part I, p.965.

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greatest gallantry, lost his life. The remnant of the regiment soon found itself surrounded by superior numbers, and the adjutant with 77 men surrendered, prisoners of war. The national colors of the regiment were destroyed by the men, and the pieces divided among them, rather than surrender them to the enemy. As a brigade the command was not actively engaged on this day.

June 18, at daylight, it was found that the enemy had retired during the night and taken up a new line on Cemetery Hill, beyond the Suffolk railroad. The brigade advanced in line of battle through a thick belt of pine timber and emerged into an open field of grain, sloping gradually toward the Suffolk railroad and the enemy’s works. The Sixtieth Ohio was deployed as skirmishers, facing to the right to protect that flank. The remnant of the First Michigan Sharpshooters was engaged in throwing up works for Roemer’s battery near the edge of the above-mentioned belt of timber. About half of the Fiftieth Pennsylvania was also employed as flankers on the right. The remainder of the brigade charged in line for a quarter of a mile across the open field, suffering severely from a galling fire from a very long line of the enemy’s rifle-pits. The railroad cut was reached, but it afforded no shelter, for it was enfiladed by a storm of bullets. The men attempted to climb out of this cut, but only to be mercilessly shot down and to fall back among their comrades. The loss at this point was severe. Toward evening another advance was made, which was pushed to within 150 yards of the enemy’s line. Here the men constructed slight works for their protection, and before morning the brigade was relieved and moved to the rear.

In the charge of the 18th on the Suffolk railroad Major George C. Barnes, commanding Twentieth Michigan, fell mortally wounded. He was an officer of chivalrous bravery, and I have had occasion to mention his valuable services more than once. He was a born soldier, and he died like a true soldier, leading his command. During this action Colonel Christ, commanding the brigade, was severely wounded, when the command devolved upon Colonel Raulston, Twenty-fourth New York Cavalry, who was also wounded soon after. Lieutenant-colonel Travers, Forty-sixth New York, then took command, but he, too, was soon wounded, when Lieutenant-Colonel Newberry, Twenty-fourth New York Cavalry, became the senior officers present. He remained in command until the morning of the 19th, when Colonel William Humphrey, Second Michigan, was assigned to the command, and his regiment was attached to the brigade, of which it still constitutes a valuable part.

On the 20th of June the brigade moved to the right and relieved some part of the Second Corps, in which position it remained until the 25th of June, when it moved back to the left and took position, with its right resting on the Suffolk road, which place it continued to occupy until the 27th of July, when it was withdrawn and placed in reserve.

The great losses which the brigade suffered during this period will sufficiently attest its great services without any praise from me. If it has not been the good fortune of the command to accomplish any remarkable or brilliant feat of arms, it has not been because the men have not been true and reliable or the officers brave and efficient.

Such, captain, is the best report I have been able to compile from the materials at hand. I have prepared it in the midst of a multitude of duties and under great embarrassments from the fact that during the greater part of the operations I was myself absent, wounded. It has also been prepared from secondary reports made by officers not at the time in actual command of the several regiments, the original reports

having been taken away by Colonel Humphrey when he was mustered out. A more full and perfect report may be expected from him at some future day. Accompanying this is a list of casualties for the period covered.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

BYRON M. CUTCHEON,

Lieutenant-Colonel, Commanding Brigade.

Captain JOHN D. BERTOLETTE,

Asst. Adjt. General, First Division, Ninth Army Corps.

Source:

The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XL, Part 1 (Serial Number 80), pages 584-586 ↩

Today in the Petersburg Campaign: March 13, 1865

bschulte — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 12:00:46 +0000

March 13, 1865

Skirmish near Beaver Dam Station, VA, with Maj. Gen. Philip H. Sheridan’s, USA, Cavalry force on their way to joinup with the Union forces under Lieut. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, USA, on the siege lines of Petersburg, VA.