Thursday, September 4, 1862
As the advanced unit of the Confederate Army, Confederate General Daniel Harvey Hill crossed the Potomac River near Leesburg. General Robert E. Lee, buoyed by his successes during the Seven Days Battles and Second Manassas, led his army into Maryland, hoping to attract recruits from this border state and to gather food and supplies for his army. Lee wished to remain on the offensive, maintaining an aggressive campaign to relieve pressures on Richmond.1
References:
1George A. Bruce, The Twentieth Regiment of Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry 1861 - 1865 (Cambridge, Massachusetts: The Riverside Press, 1906), 147-8.
Showing posts with label Daniel Harvey Hill. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Daniel Harvey Hill. Show all posts
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Seven Days Battles - Day 3 - Battle of Gaines Mill
Friday, June 27, 1862
Confederate General Robert E. Lee, undaunted by the previous day's events, attacked General Fitz-John Porter's Fifth Corps once again. Porter had repositioned his line from east to west on the north side of the Chickahominy River, near Gaines Mill. Union Commanding General George McClellan ordered Porter to hold his position at all costs.
Lee again ordered General Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson's division to attack Porter's Fifth Corps, with subsequent attacks by Generals Ambrose Powell Hill, Daniel Harvey Hill, and James Longstreet. For the second time in two days Jackson's division arrived late, and D.H. Hill's division went in to attack, with James Longstreet's division maneuvering for diversion. General Porter's line was reinforced, and the first series of attacks were repulsed. The Confederates resumed the attacks after nightfall and broke Porter's line.
The Confederate breakthrough at Gaines Mills convinced General George McClellan that he must remove the Army of the Potomac from their current position near Richmond to Harrison's Landing on the James River. He was certain that the Confederates outnumbered his forces more than two to one, which was entirely false. The Union forces had the greater strength in numbers. McClellan was unnerved by Lee's aggressiveness and surrendered the offensive initiative.
The Twentieth Massachusetts Regiment, remaining in position behind fortifications near Fair Oaks, was not engaged at Gaines Mill. Their time away from battle was about to change abruptly.1
References:
1George A. Bruce, The Twentieth Regiment of Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry 1861 - 1865 (Cambridge, Massachusetts: The Riverside Press, 1906), 108-9. Richard F. Miller, Harvard's Civil War: A History of the Twentieth Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry (Lebanon, New Hampshire: University Press of New England, 2005), 137-38.
Confederate General Robert E. Lee, undaunted by the previous day's events, attacked General Fitz-John Porter's Fifth Corps once again. Porter had repositioned his line from east to west on the north side of the Chickahominy River, near Gaines Mill. Union Commanding General George McClellan ordered Porter to hold his position at all costs.
Lee again ordered General Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson's division to attack Porter's Fifth Corps, with subsequent attacks by Generals Ambrose Powell Hill, Daniel Harvey Hill, and James Longstreet. For the second time in two days Jackson's division arrived late, and D.H. Hill's division went in to attack, with James Longstreet's division maneuvering for diversion. General Porter's line was reinforced, and the first series of attacks were repulsed. The Confederates resumed the attacks after nightfall and broke Porter's line.
The Confederate breakthrough at Gaines Mills convinced General George McClellan that he must remove the Army of the Potomac from their current position near Richmond to Harrison's Landing on the James River. He was certain that the Confederates outnumbered his forces more than two to one, which was entirely false. The Union forces had the greater strength in numbers. McClellan was unnerved by Lee's aggressiveness and surrendered the offensive initiative.
The Twentieth Massachusetts Regiment, remaining in position behind fortifications near Fair Oaks, was not engaged at Gaines Mill. Their time away from battle was about to change abruptly.1
References:
1George A. Bruce, The Twentieth Regiment of Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry 1861 - 1865 (Cambridge, Massachusetts: The Riverside Press, 1906), 108-9. Richard F. Miller, Harvard's Civil War: A History of the Twentieth Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry (Lebanon, New Hampshire: University Press of New England, 2005), 137-38.
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Seven Days Battles - Day 2 - Battle of Mechanicsville/Beaver Dam Creek
Thursday, June 26, 1862
Confederate General Robert E. Lee took the initiative and the offensive against the Union army for the next six of the Seven Days Battles. Lee's plan at Mechanicsville was to attack the Union Fifth Corps, the right wing of the Union line under the command of General Fitz-John Porter. Lee felt that Porter's Fifth Corps was vulnerable to attack, as it was the only Union corps north of the Chickahominy River.
Lee ordered General Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson's division to strike the Union line first, followed in sequence by divisions led by Generals Ambrose Powell Hill, Daniel Harvey Hill, and James Longstreet. Lee's battle plans were not followed, as Jackson's men, fatigued by their long march from the Shenandoah Valley, arrived late to the battle. Due to the delay A.P. Hill began his offensive without orders, and General Porter was able to reinforce his line and repulse repeated Confederate attacks. Overall the Battle of Mechanicsville (also known as the Battle of Beaver Dam Creek) was a tactical Union victory.
The Twentieth Massachusetts Regiment was not engaged at Mechanicsville, and remained in position behind fortifications near Fair Oaks.1
References:
1George A. Bruce, The Twentieth Regiment of Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry 1861 - 1865 (Cambridge, Massachusetts: The Riverside Press, 1906), 104-8. Richard F. Miller, Harvard's Civil War: A History of the Twentieth Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry (Lebanon, New Hampshire: University Press of New England, 2005), 136-37.
Confederate General Robert E. Lee took the initiative and the offensive against the Union army for the next six of the Seven Days Battles. Lee's plan at Mechanicsville was to attack the Union Fifth Corps, the right wing of the Union line under the command of General Fitz-John Porter. Lee felt that Porter's Fifth Corps was vulnerable to attack, as it was the only Union corps north of the Chickahominy River.
Lee ordered General Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson's division to strike the Union line first, followed in sequence by divisions led by Generals Ambrose Powell Hill, Daniel Harvey Hill, and James Longstreet. Lee's battle plans were not followed, as Jackson's men, fatigued by their long march from the Shenandoah Valley, arrived late to the battle. Due to the delay A.P. Hill began his offensive without orders, and General Porter was able to reinforce his line and repulse repeated Confederate attacks. Overall the Battle of Mechanicsville (also known as the Battle of Beaver Dam Creek) was a tactical Union victory.
The Twentieth Massachusetts Regiment was not engaged at Mechanicsville, and remained in position behind fortifications near Fair Oaks.1
References:
1George A. Bruce, The Twentieth Regiment of Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry 1861 - 1865 (Cambridge, Massachusetts: The Riverside Press, 1906), 104-8. Richard F. Miller, Harvard's Civil War: A History of the Twentieth Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry (Lebanon, New Hampshire: University Press of New England, 2005), 136-37.
Friday, June 1, 2012
Battle of Fair Oaks / Seven Pines
Sunday, June 1, 1862
The Twentieth Massachusetts was not engaged in the morning attack that ended the Battle of Fair Oaks, also known as the Battle of Seven Pines. Units from General Israel Richardson's division of the Second Corps and General Joseph's Hooker's Third Corps encountered and repulsed Confederate units led by James Longstreet and Daniel Harvey Hill. After a two-hour engagement the Confederate forces retreated to Richmond.
The wounding of Confederate General Joseph Johnston at Fair Oaks led to a change in command of the Confederate Army. During the evening General Robert E. Lee assumed leadership of the Army of Northern Virginia.1
References:
1George A. Bruce, The Twentieth Regiment of Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry 1861 - 1865 (Cambridge, Massachusetts: The Riverside Press, 1906), 100. Richard F. Miller, Harvard's Civil War: A History of the Twentieth Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry (Lebanon, New Hampshire: University Press of New England, 2005), 133.
The Twentieth Massachusetts was not engaged in the morning attack that ended the Battle of Fair Oaks, also known as the Battle of Seven Pines. Units from General Israel Richardson's division of the Second Corps and General Joseph's Hooker's Third Corps encountered and repulsed Confederate units led by James Longstreet and Daniel Harvey Hill. After a two-hour engagement the Confederate forces retreated to Richmond.
The wounding of Confederate General Joseph Johnston at Fair Oaks led to a change in command of the Confederate Army. During the evening General Robert E. Lee assumed leadership of the Army of Northern Virginia.1
References:
1George A. Bruce, The Twentieth Regiment of Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry 1861 - 1865 (Cambridge, Massachusetts: The Riverside Press, 1906), 100. Richard F. Miller, Harvard's Civil War: A History of the Twentieth Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry (Lebanon, New Hampshire: University Press of New England, 2005), 133.
Thursday, May 31, 2012
Battle of Fair Oaks / Seven Pines
Saturday, May 31, 1862
Confederate General Joseph Johnston ordered an attack on the Army of the Potomac to drive the Union lines away from Richmond. Confederate Generals Daniel Harvey Hill and James Longstreet struck Brigadier General Silas Casey’s division of General Darius Couch’s Fourth Corps, driving the Union line back to the Williamsburg Road nearly one-and-a-half miles from Seven Pines Station.
The Twentieth Massachusetts, in General John Sedgwick’s division, was called to arms at 1:00 PM. They encountered their first obstacle at the Grapevine Bridge, whose structure was compromised from rising water due to heavy rains. Sedgwick's division crossed over the bridge safely before the bridge collapsed. The division confronted the enemy lines with fixed bayonets and successfully repulsed the Confederate attack near Fair Oaks Station.
The Confederates suffered heavy casualties among their officers. Brigadier General Wade Hampton was wounded, J. Johnston Pettigrew was wounded and captured, and Robert H. Hatton was killed. Confederate commander Joseph Johnston was severely wounded.
The casualty list for the Twentieth Massachusetts listed five killed and twenty-three wounded.1
References:
1George A. Bruce, The Twentieth Regiment of Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry 1861 - 1865 (Cambridge, Massachusetts: The Riverside Press, 1906), 90 - 101.
Confederate General Joseph Johnston ordered an attack on the Army of the Potomac to drive the Union lines away from Richmond. Confederate Generals Daniel Harvey Hill and James Longstreet struck Brigadier General Silas Casey’s division of General Darius Couch’s Fourth Corps, driving the Union line back to the Williamsburg Road nearly one-and-a-half miles from Seven Pines Station.
The Twentieth Massachusetts, in General John Sedgwick’s division, was called to arms at 1:00 PM. They encountered their first obstacle at the Grapevine Bridge, whose structure was compromised from rising water due to heavy rains. Sedgwick's division crossed over the bridge safely before the bridge collapsed. The division confronted the enemy lines with fixed bayonets and successfully repulsed the Confederate attack near Fair Oaks Station.
The Confederates suffered heavy casualties among their officers. Brigadier General Wade Hampton was wounded, J. Johnston Pettigrew was wounded and captured, and Robert H. Hatton was killed. Confederate commander Joseph Johnston was severely wounded.
The casualty list for the Twentieth Massachusetts listed five killed and twenty-three wounded.1
References:
1George A. Bruce, The Twentieth Regiment of Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry 1861 - 1865 (Cambridge, Massachusetts: The Riverside Press, 1906), 90 - 101.
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