Wednesday, June 11, 1862
The Twentieth Massachusetts Regiment had remained in close proximity to the Confederate line since the first day of the Battle of Fair Oaks on May 31. Today the regiment was relieved from front line duty and set up camp nearly a mile behind the front line. Their new camp became known as Camp Lincoln. The men of the Twentieth enjoyed their first opportunity to wash and to change clothes since the recent battle.1
During the eleven-day interval since the Battle of Fair Oaks the men of the Twentieth were engaged in intense picket fire which resulted in several casualties.2
References:
1George A. Bruce, The Twentieth Regiment of Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry 1861 - 1865 (Cambridge, Massachusetts: The Riverside Press, 1906), 103.
2James Spencer, "Record of James Spencer," Association of Officers of the Twentieth Massachusetts Regiment, Reports, Letters and Papers Appertaining to Twentieth Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, vol. 1, p. 57, Twentieth Massachusetts Special Collection, Boston Public Library, Boston, Massachusetts.
Showing posts with label Fair Oaks. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Fair Oaks. Show all posts
Monday, June 11, 2012
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
Battle of Fair Oaks - Aftermath
Friday, June 6, 1862
The Twentieth Massachusetts Regiment had remained in an advanced line near Fair Oaks Station since the battle on May 31. Today General Bull Sumner ordered his corps to move nearly a half mile closer to Richmond, with the left wing of the Twentieth Massachusetts Regiment across the Richmond and York Railroad and in the front line.1
References:
1George A. Bruce, The Twentieth Regiment of Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry 1861 - 1865 (Cambridge, Massachusetts: The Riverside Press, 1906), 102.
The Twentieth Massachusetts Regiment had remained in an advanced line near Fair Oaks Station since the battle on May 31. Today General Bull Sumner ordered his corps to move nearly a half mile closer to Richmond, with the left wing of the Twentieth Massachusetts Regiment across the Richmond and York Railroad and in the front line.1
References:
1George A. Bruce, The Twentieth Regiment of Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry 1861 - 1865 (Cambridge, Massachusetts: The Riverside Press, 1906), 102.
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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