> From burkeh@mcnet.marietta.edu Sun Oct 20 18:44:28 1996 > Date: Sun, 20 Oct 1996 18:43:36 -0400 (EDT) > From: Henry Burke > In Memory of : Sergeant NIMROD BURKE (1836-1889) Company L 23rd Infantry Regiment U.S. Colored Troops The Campaign Record of the 23rd U.S. Colored Infantry Regiment during the AMERICAN CIVIL WAR: PETERSBURG CWSAC Reference #: VA063 Other Names: Petersburg II Preservation Priority: III.1 (Class A) Location: Petersburg, Virginia Campaign: Richmond-Petersburg Campaign (June 1864-March 1865) Date(s): June 15-18, 1864 Principal Commanders: Lt. Gen. U.S. Grant and Maj. Gen. G.G. Meade.[US] and Gen. Robert E. Lee and Gen. P.G.T. Beauregard [CS] Forces Engaged: ( 62,000 US and 42,000 CS ), 104,000 total Estimated Casualties: ( 8,150 USand 3,236 CS ) 11,386 total Marching from Cold Harbor, Meade's Army of the Potomac crossed the James River on transports and a 2,200-foot long pontoon bridge at Windmill Point. Butler's leading elements (XVIII Corps and Kautz's cavalry) crossed the Appomattox River at Broadway Point and attacked the Petersburg defenses on June 15. The 5,400 defenders of Petersburg under command of Gen. P.G.T. Beauregard were driven from their first line of entrenchments back to Harrison Creek. After dark the XVIII Corps was relieved by the II Corps. On June 16, the II Corps captured another section of the Confederate line; on the 17th, the IX Corps gained more ground. Beauregard stripped the Howlett Line (Bermuda Hundred) to defend the city, and Lee rushed reinforcements to Petersburg from the Army of Northern Virginia. The II, XI, and V Corp from right to left attacked on June 18 but were repulsed with heavy casualties. By now the Confederate works were heavily manned and the greatest opportunity to capture Petersburg without a siege was lost. Union general James St. Clair Morton, chief engineer of the IX Corps, was killed on June 17. Result(s): Confederate victory THE MINE CWSAC Reference #: VA070 Other Names: CRATER Preservation Priority: III.1 (Class A) Location: Petersburg, Virginia Campaign: Richmond-Petersburg Campaign (June 1864-March 1865) Date(s): July 30, 1864 Principal Commanders: Maj. Gen. Ambrose E. Burnside [US] and Gen. Robert E. Lee [CS] Forces Engaged: Corps Estimated Casualties: 5,300 total [US] and [CS]. Description: After weeks of preparation, on July 30 the Federals exploded a mine in Burnside's IX Corps sector beneath Pegram's Salient, blowing a gap in the Confederate defenses of Petersburg. From this propitious beginning, everything deteriorated rapidly for the Union attackers. Unit after unit funnelled into the crater, where soldiers milled in confusion. The Confederates quickly recovered and launched several counterattacks led by Maj. Gen. William Mahone. The break was sealed off, and the Federals were repulsed with severe casualties. Ferrarro's division of black soldiers was badly mauled. This may have been Grant's best chance to end the Siege of Petersburg.Instead, the soldiers settled in for another eight months of trench warfare. Maj. Gen. Ambrose E. Burnside was relieved of command for his role in the debacle. Result(s): Confederate victory _________________________________________________________________ GLOBE TAVERN CWSAC Reference #: VA072 Other Names: Second Battle of Weldon Railroad, Yellow Tavern, Yellow House, Blick's Station. Preservation Priority: IV.1 (Class B) Location: Dinwiddie County, Virginia Campaign: Richmond-Petersburg Campaign (June 1864-March 1865) Date(s): August 18-21, 1864 Principal Commanders: Maj. Gen. G.K. Warren [US] and Gen. Robert E. Lee, Lt. Gen. A.P. Hill, Maj. Gen. Henry Heth, and Maj. Gen. William Mahone [CS] Forces Engaged: Corps (34,300 total) Estimated Casualties: 6,055 total Description: While Hancock's command demonstrated north of the James River at Deep Bottom, the Union V Corps and elements of the IX and II Corps under command of Maj. Gen. G.K. Warren were withdrawn from the Petersburg entrenchments to operate against the Weldon Railroad. At dawn August 18, Warren advanced, driving back Confederate pickets until reaching the railroad at Globe Tavern. In the afternoon, Brig. Gen. Henry Heth's division attacked driving Ayres's division back to the tavern. Both sides entrenched during the night. On August 19, Maj. Gen. William Mahone, whose division had been hastily returned from north of James River, attacked with five infantry brigades, rolling up the right flank of Crawford's division. Heavily reinforced, Warren counterattacked and by nightfall had retaken most of the ground lost during the afternoon's fighting. On the 20th, the Federals laid out and entrenched a strong defensive line covering the Blick House and Globe Tavern and extending east to connect with the main Federal lines at Jerusalem Plank Road. On August 21, Hill probed the new Federal line for weaknesses but could not penetrate the Union defenses. With the fighting at Globe Tavern, Grant succeeded in extending his siege lines to the west and cutting Petersburg's primary rail connection with Wilmington, North Carolina. The Confederates were now forced to off-load rail cars at Stony Creek Station for a 30-mile wagon haul up Boydton Plank Road to reach Petersburg. Confederate general John C.C. Sanders was killed on August 21. Result(s): Union victory BOYDTON PLANK ROAD CWSAC Reference #: VA079 Other Names: Hatcher's Run, Burgess' Mill Preservation Priority: I.3 (Class B) Location: Dinwiddie County Campaign: Richmond-Petersburg Campaign (June 1864-March 1865 Date(s): October 27-28, 1864 Principal Commanders: Maj. Gen. Winfield Scott Hancock [US] and Maj. Gen. Henry Heth [CS] Forces Engaged: Corps (35,000 total) Estimated Casualties: 2,900 total Description: Directed by Maj. Gen. Winfield Scott Hancock, divisions from three Union corps (II, V, and IX) and Gregg's cavalry division, numbering more than 30,000 men, withdrew from the Petersburg lines and marched west to operate against the Boydton Plank Road and Southside Railroad. The initial Union advance on October 27 gained the Boydton Plank Road, a major campaign objective. But that afternoon, a counterattack near Burgess' Mill spearheaded by Maj. Gen. Henry Heth's division and Wade Hampton's cavalry isolated the II Corps and forced a retreat. The Confederates retained control of the Boydton Plank Road for the restter. Result(s): Confederate victory WHITE OAK ROAD CWSAC Reference #: VA087 Other Names: Hatcher's Run, Gravelly Run, Boydton Plank Road, White Oak Ridge. Preservation Priority: I.3 (Class B) Location: Dinwiddie County Campaign: Appomattox Campaign (March-April 1865) Date(s): March 31, 1865 Principal Commanders: Maj. Gen. G.K. Warren [US]; Gen. Robert E. Lee and Lt. Gen. Richard H. Anderson [CS] Forces Engaged: Corps Estimated Casualties: 3,100 total Description: On March 30, Gen. Lee shifted reinforcements to meet the Federal movement to turn his right flank, placing Fitzhugh Lee's cavalry divisions at Five Forks and transferring Pickett's division from the Bermuda Hundred front to the extreme right. Warren pushed the V Corps forward and entrenched a line to cover the Boydton Plank Road from its intersection with Dabney Mill Road south to Gravelly Run. Ayres's division advanced northwest toward White Oak Road. On March 31, in combination with Sheridan's thrust via Dinwiddie Court House, Warren directed his corps against the Confederate entrenchments along White Oak Road, hoping to cut Lee's communications with Pickett at Five Forks. The Union advance was stalled by a crushing counterattack directed by Maj. Gen. Bushrod Johnson, but Warren's position stabilized and his soldiers closed on the road by day's end. This fighting set up the Confederate defeat at Five Forks on April 1. Result(s): Union gained ground PETERSBURG III CWSAC Reference #: VA089 Other Names: The Breakthrough Preservation Priority: I.1 (Class A) Location: Petersburg, Virginia Campaign: Appomattox Campaign (March-April 1865) B URKE (1836-1889) 1865 Principal Commanders: Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant [US]; Gen. Robert E. Lee [CS] Forces Engaged: Armies Estimated Casualties: 6,400 total Description: With Confederate defeat at Five Forks on April 1, Grant and Meade ordered a general assault against the Petersburg lines by II, IX, VI and XXIV Corps on April 2. A heroic defense of Fort Gregg by a handful of Confederates prevented the Federals from entering the city that night. Lt. Gen. A.P. Hill was killed trying to reach his troops in the confusion. After dark, Lee ordered the evacuation of Petersburg and Richmond. Grant had achieved one of the major military objectives of the war: the capture of Petersburg, which led to the fall of Richmond, the Capitol of the Confederacy. Result(s): Union victory APPOMATTOX COURT HOUSE CWSAC Reference #: VA097 Other Names: None Preservation Priority: III.1 (Class A) Location: Appomattox County Campaign: Appomattox Campaign (March-April 1865) Date(s): April 8-9, 1865 Principal Commanders: Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant [US] and Gen. Robert E. Lee [CS] Forces Engaged: Armies Estimated Casualties: 700 total (27,805 Confederate soldiers paroled) Description: Early on April 9, the remnants of John Broun Gordon's corps and Fitzhugh Lee's cavalry formed line of battle at Appomattox Courthouse. Gen. Robert E. Lee determined to make one last attempt to escape the closing Union pincers and reach his supplies at Lynchburg. At dawn the Confederates advanced, initially gaining ground against Sheridan's cavalry. The arrival of Union infantry, however, stopped the advance in its tracks. Lee's army was now surrounded on three sides. Lee surrendered to Grant on April 9. This was the final engagement of the war in Virginia. Result(s): Union victory . Henry R. Burke burkeh@mcnet.marietta.edu URL: http://www.marietta.edu/~burkeh -- Michel S. Perdreau MLS aa018@seorf.ohiou.edu 614/593-6845 (FAX) 614/592-6022(Home) http://www.seorf.ohiou.edu/~xx057 PERSONAL URL= http://oucsace.cs.ohiou.edu/~mperdrea