Action At Todd's Tavern

Woods-walker

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Spotsylvania Virginia
Action Near Todd’s Tavern

Spotsylvania, Virginia May 7-8, 1864

“This Wilderness is generally level barren, covered with matted growth

There were numerous small, discrete landmarks associated with each of the combined civil war battles. Todd’s Tavern, at the intersection of Brock and Catharpin roads in Spotsylvania Virginia is one of those locations that became synonymous with the Overland Campaign.

Charles M. Todd (1797-c 1850) was owner and postmaster of the tavern from 1838 through 1850. He and his wife had seven children, all surviving until they were adults. Three of the Todd’s four sons joined the Confederate army; two survived. After 1850, the tavern was owned by William H. Jones. Today the Todd sir name is still synonymous with the tavern that once stood there, and among locals, that area of the county.


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Todd’s Tavern Courtesy of NPS

The Brock and Catharpin roads were intersected by many secondary roads during the civil war, just as they are today. In colonial times, Brock road was a primary road to Richmond, Williamsburg and Yorktown from the Spotsylvania area of the Virginia colony. From that time until well after the civil war, it was only wide enough for two wagons to pass.



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Brock Road, 19th​ century, Courtesy of American’s Battlefield Trust

Early morning, on May 4th, ​1864, the Union army begin moving across the Rapidan river and by that afternoon elements of the offensive thrust had entered an area known as The Wilderness. Colonel S.D. Thurston, of the 3rd​ North Carolina described the terrain as “This Wilderness is generally level barren, covered with matted growth, of scrub oak, stunted pine, sweet gum brush and dogwood. The surface of the earth is indented occasionally with low basins, through which the rainfall washing from the higher margins, cuts long gullies and often deep washouts.” By all accounts it was no more suited for 19th​ century warfare than with many modern innovations. Grant realized his intended plan, to clear The Wilderness in a single day and draw Lee out into the open had gone astray by that evening. Early the next morning, May 5th​., his lead elements discovered a well-positioned enemy Second Corps to their front along the Orange Turnpike, and by later that day, they were in danger of being divided by A. P. Hill’s Third Corps marching parallel down the Orange Plank Road.

Following two days of intense fighting, Grant faced four alternatives on the evening of May 6th​. He could remain and fight in a terrain that restricted use of his full might with an enemy who held the high ground. He could withdraw back across the Rapidan (an option Meade supported but dare not offer). He could move east to Fredericksburg, offering a better supply line with a rail system extending to Richmond. Or he could move ten miles south-east to Spotsylvania Courthouse, and open terrain, where he could bring his entire army into play aginst Lee. By some accounts, Grant decided to move his army by that evening, but without doubt, his decision was conveyed to his subordinates the morning of May 7th​.

The Union line was strung across the Wilderness in a broad arch-like form pointing west. Major General John Sedgwick’s Sixth Corps held the northern sector, with his left flank meeting Major General Gouverneur Warren’s Fifth Corps right. Warren’s line then extended past the Orange Plank Road, joining Major General Ambrose Burnside’s Ninth Corps right. Burnside’s line met up with that of Major General Winfield Hancock’s Second Corps, who secured the army’s left.


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Courtesy of NPS


At 6:30 AM, Grant ordered Meade to make preparations during the day for a night march. Gouverneur Warren was to pass behind Winfield Hancock and proceed south down Brock Road. Once past the Union Second Corps, Hancock was to follow. If all went well, Warren was to reach Spotsylvania Courthouse by morning and secure the vital intersection between Fredericksburg and Richmond. By the time Warren reached the courthouse, Hancock would be passing through the vital junction at Todd’s Tavern, about five miles from the Hancock’s starting point. John Sedgwick and Ambrose Burnside were to lead their corps east through Chancellorsville, then turn west down Catharpin road toward the Brock road. Skirmishes broke out throughout the day as Grant’s army prepared to obey the order issued earlier. The sporadic musket and artillery fire caused no change in plans for either commanding general.

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SOLDIERS IN BOTH ARMIES LONG REMEMBERED THE NIGHT MARCH TO SPOTSYLVANIA. THE DUSTY ROADS, BURNING WOODS, AND FREQUENT HALTS MADE IT ONE OF THE MOST DISAGREEABLE MARCHES OF THE WAR. (BL)
Courtesy of America’s Battlefield Trust​

Todd’s Tavern was a vital point where the Catharpin and Brock Roads meet. From that axis, Catharpin leads east to the Plank Road and the area around Chancellorsville while Catharpin also leads west in the direction of Mine Run in western Orange County and in May 1864, to the right and rear of Lee’s army. Brock Road leads to Spotsylvania Courthouse, and points south. If Lee was planning a strike on the Union as they moved from the Wilderness, that intersection would be the most logical place. The intersection and the rest of Brock road needed clearing and securing before Grant could reach the Courthouse.

On May 7th​ Todd’s Tavern was occupied by Major General Fitzhugh “Fitz” Lee’s seven veteran cavalry regiments that extended north on Brock Road near Hancock’s left flank. Having seen little action during the Wilderness, the troops were fresh. Another veteran southern division under Major General Wade Hampton occupied the area west of Todd’s Tavern, at Corbin’s Bridge on the right flank of the Army of Northern Virginia. A third division of Virginia horsemen under Major General W.H.F. “Rooney” Lee joined Hampton that morning.

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Major General Phil Sheridan Major General Fitzhugh "Fitz" Lee - Courtesy of Wickipedia

Meade’s new cavalry chief, Major General Phil Sheridan had been brought east by Grant. Although Meade was his immediate superior, Sheridan had little issue forcing his own cavalry tactics on Meade, sometimes by going directly to his friend, Grant. On the morning of May 7th​, Meade ordered Sheridan to serve as the vanguard of the army, by moving from the Wilderness to Spotsylvania Courthouse, via Brock road, while clearing the road and guarding the army’s left flank and their supply line around the Chancellorsville area. He had two routes available to accomplish his goal. His first choice was to take Furnace Road west to Brock Road, then march south. His alternative was to advance west from the Chancellorsville area along Catharpin Road to the settlement. Sheridan chose Brigadier General Wesley Merritt’s division to lead the objective. At 730 AM Merritt started west on Furnace Road for a short distance, then turned south on Brock Road. In vanguard was Brigadier General George Custer, followed by Colonel Thomas Devin’s Excelsior and Keystone troopers. Colonel Alfred Gibbs remained in reserve to guard the army's wagons.

Shortly after his men reached Brock Road, Custer’s Wolverines met advanced patrols from “Fitz” Lee. Members of the 1st​. Michigan dismounted and tramped through the woods along-side of Brock Road as Custer pressed south along his intended route. When Merritt closed the gap to Todd’s Tavern, the southerner’s resistance stiffened. Lee sent his horses to the rear and fought on foot behind makeshift barriers. In an attempt to break the barriers, Devin sent the 6th​ New York forward on horseback. They made easy targets for the fortified Virginians and casualties mounted. Merritt’s thrust ground to a halt.

Later that morning, infantry probes led Meade to believe a southern offensive was unlikely. With the Union supply train not threatened, Sheridan acted fast on the information and freed his other divisions to assist with clearing Brock Road. He ordered Colonel Alfred Gibbs to join Custer and Devin. Sheridan then ordered Brigadier General David Gregg’s two divisions into the mix; one directly down Brock Road and one down east Catharpin to Piney Branch Church road and to Fitz Lee’s rear. Lee however, shifted his forces two miles south on Brock Road to a more wooded and better defensive area. When Sheridan’s vanguard reached the tavern, they now found enemy on two fronts. “Fitz” Lee was further south on Brock and Wade Hampton was detected on west Catharpin at Corbin’s Bridge. Sheridan split his forces and ordered an offensive on both fronts.

When Gregg reached Hampton, he made a hasty retreat back to Todd’s Tavern after finding Hampton in strong defenses on the opposite side of Corbin’s Bridge. His men commenced building temporary defenses from rails and brought up two artillery pieces. Gregg had just finished constructing his defenses when Tar Heel Brigadier General James B. Gorgon, of Rooney Lee’s division and South Carolinian Brigadier General Pierce M.B. Young of Hampton’s division charged the new works. Artillery and carbine fire quickly halted the charge and the aggressors dug in west of the tavern.


“Men were stuck every second and a perfect torrent of led from the repeating rifles”

Merritt meanwhile started south with Gibbs brigade to confront “Fitz” Lee. Lee had placed barricades in the road and arranged his troopers in two sets of defenses. Brigadier General William C. Wickham’s men manned the first barricade and half a mile south of Wickham, Brigadier General Lunsford Lomax manned the second set of logs, wagon and rails blocking the road. Major James Star’s 6th​ Pennsylvania, directed the Union advance. After ascertaining the temporary defenses, he deployed the 1st​ and 5th​ US Cavalry, with the 1st​. NY Dragoons and sent for re-enforcements. A battery of Lieutenant Edward Williston moved to a ridge and begin shelling the southerners.

After the federal bombardment, Gibbs estimated the enemy was weakened and ordered a charge on Wickham, by the 6th​ Pennsylvania and 1st​. New York. Wickman’s men extended will into the woods on both sides of the road and Gibbs soon found his men surrounded by enemy fire. The troopers, led by Starr abandoned their horses and went to infantry tactics in the woods. Outgunned, Gibbs's remaining reserves from the 2nd​. NY cavalry joined in, attempting to rescue their comrades. At 4 PM Devin arrived and fanned his troopers into Gibbs exposed spots. Brigadier General William Wickman’s barricade caught fire and he fell back to Lomax.

Merritt was slow pressing forward, however, and Lee ordered Colonel Thomas Mumford’s 2nd​ Virginia forward to quince the fire and reclaim the works just as the wave of fresh federals appeared to chase them back.

Lee extended his second defensive line, putting Wickman’s brigade to the left and Lomax to the right of Brock Road. “Hold your fire until they are within 30 yards. Let them have it, then go over after them” commanded Lee. As Davies arrived from Piney Branch Church Road, the federal assault gathered momentum and for the next 30 minutes, one of the hottest dismounted cavalry engagements during the war erupted. “Men were stuck every second and a perfect torrent of led from the repeating rifles” a 6th​ Ohioan laminated. The 15th​ Virginia began to crumble and Lee sent for reinforcements from Hampton. But Hampton had his hands full back at Todd’s Tavern with Gregg. Soon, the federals begin to feel the effect of well-aimed shot and sent for reinforcements.

Devin’s 9th​ New York tested the southern defense dismounted, but were quickly hugging the ground as canaster and shot raked from Lee’s front. The 6th​ New York, followed with the same fate. Heaps of bodies piled up in front of the barricade. Union sympathizer Katharine Curse living nearby wrote “Oh God! Human beings killing each other. This wicked war. When will it ever end?” Darkness intervened in favor of Lee, as the two adversaries were eerily lit by the flicker of burning barricades. Sheridan had his men fall back near the first barricade for the night. The 2nd​. Virginia harassed the move, turning the federal left flank and driving the enemy a considerable distance back. Davies moved back to Todd’s Tavern to spend the night with Gregg.

Sheridan’s decision to fallback was costly. He yielded over a mile of road that many sacrifices were made to gain, while giving “Fitz” Lee time to reenforce his position. “Fitz” Lee also gained valuable time for the Army of Northern Virginia, as new First Corps Commander Richard Anderson marched his men down Shady Grove Church Road, on a night march to Spotsylvania Courthouse.

Never-the-less, from Todd’s Tavern, Sheridan issued a glowing report to Meade that he had pushed the enemy back about three miles in their confusion and had taken prisoners from virtually every enemy cavalry brigade. It can only be speculated why he failed to execute Meade general order to clear the road for the army’s planned march to begin at 830 PM or what constituted a positive report. But Grant’s timetable to have Warren entering Spotsylvania Courthouse the next morning was clearly in jeopardy. At 1 AM on the 8th​, Sheridan issued orders for Gregg and Merritt to commence their push to the Courthouse at 5 AM. He apparently had no idea Meade had intended to have Warren’s Corps marching into the Courthouse by that same hour.


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Adhering to schedule, Warrenn and Sedgwick started their march at 830 PM. When Meade reached Todd's Tavern at about 1 AM he was infuriated to find the same cavalrymen who were supposed to have cleared the road to the Courthouse. He issued orders directly to Gregg and Merritt. Merritt was to rush south to Spotsylvania Courthouse and once there, protect the western approaches. Gregg was to move toward Corbin's Bridge and guard against an enemy approach from the west. As Meade was issuing orders directly to Sheridan's subordinates, Sheridan was writing orders that would have been impossible to execute had they not been overridden by Meade.

At 330 AM, May 8th​, Warren’s men begin arriving along Merritt’s line facing “Fitz” Lee about two miles south of Todd’s Tavern. Lee had spent the night fortifying his position, as the day prior, by placing a barrier a few yards behind the first for a safe fallback alternative. In addition, he placed Major James Beathard’s horse artillery in position for clear shots on the enemy. While Lee’s dismounted rifles and Beathard’s artillery raked Merritt’s men, the 5th​ Corps begin flowing in and backing up on Brock Road, waiting for Merritt to clear the way. Around 530 AM Sheridan arrived at the scene and begin to personally direct Merritt’s command. Finally, Merritt saw he was unable to move the enemy and asked Warren for help. Warren directed Robinson’s division forward, followed by Griffin’s division, supported by two batteries. The southerners fired a salvo and fell back to overwhelming odds. Every foot of road was hotly contested by the dismounted Confederate cavalry. Trees were fell, and rails were thrown across the road to slow the Union progress. Finally, Lee had reached the Alsop house where Beathard hurriedly unhitched his batteries and unleashed shell and shot across an open field from the small rise near the house. The southerners had stalled their massive foe with all their might, but now they had run out of ground. As the infantry relentlessly pushed forward, Lee eventually retired to the last naturally defensive position before yielding the prized courthouse. When his men reached Laurel Hill, Stuart was waiting, soon to be joined by Anderson’s First Corps who would stall the enemy and end Grant’s plan to reach the Courthouse.

As Stuart’s cavalry fought off the push of Warren and Sheridan along Laurel Hill, Hancock’s Second Corps guarded the union flank and rear near Todd’s Tavern. Major General Francis Barlow’s division was sent forward toward Corbin’s Bridge. Major General Jubal Early, who was the last to leave the Wilderness, decided to send a probe toward Todd’s Tavern that afternoon. Major General William Mahone’s division, escorted by cavalry, led the probe, and soon encountered Barlow. A malicious fight occurred between the two opposing divisions before Barlow retired to barricades at Todd’s Tavern. Jubal Early decided the enemy was too strong and did not press the matter. One of Hancock’s aides wrote “all the afternoon and into the early evening, believing that another of its great days of battle had come." But the expected onslaught never arrived. As the aide later put it, "darkness came on, and the great battle of Todd's Tavern was never fought."


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ON MAY 8, WHILE THE REST OF THE UNION ARMY ENGAGED LEE AT LAUREL HILL, HANCOCK'S CORPS GUARDED THE FEDERAL REAR AT TODD'S TAVERN BEHIND BARRICADES SUCH AS THOSE PICTURED HERE. JUBAL EARLY'S CORPS PROBED HANCOCK'S POSITION, BUT FINDING IT STRONG, PROCEEDED TO SPOTSYLVANIA BY AN ALTERNATE ROUTE. (LC) Courtsey NPS​

Sidebar: On June 2 1781, Corbin's Bridge also played a role in America's War for Independence. Pursued by British Lt. Colonel Banister Tarleton, the Marquis de Lafayette camped at Corbin's Bridge with 3,000 Continental and militia solders as he marched to join forces with General Anthony Wayne. The following day, General Cornwallis ordered Tarleton to Charlottesville (60 miles west) where he nearly captured Virginia Governor Thomas Jefferson.

Suggested reading on Todd's Tavern : The Battle of Spotsylvania Courthouse and the Road to Yellow Tavern; Gordon Rhea; Louisiana State University, 1997
The Season of Slaughter; Chris Mackowski and Kristopher D. White; Savas Beatie 2013
Spotsylvania Memory; blog by Patrick Sullivan
 
Thanks for this detailed description @Woods-walker
Like @Lubliner , this has been a difficult action for me to follow. It's clear that you have put a ton of research time and work into this write-up. I appreciate your efforts and think I can finally understand it - thanks to your thread. Thanks so much!
 
On May 7th Todd’s Tavern was occupied by Major General Fitzhugh “Fitz” Lee’s seven veteran cavalry regiments that extended north on Brock Road near Hancock’s left flank. Having seen little action during the Wilderness, the troops were fresh.
Great post. Making note of it so I can come back if I have something to add. I am currently reading Noah Trudeau's Bloody Roads South, The Wilderness to Cold Harbor. I'm almost at the end of the first day of The Wilderness. It's a campaign book, so I assume there will be information about the action at Todd's Tavern.
 
The National Park sells color maps of most of the battlefields. There are 28 of those maps just for the battle of Spotsylvania Courthouse. Very specific details on each big and little battles. There was a lot going on there.
 
Great post. Making note of it so I can come back if I have something to add. I am currently reading Noah Trudeau's Bloody Roads South, The Wilderness to Cold Harbor. I'm almost at the end of the first day of The Wilderness. It's a campaign book, so I assume there will be information about the action at Todd's Tavern.
Thanks for stopping by and for the encouraging comment. Be sure to look at my posts on Yellow Tavern and Bottoms Bridge which tie into Grant’s push to Richmond.
 
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