Confederate OOB, Grimballs Landing.

[TomV71]

Ever since I watched Glory for the first time, I have always been curious about what Confederate units actually fought at the Battle of Grimball's Landing (James Island) depicted in the movie. I knew there where elements of Colquitt's Brigade, but thats it. Recently I tried to compile an Order of Battle from the sources I have, including Sifakis Compendium series.

The disposition of three batteries is unknown too me, and also if the 32nd Georgia actually was there, so if anyone have any books about those units, please let me know. I will put this on wikipedia when complete.

Anyway, hope someone found this interesting, considering it's one of the most famous CW battle scenes on film..

Confederate Order of Battle, Grimballs landing, July 16, 1863

1st Sub Division, 1st Military District
Department of South Carolina, Georgia and Florida
Brig.Gen. Johnson Hagood
Col. Charles H. Simonton (25th SC)

Left Column. Brig.Gen. Alfred Colquitt 1400 Infantry.
6th Georgia Col. John T. Lofton
19th Georgia Col. A.J. Hutchins
25th South Carolina Lt.Col. John. G. Presley
Marion SC Arty. 4 x Napoleon Capt. E.L. Parker

Middle Column. Col. Charleton H.Way (54th GA) 800 Infantry.
54th Georgia Col.
32nd Georgia Col. George B.Harrison II (not confirmed)
1 Bty. (Which one?)

Right Column. Col. James D. Radcliffe 400 Infantry.
61st NC
Arty Btn. Col. Delaware B.Kemper
1 Bty. (Which one?) 4 x 12 pdr Rifles
1 Bty. (Which one?) 4 x Napoleon

Reserve.
1 Inf.Co.
1 Arty. Sec.
5th SC Cavalry (3 co's) Lt.Col. Robert J. Jeffords

Totally four batteries, including two Siege Train batteries and Chatham GA Arty. (4x Napoleon) Capt. John F. Wheaton, but dispositions of these not known, except Martion SC Arty in Colquitts column.

 

[Stratagemo]

Great information on a little known and discussed battle, thanks for posting!

While sadly I can't help much, I was thinking could these additional guns have been manned by Manigault's Battalion (18th Heavy Artillery Bttn)? Or are these the artillerists under Kemper's command?

According to this site they were present at the battle.

http://www.researchonline.net/sccw/unit8.htm
https://www.nps.gov/civilwar/search-battle-units-detail.htm?battleUnitCode=CSCMANIBA

 

[Stryker65]

I thought I should add onto this with more detailed information, as taken from the OR. The bolded parts are the parts I have added.

Confederate Order of Battle, Grimballs landing, July 16, 1863

1st Sub Division, 1st Military District
Department of South Carolina, Georgia and Florida
Brig.Gen. Johnson Hagood
Col. Charles H. Simonton (25th SC)

Left Column. Brig.Gen. Alfred Colquitt 1400 Infantry.
6th Georgia Col. John T. Lofton
19th Georgia Col. Andrew J. Hutchins
25th South Carolina Lt.Col. John. G. Presley
Marion SC Arty. 4 x Napoleon Capt. Edward L. Parker

Middle Column. Col. Charlton H.Way (54th GA) 800 Infantry.
54th Georgia Col. Charlton H. Way
32nd Georgia Col. George B.Harrison II (not confirmed) NOT PRESENT
31st North Carolina
1 Bty. (Which one?) It was 1 section of 2 12-lb howitzers, Chatham GA Artillery

Right Column. Col. James D. Radcliffe 400 Infantry.
61st NC: Maj. Henry Harding

Arty Btn. Col. Delaware B.Kemper
1 Bty. (Which one?) 4 x 12 pdr Rifles There were actually only 3 12-lb rifles, from the Siege Train, but these arrived late.
1 Bty. (Which one?) 4 x Napoleon 2 of these constituted a section of the Chatham GA Artillery (Capt. John F. Wheaton), while the other 2 constituted a section of Light Battery A, 1st SC Artillery (Capt. Francis D. Blake)

Reserve: Lt. Col. Robert J. Jeffords
1 Inf.Co.not present
1 Arty. Sec.not present
5th SC Cavalry (3 co's) Lt.Col. Robert J. Jeffords Companies were A (Capt John C Edwards), C (Capt. Wheeler Smith), and G (Capt. B. W. McTureous)

In regard to placement of troops, Colquitt's, Way's, and Jeffords' commands constituted the main column, while Radcliffe's and Kemper's commands constituted the supporting column.