Great Civil War Snowballl fights

lakertaker

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The Great Snowball Battle of
RappahannockAcademy, February 25, 1863

Two back-to-back snowstorms in February of 1863 provided the ammunition for a friendly snowball battle amongst rival divisions of Confederate troops near Fredericksburg, Virginia. On February 19, eight inches of snow fell on the region. Two days later, nine inches of snow fell. On February 25, sunny skies and mild temperatures softened the deep snow cover, providing ideal conditions for making snowballs.
During this time, the Confederate Army was camped near Fredericksburg. Some of the Divisions of the army had been reorganized, which had created friendly rivalries between the Confederate brigades and regiments. This helped spark a huge snowball battle near RappahannockAcademy in which approximately 10,000 Confederate soldiers participated. One soldier who participated in the snowball battle described it as one of the most memorable combats of the war.”
The battle started on the morning of February 25, 1863, when General Hoke’s North Carolina soldiers marched towards Colonel Stiles’ camp of Georgians, with the intent of capturing the camp using only snowballs. The attacking force, composed of infantry, cavalry and skirmishers, moved in swiftly. Battle lines formed and the fight began with “severe pelting” of snowballs. Reinforcements arrived from all sides to assist the brigade under attack. Even the employees of the commissary joined the snowball battle. Soon, the attacking soldiers were pushed back.
Hoke’s beaten soldiers retreated back to their camp. Colonel Stiles then held a Council of War on how best to attack the retreating force. He decided to organize his men and march directly into their camp, with snowballs in hand. When Stile’s forces finally arrived in Hoke’s camp, they were quite surprised to find that their adversaries had rallied and filled their haversacks to the top with snowballs. This allowed Hoke’s soldiers to provide an endless barrage of snowballs “without the need to reload.” The attacking force was quickly overwhelmed and many of their soldiers were captured and “whitewashed” with snow. The snowball battle came to an end and both brigades settled back into their respective camps. The captured prisoners were quickly paroled and returned to their camp, to much heckling from fellow soldiers. It was noted that General Stonewall Jackson had witnessed the snowball battle. One soldier remarked that he had wished Jackson and staff had joined the fight so he could have thrown a snowball at “the old faded uniforms.”
The weather turned mild and rainy in the following days. Other snowball battles were documented during the Civil War – including a snowball fight at Dalton, Georgia – but The Snowball Battle of Rappahannock Academy was unique in size, strategy and ample snow cover. The depth of the snow cover on the day of the battle was documented in a soldier’s diary to be 12 inches.
 
Here's Capt. D. Augustus Dickert's account of the snowball fights along the Rappahannock during the winter of 1862-63, from his history of Kershaw's Brigade. He was then a 1st Lieutenant in Co. H, 3rd South Carolina Infantry.

That winter in Virginia was one of the most severe known in many years, but the soldiers had become accustomed to the cold of the North, and rather liked it than otherwise, especially when snow fell to the depth of twelve to sixteen inches, and remained for two or three weeks. So the reader can see that the soldier's life has its sunny side, as well as its dark. The troops delight in "snow balling," and revelled in the sport for days at a time. Many hard battles were fought, won, and lost; sometimes company against company, then regiment against regiment, and sometimes brigades would be pitted against rival brigades.

When the South Carolinians were against the Georgians, or the two Georgia brigades against Kershaw's and the Mississippi brigades, then the blows would fall fast and furious. The fiercest fight and the hardest run of my life was when Kershaw's Brigade, under Colonel Rutherford, of the Third, challenged and fought Cobb's Georgians. Colonel Rutherford was a great lover of the sport, and wherever a contest was going on he would be sure to take a hand. On the day alluded to Colonel Rutherford martialed his men by the beating of drums and the bugle's blast; officers headed their companies, regiments formed, with flags flying, then when all was ready the troops were marched to the brow of a hill, or rather half way down the hill, and formed line of battle, there to await the coming of the Georgians. They were at that moment advancing across the plain that separated the two camps. The men built great pyramids of snow balls in their rear, and awaited the assault of the fast approaching enemy. Officers cheered the men and urged them to stand fast and uphold the "honor of their State," while the officers on the other side besought their men to sweep all before them off the field.

The men stood trembling with cold and emotion, and the officers with fear, for the officer who was luckless enough as to fall into the hands of a set of "snow revelers," found to his sorrow that his bed was not one of roses. When the Georgians were within one hundred feet the order was given to "fire." Then shower after shower of the fleecy balls filled the air. Cheer after cheer went up from the assaulters and the assaultant—now pressed back by the flying balls, then to the assault again. Officers shouted to the men, and they answered with a "yell." When some, more bold than the rest, ventured too near, he was caught and dragged through the lines, while his comrades made frantic efforts to rescue him. The poor prisoner, now safely behind the lines, his fate problematical, as down in the snow he was pulled, now on his face, next on his back, then swung round and round by his heels—all the while snow being pushed down his back or in his bosom, his eyes, ears, and hair thoroughly filled with the "beautiful snow."

After a fifteen minutes' struggle, our lines gave way. The fierce looks of a tall, muscular, wild-eyed Georgian, who stood directly in my front, seemed to have singled me out for sacrifice. The stampede began. I tried to lead the command in the rout by placing myself in the front of the boldest and stoutest squad in the ranks, all the while shouting to the men to "turn boys turn." But they continued to charge to the rear, and in the nearest cut to our camp, then a mile off, I saw the only chance to save myself from the clutches of that wild-eyed Georgian was in continual and rapid flight. The idea of a boy seventeen years old, and never yet tipped the beam at one hundred, in the grasp of that monster, as he now began to look to me, gave me the horrors. One by one the men began to pass me, and while the distance between us and the camp grew less at each step, yet the distance between me and my pursuer grew less as we proceeded in our mad race. The broad expanse that lay between the men and camp was one flying, surging mass, while the earth, or rather the snow, all around was filled with men who had fallen or been overtaken, and now in the last throes of a desperate snow battle. I dared not look behind, but kept bravely on. My breath grew fast and thick, and the camp seemed a perfect mirage, now near at hand then far in the distance. The men who had not yet fallen in the hands of the reckless Georgians had distanced me, and the only energy that kept me to the race was the hope that some mishap might befall the wild-eyed man in my rear, otherwise I was gone. No one would have the temerity to tackle the giant in his rage. But all things must come to an end, and my race ended by falling in my tent, more dead than alive, just as I felt the warm breath of my pursuer blowing on my neck. I heard, as I lay panting, the wild-eyed man say, "I would rather have caught that d——n little Captain than to have killed the biggest man in the Yankee Army."

- History of Kershaw's Brigade With Complete Roll of Companies, Biographical Sketches, Incidents, Anecdotes, etc
by D. Augustus Dickert, page 205-206


And as mentioned, there was also a "Great Snowball Fight of Dalton, GA." when the AoT was winter quartered there in 1864.

Pvt. Philip D. Stephenson, in the 5th Company, Washington Artillery, described the Dalton snowball battle in his memoir, The Civil War Memoir of Pvt. Philip Daingerfield Stephenson, D.D.:

But perhaps the most interesting of all episodes was the Snow-ball Battle! A battle indeed! A battle royal! A battle in which ultimately thousands of men engaged. In regular organization too, by batteries, regiments, brigades and divisions. One of those late March blizzards had come upon us, the last compliments of a stern winter. The snow lay deep upon the ground, six inches or so, and things looked dismal, and men felt dismal. The tent flies in the woods, stretching as far as the eye could reach, and the snow over everything, trees, tents, underbrush, streets, and other open spaces of the camps! Not much moving around! A figure now and then. That was all. Depressing picture!

Suddenly, some fellows in Cobb's Battery, next door to us, ran out in the open and began snow-balling each other. Others joined them and more and more! Presently there was a lull and a sort of conference, and then--the whole crowd broke into our grounds and began "shelling" us in our tents! Come out, yelled they, "Come out and fight!" No response. Our Louisiana boys were shivering and demoralized. They were not used to snow, and that was the biggest one most of them had ever seen! It was all very well for Cobb's men. They were Kentuckians and used to snow. As for the Louisianians, they did not see where the fun came in. A few of us (I being a Missourian) ran out and "engaged the enemy," but the rest kept close in their holes. The Kentuckians kept jeering and daring us and bombarding us! "Come out, come out and fight!" At last there was a shout, "I can't stand this any longer! Here boys let's at them!" And out from an officer's tent shot a figure, stooping down as he ran, gathering snow and charging into the midst of the foe. It was Chalaron our peppery little 1st Lieutenant, hatless and his bald head shiny and red, while his Louis Napoleon moustache and imperial beard bristled up like the whiskers of a cat. It needed no second cry! Our men had stood it long enough. Out they tumbled after their leader.

We drove the enemy back to their quarters, but we had a tough time doing it. Such pounding and thumping, and rolling over and over in the snow, and washing of faces and cramming snow in mouth and ears and mixing up in great wiggling piles together. But we drove them back and made them respect us. By that time our blood was up and we wanted other worlds to conquer. We concluded to combine forces and attack the other battery of our battalion, Tennessee boys. Our battalion was made up of three batteries: our own, Cobb's Kentucky, and Mebane's (I think) Tennessee. We pitched into them and "wiped them out" in short order. Then we proposed combination with them and to extend operations on a grander scale. To this they agreed, and so, with increased and formidable front, and tremendous yelling and great stores of ammunition, we went forth to conquer.

This time the onset was upon the infantry, those nearest to us. It happened to be an Alabama regiment and they at first were like our Louisiana boys--no fight in them, shivered and demoralized by snow, moping about the fires or rolled up in their blankets in the tents. But we put life into them! I remember helping to drag one fellow out of his tent myself. We would not let them alone. We yelled and searched, ran through their streets, pelted them in their tents, around their fires, everywhere, until at last, in desperation, they became aroused also and went for us. After a while, a junction of forces was made again and we charged other camps.

By this time other portions of the army had heard what was going on and had caught the infection. Officers and all. Yes, Generals of brigades and divisions! I remember seeing a group of them, with their staff officers, in grave conference together, planning evidently some "big strategy," but nightfall was now near, and so decisive operations were postponed until the next day.

And the next day, we had it sure enough! Brigades and divisions were on either side, and it was a pitched battle, full of vim and dead earnestness. How I wish I could recall the details: the troops engaged, their numbers, and disposition, also the generals who led us. I think it was confined mostly to Hardee's Corps (our Corps) with volunteers from elsewhere. Cheatham and Cleburne led the opposing sides, but I cannot speak positively. Nor can I say who whipped. My impression is both "whipped." Partial advantages were gained by each side. It was an all day fight and everybody covered himself with glory and with snow. The incidental value of this episode is that it shows the rejuvenated spirits of the men, how altogether different they were from what Johnston had found only four months before.
 
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From the diary of James Edward Wilson
James Edwards Wilson was born 11 October 1839 near Russellville, Franklin County, Alabama. He was the son of a Scotsman, Bryce Wilson and his wife, Mary Anne Edwards. When the war broke out James was a senior at the University of Mississippi, but he immediately left school to participate in the cause. He enlisted July 15, 1861 as a Private in Co H 16th Alabama Infantry; was promoted to Lt May 17, 1862; and was wounded severely in the shoulder at Stones River Jan 16, 1863.

Tullahoma TN
"Tuesday March the 31st 1863

This month is about to go out like a lion. The ground is covered with snow and the north wind is very cutting. If a man sticks his head out of his tent he is glad enough to take it back. There are a good many of the boys out snowballing and whenever they see a man stick his head out of a tent he is sure to be hit in the face. I have just sent to the commissary to get some provisions. I am in command of the com- pany today again. There was a big battle this morning. The 16th Ala Regt went over to the camp of the 45 Ala and made a charge on them and took them prisoners, but released them upon condition that they would join in with them and help them whip out the balance of the Brigade, which they agreed to. They both went to the 45th Miss next, well armed with snowballs and found them out awaiting them. The 16th and 45 Ala soon made them surrender and having parsled them, went on to the 32 Miss. Here they met their match. They were nicely equal in numbers and the 32nd were ready for them. They fought hard. The 32nd captured the 16th flag twice but it was recaptured both times. They finally drove the 32 back into their tents where they raised the flag of truce and surrendered. The 16th, 45th Ala & 32nd Miss all went over to whip out the 33d Ala. They were in line of battle, having thrown out one company as skirmishers. They soon drove in the skirmishers though and were about to charge on the camps when the 33 arose up from behind logs and stumps and with water buckets full of balls charged upon the three Regts and for awhile they drove them back, but soon the 45 Ala captured their flag and then they commenced falling."
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~alfrankl/wilsondiary.html
 
Any stories of Northern units participating in snowball fights? All the stories seem to be Southern....

Maybe they got a greater kick out of the snow because of minimal exposure before the war? Depended on where they came from though....
 
Any stories of Northern units participating in snowball fights? All the stories seem to be Southern....

Maybe they got a greater kick out of the snow because of minimal exposure before the war? Depended on where they came from though....

It does seem that way, huh? I think it's not quite as funny or fun as it sounds, but Union troops got into a giant fist fight because of a hold up during the Mud March. Maybe, ah hem, some folks were taking things a little too seriously. That being said I'd rather be pelted with snow than stuck in the mud.
 
Any stories of Northern units participating in snowball fights? All the stories seem to be Southern....

Maybe they got a greater kick out of the snow because of minimal exposure before the war? Depended on where they came from though....
It's possible Southerners were more likely to record the shenanigans, and Northerners just goofed around and then moved on. Only a theory, of course.
 
Before Battle of Pea Ridge
Confederate forces in northwestern Arkansas, led by Major General Ben McCulloch, meanwhile had established winter quarters at Cross Hollows near modern-day Rogers (Benton County), where their snug cabins protected them from the harsh conditions. The troops—many of them from Texas and Louisiana—were actually enjoying the weather, and a particularly heavy snow in late January resulted in a massive snowball fight that featured squadrons of cavalry racing to rescue hapless soldiers and civilians who were being dunked into snowdrifts or pelted by snowballs.
http://www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?entryID=7752

also great article here about large snowball battles including one that got Gen Cleburne a fake "court martial" and a New Jersey versus Vermont regimental battle

https://civilwarstoriesofinspiratio.../rebel-snowball-wars-fighting-winter-boredom/

Thanks for the thread.
 
There was also a major snowball fight amongst Longstreet's Corps on January 29, 1863, when encamped outside Fredericksburg. The 1st, 4th and 5th Texas in the Texas Brigade kicked it off, then combined forces and attacked the 3rd Arkansas. They then went after Anderson's Georgians, then the other brigades in Hood's Division, until it spilled over into McLaws' and Pickett's divisions.


William A. Fletcher of the 5th Texas in his memoir, Rebel Private, Front and Rear:

At this place, I guess the greatest snowball battle of the age was fought. It started near where we were quartered, by two companies, and they were reinforced from time to time, spreading from company to company, to regiment from regiment, to brigade from brigade, to division by opposing forces consolidating as they passed from one on to others; officers soon joined in, both line and mounted field, and somewhat brought about order. Couriers could be seen going to and from, same as in battle, with horses at speed, so the word was passed to the front and as there was one encampment after another charged, the excitement was grand; regiment after regiment, brigade after brigade and division after division joined in until it was said the whole of Longstreet's corps had snow battled. When one tired he dropped out, and as I was one of the early participants, I did not see the ending; but it was reported that it ended about five miles from the place of beginning. All were defeated; all were victorious, as it were, with but two reported injured to mar the day's pleasure. There was an order issued prohibiting general snowballing.


A letter by Lt. Richard Lewis (in the Palmetto Sharshooters, Jenkins' Brigade, Pickett's Division) also describes a snowball battle that winter. Not sure if its the same one on Jan 29.

Camp near Fredericksburg.
On rising this morning we found the ground covered with snow, and all felt gloomy at the cold and chilling prospect. But lo and behold! we spy a line of skirmishers in the distance coming over the hills, advancing in array of battle. The cry and alarm is raised—the enemy are advancing! and the drums commence beating the long roll. Our gallant General Jenkins, with his characteristic pride not to be out done, orders the regiment to quickly form in line of battle. He then had a line of skirmishers thrown out and deployed, and put his adjutant, Bob Sims, in command of them, and onward they moved to meet the enemy, and as they moved off, the Sixth Regiment band struck up one of its stirring martial airs. Our brigade then formed in line to await the advance of the enemy, who were coming over the hills, following their line of skirmishers.

Our skirmishers soon became hotly engaged, and commenced falling back, loosing their commander, Bob Sims, who is taken prisoner, and wallowed good in the snow. Some of the officers of the enemy came riding his horse back with their skirmish line. He commenced galloping up and down the skirmish line, urging his boys on, when Lieutenant Steele, with some of our boys, plays Jackson on him, and makes a flank movement and captures him and Sims' horse, and pulls him off. About this time our brigade commenced advancing, and their skirmishers fell back, and the boys buried him good in the snow. Now, our line of battle and the enemy's (Law's Alabama Brigade) meet, and such a grand and exciting time as we had; the whole air seemed to be filled with snow-balls and the battle raging fiercely for hours, but, with our brave General to encourage us, we routed them, and drove them back in great confusion. They then joined our brigade, and we went over and charged the Texas brigade, making a surprise movement on them and routing and driving them out of their camp, and capturing nearly all of their cooking utensils—some of our boys bringing back pots, frying-pans, and anything else they could find use for. I don't think we acted fair with the Texans, in both of our brigades charging them; and then, after driving them from their camp, to, plunder them.

Some of our boys this morning are badly bruised about their faces and feeling pretty sore. Lieutenant Steele, of our company, was so badly pelted that his face is all skinned and bruised up terribly, and his eyes so much swollen and inflamed that he is not able to leave his tent; I'm afraid it is going to be something serious about his eyes. And as to poor Bob Sims, General Jenkins' Adjutant, they gave him such a wallowing in the snow at the start that I think he went to the hospital, for I never saw anything more of him during the fight.
 
It's possible Southerners were more likely to record the shenanigans, and Northerners just goofed around and then moved on. Only a theory, of course.

Ha! You have the same sense of humor is me. "Aw, c'mon General. I only hit 'em a few times."
 
The Great Snowball Battle of
RappahannockAcademy, February 25, 1863

Two back-to-back snowstorms in February of 1863 provided the ammunition for a friendly snowball battle amongst rival divisions of Confederate troops near Fredericksburg, Virginia. On February 19, eight inches of snow fell on the region. Two days later, nine inches of snow fell. On February 25, sunny skies and mild temperatures softened the deep snow cover, providing ideal conditions for making snowballs.
During this time, the Confederate Army was camped near Fredericksburg. Some of the Divisions of the army had been reorganized, which had created friendly rivalries between the Confederate brigades and regiments. This helped spark a huge snowball battle near RappahannockAcademy in which approximately 10,000 Confederate soldiers participated. One soldier who participated in the snowball battle described it as one of the most memorable combats of the war.”
The battle started on the morning of February 25, 1863, when General Hoke’s North Carolina soldiers marched towards Colonel Stiles’ camp of Georgians, with the intent of capturing the camp using only snowballs. The attacking force, composed of infantry, cavalry and skirmishers, moved in swiftly. Battle lines formed and the fight began with “severe pelting” of snowballs. Reinforcements arrived from all sides to assist the brigade under attack. Even the employees of the commissary joined the snowball battle. Soon, the attacking soldiers were pushed back.
Hoke’s beaten soldiers retreated back to their camp. Colonel Stiles then held a Council of War on how best to attack the retreating force. He decided to organize his men and march directly into their camp, with snowballs in hand. When Stile’s forces finally arrived in Hoke’s camp, they were quite surprised to find that their adversaries had rallied and filled their haversacks to the top with snowballs. This allowed Hoke’s soldiers to provide an endless barrage of snowballs “without the need to reload.” The attacking force was quickly overwhelmed and many of their soldiers were captured and “whitewashed” with snow. The snowball battle came to an end and both brigades settled back into their respective camps. The captured prisoners were quickly paroled and returned to their camp, to much heckling from fellow soldiers. It was noted that General Stonewall Jackson had witnessed the snowball battle. One soldier remarked that he had wished Jackson and staff had joined the fight so he could have thrown a snowball at “the old faded uniforms.”
The weather turned mild and rainy in the following days. Other snowball battles were documented during the Civil War – including a snowball fight at Dalton, Georgia – but The Snowball Battle of Rappahannock Academy was unique in size, strategy and ample snow cover. The depth of the snow cover on the day of the battle was documented in a soldier’s diary to be 12 inches.
Wouldn't it be cool is there were photos, or video on ESPN?
 
Better than curling or Sumo wrestling. Both of which I find mesmerizing.
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