White Flint Bill
Sergeant
- Joined
- Oct 9, 2017
- Location
- Southern Virginia
Early on the morning of March 27, 1865 elements of McGowan's, Scales', Thomas' and Lane's brigades were ordered to attack and take the Federal position on a little knoll called McIllwaine Hill, which General Lee feared might become a dangerous position for enemy artillery.
The plan of attack called the men to advance in silence, with men commanded by Captain William Dunlop of the 12th South Carolina and Major Thomas Wooten of the 18th North Carolina to lead the assault. Dunlop's men were to drive the Federals to the right and Wooten's were to drive them to the left, with Scales and Thomas to follow them, occupy the hill and repulse any Federal counterattacks.
In the half-light of very early morning the attack was launched and it succeeded in taking and holding the hill. As for the significance of the affair, opinions differed. Capt. Dunlop said it "was unquestionably one of the most daring and successful engagements of its dimensions ever witnessed upon any field during the great struggle." Sgt. Abraham Brewer of the 61st Pennsylvania disagreed, saying "The advantage gained was slight and temporary. Our blended picket line was soon straightened out and the enemy brushed away, leaving his dead and wounded in our care."
Yesterday I set out to see if I find the location of the battle. It is not part of the park and is essentially unmarked.
I used two maps, the first from Blue and Gray magazine and the second from Wilson Greene's book The Final Battles of Petersburg.
Fort Lee (Battery 45) was at what is now the intersection of Fort Lee Road and Boydton Plank Road. There is an SCV marker there, but it appears to me the Battery was across the road to the south of the marker.
Throughout the vicinity, earthworks are all still plainly visible.
I can't be sure I found the right place, but after bouncing down a badly rutted private drive, past a feed mill, I came to this, which I believe to be the general area of the objective--McIllwaine Hill.
Whether I found the precise place or not, it was a beautiful day for exploring.
The plan of attack called the men to advance in silence, with men commanded by Captain William Dunlop of the 12th South Carolina and Major Thomas Wooten of the 18th North Carolina to lead the assault. Dunlop's men were to drive the Federals to the right and Wooten's were to drive them to the left, with Scales and Thomas to follow them, occupy the hill and repulse any Federal counterattacks.
In the half-light of very early morning the attack was launched and it succeeded in taking and holding the hill. As for the significance of the affair, opinions differed. Capt. Dunlop said it "was unquestionably one of the most daring and successful engagements of its dimensions ever witnessed upon any field during the great struggle." Sgt. Abraham Brewer of the 61st Pennsylvania disagreed, saying "The advantage gained was slight and temporary. Our blended picket line was soon straightened out and the enemy brushed away, leaving his dead and wounded in our care."
Yesterday I set out to see if I find the location of the battle. It is not part of the park and is essentially unmarked.
I used two maps, the first from Blue and Gray magazine and the second from Wilson Greene's book The Final Battles of Petersburg.
Fort Lee (Battery 45) was at what is now the intersection of Fort Lee Road and Boydton Plank Road. There is an SCV marker there, but it appears to me the Battery was across the road to the south of the marker.
Throughout the vicinity, earthworks are all still plainly visible.
I can't be sure I found the right place, but after bouncing down a badly rutted private drive, past a feed mill, I came to this, which I believe to be the general area of the objective--McIllwaine Hill.
Whether I found the precise place or not, it was a beautiful day for exploring.
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