Need Some Help- 2nd Deep Bottom & Guard Hill

[lelliott19]

Looking for some help from those knowledgeable about ANV Longstreet's 1st Corps circa 1864 and/or people with access to the OR.

@GELongstreet @AndyHall @War Horse @ErnieMac @Tom Elmore James N. @AUG351 @east tennessee roots @Allie @Eric Wittenberg @M E Wolf

Who knows anything about Fussell's Mill/2nd Deep Bottom Aug 14-20, 1864 and/or Front Royal/Guard Hill Aug 16, 1864? I'm facing a conundrum - trying to find out which of those places the 16th Georgia (Cobb's/Woffords Brigade) was on Aug 16 1864. I know they were at Cold Harbor in June and at Petersburg.

The Order of Battle for 2nd Deep Bottom lists DuBose commanding the brigade at 2nd Deep Bottom and a number of carded records indicate that members of the 16th GA were taken prisoner at "Deep Bottom" on Aug 16, 1864.

However, there's a historical marker at Guard Hill stating Wofford's Brigade was engaged there and there are descendants who believe that their relatives were engaged/captured at Guard Hill. There are also carded records stating that other men of the 16th were captured at "Front Royal" on Aug 16, 1864 - not the same ones that say Deep Bottom.

Aren't these two places 150 or so miles apart? If so, wouldnt it be impossible for them to be in both places.

Here's what I know:

1. The 16th, 18th, & 24th GA Infantries, Cobbs and Phillips Legions + 3rd Battn GA Sharpshooters were the ones that made up the brigade formerly known as "Woffords Brigade" and prior to that, Cobb's Brigade.

2. Brig Gen William Tatum Wofford, commanding Woffords brigade, was wounded at the Wilderness AND at Spotsylvania. He apparently left the ANV before the Petersburg Campaign due to the injuries and, on Jan 20 1865, was assigned to command the Subdistrict of Northern Georgia.

3. Dudley M DuBose (previously Col of the 15th Georgia; Bennings Brigade) was eventually promoted to Brig Gen and assumed command of the brigade formerly known as Cobbs/Woffords.

4. A number of carded records list men of the 16th Georgia taken prisoner at "Deep Bottom" on Aug 16 1864. And others list men (sometimes in the same Company) captured at "Front Royal" on Aug 16, 1864.

5. The wikipedia version of Confederate Order of Battle for Fussell's Mill/2nd Deep Bottom lists Bennings Brigade. It also lists the 16th, 18th, 24th Georgia, Cobbs and Phillip's Legion commanded by Col Dudley DuBose of the 15th Georgia.

6. This recapitulation of casualties for 2nd Deep Bottom by Bryce Suderow does NOT list any of the regiments from Wofford's Brigade. http://www.beyondthecrater.com/news...ength-at-second-deep-bottom-by-bryce-suderow/

7. These maps do not show Woffords Brigade at 2nd Deep Bottom http://www.saverichmondbattlefields.org/fussellsmill.htm

8. The historical marker for Front Royal/Guard Hill says: In Aug. 1864, part of Confederate Lt. Gen. Richard H. Anderson's corps threatened the left of Union Maj. Gen. Philip H. Sheridan's army. As Brig. Gen. Wesley Merritt's division approached on 15 Aug. to protect the Federal flank. Anderson ordered Brig. Gen. William T. Wofford's infantry brigade and Brig. Gen. Williams C. Wickham's cavalry brigade across the Shenandoah River to confront Merritt. Wickham was overwhelmed, however, on 16 Aug., and his troopers retreated toward Front Royal while Union Brig. Gen. George A. Custer's brigade drove Wofford from Guard Hill. Sheriden then retired north to Charles Town W. Va.


I find it very strange that there are carded records for both places, and theyre listed on the OoB at one place while a historical marker claims they were miles away. Can anyone shed any light on this mystery?

 

[AndyHall]

HDQRS. DEPT. OF VIRGINIA AND NORTH CAROLINA,
July 25, 1864--10 p.m.​

Lieut. Gen. U.S. GRANT,
Commanding, &c., City Point:

I have just examined some prisoners and deserters. There are opposite Deep Bottom Johnson's brigade, of Beauregard's forces: McGowan's brigade (now Conner's), and Lane's brigade. These brigades will average about 900 men. On last Saturday McLaws' division, of Longstreet's corps, came there, consisting of Kershaw's old brigade, Kershaw now commanding the division; Humphreys' brigade, about 700 men; Wofford's brigade, about 800; Bryan's brigade, about 800; Kershaw's brigade, about 800. They are intrenching themselves in front of Foster, between Three and Four Mile Creek. I cannot learn that they extend to our right beyond Four-Mile Creek. It is reported, but this is not certain, that A. P. Hill has relieved Kershaw and is in command of all the troops on the north of the James. A refugee left Richmond on Saturday, reports no troops in Richmond, save the second-class militia that is under eighteen and above forty-five and the foreign legion, of 500 or 600, guarding prisoners and bridges. This is also confirmed by two other refugees that left Richmond yesterday.

BENJ. F. BUTLER,
Major-general.

 

[bdtex]

@Frederick14Va @Jamieva

 

[AndyHall]

Diary of the First Corps, Army of Northern Virginia, of operations August 1-October 18, including operations in the Shenandoah Valley, August and September. (OR 87/873)

August 12.--With Kershaw's division and Cutshaw's battalion of artillery we move from Mitchell's Station soon after sunrise and halt at Culpeper at Midday. At 4 p.m. Kershaw moves for Hazel River, on the graded road, followed by the artillery battalion, and camped for the night on Hazel River. Fitzhugh Lee's division moves from Culpeper Court.House, and passes the infantry at night.

August 13.--March resumed. Camp two miles north of Flint Hill.

August 14.--March continues at sunrise. Troops arrive at Front Royal in afternoon. Kershaw posts a regiment on picket at the ford on the South Fork, on the Winchester road, and one on the Berryville road a mile from town.

August 15.--Enemy reported to have a brigade of cavalry at Cedarville, on the Winchester pike, and an infantry force on the Berryville road. The enemy sends a scouting party across Island Ford, which, however, soon retires.

August 16.--About 12 noon information is received of the advance of four brigades of the enemy's cavalry to Cedarville. To hold Guard Hill and cover the passage of the Shenandoah, Wofford's brigade of infantry and Wickham's of cavalry and artillery are sent to seize the position, which is done with the loss of but 8 or 10 men. Wofford, however, moves off to the right to attack the enemy's cavalry, which had now come up in force, and just at that moment, having charged and driven back our own cavalry, pitches into Wofford and drives him back in confusion and with loss. Brigade is subsequently moved across the river.

August 17.--Our whole force moves across the river and follows the enemy down the Winchester pike. The enemy retired, burning the grain, barns, and grass as he marched. Passing through Cedarville, Nineveh, and Ragtown we encounter, with the squadron of cavalry at our head, a detachment of the enemy's cavalry, and give chase to them for four or five miles. Wickham, with the two brigades of cavalry, had turned off to the right and followed toward White Post the <ar87_874> bulk of the enemy's cavalry. We camp on the Opequon near Frederick's Mill, and Wickham is ordered across from the vicinity of Berryville.

 

[lelliott19]

Wow so any idea when they left from Deep Bottom? That must've been some march?

Mitchell's Station to 2 miles north of Flint Hill - that's roughly 35 miles! In two days?

 

[ErnieMac]

Jeffrey Wert in his book From Winchester to Cedar Creek indicates the decision to send Kershaw to the Shenandoah was made at a meeting between President Davis, Lee and LG Richard Anderson (commanding First Corps) on August 6, 1864. Kershaw moved by train from Chester's Station to Mitchell's Station (south of Culpeper) the same day. Fitz Lee's Cavalry and Cutt's Artillery Battalion, also detached, marched overland, arriving at Mitchell's on the 11th. Lee's orders to Anderson to send the troops into the Shenandoah came on the 12th and the commands moved out immediately, arriving at Front Royal on August 14.

Wow so any idea when they left from Deep Bottom? That must've been some march?

Mitchell's Station to 2 miles north of Flint Hill - that's roughly 35 miles! In two days?

Not unusual in CW times. The marches of Jackson's "Foot Cavalry', Longstreet's men enroute to Second Manassas or the Army of the Potomac from the Rappahannock to Gettysburg were frequently in excess of 20 miles per day. A.P. Hill marched 17 miles from Harper's Ferry to Antietam and went directly into battle.

 

[lelliott19]

Thanks @AndyHall and @ErnieMac That clears it up for me. I assume the carded records that say "Deep Bottom" were just plain errors and the brigade was not split up - part sent with Anderson to Guard Hill and part left behind at Deep Bottom?

 

[GMSorrel]

Email Bryce Suderow at
[email protected]

He has been working on a 2nd deep bottom book for years. He can answer all your questions and world be happy to. He has many sources that few others have heard of.

 

[bschulte]

I'm fairly knowledgeable with this time period given my interest in the Siege of Petersburg. Kershaw's Division, including Wofford's entire brigade, was with Early in the Valley on August 16, 1864, as Andy mentions above. I don't think the CSRs showing 16th Georgia men as casualties at 2nd Deep Bottom are necessarily wrong. They may have been detached men or slightly wounded men pressed into emergency service. 2nd Deep Bottom was a close run thing for the Confederates. The Battle of Fussell's Mill was nearly a disaster, as Terry's Division of Union Tenth Corps scored a temporary breakthrough near the Darbytown Road. I've been compiling regimental level orders of battle for each offensive at the Siege of Petersburg, and I don't have any indication the 16th Georgia left any organized companies behind when they left for the Valley earlier in August. Unfortunately for us, there does not seem to be a good modern regimental history of this unit. You might try looking for regimental histories of its fellow regiments in Wofford's Brigade to see if they might shed some light on the matter.

PS The only other modern day regimental I see for Wofford's men is To Honor These Men: A History of the Phillips Georgia Legion Infantry Battalion, published by Mercer Univeersity Press in 2007. It might shed some light on the situation.