Following yesterday's post on how Grant and Meade planned the Union's 8th Petersburg Offensive. I now summarize what happened on the opening day of the mission - 160 years ago.
As ordered, David Gregg's cavalry set out for Dinwiddie Court House to disrupt a Confederate supply route. They overcame some slight resistance at Malone's Bridge. This is noteworthy for two reasons: firstly, a company of the 13th Virginia Cavalry fired the first shot of what would be three days of bitter fighting. Secondly, Rooney Lee (Robert E. Lee's son) was inspecting the pickets at the time and nearly got captured as his small force became overwhelmed by Gregg's greater force. Gregg's troopers reached Dinwiddie around noon and, to their surprise, found the enemy supply route largely abandoned. The mission, as designed, was over in less than 12 hours of commencing! The intelligence Grant had used to initiate the offensive had been out of date. With supporting infantry, 35,000 soldiers had been sent into hostile territory to disrupt something that no longer existed! My speculation is that the Confederate supply route had largely closed down after the port of Wilmington NC, was cut off on January 15. I'm happy to hear of other ideas.
Gregg's cavalry headed back to Union lines in the middle of the afternoon, and that might well have been that as far as the 8th Offensive went. A footnote in the Petersburg Campaign and some small embarrassment to the Union command. However, in warfare, events can take on a life of their own, and this mission was such an example.
Gouverneur Warren's 5th Infantry Corps had set off in the morning in support of the cavalry raid. They met stern resistance crossing Rowanty Creek. About 100 Confederates had destroyed the bridge and lined breastworks on the opposite bank. To add to Warren's difficulties, the creek was largely frozen over. It took Warren's lead brigade (James Gwyn) significant effort and guile to secure the crossing. Two soldiers with the 4th Delaware gained Medals of Honor for swimming the creek while under fire in helping to dislodge the Confederates. Warren's engineers quickly rebuilt the bridge, and his soldiers reached their destination around 5 p.m. He heard from Gregg about what he'd discovered at Dinwiddie and Warren's men camped, and he awaited further orders. It's sad to note that today, there are no markers at Monk's Neck Bridge to commemorate this significant action, and the two Medal of Honor recipients (David E. Buckingham and S. Rodmond Smith) are not remembered.
Two divisions of Andrew Humphreys' 2nd Corps were tasked with supporting Warren's troops. They secured two crossings of Hatcher's Run and started to form an entrenched line 1000 yards south of the main Confederate works defending the upper Boydton Plank Road. The Confederates had been caught unawares by the Union Offensive, but by early afternoon, Lee and his generals decided that action was required. A strong force was ordered to attack Humphrey's nascent line. The story of this assault is described in my recent article:
emergingcivilwar.com
In summary, Humphreys' men withstood three Confederate attacks, and as darkness fell, the dejected Confederates trudged back to their works. Despite winning a stunning victory, Meade and his commanders were troubled. They realized that they had closely avoided a disaster and feared that the Confederates would strike again in the morning, and maybe this time, the Union wouldn't be so fortunate. With Grant's blessing, Meade summoned reinforcements (two extra divisions) to Humphreys' threatened position and ordered both Warren and Gregg to join Humphreys as soon as possible. Would these forces arrive in time? Would the Confederates strike again in the morning? We will discover this in tomorrow's anniversary post.
As ordered, David Gregg's cavalry set out for Dinwiddie Court House to disrupt a Confederate supply route. They overcame some slight resistance at Malone's Bridge. This is noteworthy for two reasons: firstly, a company of the 13th Virginia Cavalry fired the first shot of what would be three days of bitter fighting. Secondly, Rooney Lee (Robert E. Lee's son) was inspecting the pickets at the time and nearly got captured as his small force became overwhelmed by Gregg's greater force. Gregg's troopers reached Dinwiddie around noon and, to their surprise, found the enemy supply route largely abandoned. The mission, as designed, was over in less than 12 hours of commencing! The intelligence Grant had used to initiate the offensive had been out of date. With supporting infantry, 35,000 soldiers had been sent into hostile territory to disrupt something that no longer existed! My speculation is that the Confederate supply route had largely closed down after the port of Wilmington NC, was cut off on January 15. I'm happy to hear of other ideas.
Gregg's cavalry headed back to Union lines in the middle of the afternoon, and that might well have been that as far as the 8th Offensive went. A footnote in the Petersburg Campaign and some small embarrassment to the Union command. However, in warfare, events can take on a life of their own, and this mission was such an example.
Gouverneur Warren's 5th Infantry Corps had set off in the morning in support of the cavalry raid. They met stern resistance crossing Rowanty Creek. About 100 Confederates had destroyed the bridge and lined breastworks on the opposite bank. To add to Warren's difficulties, the creek was largely frozen over. It took Warren's lead brigade (James Gwyn) significant effort and guile to secure the crossing. Two soldiers with the 4th Delaware gained Medals of Honor for swimming the creek while under fire in helping to dislodge the Confederates. Warren's engineers quickly rebuilt the bridge, and his soldiers reached their destination around 5 p.m. He heard from Gregg about what he'd discovered at Dinwiddie and Warren's men camped, and he awaited further orders. It's sad to note that today, there are no markers at Monk's Neck Bridge to commemorate this significant action, and the two Medal of Honor recipients (David E. Buckingham and S. Rodmond Smith) are not remembered.
Two divisions of Andrew Humphreys' 2nd Corps were tasked with supporting Warren's troops. They secured two crossings of Hatcher's Run and started to form an entrenched line 1000 yards south of the main Confederate works defending the upper Boydton Plank Road. The Confederates had been caught unawares by the Union Offensive, but by early afternoon, Lee and his generals decided that action was required. A strong force was ordered to attack Humphrey's nascent line. The story of this assault is described in my recent article:
"Never More Certain of Victory": The Confederate Strike at Rocky Branch, February 5, 1865 - Emerging Civil War
Emerging Civil War welcomes guest author Nigel Lambert On the morning of Sunday, February 5, 1865, two days after a failed peace conference, Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant launched another offensive around Petersburg. As Union cavalry headed towards Dinwiddie Courthouse, Maj. Gen. Andrew Humphreys...
emergingcivilwar.com
In summary, Humphreys' men withstood three Confederate attacks, and as darkness fell, the dejected Confederates trudged back to their works. Despite winning a stunning victory, Meade and his commanders were troubled. They realized that they had closely avoided a disaster and feared that the Confederates would strike again in the morning, and maybe this time, the Union wouldn't be so fortunate. With Grant's blessing, Meade summoned reinforcements (two extra divisions) to Humphreys' threatened position and ordered both Warren and Gregg to join Humphreys as soon as possible. Would these forces arrive in time? Would the Confederates strike again in the morning? We will discover this in tomorrow's anniversary post.
Bringing the