Reams Station

[White Flint Bill]

The Reams Station Battlefield can be a little troublesome to find, but is well worth the effort. When I visited on a beautiful day in June, I had the place to myself.

The photo above was taken standing along what was then the Federal line of defense, facing the direction from which the Confederate attack came. From where I stood, current Halifax Road (SR 607) is just behind me. At the time of the battle, the Weldon Railroad ran along what is now Halifax Road.

In the photo below, the brush line covers the remnants of the Federal earthworks.

The gap in the works is where the Federal artillery was posted. This is the gap the Confederates discovered and exploited on their second assault. The attack of Wilcox/Heth came from where the pine tree line in the distance is now.

A marker now stands on at the site of the Federal artillery.

The initial Confederate attack:

The Confederate breakthrough:

The Federal counterattack:

Scales' Brigade participated in the initial failed assault (with the 13th NC acting as skirmishers/sharpshooters), then went into reserve. When Federals tried to enfilade the Confederates from Phillips' farm, it was the 13th NC that drove them back, ending the Federal threat. The Phillips house and farm are not part of the preserved battlefield. If the house is still standing, I wasn't able to see it.

Oak Grove Church.

The road in front of the church was originally Halifax Road (now called Acorn Drive).

As mentioned above, what is now Halifax Road (below) was at the time the Weldon Railroad. In this photo the federal line was to the right.

The colored maps in this post are from Blue and Gray magazine. The black and white maps are from The Siege of Petersburg: The Battles for the Weldon Railroad, August 1864 by John Horn

 

[mofederal]

It has been ages since I was here last. The last time was quite awhile ago. A lot has changed. It was just a battle site a long time. A well hunted one. It is nice to see it is preserved at last.

 

[AUG]

Great photos, thank you for posting. This was an interesting battle.

Scales' Brigade participated in the initial failed assault (with the 13th NC acting as skirmishers/sharpshooters), then went into reserve.

I wonder why the 13th NC would be used rather than the brigade sharpshooters (Capt. John D. Young's S.S. battalion)?

The Confederate sharpshooter battalions played a major role at Reams' Station - driving back the Federal pickets, then firing on their main line of battle and pinning down artillery crews from long range. According to Maj. William S. Dunlop, commanding Gen. McGowan's brigade sharpshooters, generals Wilcox and McGowan largely contributed (*attributed) their success to the sharpshooters and the latter ever afterwards referred to Reams' Station as "the sharpshooters' fight."

 

[White Flint Bill]

Great photos, thank you for posting. This was an interesting battle.


I wonder why the 13th NC would be used rather than the brigade sharpshooters (Capt. John D. Young's S.S. battalion)?

The Confederate sharpshooter battalions played a major role at Reams' Station - driving back the Federal pickets, then firing on their main line of battle and pinning down artillery crews from long range. According to Maj. William S. Dunlop, commanding Gen. McGowan's brigade sharpshooters, generals Wilcox and McGowan largely contributed their success to the sharpshooters and the latter ever afterwards referred to Reams' Station as "the sharpshooters' fight."

Thanks. Excellent comment and observation.

I see now that I connected the dots incorrectly. The 13th acted as skirmishers for Scales' Brigade during the battle, and I just assumed (incorrectly I now think) that the "sharpshooters" referenced in the descriptions of the battle were the skirmishers. But as I've gone back and looked at this again, I see the reference now to the sharpshooters "battalion." Thanks for clearing that up!

 

[AUG]

Thanks. Excellent comment and observation.

I see now that I connected the dots incorrectly. The 13th acted as skirmishers for Scales' Brigade during the battle, and I just assumed (incorrectly I now think) that the "sharpshooters" referenced in the descriptions of the battle were the skirmishers. But as I've gone back and looked at this again, I see the reference now to the sharpshooters "battalion." Thanks for clearing that up!

The sharpshooters would usually serve as the designated skirmishers for their brigade, rather than pulling entire regiments or individual companies out of line. If the 13th NC (or a detachment thereof) was also deployed as skirmishers then I suppose they might've fought alongside or supplemented the brigade's sharpshooter battalion.

 

[JOHN42768]

Thanks for posting

 

[Seduzal]

Thanks for sharing this interesting post. Another great road trip to add to my over full... bucket list.

 

[Jimklag]

View attachment 201392

The Reams Station Battlefield can be a little troublesome to find, but is well worth the effort. When I visited on a beautiful day in June, I had the place to myself.

View attachment 201395

The photo above was taken standing along what was then the Federal line of defense, facing the direction from which the Confederate attack came. From where I stood, current Halifax Road (SR 607) is just behind me. At the time of the battle, the Weldon Railroad ran along what is now Halifax Road.

In the photo below, the brush line covers the remnants of the Federal earthworks.

View attachment 201397

The gap in the works is where the Federal artillery was posted. This is the gap the Confederates discovered and exploited on their second assault. The attack of Wilcox/Heth came from where the pine tree line in the distance is now.

A marker now stands on at the site of the Federal artillery.

View attachment 201398

The initial Confederate attack:

View attachment 201403

View attachment 201404

The Confederate breakthrough:

View attachment 201405

View attachment 201406

The Federal counterattack:

View attachment 201407

View attachment 201408

Scales' Brigade participated in the initial failed assault (with the 13th NC acting as skirmishers/sharpshooters), then went into reserve. When Federals tried to enfilade the Confederates from Phillips' farm, it was the 13th NC that drove them back, ending the Federal threat. The Phillips house and farm are not part of the preserved battlefield. If the house is still standing, I wasn't able to see it.

View attachment 201409

View attachment 201410

Oak Grove Church.

View attachment 201399

The road in front of the church was originally Halifax Road (now called Acorn Drive).

View attachment 201400

As mentioned above, what is now Halifax Road (below) was at the time the Weldon Railroad. In this photo the federal line was to the right.

View attachment 201401

The colored maps in this post are from Blue and Gray magazine. The black and white maps are from The Siege of Petersburg: The Battles for the Weldon Railroad, August 1864 by John Horn

View attachment 201402

Great post, Bill. Great photos on a beautiful day at a great place.

 

[DRW]

Thanks for posting this. I hope to make it there at the end of September.

 

[James N.]

This was considered a humiliating defeat for Hancock's old Second Corps - but they were no longer the men of Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, or even Spotsylvania. Their veteran regiments and the men in them were largely gone, and the replacements failed to live up to their former standards and gave way. One die-hard artilleryman, however, did earn the Medal of Honor by loading and firing a 10-pounder Parrott rifled gun all by himself as long as he could before the battery position was overrun!

 

[rpkennedy]

This was considered a humiliating defeat for Hancock's old Second Corps - but they were no longer the men of Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, or even Spotsylvania. Their veteran regiments and the men in them were largely gone, and the replacements failed to live up to their former standards and gave way. One die-hard artilleryman, however, did earn the Medal of Honor by loading and firing a 10-pounder Parrott rifled gun all by himself as long as he could before the battery position was overrun!

Hancock was furious and it led to a rift between him and John Gibbon. Hancock told Meade that he wanted Gibbon out of the corps and Gibbon wrote that he would no longer serve under Hancock. Hancock would apologize and Gibbon accepted the apology but their relationship was no longer the same.

Ryan