jcrook
Private
- Joined
- Oct 10, 2017
- Location
- Newton Grove, North Carolina
The Battle of Hanover Court House, also known as the Battle of Slash Church, took place on May 27, 1862, in Hanover County, Virginia.
On May 27, elements of BG Fitz John Porter's V Corps of 12,000 men extended north to protect the right flank of MG George B. McClellan's Union Army of the Potomac based on a rumor from a Virginia civilian that a Confederate force of 17,000 was moving to Hanover Court House, north of Mechanicsville.
Porter's objective was to deal with the Confederate force near Hanover Court House, which threatened the avenue of approach for Union reinforcements that were marching south from Fredericksburg. The smaller Confederate force of about 4000 men, under led by Col. Lawrence O'Bryan Branch, which included the 7th, 18th, 28th, and 37th North Carolina Infantry regiments, and the 45th Georgia Infantry. Col. Lawrence O'Bryan Branch pulled his units back to Ashland VA after losing the battle.
After reading the book General Lee’s Immortals by Michael Hardy I went out to find this battlefield as our family had a few members in the 18th NC. The 18th earned the name of the "Bloody 18th" in this battle which one of our family members Captain Wiley John Sykes was killed leading a charge against the enemy lines
I found only one sign with any information and that was for the Slash Church. I could not locate any Civil War Trails or information signs about the battle. It maybe because most of the land the battle took place on is in private hands now. If not for the map provided in the book I would have not known any of the locations to go see. The five locations are (attached pics are in this order) Slash Church used as a headquarters and hospital, Lebanon Church used as a hospital, Peake’s Station, Harris farm and Dr Kinney’s.
On May 27, elements of BG Fitz John Porter's V Corps of 12,000 men extended north to protect the right flank of MG George B. McClellan's Union Army of the Potomac based on a rumor from a Virginia civilian that a Confederate force of 17,000 was moving to Hanover Court House, north of Mechanicsville.
Porter's objective was to deal with the Confederate force near Hanover Court House, which threatened the avenue of approach for Union reinforcements that were marching south from Fredericksburg. The smaller Confederate force of about 4000 men, under led by Col. Lawrence O'Bryan Branch, which included the 7th, 18th, 28th, and 37th North Carolina Infantry regiments, and the 45th Georgia Infantry. Col. Lawrence O'Bryan Branch pulled his units back to Ashland VA after losing the battle.
After reading the book General Lee’s Immortals by Michael Hardy I went out to find this battlefield as our family had a few members in the 18th NC. The 18th earned the name of the "Bloody 18th" in this battle which one of our family members Captain Wiley John Sykes was killed leading a charge against the enemy lines
I found only one sign with any information and that was for the Slash Church. I could not locate any Civil War Trails or information signs about the battle. It maybe because most of the land the battle took place on is in private hands now. If not for the map provided in the book I would have not known any of the locations to go see. The five locations are (attached pics are in this order) Slash Church used as a headquarters and hospital, Lebanon Church used as a hospital, Peake’s Station, Harris farm and Dr Kinney’s.