Overland Timetable of Reinforcement of AoNV, Overland Campaign

(Wilderness, Spotsylvania, North Anna, Cold Harbor)

Luke Freet

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I am doing work on a project looking at the Battle of the Wilderness and later hopefully the Overland Campaign as a whole. I noticed that much of Lee's army was detached at the beginning of the campaign. Longstreet only had 2 of his divisions, 2 brigades and a couple of regiments of II Corps had not returned by the time of the battle.
I know that R. D. Johnston's Tarheel's rejoined the Corps late on the 6th of May, ready for Gordon's night attack. What of the other units here? I couldn't find out the return date of Hoke's/Lewis' Brigade.
 
Do not know exact date but Hokes division returned to anv in late May, just before cold harbor. They were not at Spotsylvania or North Anna, but played a major role at cold harbor.
 
Longstreet only had 2 of his divisions,
Longstreet's corps was just returning from East Tennessee - McLaws' old and Hood's old divisions. According to combined diary entries, most of McLaws' (old) division arrived at Bristol on or by March 31, 1864, where they remained until April 12.
April 12-14 transported from Bristol, by rail, through Lynchburg to Charlottesville, arriving there by April 15.
April 15-16 Encamped at Charlottesville
April 17 marched 10 miles toward Gordonsville
April 18 " another 10 miles " "
April 19-28 was spent at Gordonsville with a lot of drilling & inspections - recruit, Company & Battalion drill; inspection of arms, inspection of regiment, etc.
April 27 ~ Under orders for a General Review on Friday 29th inst 2 PM by Genl R.E. Lee.
April 18 - Brigade review
April 29 ~ Inspection of the Corps by Genl R.E. Lee. Marched by him in columns of Companies common time. A great many of the fair sex present on the occasion. On the whole I think it was a very creditable affair.
April 30 - wash day and pay.
May 1 (Sunday) Inspection of arms and church services.
May 2 - drill, but ended early due to rain.
May 3 - recruit & Company drill. Too windy for Battalion drill.
May 4 - recruit & company drill; moved easterly direction passing south of Gordonsville.
May 5 ~ In lines at an early hour moving in the direction of Fredricksburg passing by a large mill. Crossed 2 small streams in the early part of the day.
May 6 ~ In motion again very early and at a double quick we moved by the flank from the Plank road. Formed into line of battle and moved up passing over one line of battle who laid down for that purpose. We found the enemy very stubborn not willing to yield much. We pressed them for some time when we again moved by the flank striking the unfinished RR. We once more formed into line of battle and advanced upon them driving them from every position
 
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I couldn't find out the return date of Hoke's/Lewis' Brigade.
Hoke was with Pickett at New Bern. When Pickett was recalled to Virginia, Hoke took command of the force in East NC. He captured Plymouth April 20, 1864, which earned him promotion to MG. After Plymouth, I believe he was sent to aid Beauregard at Drewry's Bluff (?) and returned to the ANV in time for Cold Harbor. (Don't quote me on any of that as it's off the top of my head.)
 
Hoke's brigade left New Berne on May 6, 1864 for Richmond (OR 33 p. 294). In OR 36 II p. 207 Hoke's/Lewis' brigade are listed in the Richmond and Petersburg lines, May 5-10. On May 30 Lee asked for Hoke's division (OR 36 III p. 850) as reinforcements and was promised that for the next day (OR 36 III p. 857).

A map in Freeman's bio on Robert E. Lee shows Hoke's division in the trenches at Cold Harbor on June 1 at 1 a.m.
 
Thanks @luinrina . I wasnt too far off I guess. :thumbsup:
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Robert Hoke. He's one of my top five for @OldReliable1862 's officer beauty contest. :D
 
Pickett - the division was around Richmond and Petersburg and joined Lee's Army on 20th-21st May

Hoke - put together in the Bermuda Hundred. Ordered to Lee on 30th May and joined Lee the next day

Breckenridge - arrived at Hanover Junction 21st May

Maryland Line - was stationed at Hanover Junction until 9th May, when it joined Stuart's cavalry
 
Both Hoke and Pickett were in the Bermuda Hundred Campaign throughout most of May. After Ben Butler's Army of the James was halted there by May 20, that then freed up Hoke's and Pickett's men to return to Lee.

Maryland Line - was stationed at Hanover Junction until 9th May, when it joined Stuart's cavalry
The 1st Maryland Cavalry and 2nd Maryland Artillery Battery joined Stuart's Cavalry Corps, but the Maryland Line also consisted of the 2nd Maryland Infantry and 1st and 4th Maryland batteries, which were attached to Breckenridge's Division as an independent unit.

However, by the end of the campaign the Maryland Line was broken up. The 2nd Infantry went to Archer's Brigade and the two batteries to the Third Corps artillery.
 
Pickett and his men weren't at the Wilderness and I read somewhere that by his absence he may have made one of his greatest contributions to the war. As the battle progressed the Federals could account for the forces they were facing by the prisoners they were taking. But they had no prisoners from Pickett's division, which caused them to fear that he was about to hit them in the flank or rear, causing them to devote resources to guard against a surprise attack from him.
 
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