March to New Castle Ferry

Tuesday, May 31, 1864

The Thirteenth New Hampshire arose at 4:00 A.M. and began to work on a bridge crossing the Pamunkey River until mid-afternoon. Three-days rations were ordered and cooked and the Thirteenth began a march to New Castle Ferry, where a detail from the Thirteenth was positioned for picket duty at 11:00 P.M..¹

References:
¹S. Millett Thompson, Thirteenth Regiment of New Hampshire Volunteer Infantry in the War of the Rebellion, 1861-1865 : A Diary Covering Three Years and a Day (Boston, Massachusetts: Houghton, Mifflin and Company, 1888), 337-38.

Arrival at White House Landing

Monday, May 30, 1864

The steamer "Starlight" departed from Fortress Monroe at daylight to continue progress along the James River, arriving at West Point by noon to the sounds of cannonfire in the distance. The steamer advanced up the Pamunkey River to White House Landing, where the Thirteenth New Hampshire Regiment debarked and made evening camp by 9:00 P.M..¹

References:
¹S. Millett Thompson, Thirteenth Regiment of New Hampshire Volunteer Infantry in the War of the Rebellion, 1861-1865 : A Diary Covering Three Years and a Day (Boston, Massachusetts: Houghton, Mifflin and Company, 1888), 336-37.

Steamer Journey along the James River

Sunday, May 29, 1864

The Thirteenth New Hampshire arose at daylight and embarked on the steamer "Starlight," which departed Bermuda Hundred Landing at 8:00 A.M. for progress along the James River. The steamer arrived at Fortress Monroe by nightfall and anchored for the evening.¹

References:
¹S. Millett Thompson, Thirteenth Regiment of New Hampshire Volunteer Infantry in the War of the Rebellion, 1861-1865 : A Diary Covering Three Years and a Day (Boston, Massachusetts: Houghton, Mifflin and Company, 1888), 335-36.

Camp at Bermuda Hundred Landing

Saturday, May 28, 1864

The Thirteenth New Hampshire arose at daylight to prepare for an afternoon inspection. At noon they received orders to prepare cooked rations for two days by 4:00 P.M. At 5:30 P.M. the Thirteenth marched to the Bermuda Hundred Landing, where they arrived by nightfall to make camp for the evening. ¹

References:
¹S. Millett Thompson, Thirteenth Regiment of New Hampshire Volunteer Infantry in the War of the Rebellion, 1861-1865 : A Diary Covering Three Years and a Day (Boston, Massachusetts: Houghton, Mifflin and Company, 1888), 335.

March to Bermuda Hundred Landing

Friday, May 27, 1864

At 8:00 A.M. the Thirteenth New Hampshire broke camp and marched to a position close to the Bermuda Hundred Landing, where they bivouacked for the evening.¹

References:
¹S. Millett Thompson, Thirteenth Regiment of New Hampshire Volunteer Infantry in the War of the Rebellion, 1861-1865 : A Diary Covering Three Years and a Day (Boston, Massachusetts: Houghton, Mifflin and Company, 1888), 327-34.

Camp at Bermuda Hundred

Sunday, May 22, 1864

The Thirteenth New Hampshire spent a reasonably quiet week at Bermuda Hundred since the end of the Battle of Drewry Bluff on Monday. The Thirteenth was hard at work in camp building entrenchments and fortifications. Today, under a flag of truce, the Confederates asked for and received permission to bury their dead near the Bermuda Hundred camp.¹

References:
¹S. Millett Thompson, Thirteenth Regiment of New Hampshire Volunteer Infantry in the War of the Rebellion, 1861-1865 : A Diary Covering Three Years and a Day (Boston, Massachusetts: Houghton, Mifflin and Company, 1888), 322-27.

Battle of Drewry Bluff - Day 5

Monday, May 16, 1864

This morning at 5:00 A.M. the Confederates attacked the Union line in a dense, enveloping fog. Over the next four hours the Thirteenth New Hampshire drove back three Confederate charges and held their portion of the line. Around 9:00 A.M. the Thirteenth withdrew from their position to form a new line of battle with their brigade, where the Thirteenth New Hampshire repelled a Confederate charge. The major fighting for the day ceased by 2:30 P.M. Company E of the Thirteenth New Hampshire returned to their regiment encamped at Bermuda Hundred around 10:30 P.M. after a hard day of fighting on the skirmish line. Although the Thirteenth New Hampshire performed well this day, many other units suffered heavily by wounding or capture during the early morning attacks in the fog.¹

References:
¹S. Millett Thompson, Thirteenth Regiment of New Hampshire Volunteer Infantry in the War of the Rebellion, 1861-1865 : A Diary Covering Three Years and a Day (Boston, Massachusetts: Houghton, Mifflin and Company, 1888), 292-322.

Battle of Drewry Bluff - Day 4

Sunday, May 15, 1864

Union and Confederate armies faced each other behind works all day, securing their defenses. The Thirteenth New Hampshire remained on the picket line, evading bullets and shells in an advanced position.¹

References:
¹S. Millett Thompson, Thirteenth Regiment of New Hampshire Volunteer Infantry in the War of the Rebellion, 1861-1865 : A Diary Covering Three Years and a Day (Boston, Massachusetts: Houghton, Mifflin and Company, 1888), 291-92.

Battle of Drewry's Bluff - Day 3

Saturday, May 14, 1864

At dawn this morning the Thirteenth New Hampshire attacked the Confederate line, taking a large portion of the Confederate works by 9:00 A.M. In the early afternoon a battery of Union artillery deployed to support the advanced line of the Thirteenth, while the Thirteenth remained in an advanced position on picket duty. The Union artillery fired all afternoon on the remaining Confederate works. In the evening the Thirteenth New Hampshire bivouacked along the picket line.¹

References:
¹S. Millett Thompson, Thirteenth Regiment of New Hampshire Volunteer Infantry in the War of the Rebellion, 1861-1865 : A Diary Covering Three Years and a Day (Boston, Massachusetts: Houghton, Mifflin and Company, 1888), 284-91.

Battle of Drewry Bluff - Day 2

Friday, May 13, 1864

The Thirteenth New Hampshire skirmished all day in heavy rain along Proctor's Creek, with Companies A, C, and D advancing to the front at 4:00 P.M. The Thirteenth was attacked by the Confederates and lost ground, but soon held their position and pushed the Confederates back. The final result of the day's attack was an advance for the Union. Tonight the Thirteenth New Hampshire bivouacked on the battlefield with little cover from the rain, bullets, and shells.¹

References:
¹S. Millett Thompson, Thirteenth Regiment of New Hampshire Volunteer Infantry in the War of the Rebellion, 1861-1865 : A Diary Covering Three Years and a Day (Boston, Massachusetts: Houghton, Mifflin and Company, 1888), 281-83.

Battle of Drewry Bluff - Day 1

Thursday, May 12, 1864

At 7:00 this morning the Thirteenth New Hampshire Regiment advanced along the Richmond and Petersburg Railroad under Confederate gunfire. Forming a line of battle they advanced through swampy terrain to a position overlooking Proctor's Creek by 3:00 P.M. During the night the Thirteenth bivouacked on high ground near the creek. ¹

References:
¹S. Millett Thompson, Thirteenth Regiment of New Hampshire Volunteer Infantry in the War of the Rebellion, 1861-1865 : A Diary Covering Three Years and a Day (Boston, Massachusetts: Houghton, Mifflin and Company, 1888), 278-81.

Grant's Bold Plan

Wednesday, May 11, 1864

At 8:30 A.M. this morning, from his headquarters near Spotsylvania Court House, Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant telegraphed Army Chief of Staff Major General Henry Halleck in Washington, D.C. this directive: "I purpose to fight it out on this line if it takes all summer." While the Army of the James was fighting near Petersburg Grant was directing the Army of the Potomac near Spotsylvania in severe fighting in the Battle of the Wilderness on May 5 and 6 and at Spottsylvania from May 8. Grant planned to attack the Confederate capital at Richmond in a two-pronged attack.¹

References:
¹S. Millett Thompson, Thirteenth Regiment of New Hampshire Volunteer Infantry in the War of the Rebellion, 1861-1865 : A Diary Covering Three Years and a Day (Boston, Massachusetts: Houghton, Mifflin and Company, 1888), 278.

Battle of Swift Creek

Tuesday, May 10, 1864

The Thirteenth New Hampshire was deployed as skirmishers during the two-day battle of Swift Creek. Union General Benjamin Butler's Army of the James advanced upon Petersburg, tearing up the Richmond and Petersburg Railroad from Chester Station to Swift Creek, and was beaten back by the Confederates.¹

References:
¹S. Millett Thompson, Thirteenth Regiment of New Hampshire Volunteer Infantry in the War of the Rebellion, 1861-1865 : A Diary Covering Three Years and a Day (Boston, Massachusetts: Houghton, Mifflin and Company, 1888), 263-74.

Clash at Port Walthall

Sunday, May 8, 1864

The Thirteenth New Hampshire departed from their camp at Yorktown on Wednesday, May 4. At 4:00 PM the Thirteenth boarded the steamer "S. R. Spaulding" and sailed to Fortress Monroe. The next morning, at 7:00 A.M. on May 5, they entered the James River, arriving at Bermuda Hundred by early evening. After nightfall the Thirteenth New Hampshire disembarked and bivouacked at Bermuda Hundred. At 6:00 A.M. on May 6 the Thirteenth marched six miles to a spot near Petersburg, making evening camp three miles from Port Walthall and the Richmond and Petersburg Railroad. The next morning the Thirteenth New Hampshire exchanged fire with a South Carolina brigade led by Confederate General Johnson Hagood near Port Walthall. The Thirteenth lost only one man during the encounter. Today the Thirteenth rested while the army remained on alert. At 4:00 P.M. the Thirteenth received orders to march in the morning with three days rations.¹

References:
¹S. Millett Thompson, Thirteenth Regiment of New Hampshire Volunteer Infantry in the War of the Rebellion, 1861-1865 : A Diary Covering Three Years and a Day (Boston, Massachusetts: Houghton, Mifflin and Company, 1888), 255-62.

Grant Organizes His Armies

Sunday, May 1, 1864

The Thirteenth New Hampshire remained in camp at Yorktown all week. Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant has reorganized the Union Army into three major wings: Grant's former command, the Army of the Southwest; the Army of the James, under Major General Benjamin Butler; and the Army of the Potomac, under Major General George Meade. The Thirteenth New Hampshire was in the Second Brigade of the First Division of the Eighteenth Corps of the Army of the James, under the command of Brigadier General Hiram Burnham. The Eighteenth Corps was commanded by Major General William Farrar Smith. The capture of Richmond was the objective of the Army of the James and the Army of the Potomac in Grant's Overland Campaign. Today the usual regimen of inspection and dress parade was suspended. At 5:00 P.M. the Thirteenth received orders for four days cooked rations and 100 rounds of ammunition per man, indicating an imminent departure for battle. Baggage for officers was reduced to one valise per two officers.¹

References:
¹S. Millett Thompson, Thirteenth Regiment of New Hampshire Volunteer Infantry in the War of the Rebellion, 1861-1865 : A Diary Covering Three Years and a Day (Boston, Massachusetts: Houghton, Mifflin and Company, 1888), 252-55.