Thursday, June 26, 2014

Entrenched along the Appomattox River

Sunday, June 26, 1864

On Tuesday the Thirteenth New Hampshire Regiment began a march toward Petersburg to a new position on the right flank of General Ulysses Grant's line, abutting the Appomattox River. From this position the men of the Thirteenth viewed the activity at Fortress Monroe and at Hampton Roads. During the week the Thirteenth New Hampshire was hard at work building entrenchments along their line in extremely hot weather. The intense heat resulted in a sharp rise of the death count from gangrene in the camp hospitals.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), 407-419.

Thursday, June 19, 2014

Return to Camp at Bermuda Hundred

Sunday, June 19, 1864

On Friday evening the Thirteenth New Hampshire began a march to their camp at Bermuda Hundred, arriving Saturday morning to begin a well-needed rest. The Thirteenth spent a quiet and restful day in camp, reflecting on their capture of Battery Five and of Confederate General Robert E. Lee's movement of forty-thousand men to retake the strategic 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), 407-408.

Sunday, June 15, 2014

Thirteenth Captures Confederate Battery Five at Petersburg

Wednesday, June 15, 1864

The Thirteenth New Hampshire Regiment arose early and began a march at 2:30 A.M. toward Petersburg. By the end of the day the Thirteenth New Hampshire charged and successfully took Confederate Battery Five at Petersburg, capturing 200 prisoners.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), 382-403.

Saturday, June 14, 2014

River Journey to Bermuda Hundred

Tuesday, June 14, 1864

After embarking on the steamer "Ocean Wave" from White House Landing the previous day the Thirteenth New Hampshire journeyed along the Pamunkey and York River, reaching Newport News by evening. This morning the Thirteenth departed from Newport News at 4:00 A.M. and debarked at camp at Bermuda Hundred around 10:00 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), 379-81.

Thursday, June 12, 2014

Retreat from Cold Harbor

Sunday, June 12, 1864

General Ulysses S. Grant broke the bloody stalemate at Cold Harbor and ordered the Army of the Potomac to retreat from Cold Harbor. After remaining in reserve at Cold Harbor for over a week, providing support and assistance to wounded soldiers entrenched on the battlefield, the Thirteenth New Hampshire began their retreat from the battlefield at 10:00 A.M., covering fifteen miles to White House Landing by nightfall. 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), 374-79.

Tuesday, June 3, 2014

Battle of Cold Harbor - Day 3

Friday, June 3, 1864

The Thirteenth New Hampshire was deployed in a reserve position at the rear of the Union line. Although exposed to Confederate fire the Thirteenth was not engaged in battle. A grand infantry charge began at 4:30 A.M. with Union artillery fire to support the infantry. Poor reconnaissance concerning the difficult ground the Union traversed to attack the well-entrenched Confederates proved disastrous. The Union assault terminated by 1:00 P.M. Casualties were staggering for the Union, as in the first twenty minutes of the charge nearly ten-thousand Union infantry soldiers were killed or wounded.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), 357-61.

Monday, June 2, 2014

Battle of Cold Harbor - Day 2

Thursday, June 2, 1864

The Thirteenth New Hampshire surveyed the field from the previous day's battle to recover the wounded and bury the dead. Later in the day the Thirteenth was detached from their brigade and ordered to the left after nightfall to survey the enemy's position. General Ulysses S. Grant orders a grand charge to break the Confederate line at 4:00 A.M. the next morning. The Thirteenth New Hampshire would not take part in the grand charge and was ordered to the reserve position, as they were used up from the previous day's conflict. 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), 352-57.

Sunday, June 1, 2014

Battle of Cold Harbor - Day 1

Wednesday, June 1, 1864

Earlier in the week General Ulysses S. Grant, ready to seize an opportunity to break the Confederate lines around Richmond, ordered a temporary detachment of the Eighteenth Corps from the Army of the James to join the Army of the Potomac at Cold Harbor.

Early this morning General William Smith, in charge of the Union Eighteenth Corps, realized he had been ordered in error to New Castle Ferry instead of New Cold Harbor. He immediately began the twelve-mile march to Cold Harbor, arriving around noon. This delay in deployment would prove fateful for the outcome of the ensuing battle.

Around 6:00 P.M. the Sixth Corps and General Smith's Tenth and Eighteenth Corps successfully charged the Confederate lines and took six-hundred prisoners by day's end. Portions of the conflict continued until midnight
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), 338-40.