American Battles & Campaigns by Chris McNab

Author:Chris McNab
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: St. Martin's Press

■ STONES RIVER, 31 DECEMBER 1862–2 JANUARY 1863

After withdrawing from Kentucky, Gen Braxton Bragg established a position alongside the Nashville to Chattanooga railroad line at Murfreesboro, Tennessee. MGen William Rosecrans replaced MGen Don Carlos Buell as the Federal commander and slowly built up his readiness. After amassing a huge logistical base at Nashville, Rosecrans finally began advancing on 26 December. On the night of 29 December, the two armies of 44,000 Federals and 37,000 Confederates were camped within earshot of each other. Rosecrans had ordered an attack at 07:00, after his men finished breakfast, on 31 December, but before he could put the plan in motion, Bragg struck the Federal right flank in a surprise attack. The Federals repulsed two Confederate attacks, but a third attack succeeded in enveloping the Federal flank. BGen Philip Sheridan counter-attacked and re-established a new Federal line, but a fourth attack all along the Federal front eventually forced Sheridan to withdraw. However, subsequent Confederate attacks were all turned back. Fighting was especially fierce in the Round Forest, where MGen John Breckinridge’s Confederates battled Col William Hazen’s Federals in an area that became known as ‘Hell’s Half Acre’.

Both armies were silent on 1 January, and then Bragg renewed the attack, hitting the Federal left on 2 January. The Confederate attack was slow in developing and was defeated by the massed fire of 58 Federal artillery pieces, which had been posted by Maj John Mendenhall. Confederate losses were 11,739 out of a total of 34,739 engaged, while the Federals suffered 12,906 casualties out of 41,400 soldiers. Although Bragg had scored a tactical victory, his army was physically exhausted, and he fell back 50km to Tullahoma. Rosecrans also was spent and did not resume operations until June.

■ ARKANSAS POST, 10–11 JANUARY 1863

A land and naval attack by MGen John McClernand and Adm David Porter forced the surrender of this Confederate strongpoint 80km up the Arkansas River from Vicksburg. Most of the 5000 Confederate defenders were captured.

■ CHARLESTON, 27 APRIL 1863

Adm Samuel Du Pont’s plan to run past the in-depth defences of Charleston Harbor was foiled by Confederate obstacles and fire. The failure led Du Pont to conclude Charleston could not be taken by naval action alone.

■ PORT GIBSON, 1 MAY 1863

MGen Ulysses Grant began an unopposed crossing of the Mississippi River at Bruinsburg on 30 April. BGen John Bowen attempted to halt Grant’s advance inland, but Grant brushed this small force aside and established a foothold at Port Gibson.

■ CHANCELLORSVILLE, 1–4 MAY 1863

After receiving a report from MGen Jeb Stuart that MGen Joseph Hooker’s ‘flank was in the air’, Gen Robert E. Lee sent LGen Stonewall Jackson on a 17km route to the Federal flank. When Jackson attacked, the Federal line collapsed, causing Hooker to panic and withdraw north of Chancellorsville. Lee inflicted 17,000 casualties while suffering 13,000 himself, but among the Confederate losses was the invaluable commander Stonewall Jackson.

■ SALEM CHURCH, 3–4 MAY 1863

In the midst of LGen Stonewall Jackson’s success at Chancellorsville, MGen John Sedgwick defeated MGen Jubal Early at Fredericksburg and began moving west.

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