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186-652: The nickname "Iron Brigade," with its connotation of fighting men with iron dispositions, was applied formally or informally to a number of units in the Civil War and in later conflicts. The Iron Brigade of the West was the unit that received the most lasting publicity in its use of the nickname. The brigade fought in the battles of Second Bull Run , South Mountain , Antietam , Fredericksburg , Chancellorsville , Gettysburg , Mine Run , Overland , Richmond-Petersburg , and Appomattox . The Iron Brigade initially consisted of

372-634: A "brilliant victory" over superior forces. However, the defense of Williamsburg was seen by the South as a means of delaying the Federals, which allowed the bulk of the Confederate army to continue its withdrawal toward Richmond. After McClellan ordered Franklin's division to turn Johnston's army with an amphibious operation on the York River, it took two days just to board the men and equipment onto

558-529: A Union assault by Maj. Gen. Fitz John Porter 's V Corps , Longstreet's wing of 25,000 men in five divisions counterattacked in the largest simultaneous mass assault of the war. The Union left flank was crushed and the army was driven back to Bull Run . Only an effective Union rear guard action prevented a replay of the First Manassas defeat. Pope's retreat to Centreville was nonetheless precipitous. Success in this battle emboldened Lee to initiate

744-755: A barrel length of forty inches. It was the most widely issued infantry weapon used by Federal troops. The Second and Seventh Wisconsin used the Lorenz Rifle . "On the Union side, continental European firearms were mostly distributed to the Western armies--as such, the Lorenz Rifle was relatively uncommon in the Army of the Potomac (although two regiments of the famous Iron Brigade carried them) but heavily used by

930-545: A battle of much larger scale and numbers than the First Battle of Bull Run (or First Manassas) fought on July 21, 1861, on the same ground. Following a wide-ranging flanking march , Confederate Maj. Gen. Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson captured the Union supply depot at Manassas Junction , threatening Pope's line of communications with Washington, D.C. Withdrawing a few miles to the northwest, Jackson took up strong concealed defensive positions on Stony Ridge and awaited

1116-409: A case of mistaken identity, insisting that Reynolds had run into Porter's V Corps, preparing to attack Jackson's flank. Jesse Reno ordered a IX Corps brigade under Col. James Nagle to attack the center of Jackson's line again. This time Brig. Gen. Isaac R. Trimble's brigade was driven back from the railroad embankment, but Confederate counterattacks restored the line and pursued Nagle's troops back into

1302-514: A composite brigade of cavalry and artillery led by Brig. Gen. William H. Emory , altogether about 12,000 men. The Confederate force, which actually numbered about 4,000 men, was led by Col. Lawrence O'Bryan Branch . They had departed from Gordonsville to guard the Virginia Central Railroad , taking up position at Peake's Crossing, 4 miles (6.4 km) southwest of the courthouse, near Slash Church. Another Confederate brigade

1488-601: A division commander in the IV Corps, to "hamper the enemy" in completing their defensive works. At 3 p.m., four companies of the 3rd Vermont Infantry crossed the dam and routed the remaining defenders. Behind the lines, Cobb organized a defense with his brother, Colonel Thomas Cobb of the Georgia Legion , and attacked the Vermonters, who had occupied the Confederate rifle pits. Unable to obtain reinforcements,

1674-575: A double agent in the War Department , McClellan was initially successful against the equally cautious General Joseph E. Johnston , but the emergence of the more aggressive General Robert E. Lee turned the subsequent Seven Days Battles into a humiliating Union defeat. McClellan landed his army at Fort Monroe and moved northwest, up the Virginia Peninsula . Confederate Brigadier General John B. Magruder 's defensive position on

1860-424: A heavy artillery barrage, answered with counterbattery fire, but avoided a general advance of their infantry, instead merely deploying skirmishers which got into a low-level firefight with Jubal Early's brigade. While this was going on, Meade's brigade came across wounded men from King's division, who had been abandoned by their comrades and left on the field all night. Medical personnel attempted to evacuate as many of

2046-451: A prominent role in the first day of the Battle of Gettysburg , July 1, 1863. It repulsed the first Confederate offensive through Herbst's Woods, led by the 2nd Wisconsin, capturing much of Brig. Gen. James J. Archer 's brigade, and Archer himself. The 6th Wisconsin, along with 100 men of the brigade guard, are remembered for their famous charge on an unfinished railroad cut north and west of

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2232-507: A regular Army officer from North Carolina who chose to stay with the Union, King's brigade was reflagged the 4th Brigade, 1st Division, III Corps, and it saw its first combat in the Northern Virginia Campaign , fighting at Brawner's Farm, August 28, 1862, where they received their deadly baptism of fire. Gibbon's brigade lost 725 men out of 1,900, the 2nd Wisconsin losing 276 out of 430 men. Almost immediately following

2418-444: A report from his cavalry commander, Brig. Gen. John Buford , who reported that 17 regiments of infantry, one battery, and 500 cavalry were moving through Gainesville at 8:15 a.m. This was Longstreet's wing arriving from Thoroughfare Gap, and it warned the two Union generals that trouble lay to their front. The Union advance was again halted. For some reason, McDowell neglected to forward Buford's report to Pope until about 7 p.m., so

2604-467: A single Civil War engagement during the battle of Gettysburg, losing 216 out of 262 men (82%). The brigade fought in the bloody Overland campaign of 1864, and took part in the siege of Petersburg for the rest of the war. The 19th Indiana was eventually transferred to the 20th Indiana Infantry Regiment in October, 1864. The 2nd Wisconsin left the brigade once they mustered out in 1864. The 24th Michigan

2790-687: A site used to train Wisconsin volunteers during the Civil War. Second Bull Run 77,000 (estimated): The Second Battle of Bull Run or Battle of Second Manassas was fought August 28–30, 1862, in Prince William County, Virginia , as part of the American Civil War . It was the culmination of the Northern Virginia Campaign waged by Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee 's Army of Northern Virginia against Union Maj. Gen. John Pope 's Army of Virginia , and

2976-461: A supplementary order for the Army of the Potomac to move overland to attack the Confederates at Manassas Junction and Centreville . McClellan immediately replied with a 22-page letter objecting in detail to the president's plan and advocating instead his Urbanna plan, which was the first written instance of the plan's details being presented to the president. Although Lincoln believed his plan

3162-432: A surprise attack by Johnston at the Battle of Seven Pines or Fair Oaks. The battle was inconclusive, with heavy casualties, but it had lasting effects on the campaign. Johnston was wounded by a Union artillery shell fragment on May 31 and replaced the next day by the more aggressive Robert E. Lee, who reorganized his army and prepared for offensive action in the final battles of June 25 to July 1, which are popularly known as

3348-474: A volley of near point-blank fire on Thomas's regiments, followed by a bayonet charge. Taken by surprise, the Georgians fell back and fierce hand-to-hand combat ensued. Maxcy Gregg's South Carolinans came to reinforce them, followed by Dorsey Pender's brigade of North Carolinans. Pender hit Grover's brigade in the flank and sent the men fleeing in panic with over 350 casualties. Pender's brigade then surged out of

3534-608: The 2d Infantry Division is known as the Iron Brigade as well. Located at Camp Casey , South Korea, the brigade has a critical role of military deterrence on the Korean Peninsula. The 2nd Brigade of the 3d Armored Division (Spearhead) , formerly stationed on Coleman Kaserne in Gelnhausen, Germany. The 157th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade , also known as the Iron Brigade, is based out of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It

3720-537: The 2nd , 6th , and 7th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry Regiments , the 19th Indiana , Battery B of the 4th U.S. Light Artillery , and was later joined by the 24th Michigan . This particular composition of men, from the three Western states, led it to be sometimes referred to as the "Iron Brigade of the West". They were known throughout the war as the "Black Hats" because of the black 1858 model Hardee hats issued to Army regulars , rather than

3906-408: The 61st Ohio , 74th Pennsylvania , and 8th West Virginia , engaged part of Gregg and Branch's brigades, but were forced to retreat. Kearny however did not move forward. His three brigades instead marched to the banks of Bull Run Creek, where Orlando Poe 's brigade forded the creek. The arrival of Poe's brigade aroused panic at Jackson's headquarters, as the dreaded scenario of Union troops getting in

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4092-530: The Army of Arkansas and fought in Maj. Gen. Sterling Price 's Missouri Expedition, in 1864. The 2nd Brigade of the U.S. Army's 1st Armored Division has carried the Iron Brigade moniker since 1985 and was previously called the "Black Hat" Brigade. The 3d Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division was known as the Iron Brigade from its formation in 1917 through World War I, World War II and Vietnam, until some time in

4278-655: The Army of the Cumberland and Army of Tennessee. There have been other brigades known by the same name. Another brigade in the Army of the Potomac had previously been known as the Iron Brigade, later the " Iron Brigade of the East " or "First Iron Brigade", to avoid confusion. This unit was the 1st Brigade, 1st Division, I Corps, also known as Merideth's Brigade. It consisted of the 22nd New York , 24th New York , 30th New York , 14th Regiment (New York State Militia) , and 2nd U.S. Sharpshooters . Although this Iron Brigade of

4464-549: The Battle Of Antietam , September 17, 1862, where the brigade was heavily engaged in the cornfield. Of the 800 men of the Iron Brigade engaged at Antietam, 343 were killed or wounded. The 6th Wisconsin lost 150 out of the 280 men they brought into battle that day. The 24th Michigan Volunteer Infantry Regiment joined the brigade on October 8, 1862, prior to the Battle of Fredericksburg in December. The Iron Brigade

4650-534: The Battle of Hampton Roads (March 8–9, 1862), Virginia defeated wooden U.S. Navy ships blockading the harbor of Hampton Roads, Virginia, including the frigates USS Cumberland and USS Congress on March 8, calling into question the viability of any of the wooden ships in the world. The following day, the USS Monitor ironclad arrived at the scene and engaged with the Virginia , the famous first duel of

4836-597: The Battle of Thoroughfare Gap on August 28, Longstreet's wing broke through light Union resistance and marched through the gap to join Jackson. This seemingly inconsequential action virtually ensured Pope's defeat during the coming battles because it allowed the two wings of Lee's army to unite on the Manassas battlefield. Gen. Pope 's Army of Virginia of approximately 51,000 men was divided into three army corps: The I Corps , under Maj. Gen. Franz Sigel consisted of

5022-565: The First Battle of Winchester by Stonewall Jackson in the Shenandoah Valley caused the Lincoln administration to recall McDowell to Fredericksburg. A greater impact than the actual casualties, according to Stephen W. Sears , was the effect on McClellan's preparedness for the next major battle, at Seven Pines and Fair Oaks four days later. During the absence of Porter, McClellan was reluctant to move more of his troops south of

5208-620: The I Corps , under Maj. Gen. Irvin McDowell , would be withheld for the defense of Washington , instead of joining him on the Peninsula as McClellan had planned. In addition to the pressure of Jackson's Valley campaign, President Lincoln believed that McClellan had left insufficient force to guard Washington and that the general had been deceptive in his reporting of unit strengths, counting troops as ready to defend Washington when they were actually deployed elsewhere. McClellan protested that he

5394-520: The III Corps was the lead infantry in the Union Army advance. They assaulted Fort Magruder and a line of rifle pits and smaller fortifications that extended in an arc southwest from the fort, but were repulsed. Confederate counterattacks, directed by Maj. Gen. James Longstreet , threatened to overwhelm Hooker's division, which had contested the ground alone since the early morning while waiting for

5580-562: The Orange & Alexandria Railroad . Pope would be forced to retreat and could be defeated while moving and vulnerable. Jackson departed on August 25 and reached Salem (present-day Marshall ) that night. On the evening of August 26, after passing around Pope's right flank via Thoroughfare Gap, Jackson's wing of the army struck the Orange & Alexandria Railroad at Bristoe Station and before daybreak on August 27 marched to capture and destroy

5766-565: The Shenandoah Valley ; and draw Confederate forces away from McClellan by moving in the direction of Gordonsville . Based on his experience fighting McClellan in the Seven Days, Robert E. Lee perceived that McClellan was no further threat to him on the Virginia Peninsula , so he felt no compulsion to keep all of his forces in direct defense of Richmond. This allowed him to relocate Jackson to Gordonsville to block Pope and protect

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5952-409: The Virginia Central Railroad . Lee had larger plans in mind. Since the Union Army was split between McClellan and Pope and they were widely separated, Lee saw an opportunity to destroy Pope before returning his attention to McClellan. He committed Maj. Gen. A.P. Hill to join Jackson with 12,000 men. On August 3, General-in-Chief Henry Halleck directed McClellan to begin his final withdrawal from

6138-511: The Warwick Line caught McClellan by surprise. His hopes for a quick advance foiled, McClellan ordered his army to prepare for a siege of Yorktown . Just before the siege preparations had been completed, the Confederates, now under the direct command of Johnston, began a withdrawal toward Richmond. The first heavy fighting of the campaign occurred during the Battle of Williamsburg in which the Union troops managed some tactical victories, but

6324-636: The "vast labor" involved in the dual role of army commander and general in chief, but McClellan responded, "I can do it all." On January 12, 1862, McClellan revealed his intentions to transport the Army of the Potomac by ship to Urbanna, Virginia , on the Rappahannock River , outflanking the Confederate forces near Washington, and proceeding 50 miles (80 km) overland to capture Richmond. On January 27, Lincoln issued an order that required all of his armies to begin offensive operations by February 22, Washington's birthday . On January 31, he issued

6510-853: The 167th Pennsylvania was incorporated into it, and a company of New York sharpshooters. On October 31, 1864 the Keystone Brigade was consolidated with the Iron Brigade as well. The brigade that succeeded it, which included the survivors of the Iron Brigade, was commanded by: Col. William W. Robinson (of the 7th Wisconsin): July 1, 1863 – March 25, 1864 Brig. Gen. Lysander Cutler (6th Wisconsin): March 25, 1864 – May 6, 1864 Col. William W. Robinson : May 6, 1864 – June 7, 1864 Brig. Gen. Edward S. Bragg (6th Wisconsin): June 7, 1864 – February 10, 1865 Col. John A. Kellogg (6th Wisconsin): February 28, 1865 – April 27, 1865 Col. (BVT BG) Henry A. Morrow (24th Michigan): April 27, 1865 – June 5, 1865 The Iron Brigade

6696-410: The 2nd Wisconsin, which suffered 77% casualties at Gettysburg, suffered the third highest total throughout the war. It was third behind the 24th Michigan, also an Iron Brigade regiment, as well as the 1st Minnesota in total casualties at Gettysburg. The Michigan regiment lost 397 out of 496 soldiers, an 80% casualty rate. The 1st Minnesota suffered the highest casualty percentage of any Union regiment in

6882-481: The 33,000 men in the III and IV Corps. The Confederate attack plan was complex, calling for the divisions of A.P. Hill and Magruder to engage lightly and distract the Union forces north of the river, while Longstreet, commanding the main attack south of the river, was to converge on Keyes from three directions. The plan had an excellent potential for initial success because the division of the IV Corps farthest forward, manning

7068-456: The 6th Wisconsin made a night counterattack to restore Union positions previously lost to Confederate troops. Out of the 1,883 men the Brigade initially went to battle with, only 671 reported for duty at the battle's end. The Iron Brigade, proportionately, suffered the most casualties of any brigade in the Civil War. For example, 61%, 1,153 out of 1,885, were casualties at Gettysburg. Similarly,

7254-492: The Army of the Potomac in the field and promoted two major generals to corps command: Fitz John Porter to the new V Corps and William B. Franklin to the VI Corps . The army had 105,000 men in position northeast of the city, outnumbering Johnston's 60,000, but faulty intelligence from the detective Allan Pinkerton on McClellan's staff caused the general to believe that he was outnumbered two to one. Numerous skirmishes between

7440-471: The Bull Run Mountains when in fact King and Ricketts had both retreated southward, while Sigel and Reynolds were south and east of Jackson, who had no intention at all of retreating and was well dug-in and awaiting Longstreet's arrival, which Pope refused to believe was a possibility. Jackson had initiated the battle at Brawner's farm with the intent of holding Pope until Longstreet arrived with

7626-558: The Carolinas and on March 13 became the chief military adviser to Confederate President Jefferson Davis . Forces in the Shenandoah Valley played an indirect role in the campaign. Approximately 50,000 men under Maj. Gens. Nathaniel P. Banks and Irvin McDowell were engaged chasing a much smaller force under Stonewall Jackson in the Valley Campaign . Jackson's expert maneuvering and tactical success in small battles kept

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7812-630: The Chickahominy, making his left flank a more attractive target for Johnston. He was also confined to bed, ill with a flare-up of his chronic malaria . Johnston knew that he could not survive a massive siege of Richmond and decided to attack McClellan. His original plan was to attack the Union right flank, north of the Chickahominy River, before McDowell's corps, marching south from Fredericksburg, could arrive. However, on May 27, Johnston learned that McDowell's corps had been diverted to

7998-470: The Civil War, the 57th Field Artillery Brigade is also known as the "Iron Brigade," a nickname traditionally given to crack artillery units in the Civil War. It was during World War I that the 57th Field Artillery Brigade earned its nickname as it spent many hours at the front and fired more artillery rounds than any brigade in the American Army. The 32d Infantry Division was an infantry division of

8184-471: The Confederate earthworks were empty. McClellan was stunned by the news. He sent cavalry under Brig. Gen. George Stoneman in pursuit and ordered Brig. Gen. William B. Franklin 's division to reboard Navy transports, sail up the York River, and cut off Johnston's retreat. By May 5, Johnston's army was making slow progress on muddy roads and Stoneman's cavalry was skirmishing with Brig. Gen. J.E.B. Stuart 's cavalry, Johnston's rearguard. To give time for

8370-401: The Confederate rear seemed to be turning to reality. Jackson ordered his wagons evacuated from the area and Maj. John Pelham 's horse artillery wheeled into position. The horse artillery and several companies of the 1st Virginia Cavalry engaged in a firefight with Poe's brigade for several minutes. Nobody on the Union side realized that they were getting in the rear of the Confederate line, and

8556-410: The Confederate right flank. He ordered Sigel to attack Jackson's left at daybreak. Sigel, unsure of Jackson's dispositions, chose to advance along a broad front, with Brig. Gen. Robert C. Schenck 's division, supported by Brig. Gen. John F. Reynolds 's division (McDowell's III Corps) on the left, Brig. Gen. Robert H. Milroy 's independent brigade in the center, and Brig. Gen. Carl Schurz 's division on

8742-522: The Confederates continued their withdrawal. An amphibious flanking movement to Eltham's Landing was ineffective in cutting off the Confederate retreat. During the Battle of Drewry's Bluff , an attempt by the US Navy to reach Richmond by way of the James River was repulsed. As McClellan's army reached the outskirts of Richmond, a minor battle occurred at Hanover Court House , but it was followed by

8928-449: The Confederates outnumbered him significantly. By the end of May, the army had built bridges across the Chickahominy and was facing Richmond, straddling the river, with one third of the Army south of the river, two thirds north. (This disposition, which made it difficult for one part of the army to reinforce the other quickly, would prove to be a significant problem in the upcoming Battle of Seven Pines ). On May 18, McClellan reorganized

9114-523: The Confederates to conceal themselves, while maintaining good observation points of the Warrenton Turnpike, the likely avenue of Union movement, only a few hundred yards to the south. There were good approach roads for Longstreet to join Jackson, or for Jackson to retreat to the Bull Run Mountains if he could not be reinforced in time. Finally, the unfinished railroad grade offered cuts and fills that could be used as ready-made entrenchments. In

9300-634: The East served in the same infantry division as the Iron Brigade of the West, press attention focused primarily on the latter. Most of the Eastern regiments were mustered out before the Battle of Gettysburg , where the remaining Eastern Iron Brigade Regiments and the Iron Brigade of the West arguably achieved their greatest fame. Recent scholarship identifies two other brigades referred to by their members or others as "The Iron Brigade": 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, III Corps (17th Maine, 3rd Michigan, 5th Michigan, 1st, 37th, and 101st New York) Reno's Brigade from

9486-590: The Hoosiers instead. This brigade was initially designated the 3rd Brigade of Maj. Gen. Irvin McDowell 's division of the Army of the Potomac, and then the 3rd Brigade, I Corps. McDowell's I Corps did not join the bulk of the Army of the Potomac in the Peninsula Campaign . In June 1862 it was reflagged the III Corps of Maj. Gen. John Pope's Army of Virginia . Now under the command of John Gibbon ,

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9672-555: The Iron Brigade, Josiah E. Cass of Eau Claire, Wisconsin , died on 2 December 1947, from a fractured hip suffered in a fall. He was 100 years old. The brigade commanders, disregarding temporary assignments, were: Brig. Gen. Rufus King: September 28, 1861 – May 7, 1862 Brig. Gen. John Gibbon: May 7, 1862 – November 4, 1862 Brig. Gen. Solomon Meredith: November 25, 1862 – July 1, 1863 (wounded at Gettysburg ) The Iron Brigade lost its all-Western status on July 16, 1863, following its crippling losses at Gettysburg, when

9858-489: The New Bridge and Hanover Court House Roads intersection. This movement exposed the rear of Porter's command to attack by the bulk of Branch's force, which Porter had mistakenly assumed was at Hanover Court House. Branch also made a poor assumption—that Porter's force was significantly smaller than it turned out to be—and attacked. The initial assault was repulsed, but Martindale's force was eventually almost destroyed by

10044-564: The North Carolina expedition (21st and 35th Massachusetts, 51st Pennsylvania, and 51st New York) The Horn Brigade , a unit serving in the Western Theater, was known as the "Iron Brigade of the Army of the Cumberland." Shelby's Iron Brigade was a Confederate cavalry brigade also known as the "Missouri Iron Brigade". The Confederate Iron Brigade was part of the division, commanded by Brig. Gen. Joseph O. "Jo" Shelby , in

10230-699: The Peninsula and to return to Northern Virginia to support Pope. McClellan protested and did not begin his redeployment until August 14. On August 9, Nathaniel Banks's corps attacked Jackson at Cedar Mountain , gaining an early advantage, but a Confederate counterattack led by A.P. Hill drove Banks back across Cedar Creek. Jackson's advance was stopped, however, by the Union division of Brig. Gen. James B. Ricketts . By now Jackson had learned that Pope's corps were all together, foiling his plan of defeating each in separate actions. He remained in position until August 12, then withdrew to Gordonsville. On August 13, Lee sent Longstreet to reinforce Jackson. From August 22 to 25,

10416-573: The Potomac commander Maj. Gen. George B. McClellan , seeking orders. As the Western men advanced up the National Road, forcing the Confederate line back to the gap, McClellan asked, "What troops are those fighting in the Pike?" Hooker replied, "[Brigadier] General Gibbon's brigade of Western men."McClellan stated, "They must be made of iron." Hooker said that the brigade had performed even more superbly at Second Bull Run. To this, McClellan said that

10602-586: The Potomac pushed slowly up the Pamunkey, establishing supply bases at Eltham's Landing, Cumberland Landing, and White House Landing . White House, the plantation of W.H.F. "Rooney" Lee , son of General Robert E. Lee , became McClellan's base of operations. Using the Richmond and York River Railroad , McClellan could bring his heavy siege artillery to the outskirts of Richmond. He moved slowly and deliberately, reacting to faulty intelligence that led him to believe

10788-512: The Potomac, ostensibly so that McClellan would be free to devote all his attention to the move on Richmond. Although McClellan was assuaged by supportive comments Lincoln made to him, in time he saw the change of command very differently, describing it as a part of an intrigue "to secure the failure of the approaching campaign." The Army of the Potomac had approximately 50,000 men at Fort Monroe when McClellan arrived in late March, but this number grew to 121,500 before hostilities began. The army

10974-527: The Richmond defenses. At 7:45 a.m., the USS Galena closed to within 600 yards (550 m) of the fort and anchored, but before she could open fire, two Confederate rounds pierced the lightly armored vessel. The battle lasted over three hours and during that time, Galena remained almost stationary and took 45 hits. Her crew reported casualties of 14 dead or mortally wounded and 10 injured. Monitor

11160-477: The Richmond defenses. Their defensive line began at the James River at Drewry's Bluff and extended counterclockwise so that his center and left were behind the Chickahominy River , a natural barrier in the spring when it turned the broad plains to the east of Richmond into swamps. Johnston's men burned most of the bridges over the Chickahominy and settled into strong defensive positions north and east of

11346-499: The Seven Days Battles. The result was that the Union army was unable to enter Richmond, and both armies remained intact. On August 20, 1861, Maj. Gen. George B. McClellan formed the Army of the Potomac , with himself as its first commander. During the summer and fall, McClellan brought a high degree of organization to his new army, and greatly improved its morale by his frequent trips to review and encourage his units. It

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11532-473: The Shenandoah Valley and would not be reinforcing the Army of the Potomac. He decided against attacking across his own natural defense line, the Chickahominy, and planned to capitalize on the Union army's straddle of the river by attacking the two corps south of the river, leaving them isolated from the other three corps north of the river. If executed correctly, Johnston would engage two thirds of his army (22 of its 29 infantry brigades, about 51,000 men) against

11718-429: The Shenandoah Valley during the spring (and with scant respect or faith from their comrades-in-arms), I Corps' fighting morale was chronically low. Moreover, until Pope himself arrived, Sigel was the ranking officer on the field and would be in overall charge of the battle. Pope's intention was to move against Jackson on both flanks. He ordered Fitz John Porter to move toward Gainesville and attack what he considered to be

11904-503: The South Carolinans. They let loose multiple volleys of musket fire that sent Krzyzanowski's men running in panic. The Confederates came charging after the disorganized mass of Union troops, clubbing, bayoneting, and knifing resisters, but as they exited the woods and came out onto open ground, Union artillery positioned on Dogan's Ridge opened fire on them and forced them to retreat. To the north, Schimmelfennig's three regiments,

12090-564: The Union about a second line extending from Yorktown to Mulberry Island. This Warwick Line consisted of redoubts, rifle pits, and fortifications behind the Warwick River. By enlarging two dams on the river, the river was turned into a significant military obstacle in its own right. The third defensive line was a series of forts at Williamsburg , which waited unmanned for use by the army if it had to fall back from Yorktown. McClellan's army began to sail from Alexandria on March 17. It

12276-405: The Union blows and following up with vigorous counterattacks. (These were the same tactics that Jackson would employ at the Battle of Antietam a few weeks later.) Schurz's two brigades (under Brig. Gen. Alexander Schimmelfennig and Col. Włodzimierz Krzyżanowski ) skirmished heavily with Gregg and Thomas, with both sides committing their forces piecemeal. Hand-to-hand combat ensued in the woods to

12462-484: The Union defeat in the Second Battle of Bull Run , the III Corps was transferred back to the Army of the Potomac and redesignated the I Corps, under the command of Joseph Hooker . Gibbon's brigade was reflagged yet again, becoming the 4th Brigade, 1st Division, I Corps. The brigade next went into action at The Battle Of South Mountain , September 14, 1862, where they received their coveted nickname. Then again at

12648-414: The Union men from reinforcing McClellan, much to his dismay. He had planned to have 30,000 under McDowell to join him. Magruder had prepared three defensive lines across the Peninsula. The first, about 12 miles (19 km) north of Fort Monroe, contained infantry outposts and artillery redoubts , but was insufficiently manned to prevent any Union advance. Its primary purpose was to shield information from

12834-523: The Union troops, by riding up next to the marching Federals in his horse as a farmer, to the horror of his aides, but his presence was disregarded, as the Federals had no interest in a seemingly harmless farmer. Concerned that Pope might be withdrawing his army behind Bull Run to link up with McClellan's arriving forces, Jackson determined to attack. Returning to his position behind the tree line, he told his subordinates, "Bring out your men, gentlemen." At about 6:30 p.m., Confederate artillery began shelling

13020-687: The United States Army National Guard that fought primarily during World War I and World War II. It was formed with units from the states of Wisconsin and Michigan. With roots as the Iron Brigade in the American Civil War, the division's ancestral units came to be referred to as the Iron Jaw Division. The division was briefly called up during the Berlin Crisis in 1961. In 1967, the division

13206-462: The Vermont companies withdrew across the dam, suffering casualties as they retreated. At about 5 p.m., Baldy Smith ordered the 6th Vermont to attack Confederate positions downstream from the dam while the 4th Vermont demonstrated at the dam itself. This maneuver failed as the 6th Vermont came under heavy Confederate fire and were forced to withdraw. Some of the wounded men were drowned as they fell into

13392-443: The action as "fierce and sanguinary". Gibbon added his 19th Indiana . Jackson, personally directing the actions of his regiments instead of passing orders to the division commander, Maj. Gen. Richard S. Ewell , sent in three Georgia regiments belonging to Brig. Gen. Alexander R. Lawton 's brigade. Gibbon countered this advance with the 7th Wisconsin . Jackson ordered Brig. Gen. Isaac R. Trimble 's brigade to support Lawton, which met

13578-542: The afternoon. Brig. Gen. Winfield S. Hancock 's 1st Brigade of Baldy Smith's division, which had marched a few miles to the Federal right and crossed Cub's Creek at the point where it was dammed to form the Jones's Mill pond, began bombarding Longstreet's left flank around noon. Maj. Gen. D. H. Hill , commanding Longstreet's reserve force, had previously detached a brigade under Brig. Gen. Jubal A. Early and posted them on

13764-488: The appearance of an endless line of reinforcements marching to relieve him. He also spread his artillery very far apart and had it fire sporadically at the Union lines. Federals were convinced that his works were strongly held, reporting that an army of 100,000 was in their path. As the two armies fought an artillery duel, reconnaissance indicated to Keyes the strength and breadth of the Confederate fortifications, and he advised McClellan against assaulting them. McClellan ordered

13950-462: The area on May 8 and set off in a small boat with his two Cabinet secretaries to conduct a personal reconnaissance on shore. Troops under the command of Maj. Gen. John E. Wool , the elderly commander of Fort Monroe, occupied Norfolk on May 10, encountering little resistance. After the Confederate garrison at Norfolk was evacuated, Commodore Josiah Tattnall III knew that CSS Virginia had no home port and he could not navigate her deep draft through

14136-443: The army commander was operating under two severe misconceptions: that Longstreet was not near the battlefield and that Porter and McDowell were marching to attack Jackson's right flank. As Longstreet's men were placed into their final positions, General Lee ordered an offensive against the Union left. (Longstreet later remembered that Lee "was inclined to engage as soon as practicable, but did not order".) Longstreet, however, saw that

14322-484: The army's right flank and complicate the arrival of McDowell's reinforcements. A Union cavalry reconnaissance adjusted the estimate of the enemy strength to be 6,000, but it was still cause for concern. McClellan ordered Porter and his V Corps to deal with the threat. Porter departed on his mission at 4 a.m. on May 27 with his 1st Division, under Brig. Gen. George W. Morell , the 3rd Brigade of Brig. Gen. George Sykes 's 2nd Division, under Col. Gouverneur K. Warren , and

14508-469: The arrival of Brig. Gen. Philip Kearny 's 3rd Division of the III Corps at about 2:30 p.m. Kearny ostentatiously rode his horse out in front of his picket lines to reconnoiter and urged his men forward by flashing his saber with his only arm. The Confederates were pushed off the Lee's Mill Road and back into the woods and the abatis of their defensive positions. There, sharp firefights occurred until late in

14694-448: The arrival of the wing of Lee's army commanded by Maj. Gen. James Longstreet . On August 28, 1862, Jackson attacked a Union column just east of Gainesville, at Brawner's Farm, resulting in a stalemate but successfully getting Pope's attention. On that same day, Longstreet broke through light Union resistance in the Battle of Thoroughfare Gap and approached the battlefield. Pope became convinced that he had trapped Jackson and concentrated

14880-426: The battle here 13 months earlier) and get in Jackson's rear. The Confederate right flank was potentially vulnerable, as it was held by Taliaferro's (now Starke's) division, the smallest of Jackson's three divisions and which had also taken significant casualties in the fighting at Brawner's Farm. Jackson thus placed the brigades of Early and Forno on the right end of the line, both large brigades that had not been engaged

15066-471: The blue kepis worn by most other Union Army units. The all-Western brigade, composed of Wisconsin, Michigan and Indiana troops, earned their famous nickname, while under the command of Brig. Gen. John Gibbon , who led the brigade into its first battle. On August 28, 1862, during the preliminary phases of the Second Battle of Bull Run , it stood up against attacks from a superior force under Maj. Gen Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson at Brawner's Farm, during

15252-478: The brigade consisted of the "best troops in the world". Hooker supposedly was elated and rode off without his orders. There are a few stories related to the origin, but the men immediately adopted the name, which was quickly used in print after South Mountain. The unit that eventually became known as the Iron Brigade was activated on October 1, 1861, upon the arrival in Washington, D.C. , of the 7th Wisconsin. It

15438-452: The bulk of his army against him. On August 29, Pope launched a series of assaults against Jackson's position along an unfinished railroad grade. The attacks were repulsed with heavy casualties on both sides. At noon, Longstreet arrived on the field from Thoroughfare Gap and took position on Jackson's right flank. On August 30, Pope renewed his attacks, seemingly unaware that Longstreet was on the field. When massed Confederate artillery devastated

15624-485: The bulk of his army to get free, Johnston detached part of his force to make a stand at a large earthen fortification, Fort Magruder , straddling the Williamsburg Road (from Yorktown), constructed earlier by Magruder. The Battle of Williamsburg was the first pitched battle of the Peninsula campaign, in which nearly 41,000 Union and 32,000 Confederates were engaged. Brig. Gen. Joseph Hooker 's 2nd Division of

15810-404: The chain of command. On Longstreet's part, he either misunderstood his orders or chose to modify them without informing Johnston, changing his route of march to collide with Hill's, which not only delayed the advance, but limited the attack to a narrow front with only a fraction of its total force. Exacerbating the problems on both sides was a severe thunderstorm on the night of May 30, which flooded

15996-542: The city. McClellan positioned his 105,000-man army to focus on the northeast sector, for two reasons. First, the Pamunkey River , which ran roughly parallel to the Chickahominy, offered a line of communication that could enable McClellan to get around Johnston's left flank. Second, McClellan anticipated the arrival of McDowell's I Corps, scheduled to march south from Fredericksburg to reinforce his army, and thus needed to protect their avenue of approach. The Army of

16182-478: The command of Col. Edgar O'Connor, advanced obliquely back through the woods the Federal column was passing through. When the 430 men emerged from the woods on John Brawner's farm they were quietly formed and advanced up the hill. Upon reaching the plateau, they deployed skirmishers who drove back Confederate skirmishers. They soon received a heavy volley into their right flank by 800 men of the fabled Stonewall Brigade , commanded by Col. William S. Baylor . Absorbing

16368-627: The company of Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton and Secretary of the Treasury Salmon P. Chase on the Treasury Department's revenue cutter Miami . Lincoln believed that the city of Norfolk was vulnerable and that control of the James was possible, but McClellan was too busy at the front to meet with the president. Exercising his direct powers as commander in chief, Lincoln ordered naval bombardments of Confederate batteries in

16554-439: The construction of siege fortifications and brought his heavy siege guns to the front. In the meantime, Gen. Johnston brought reinforcements for Magruder. McClellan chose not to attack without more reconnaissance and ordered his army to entrench in works parallel to Magruder's and besiege Yorktown. McClellan reacted to Keyes's report, as well as to reports of enemy strength near the town of Yorktown, but he also received word that

16740-455: The culmination of his victory, but instead, he found that Sigel's attack had failed completely with Schurz and Milroy's troops shot up, disorganized, and incapable of further action. Reynolds and Schenck's divisions were fresh, but they were committed to guarding the army's left flank. However, Heintzelman's corps and the two divisions of Reno were also available, giving a total of eight fresh brigades, but Pope also assumed that McDowell would be on

16926-417: The direction of Richmond on May 3. Escaped slaves reported that fact to McClellan, who refused to believe them. He was convinced that an army whose strength he estimated as high as 120,000 would stay and fight. On the evening of May 3, the Confederates launched a brief bombardment of their own and then fell silent. Early the next morning, Heintzelman ascended in one of Lowe 's observation balloons and found that

17112-525: The divisions of Reynolds and Schenck extended south of the Warrenton Turnpike, overlapping half of his line, and he argued against making the attack at that time. Lee eventually relented when Jeb Stuart reported that the force on the Gainesville–Manassas Road (Porter and McDowell) was formidable. Pope, assuming that the attack on Jackson's right would proceed as he thought he had ordered, authorized four separate attacks against Jackson's front with

17298-470: The divisions of: The II Corps , under Maj. Gen. Nathaniel P. Banks The III Corps , Maj. Gen. Irvin McDowell , who had led the losing Union army at First Bull Run, consisted of the divisions of: The Kanawha Division (detachment) and parts of three army corps of Gen. McClellan 's Army of the Potomac , eventually joined Pope for combat operations, raising his strength to 77,000: The III Corps , under Maj. Gen. Samuel P. Heintzelman , consisted of

17484-515: The divisions of: The V Corps under Maj. Gen. Fitz John Porter , consisted of the divisions of: The VI Corps under Maj. Gen. William B. Franklin The IX Corps under Maj. Gen. Jesse L. Reno , consisted of the divisions of: On the Confederate side, Gen. Robert E. Lee 's Army of Northern Virginia was organized into two "wings" or "commands" totaling about 55,000 men: Maj. Gen. James Longstreet 's Right Wing or Command consisted of

17670-514: The early 2000s when, for reasons that are still unclear, the name was changed to Duke Brigade. The unit crest was an Iron Cross in a triangle, it appears that that was also changed. The 3rd Brigade of the 4th Infantry Division is also known as the Iron Brigade. Its unit crest is similar to the medals issued to veterans of both the Western and the Eastern Iron Brigades of the Army of the Potomac . The 1st Heavy Brigade Combat Team of

17856-472: The earthworks a mile west of Seven Pines, was that of Brig. Gen. Silas Casey , 6,000 men who were the least experienced in Keyes's corps. If Keyes could be defeated, the III Corps, to the east, could then be pinned against the Chickahominy and overwhelmed. The complex plan was mismanaged from the start. Johnston issued orders that were vague and contradictory and failed to inform all of his subordinates about

18042-430: The effective Confederate strength was probably about 50,000 men, possibly as low as 47,000. Union strength was around 63,000 men if Banks's corps is excluded as it was not present at the battle aside from a few detachments. The total Union strength with Banks added in was approximately 70,000 men. The Second Battle of Bull Run began on August 28 as a Federal column, under Jackson's observation just outside Gainesville, near

18228-547: The enemy positions with each volley. On April 16, Union forces probed a point in the Confederate line at Dam No. 1, on the Warwick River near Lee's Mill. Magruder realized the weakness of his position and ordered it strengthened. Three regiments under Brig. Gen. Howell Cobb , with six other regiments nearby, were improving their position on the west bank of the river overlooking the dam. McClellan became concerned that this strengthening might impede his installation of siege batteries. He ordered Brig. Gen. William F. "Baldy" Smith ,

18414-577: The ensuing Maryland Campaign . After the collapse of Maj. Gen. George B. McClellan 's Peninsula Campaign in the Seven Days Battles of June 1862, President Abraham Lincoln appointed John Pope to command the newly formed Army of Virginia. Pope had achieved some success in the Western Theater , and Lincoln sought a more aggressive general than McClellan. Pope's mission was to fulfill two basic objectives: protect Washington and

18600-689: The farm of the John Brawner family, moved along the Warrenton Turnpike . It consisted of units from Brig. Gen. Rufus King 's division: the brigades of Brig. Gens. John P. Hatch , John Gibbon , Abner Doubleday , and Marsena R. Patrick , marching eastward to concentrate with the rest of Pope's army at Centreville. King was not with his division because he had suffered a serious epileptic attack earlier that day. Jackson, who had been relieved to hear earlier that Longstreet's men were on their way to join him, displayed himself prominently to

18786-464: The field and that McClellan would come down from Washington, D.C., with the II and VI Corps . Instead, there was no sign of any of these troops anywhere. Pope momentarily considered withdrawing to Centreville, but became worried of the political fallout that would result if he was seen as insufficiently aggressive. Around this time, a messenger arrived and delivered Pope a note announcing that McDowell's corps

18972-591: The field). Before McClellan could implement his plans, the Confederate forces under General Joseph E. Johnston withdrew from their positions before Washington on March 9, assuming new positions south of the Rappahannock, which completely nullified the Urbanna strategy. McClellan retooled his plan so that his troops would disembark at Fort Monroe , Virginia , and advance up the Virginia Peninsula to Richmond. However, McClellan came under extreme criticism from

19158-445: The field. All other equipment not mentioned included standard field equipment of the Union army consisting of canteens, belts, cartridge box, bayonet and scabbard, haversack and other various items of kit. The Springfield Model 1861 rifled musket, firing the .58 caliber projectile, was issued to the 6th Wisconsin, 19th Indiana, and 24th Michigan regiments. This single-shot, muzzle loading, percussion cap rifle weighed nine pounds with

19344-527: The fight was shot. Confederate Brig. Gen. William B. Taliaferro wrote, "In this fight there was no maneuvering and very little tactics. It was a question of endurance and both endured." Taliaferro was wounded, as was Ewell, whose left leg was shattered by a Minié ball and had to be amputated, removing him from action for the next ten months. Jackson had not been able to achieve a decisive victory with his superior force (about 6,200 men against Gibbon's 2,100), due to darkness, his piecemeal deployment of forces,

19530-501: The fighting, one of Hill's brigadiers, Charles W. Field , was severely wounded and command of his brigade, which had also taken a beating over the course of the day, fell to Col. John M. Brockenbrough of the 40th Virginia. Peninsula Campaign The Peninsula campaign (also known as the Peninsular campaign ) of the American Civil War was a major Union operation launched in southeastern Virginia from March to July 1862,

19716-674: The first large-scale offensive in the Eastern Theater . The operation, commanded by Major General George B. McClellan , was an amphibious turning movement against the Confederate States Army in Northern Virginia , intended to capture the Confederate capital of Richmond . Despite the fact that Confederate spy Thomas Nelson Conrad had obtained documents describing McClellan's battle plans from

19902-399: The first place. Gibbon also stated that he had no idea what had become of McDowell, to which an infuriated Pope replied "God damn McDowell! He's never where he's supposed to be!" Gibbon rode down to Manassas where he encountered Porter's troops resting and drawing rations. In addition, King, exhausted and ill from epileptic attacks, had turned over command of the division to John Hatch. McDowell

20088-505: The focal point of decades of wrangling". It described the attacks on Jackson's left, which were already underway, but was unclear about what Porter and McDowell were supposed to do. Rather than moving "to" Gainesville and striking Jackson's supposedly unprotected right flank, it described a move "toward" Gainesville and "as soon as communication is established [with the other divisions] the whole command shall halt. It may be necessary to fall back behind Bull Run to Centreville tonight." Nowhere in

20274-400: The following divisions: Maj. Gen. Stonewall Jackson 's Left Wing or Command consisted of the following divisions: An exact estimate of both armies' strength at the battle is not possible as different reports and returns provide differing figures. The total strength of the Army of Northern Virginia, cavalry and artillery included, was slightly less than 55,000 men. Factoring in only infantry,

20460-507: The front. In the center of the line, Jackson placed two brigades from Ewell's division (now under the command of Brig. Gen. Alexander Lawton ), and on the right, William B. Taliaferro 's division, now commanded by Brig. Gen. William E. Starke . Jackson's position straddled a railroad grade that had been dug out by the Manassas Gap Railroad Company in the 1850s and abandoned on the eve of the war. While some parts of

20646-462: The grounds of the College of William & Mary . Splitting his command, Early led two of his four regiments through the woods without performing adequate reconnaissance and found that they emerged not on the enemy's flank, but directly in front of Hancock's guns, which occupied two abandoned redoubts. He personally led the 24th Virginia Infantry on a futile assault and was wounded by a bullet through

20832-452: The gunboats, but his guns had insufficient range, so he disengaged around 2 p.m. Union troops moved back into the woods after the Confederates left, but made no further attempt to advance. Although the action was tactically inconclusive, Franklin missed an opportunity to intercept the Confederate retreat from Williamsburg, allowing it to pass unmolested. President Lincoln witnessed part of the campaign, having arrived at Fort Monroe on May 6 in

21018-411: The harassing cannons. Gibbon met the 2nd in the woods saying, "If we can get you up there quietly, we can capture those guns." Our men on the left loaded and fired with the energy of madmen, and the 6th worked with equal desperation. This stopped the rush of the enemy and they halted and fired upon us their deadly musketry. During a few awful moments, I could see by the lurid light of the powder flashes,

21204-530: The heavy fire. Porter quickly dispatched the two regiments back to the Kinney Farm. The Confederate line broke under the weight of thousands of new troops and they retreated back through Peake's Crossing to Ashland . The estimates of Union casualties at Hanover Court House vary, from 355 (62 killed, 233 wounded, 70 captured) to 397. The Confederates left 200 dead on the field and 730 were captured by Porter's cavalry. McClellan claimed that Hanover Court House

21390-412: The intent of diverging the Confederates' attention until Porter delivered the fatal blow. Brig. Gen. Cuvier Grover 's brigade attacked at 3 p.m., expecting to be supported by Kearny's division. With Isaac Stevens's division behind him as support, Grover moved his brigade into the woods and charged right at Edward Thomas's Georgia brigade. Grover's men got all the way to the railroad embankment and unleashed

21576-400: The ironclads. The battle, although inconclusive, received worldwide publicity. After the battle, it was clear that ironclad ships were the future of naval warfare. Neither ship severely damaged the other; the only net result was keeping Virginia from attacking any more wooden ships. On March 11, 1862, Lincoln removed McClellan as general-in-chief, leaving him in command of only the Army of

21762-466: The landing road, supported in the rear by portions of two more brigades (Brig. Gens. Henry W. Slocum and Philip Kearny ). Newton's skirmish line was pushed back as Brig. Gen. John Bell Hood 's Texas Brigade advanced, with Hampton to his right. As a second brigade followed Hood on his left, the Union troops retreated from the woods to the plain before the landing, seeking cover from the fire of Federal gunboats. Whiting employed artillery fire against

21948-564: The last of Gibbon's regiments, the 6th Wisconsin . After Trimble's brigade entered the action, Gibbon needed to fill a gap in his line between the 6th Wisconsin and the rest of the Iron Brigade regiments. Doubleday sent in the 56th Pennsylvania and the 76th New York , who advanced through the woods and checked the new Confederate advance. These men arrived at the scene after dark and both Trimble and Lawton launched uncoordinated assaults against them. Horse artillery under Captain John Pelham

22134-541: The line. At 5 p.m. Kearny sent Robinson and Birney's brigades surging forward into A.P. Hill's exhausted division. The brunt of the attack fell on Maxcy Gregg's brigade, which had defended against two major assaults over eight hours that day and was nearly out of ammunition in addition to having lost most of its officers. As they fell back onto the edge of a hillside, Gregg lopped some wildflowers with his old Revolutionary War scimitar and remarked, "Let us die here my men, let us die here." With both Thomas's and Gregg's brigades on

22320-400: The lines of the armies occurred from May 23 to May 26. Tensions were high in the city, particularly following the earlier sounds of the naval gun battle at Drewry's Bluff. While skirmishing occurred all along the line between the armies, McClellan heard a rumor that a Confederate force of 17,000 was moving to Hanover Court House, north of Mechanicsville . If this were true, it would threaten

22506-548: The loss of two of his division commanders, and the tenacity of the enemy. But he had achieved his strategic intent, attracting the attention of John Pope. Pope wrongly assumed that the fight at the Brawner Farm occurred as Jackson was retreating from Centreville. Pope believed he had "bagged" Jackson and sought to capture him before he could be reinforced by Longstreet. Pope's dispatch sent that evening to Maj. Gen. Philip Kearny stated, in part, "General McDowell has intercepted

22692-748: The main body of the army to arrive. Hooker had expected Baldy Smith's division of the IV Corps , marching north on the Yorktown Road, to hear the sound of battle and come in on Hooker's right in support. However, Smith had been halted by Sumner more than a mile away from Hooker's position. He had been concerned that the Confederates would leave their fortifications and attack him on the Yorktown Road. Longstreet's men did leave their fortifications, but they attacked Hooker, not Smith or Sumner. The brigade of Brig. Gen. Cadmus M. Wilcox applied strong pressure to Hooker's line. Hooker's retreating men were aided by

22878-480: The massive Union supply depot at Manassas Junction. This surprise movement forced Pope into an abrupt retreat from his defensive line along the Rappahannock. During the night of August 27–28, Jackson marched his divisions north to the First Bull Run (Manassas) battlefield, where he took position behind an unfinished railroad grade below Stony Ridge. The defensive position was a good one. The heavy woods allowed

23064-507: The middle of the railroad embankment known as "The Dump" and got in the rear of Isaac Trimble's Confederate brigade. However, Trimble was quickly reinforced by part of Bradley Johnson's Virginia brigade and the 82nd Ohio was forced to retreat. Its commander, Col. James Cantwell, was shot dead and the regiment fled in panic, causing the 5th West Virginia behind them to also retreat in disorder. In just 20 minutes of fighting, Milroy's brigade had taken 300 casualties. Schenck and Reynolds, subjected to

23250-526: The navy and by Captain Augustus H. Drewry of the army, the owner of the property that bore his name. The eight cannons in the fort, including field artillery pieces and five naval guns, some salvaged from the Virginia , commanded the river for miles in both directions. Guns from the CSS Patrick Henry , including an 8-inch (200 mm) smoothbore, were just upriver and sharpshooters gathered on

23436-460: The onslaught. To check the Confederate counterattack, Pope pulled Schenck from south of the turnpike and with artillery support, forced the Confederates back to the shelter of the railroad embankment. While all this was going on, Kearny still remained out of the action. Reynolds was ordered to conduct a spoiling attack south of the turnpike and encountered Longstreet's men, causing him to call off his demonstration. Pope dismissed Reynolds's concern as

23622-489: The open fields until Union artillery halted their advance. At 4:30 p.m., Pope finally sent an explicit order to Porter to attack, but his aide (his nephew) lost his way and did not deliver the message until 6:30 p.m. In any event, Porter was in no better position to attack then than he had been earlier in the day. But in anticipation of the attack that would not come, Pope ordered Kearny to attack Jackson's far left flank, intending to put strong pressure on both ends of

23808-525: The order did Pope explicitly direct Porter and McDowell to attack and he concluded the order with, "If any considerable advantages are to be gained from departing from this order it will not be strictly carried out," rendering the document virtually useless as a military order. Meanwhile, Stuart's cavalry under Col. Thomas Rosser deceived the Union generals by dragging tree branches behind a regiment of horses to simulate great clouds of dust from large columns of marching soldiers. At this time, McDowell received

23994-505: The portion of the column to their front, John Gibbon's Black Hat Brigade (later to be named the Iron Brigade ). Gibbon, a former artilleryman, responded with fire from Battery B, 4th U.S. Artillery. The artillery exchange halted King's column. Hatch's brigade had proceeded past the area and Patrick's men, in the rear of the column, sought cover, leaving Gibbon and Doubleday to respond to Jackson's attack. Gibbon assumed that, since Jackson

24180-543: The press and the Congress when it was found that Johnston's forces had not only slipped away unnoticed, but had for months fooled the Union Army through the use of Quaker Guns . A further complication for the campaign planning was the emergence of the first Confederate ironclad warship , CSS Virginia , which threw Washington into a panic and made naval support operations on the James River seem problematic. In

24366-434: The previous Union attacks during the day, Nagle was unsupported and had no chance against overwhelming enemy numbers. Henry Forno's Louisiana brigade counterattacked and drove Nagle back. Bradley Johnson and Col. Leroy Stafford's 9th Louisiana joined in the assault. To the south, John Hood's division had just arrived on the field, forcing back Milroy and Nagle. Milroy's already exhausted brigade fell apart and started to run from

24552-435: The previous evening and were fresh. Aside from bolstering Starke's understrength division, they were to watch and give notice of Longstreet's arrival. At daybreak on the 29th, Pope had learned to his surprise and annoyance that Ricketts and King had both withdrawn south. In addition, John Gibbon arrived at Centreville and informed Pope that the retreat from Groveton was a mistake, ignoring the fact that he had recommended it in

24738-404: The railroad grade were a good defensive position, others were not, moreover the heavily wooded terrain largely precluded the use of artillery aside from the right end of the line, which faced open fields. Fitz Lee's cavalry along with a battery of horse artillery were anchoring the left flank of the Confederate line, in case any Union troops attempted to cross Sudley Ford (as McDowell had done during

24924-422: The remainder of the Army of Northern Virginia. Longstreet's 25,000 men began their march from Thoroughfare Gap at 6 a.m. on August 29; Jackson sent Stuart to guide the initial elements of Longstreet's column into positions that Jackson had preselected. While he waited for their arrival, Jackson reorganized his defense in case Pope attacked him that morning, positioning 20,000 men in a 3,000-yard (2,700 m) line to

25110-463: The retreat of the enemy and is now in his front ... Unless he can escape by by-paths leading to the north to-night, he must be captured." Gibbon conferred with King, Patrick, and Doubleday as to the next move, because McDowell was "lost in the woods". The division was in an exposed position with two of its brigades badly cut up, and facing Stonewall Jackson's entire corps. Although the Union generals did not know exactly how many men Jackson had with him, it

25296-538: The right. Schurz's two brigades, moving north on the Manassas-Sudley Road, were the first to contact Jackson's men, at about 7 a.m. The actions in Sigel's attack against A.P. Hill's division were typical of all the attacks near Stony Ridge that day. Although the unfinished railroad provided natural defensive positions in some places, in general the Confederates maintained all but a static defense, absorbing

25482-399: The river banks. An underwater obstruction of sunken steamers, pilings, debris, and other vessels connected by chains was placed just below the bluff, making it difficult for vessels to maneuver in the narrow river. On May 15, a detachment of the U.S. Navy's North Atlantic Blockading Squadron , under the command of Commander John Rodgers steamed up the James River from Fort Monroe to test

25668-410: The same time, Ricketts had arrived at a similar conclusion and marched south and away from Jackson as well, in his case towards Bristoe Station. Pope issued orders to his subordinates to surround Jackson and attack him in the morning, but Jackson was not where Pope thought he was, nor were Pope's own troops where he assumed. He believed that McDowell and Sigel were blocking Jackson's retreat west across

25854-425: The shallow pond behind the dam. For the remainder of April, the Confederates, now at 57,000 and under the direct command of Johnston, improved their defenses while McClellan undertook the laborious process of transporting and placing massive siege artillery batteries, which he planned to deploy on May 5. Johnston knew that the impending bombardment would be difficult to withstand, so began sending his supply wagons in

26040-507: The shallow stretches of the James River toward Richmond, so she was scuttled on May 11 off Craney Island to prevent her capture. This opened the James River at Hampton Roads to Federal gunboats. The only obstacle that protected Richmond from a river approach was Fort Darling on Drewry's Bluff, overlooking a sharp bend on the river 7 miles (11 km) down river from the city. The Confederate defenders, including marines, sailors, and soldiers, were supervised by Cammander Ebenezer Farrand of

26226-473: The ships, so Franklin was of no assistance to the Williamsburg action. But McClellan had high hopes for his turning movement, planning to send other divisions (those of Brig. Gens. Fitz John Porter , John Sedgwick , and Israel B. Richardson ) by river after Franklin's. Their destination was Eltham's Landing on the south bank of the Pamunkey River across from West Point , a port on the York River, which

26412-452: The shoulder. Hancock had been ordered repeatedly by Sumner to withdraw his command back to Cub Creek, but he used the Confederate attack as an excuse to hold his ground. As the 24th Virginia charged, D. H. Hill emerged from the woods leading one of Early's other regiments, the 5th North Carolina. He ordered an attack before realizing the difficulty of his situation—Hancock's 3,400 infantrymen and eight artillery pieces significantly outnumbered

26598-406: The side used to hold the brim up in a slouch, and finally an ostrich feather plume. Union Frock coat.: A long, dark blue coat that came down to the mid thighs, resembling that of an officers coat. Fitted with a single breasted row of nine brass buttons, each with the federal eagle on them. The cuffs and collars had light blue trimming and two smaller brass buttons on the cuffs. The inside of the coat

26784-492: The sight of gray infantry in the distance was enough to discourage Poe from advancing any further, so he pulled back across the creek. Robinson's brigade remained in position along the banks of the creek while Birney's seven regiments scattered. One was directed to support the corps artillery on Matthews Hill, another held idly in reserve, and the remaining three accompanied Poe to the banks of the creek until Confederate artillery fire became too hot for them and they pulled south into

26970-482: The south of Stony Ridge. Noticing the buildup of I Corps (Sigel's) troops along the Manassas-Sudley Road, he ordered A.P. Hill's brigades behind the railroad grade near Sudley Church on his left flank. Aware that his position was geographically weak (because the heavy woods in the area prevented effective deployment of artillery), Hill placed his brigades in two lines, with Brig. Gen. Maxcy Gregg 's South Carolina brigade and Brig. Gen. Edward L. Thomas 's Georgia brigade in

27156-438: The town, where they captured the flag of the 2nd Mississippi and took hundreds of Confederate prisoners. The rest of the Iron Brigade were counterattacked in the early afternoon of July 1. The Brigade initially held their ground against the rebel counterattack. The pressure was eventually too heavy, and the Brigade slowly fell back to Seminary Ridge. The Brigade survivors defended the north slope of Culp's Hill on July 2,3, where

27342-405: The turnpike. Assuming that Kearny's division of the III Corps was poised to support him, Schurz ordered another assault against Hill around 10 a.m., now that Schimmelfennig's brigade, plus the 1st New York from Kearny's division, had come up to reinforce Krzyzanowski. The fighting in the woods west of Sudley Road resumed and it came down to a standstill until the 14th Georgia came down to reinforce

27528-430: The two armies fought a series of minor actions along the Rappahannock River . Heavy rains had swollen the river and Lee was unable to force a crossing. By this time, reinforcements from the Army of the Potomac were arriving from the Peninsula. Lee's new plan in the face of all these additional forces outnumbering him was to send Jackson and Stuart with half of the army on a flanking march to cut Pope's line of communication,

27714-557: The two attacking Confederate regiments, fewer than 1,200 men with no artillery support. He called off the assault after it had begun, but Hancock ordered a counterattack. After the battle, the counterattack received significant publicity as a major, gallant bayonet charge and McClellan's description of Hancock's "superb" performance gave him the nickname, "Hancock the Superb." Confederate casualties at Williamsburg were 1,682, Union 2,283. McClellan miscategorized his first significant battle as

27900-657: The unit's tenacity by punching through the German lines, like an arrow and calling the unit Les Terribles , meaning The Terrors . The name "Iron Brigade" has also been used to describe the offensive line of the University of Wisconsin Badger Football Team. The line is known for its size, strength, and dedication to the protection of the backfield. The Badgers play in Camp Randall Stadium ,

28086-454: The verge of disintegrating, A.P. Hill sent a message to Jackson calling for help. Meanwhile, Daniel Leasure's brigade of Isaac Stevens's division crept around to the south and forced back James Archer's Tennessee brigade. Jubal Early's brigade, which had begun the day on the extreme right of the Confederate line, and Lawrence O'Bryan Branch 's brigade, which had thus far been held in reserve, counterattacked and drove back Kearny's division. During

28272-519: The volley from 150 yards (140 m), the 2nd Wisconsin did not waver, but replied with a devastating volley at the Virginians in Brawner's orchard. The Confederates returned fire when the lines were only 80 yards (73 m) apart. As units were added by both sides, the battle lines remained close together, a standup fight with little cover, trading mass volleys for over two hours. Jackson described

28458-514: The waning hours of August 28, 1862. The brigade lost 800 casualties, the 2nd Wisconsin losing 276 out of 430 who went into the fight, and at least half of their wounded being shot twice. The designation "Iron Brigade" is said to have originated during the brigade's action at Turners Gap, during the Battle of South Mountain , a prelude to the Battle of Antietam in September 1862. Maj. Gen. Joseph Hooker , commanding I Corps , approached Army of

28644-435: The west of Sudley Road as Krzyzanowski's brigade clashed with Gregg's. As Milroy heard the sound of battle to his right, he ordered his brigade forward, the 82nd Ohio and 5th West Virginia in front and the 2nd West Virginia and 4th West Virginia in the rear as support troops. The two forward regiments were immediately met with volleys of Confederate musket fire, in the confusion, the 82nd Ohio found an undefended ravine in

28830-557: The whole of both lines. The two ... were within ... fifty yards of each other pouring musketry into each other as fast as men could load and shoot. Maj. Rufus R. Dawes , 6th Wisconsin In a few moments our entire line was engaged in a fierce and sanguinary struggle with the enemy. As one line was repulsed another took its place and pressed forward as if determined by force of numbers and fury of assault to drive us from our positions. Maj. Gen. Stonewall Jackson The 2nd Wisconsin, under

29016-702: The woods in pursuit of Grover, but once again the Union artillery on Dogan Ridge was too powerful; a strong barrage forced Pender to retreat. Meanwhile, to the north, Joseph Carr's brigade had been engaged in a low-level firefight with Confederate troops, in the process wounding Isaac Trimble, one of Jackson's most dependable brigadiers since the Valley Campaign the previous spring. With Nelson Taylor's brigade of Hooker's division in support, James Nagle's brigade of Reno's division surged forward and slammed into Trimble's brigade, temporarily leaderless. Trimble's men were routed and began to retreat in disorder, but like all

29202-477: The woods where they joined in skirmishing with A.P. Hill's troops. Sigel for his part was satisfied with the progress of the battle so far, assuming he was merely supposed to perform a holding action until Pope arrived. By 1 p.m., his sector was reinforced by the division of Maj. Gen. Joseph Hooker (III Corps) and the brigade of Brig. Gen. Isaac Stevens (IX Corps). Pope also arrived on the battlefield, where Sigel graciously ceded command to him. He expected to see

29388-477: The wounded as possible under the ongoing firefight. With his brigade in shreds, Milroy attempted to rally the survivors. He then came across Brig. Gen Julius Stahel , one of Schenck's brigadiers, and ordered him to defend against any Confederate counterattack coming from the woods. Although a hundred or so Confederates came bounding out of the woods in pursuit of Milroy, they were quickly driven back by artillery fire and Stahel returned to his original position south of

29574-414: Was a few random shots fired by Confederate pickets on the bluff above the landing, ending at about 10 p.m. Johnston ordered Maj. Gen. G. W. Smith to protect the road to Barhamsville and Smith assigned the division of Brig. Gen. William H. C. Whiting and Hampton's Legion , under Col. Wade Hampton , to the task. On May 7, Franklin posted Brig. Gen. John Newton 's brigade in the woods on either side of

29760-431: Was a remarkable achievement, in which he came to personify the Army of the Potomac and reaped the adulation of his men. He created defenses for Washington that were almost impregnable, consisting of 48 forts and strong points, with 480 guns manned by 7,200 artillerists. On November 1, 1861, Gen. Winfield Scott retired and McClellan became general in chief of all the Union armies. The president expressed his concern about

29946-454: Was abandoned, and he ordered an advance up the Peninsula to begin April 4. On April 5, the IV Corps of Brig. Gen. Erasmus D. Keyes made initial contact with Confederate defensive works at Lee's Mill, an area McClellan expected to move through without resistance. Magruder, a fan of theatrics, set up a successful deception campaign. By moving one company in circles through a glen, he gained

30132-475: Was almost certainly a far greater number than the 4000 men in King's division. Moreover, Confederate prisoners taken in the fighting around Brawner's Farm claimed that Jackson's command numbered between 60,000 and 70,000 men and was poised to strike at first light the next morning. Reynolds and Sigel were some miles away and would not be on the scene until morning, by which time Jackson could easily crush King. Ricketts

30318-530: Was also a frequent target, but her heavier armor withstood the blows. Contrary to some reports, the Monitor , despite its squat turret, did not have difficulty bringing its guns to bear and fired steadily against the fort. The USS Naugatuck withdrew when her 100-pounder Parrott rifle exploded. The two wooden gunboats remained safely out of range of the big guns, but the captain of the USS Port Royal

30504-498: Was an armada that dwarfed all previous American expeditions, transporting 121,500 men, 44 artillery batteries, 1,150 wagons, over 15,000 horses, and tons of equipment and supplies. An English observer remarked that it was the "stride of a giant." With the Virginia still in operation, the U.S. Navy could not assure McClellan that they could protect operations on either the James or the York, so his plan of amphibiously enveloping Yorktown

30690-578: Was being forced to lead a major campaign without his promised resources, but he moved ahead anyway. For the next 10 days, McClellan's men dug while Magruder steadily received reinforcements. By mid April, Magruder commanded 35,000 men, barely enough to defend his line. Although McClellan doubted his numeric superiority over the enemy, he had no doubts about the superiority of his artillery. The siege preparations at Yorktown consisted of 15 batteries with more than 70 heavy guns. When fired in unison, these batteries would deliver over 7,000 pounds of ordnance onto

30876-449: Was close up and would soon be on the field. Pope thus decided that he would drive at Jackson's center. By this time, Longstreet's initial units were in position to Jackson's right. Brig. Gen. John Bell Hood 's division straddled the turnpike, loosely connected with Jackson's right flank. To Hood's right were the divisions of Brig. Gens. James L. Kemper and David R. "Neighbor" Jones . Brig. Gen. Cadmus M. Wilcox 's division arrived last and

31062-450: Was closer, but had Longstreet following far behind. Since staying in place at Groveton was clearly unacceptable, the only other options were retreating either to Manassas Junction or Centreville. Gibbon recommended the former since the exact disposition of the enemy was unknown and going to Centreville risked a disastrous march across his front. King finally agreed, and the division formed up into columns and moved south to Manassas Junction. At

31248-410: Was combined into a brigade with the 2nd and 6th Wisconsin, and the 19th Indiana, under the command of Brig. Gen. Rufus King and were originally known as King's Wisconsin Brigade. The governor of Wisconsin, Alexander Randall , had hoped to see the formation of an entirely Wisconsin brigade, but the Army unwittingly frustrated his plans by transferring the 5th Wisconsin from King's brigade and including

31434-663: Was deactivated and reconstituted the 32d Infantry Brigade of the Wisconsin Army National Guard. It was reorganized in 2007 as the 32d Infantry Brigade Combat Team . The shoulder sleeve insignia currently worn is a red line shot through with a red arrow, giving them the nickname Red Arrow Brigade , which was earned in World War I where the 32d Division was fighting the Germans alongside the French, who noted

31620-571: Was formerly known as the 57th Field Artillery Brigade, at which time its subordinate organizations included the 1st Battalion, 126th Field Artillery Regiment and the 1st Battalion, 121st Field Artillery Regiment from the Wisconsin Army National Guard , plus the 1st Battalion, 182d Field Artillery Regiment of the Michigan Army National Guard . Not to be confused with the famous "Iron Brigade" of

31806-402: Was in a desperate situation and almost trapped, not only an incorrect assumption, but one that also depended on the coordination of all the corps and divisions under his command, none of which were where he intended them to be. The result was that Pope's complicated attack plans for August 29 ended up as a simple frontal assault by Sigel's corps, the only troops in position that morning. I Corps

31992-414: Was lined with cotton to make a better fit. Light/dark blue trousers: depending on the period of the war and unit, trousers versed from light, sky blue to a dark blue the same colour as the coat. The trouser extended from the mid waist down to the ankles and had a pocket on either side. White canvas gaiter: white canvas leggings with leather straps to prevent stones and dirt getting into the shoes whilst in

32178-512: Was not heavily engaged in the battle of Fredericksburg, besides for some minor actions by the 24th Michigan. On February 27, 1863, the brigade, now under the command of Brig. Gen. Solomon Meredith , was redesignated the 1st Brigade, 1st Division, I Corps. The 6th Wisconsin and the 24th Michigan took part in the attacks at Fitzhugh's Crossing, April 29, 1863, losing a combined total casualty list of 58. The brigade took pride in its designation, "1st Brigade, 1st Division, I Corps", under which it played

32364-501: Was noted for consistently wearing the dress uniform of the US Army. While many Union regiments were issued the dress uniform and wore it from time to time, much of the Iron Brigade wore it on campaign and in combat. It consisted of: A Hardee black hat: A tall blocked, brimmed black hat, featuring a brass infantry bugle, a red I Corps circle patch and brass numbers/letters of the front to indicate units and companies. A brass eagle badge on

32550-631: Was ordered forward by Jackson and fired at the 19th Indiana from less than 100 yards (91 m). The engagement ended around 9 p.m., with Gibbon's men slowly retreating backwards still firing, making their line at the edge of the woods. Doubleday's regiments retired to the turnpike in an orderly fashion. The fight was essentially a stalemate, but at a heavy cost, with over 1,150 Union and 1,250 Confederate casualties. The 2nd Wisconsin lost 276 of 430 engaged. The Stonewall Brigade lost 340 out of 800. Two Georgia regiments—Trimble's 21st and Lawton's 26th—each lost more than 70%. In all, one of every three men engaged in

32736-670: Was organized into three corps and other units, as follows: On the Confederate side, Johnston's Army of Northern Virginia (newly named as of March 14) was organized into three wings, each composed of several brigades, as follows: However, at the time the Army of the Potomac arrived, only Magruder's 11,000 men faced them on the Peninsula. The bulk of Johnston's force (43,000 men) were at Culpeper, 6,000 under Maj. Gen. Theophilus H. Holmes at Fredericksburg , and 9,000 under Maj. Gen. Benjamin Huger at Norfolk. In Richmond, General Robert E. Lee had returned from work on coastal fortifications in

32922-518: Was placed into reserve. Stuart's cavalry encountered Porter, Hatch, and McDowell moving up the Manassas-Gainesville Road and a brief but sharp firefight halted the Union column. Then a courier arrived with a message for Porter and McDowell, a controversial document from Pope that has become known as the "Joint Order". Historian John J. Hennessy described the order as a "masterpiece of contradiction and obfuscation that would become

33108-411: Was stationed 10 miles (16 km) north at Hanover Junction. Porter's men approached Peake's Crossing in a driving rain. At about noon on May 27, his lead element skirmished briskly with the Confederates until Porter's main body arrived, driving the outnumbered Confederates up the road in the direction of the courthouse. Porter set out in pursuit with most of his force, leaving three regiments to guard

33294-697: Was superior, he was relieved that McClellan finally agreed to begin moving, and reluctantly approved. On March 8, doubting McClellan's resolve, Lincoln called a council of war at the White House in which McClellan's subordinates were asked about their confidence in the Urbanna plan. They expressed their confidence to varying degrees. After the meeting, Lincoln issued another order, naming specific officers as corps commanders to report to McClellan (who had been reluctant to do so prior to assessing his division commanders' effectiveness in combat, even though this would have meant his direct supervision of twelve divisions in

33480-459: Was supposedly at Centreville (according to Pope), and having just seen the 14th Brooklyn of Hatch's Brigade reconnoiter the position, that these were merely horse artillery cannons from Jeb Stuart's cavalry. Gibbon sent aides out to the other brigades with requests for reinforcements, and sent his staff officer Frank A. Haskell to bring the veteran 2nd Wisconsin Infantry up the hill to disperse

33666-406: Was the terminus of the Richmond and York River Railroad . The landing was close to a key intersection on the road to New Kent Court House that was being used by Johnston's army on the afternoon of May 6. Franklin's men came ashore in light pontoon boats and built a floating wharf to unload artillery and supplies. The work was continued by torchlight through the night and the only enemy resistance

33852-418: Was there as well, after spending most of the previous day wandering aimlessly around Prince William County, and not happy to learn of Pope's orders. In effect, King would accompany Porter, while Reynolds was temporarily attached to Sigel's corps, and Ricketts was still some miles away at Bristoe Station in effect leaving McDowell without any command. Pope on the 29th remained firmly wedded to the idea that Jackson

34038-576: Was transferred up north to Camp Butler in Illinois for guard duty. The 6th Wisconsin and 7th Wisconsin fought together until the end of the war. The 24th Michigan was selected to be the honor guard for the funeral of Abraham Lincoln in Springfield, Illinois. In June 1865, the units of the surviving brigade were separated and reassigned to the Army of the Tennessee . The last surviving member of

34224-458: Was widely considered one of the army's weakest links, being largely composed of recent German immigrants who spoke little English: Siegel, though a trained and experienced military officer, was German-born and widely considered a political general promoted by Lincoln solely for his ability to recruit and motivate these German-speaking Unionists (many of whom had enlisted solely to fight under him). Having performed poorly in battles against Jackson in

34410-500: Was wounded by a sharpshooter. Around 11 a.m. the Union ships withdrew to City Point . The massive fort on Drewry's Bluff had blunted the Union advance just 7 miles (11 km) short of the Confederate capital. Rodgers reported to McClellan that it was feasible for the Navy to land troops as close as 10 miles (16 km) from Richmond, but the Union Army never took advantage of this observation. Johnston withdrew his 60,000 men into

34596-527: Was yet another "glorious victory over superior numbers" and judged that it was "one of the handsomest things of the war." However, the reality of the outcome was that superior (Union) numbers won the day in a disorganized fight, characterized by misjudgments on both sides. The right flank of the Union army remained secure, although technically the Confederates at Peake's Crossing had not intended to threaten it. And McDowell's Corps did not need its roads kept clear because it never arrived—the defeat of Union forces at

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