Category Archives: Richmond Howitzers

LIDAR overlaid with 1916

Posted on June 15, 2017 by Russ

Thanks to my friend Ted Linton who was able to work his computer magic I think we have a treat for you. As I have commented in the past there are features  which existed in the Salient area at least … Continue reading →

Posted in 1864, American Civil War, artillery in the Overland Campaign, Battle of Spotsylvania Courthouse, Battle of the Muleshoe, Bloody Angle, Earthworks and trenchs, field fortifications, Hancock's assault on the Muleshoe, Johnson's Division, May 12, Overland Campaign 1864, Richmond Howitzers, Upton's Charge | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

“Dont move until the infantry does”

Posted on June 14, 2017 by Russ

  Of all the events during the Overland Campaign of 1864 those of May 12 at Spotsylvania stand out. Perhaps the only true rivals for the title of the most significant event of the campaign are Grant’s decision not to … Continue reading →

Posted in 1864, American Civil War, artillery in the Overland Campaign, Battle of Spotsylvania Courthouse, Battle of the Muleshoe, Bloody Angle, Carrington's Battery, Cutshaw's Battalion, Doles Salient, Earthworks and trenchs, field fortifications, Hancock's assault on the Muleshoe, Johnson's Division, May 12, Mule Shoe, Overland Campaign 1864, Richmond Howitzers, Tanner's Battery, West Angle | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Who was Colonel Alexander? (updated 5/31/17 and 6/10/17)

Posted on May 30, 2017 by Russ

One of the fascinating things about the Battle of Spotsylvania Courthouse and its aftermath is the amount of things that we have no answers to. One of them is a simple straight forward question. Who was Colonel Alexander? Now of … Continue reading →

Posted in American Civil War, Battle of Spotsylvania Courthouse, Battle of the Muleshoe, Doles Salient, Earthworks and trenchs, field fortifications, Hancock's assault on the Muleshoe, Johnson's Division, May 12, Mule Shoe, Muleshoe, Overland Campaign 1864, Richmond Howitzers, Upton's Charge | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Pens put up by ambulance men

Posted on May 23, 2017 by Russ

To borrow a phrase from a friend of mine, “the ground doesn’t lie”. By that he meant that while people leave accounts, sometimes accurate, sometimes contradicted by others, participants or not, they can’t change what was done to the ground. … Continue reading →

Posted in 1864, American Civil War, artillery in the Overland Campaign, Battle of Spotsylvania Courthouse, Battle of the Muleshoe, Doles Salient, Earthworks and trenchs, field fortifications, Mule Shoe, Overland Campaign 1864, Richmond Howitzers, Upton's Charge | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

It doesn’t always go right. Or “Oh, fudge!”

Posted on April 24, 2017 by Russ

Sometimes when we read about history it seems that everybody did the right thing, and at exactly the right time. And generally that it was a perfect plan, brilliantly executed by super humans. It was only the fact that somebody … Continue reading →

Posted in American Civil War, artillery in the Overland Campaign, Battle of Spotsylvania Courthouse, Battle of the Muleshoe, Bloody Angle, Carrington's Battery, Cutshaw's Battalion, Doles Salient, Earthworks and trenchs, field fortifications, Hancock's assault on the Muleshoe, Johnson's Division, Mule Shoe, Richmond Howitzers, Tanner's Battery, West Angle | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Some facts to ponder about the march back to the Salient

Posted on April 6, 2017 by Russ

If you were to ask a group of a hundred people what was the most important single thing that effected the Battle of Spotsylvania Courthouse I believe that overwhelmingly you would get one answer. The fact that the artillery which … Continue reading →

Posted in American Civil War, artillery in the Overland Campaign, Battle of Spotsylvania Courthouse, Carrington's Battery, Earthworks and trenchs, field fortifications, Hancock's assault on the Muleshoe, Mule Shoe, Overland Campaign 1864, Richmond Howitzers, Tanner's Battery, West Angle | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Confederate Second Line today

Posted on January 21, 2015 by Russ

Maj. Gen. Robert Rodes division arrived in the vicinity of Spotsylvania Courthouse during the late afternoon of May 8, 1864. It immediately went into position on the right of Kershaw’s 1st Corps division which was in danger of being outflanked. … Continue reading →

Posted in artillery in the Overland Campaign, Battle of Spotsylvania Courthouse, Doles Salient, Earthworks and trenchs, field fortifications, Mule Shoe, Overland Campaign 1864, Richmond Howitzers, Uncategorized, Upton's Charge | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

An exception to the rule updated with LIDAR

Posted on January 12, 2015 by Russ

I’ve added this LIDAR photo of the line that Smiths battery, replaced by Garber on the evening of the 10th, held. When watching the video you will note that the ground behind the trench is dug away behind the pit. … Continue reading →

Posted in Battle of Spotsylvania Courthouse, Battle of the Muleshoe, Doles Salient, Earthworks and trenchs, field fortifications, Mule Shoe, Overland Campaign 1864, Richmond Howitzers, Uncategorized, Upton's Charge | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Can we identify the location of this unit?

Posted on November 25, 2013 by Russ

Perhaps its just me, but one of the things I enjoy the most is trying to nail down the location of a unit at any particular time. Of course we generally only have the testimony of a few people to … Continue reading →

Posted in Battle of Spotsylvania Courthouse, Bloody Angle, Earthworks and trenchs, Hancock's assault on the Muleshoe, Mule Shoe, Richmond Howitzers | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment