Tag Archives: Overland Campaign 1864

The beginning of IF

Posted on October 27, 2017 by Russ

I have been working on an article about the events of May 11 and into the wee hours of May 12. Having just finished the first draft and started the editing process I wanted to share some portion of it. … Continue reading →

Posted in 1864, American Civil War, artillery in the Overland Campaign, Battle of Spotsylvania Courthouse, Battle of the Muleshoe, Bloody Angle, Doles Salient, Earthworks and trenchs, field fortifications, Hancock's assault on the Muleshoe, Johnson's Division, May 12, Mule Shoe, Overland Campaign 1864, Uncategorized, Upton's Charge | Tagged 1864, Battle of Spotsylvania Courthouse, Battle of the Muleshoe, Bloody Angle, Brig. Gen. James Walker, Col. Thomas Carter, field fortifications, John Daniel, May 12, Mule Shoe, Muleshoe, Overland Campaign 1864, Richmond Howitzers, Stonewall Brigade, Thomas Carter, West Angle | Leave a comment

The route back to camp

Posted on October 10, 2017 by Russ

We do not know exactly the route that the artillery took as it marched back to its camps. However, as we know the starting, midpoint and destinations we can make a very good hypothesis as to the route … Continue reading →

Posted in 1864, American Civil War, artillery in the Overland Campaign, Battle of Spotsylvania Courthouse, Battle of the Muleshoe, Earthworks and trenchs, field fortifications, Hancock's assault on the Muleshoe, Johnson's Division, May 12, Mule Shoe, Muleshoe, Overland Campaign 1864, Page's Battalion, Reese's Battery | Tagged 1864, Battle of Spotsylvania Courthouse, Battle of the Muleshoe, Bloody Angle, Brig. Gen. George Steuart, Col. Thomas Carter, field fortifications, Hancock's assault on the Mule Shoe, May 12, Mule Shoe, Muleshoe, Overland Campaign 1864, Reese's Battery | Leave a comment

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 1864, Battle of Spotsylvania Courthouse, Battle of the Muleshoe, Bloody Angle, Brig. Gen. George Steuart, Brig. Gen. James Walker, Doles Salient, field fortifications, May 12, Mule Shoe, Muleshoe, Overland Campaign 1864 | 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 1864, Bloody Angle, Brig. Gen. James Walker, Carrington's Battery, Charlottesville Artillery, Cutshaw's Battalion, Doles Salient, field fortifications, Hancock's assault on the Mule Shoe, John Daniel, Maj. Gen. Edward Johnson, Maj. Wilfred Cutshaw, May 12, Muleshoe, Overland Campaign 1864, Thomas Carter, Upton's Charge | Leave a comment

“Stonewall Brigade” lines out in the McCoull Field – updated 6/01/17

Posted on April 28, 2017 by Russ

Recently I was back out at Spotsylvania with the camera. If you’re like me, fascinated by the earthworks, and the story they can tell us, the Stonewall Brigades line across the McCoull field is quite interesting. At first glance it … Continue reading →

Posted in 1864, American Civil War, artillery in the Overland Campaign, Battle of Spotsylvania Courthouse, Bloody Angle, 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, Upton's Charge, West Angle | Tagged 1864, Battle of Spotsylvania Courthouse, Bloody Angle, Col. Thomas Carter, Doles Salient, field fortifications, Jone's Brigade, May 12, Mule Shoe, Muleshoe, Overland Campaign 1864, Stonewall Brigade, Upton's Charge, West Angle | Leave a comment

Addendum to the post “Some facts to ponder about the march back to the Salient”

Posted on April 20, 2017 by Russ

A couple of weeks ago I posted a article recounting a dialogue between an artillery reenactor and myself. This article while was quite well received explained some of the nuances about the artillery arm in the middle of the 19th … Continue reading →

Posted in 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, Mule Shoe, Muleshoe, Overland Campaign 1864, Page's Battalion, Steuart's Brigade | Tagged 1864, Battle of Spotsylvania Courthouse, Battle of the Muleshoe, Bloody Angle, Charlottesville Artillery, field fortifications, Hancock's assault on the Mule Shoe, Jeff Davis Artillery, May 12, Mule Shoe, Muleshoe, Overland Campaign 1864, Steuart's Brigade, Thomas Carter | Leave a comment

Learning to look for Earthworks from the Air – with a little help from the RAF

Posted on April 9, 2017 by Russ

Following up on the surprisingly positive reaction to my post “Some facts to ponder about the march back to the Salient” I thought I would follow up with a similar article about photographs. Back in 2000 I made a connection … 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, May 12, Mule Shoe, Overland Campaign 1864, Upton's Charge | Tagged 1864, Battle of Spotsylvania Courthouse, Battle of the Muleshoe, Bloody Angle, Doles Salient, field fortifications, Hancock's assault on the Mule Shoe, May 12, McHenry Howard, Mule Shoe, Muleshoe, Overland Campaign 1864, Upton's Charge, West Angle | Leave a comment

Was this really a Federal Line? – REWRITTEN April 11 and April 21, May 5.

Posted on April 9, 2017 by Russ

Went out on Monday morning and shot a video of the inner of the two lines shown in the screen grab above. This line has been historically considered to be a line built by the Federals sometime during their occupation of the area after the initial charge of May 12. They would have incorporated it […]

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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, Jone's Brigade at Spotsylvania Courthouse, May 12, McHenry Howard, Mule Shoe, Overland Campaign 1864, Steuart's Brigade | Tagged 1864, Battle of Spotsylvania Courthouse, Battle of the Muleshoe, Brig. Gen. George Steuart, Col. Thomas Carter, field fortifications, Hancock's assault on the Mule Shoe, John Daniel, Jone's Brigade, Maj. Gen. Edward Johnson, May 12, McHenry Howard, Mule Shoe, Muleshoe, Overland Campaign 1864, Steuart's Brigade, Tanner's Battery, Thomas Carter | Leave a comment

The Second Line of Confederate Works near the McCoull Lane – washing away

Posted on April 7, 2017 by Russ

In March of 2014 I was exploring the area adjacent to the West McCoull Lane looking for the elusive traces of the location of Tanners Battery May 11-2, 1864. This battery had been very near Carrington’s battery that day. In … Continue reading →

Posted in 1864, American Civil War, Battle of Spotsylvania Courthouse, Battle of the Muleshoe, Bloody Angle, Carrington's Battery, Doles Salient, Earthworks and trenchs, field fortifications, May 12, Mule Shoe, Overland Campaign 1864, Tanner's Battery, West Angle | Tagged 1864, Battle of Spotsylvania Courthouse, Bloody Angle, Brig. Gen. James Walker, Carrington's Battery, Charlottesville Artillery, Col. Thomas Carter, Cutshaw's Battalion, Doles Salient, field fortifications, Hancock's assault on the Mule Shoe, Maj. Wilfred Cutshaw, May 12, Muleshoe, Overland Campaign 1864, Stonewall Brigade, Tanner's Battery | Leave a comment

“Pop, Pop, Pop”

Posted on October 27, 2015 by Russ

“Pop, Pop, Pop,” those words were written by Brig. Gen. James Walker, commander of the Stonewall Brigade in May of 1864. What the General was evidently attempting to explain at least partly explain the ineffectiveness of the Confederate defense the morning … Continue reading →

Posted in 1864, American Civil War, artillery in the Overland Campaign, Battle of Spotsylvania Courthouse, Battle of the Muleshoe, Bloody Angle, Cutshaw's Battalion, Earthworks and trenchs, field fortifications, Hancock's assault on the Muleshoe, Johnson's Division, Jone's Brigade at Spotsylvania Courthouse, May 12, Mule Shoe, Overland Campaign 1864, Page's Battalion, Steuart's Brigade, West Angle | Tagged field fortifications, Hancock's assault on the Mule Shoe, Maj. Gen. Edward Johnson, May 12, Mule Shoe, Overland Campaign 1864, Stonewall Brigade, West Angle | Leave a comment