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The Bristoe Station Campaign: October 1863

The Bristoe Station Campaign: October 1863. Late Summer 1863. Union Army of the Potomac, commanded by Major General George G. Meade Confederate Army of Northern Virginia, commanded by General Robert E. Lee Both armies still recovering from Gettysburg

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The Bristoe Station Campaign: October 1863

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  1. The Bristoe Station Campaign: October 1863

  2. Late Summer 1863 • Union Army of the Potomac, commanded by Major General George G. Meade • Confederate Army of Northern Virginia, commanded by General Robert E. Lee • Both armies still recovering from Gettysburg • AoP occupies Culpeper and areas north of Rapidan River; ANV south of river

  3. Changes • Longstreet’s I Corps sent to Tennessee on September 8, leaving Lee with only 45,000 men • Union defeat at Chickamauga(Sept. 19-20) • Lincoln sends 11th and 12th Corps to Tennessee, leaving Meade with 76,000 men • Lee decides to capitalize on weakened Union army

  4. Key Players: Maj. Gen. George G. Meade • 1815-1872 • West Point Class of 1835 • Mexican War, Surveyor and Engineer • Brigade, division and 5th Corps commander • Commanded AoP since June 1863

  5. Gen. Robert E. Lee • 1807-1870 • West Point Class of 1829 • Illustrious record • Commanded ANV since June 1862 • Offered his resignation to President Davis in August 1863

  6. Maj. Gen. Gouverneur K. Warren • 1830-1882 • West Point Class of 1850 • Mapped Dakotas, Yellowstone, Montana, Black Hills • 5th NY and brigade commander • Named Chief Topographical Officer and later Chief Engineer of AoP under Hooker. • Promoted to MG in August

  7. Lt. Gen. Ambrose Powell (A.P.) Hill • 1825-1865 • Grew up in Culpeper, Va • Commanded famed “Light Division” at Seven Days, Second Manassas, Antietam, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville • Given command of new 3rd Corps after Chancellorsville

  8. Lee’s Plan • October 4, Lee decides to attack • October 9-10, the offensive begins • Lee sends Hill’s 3rd Corps north to Sperryville, Amissville and flanks Meade near Waterloo; continues to Warrenton • Richard S. Ewell’s 2nd Corps takes more direct route to Warrenton

  9. Meade Reacts • Union scouts notify Meade of an offensive • On Oct. 6-7, US Signal stations on Pony and Thorofare Mtns intercept CS messages coming from Clark’s Mtn • On Oct. 8, Meade readied his men for Lee’s mysterious movement

  10. Meade: October 10-13 • Meade evacuates military stores in Culpeper. • Oct 11: Meade orders AoP to fall back behind Rappahannock River • Pleasonton’s faulty intelligence • October 12: Meade vows to attack Lee; AoP at Three Mile Station (Cassanova, Va) • October 13: While at Catlett’s Station, Meade finally orders AoP to fall back to Centreville.

  11. Meanwhile… • Hill’s Corps reaches Warrenton on Oct 13 • Union 2nd Corps acts as rear guard for the army • The AoP retreats along the Orange and Alexandria RR • US and CS units clog roads; slow going

  12. Battle of Coffee Hill • J.E.B Stuart’s cavalry cut off from CS army – Warren in between Stuart and ANV • Stuart hides men and opts to fight his way out the next morning • Morning of Oct 14, Stuart spots John Caldwell’s 1st Division on hill north of Auburn

  13. Battle of Coffee Hill • Stuart orders up 7 guns and opens fire on lounging Union soldiers • Union guns atop the hill fire back • BG Alexander Hays’s 3rd Division advances on CS guns

  14. Cavalry Melee • Stuart orders a quick withdrawal of his artillery and sends 1st NC Cavalry to attack Yankees to buy time • Col Thomas Ruffin of the 1st NC Cav is KIA • Stuart’s breakthrough successful • 2nd Corps continues march through Catlett’s Station and onto Bristoe

  15. Hill Marches To Bristoe • Hill’s men have longer march due to route • Hill moves through Greenwich and debouches in the fields north of Bristoe Station at 1:30pm • Hill sees Union soldiers crossing Broad Run and assumes he has found the rear of the Union army • Decides to attack “fleeing” troops • Has no idea Union 2nd Corps still had not crossed Broad Run

  16. “Tardy” George Fouls Up • MG George Sykes fails to wait for Warren at Bristoe • 2nd Corps all alone to fight Hill’s and Ewell’s Corps

  17. Brig. Gen. William Whedbee Kirkland • Born in North Carolina in 1833 • Marine Corps officer • Elected colonel of the 21st NC; served from First Manassas through Gettysburg • Took command of J.J. Pettigrew’s NC brigade

  18. Brig. Gen. John Rogers Cooke • Born at Jefferson Barracks, MO in 1833 to BG Philip St. George Cooke • Harvard grad • Served in the 8th US Infantry • Most experienced brigade commander

  19. The Opening Shots • Warren’s men marching along south side of RR tracks. • BG Alexander S. Webb sees Cooke and Kirkland; orders 1st MN north of the RR to screen their movement at 2:15pm • 1st MN engages the 46th NC, right flank regiment of Cooke’s Brigade

  20. Brig. Gen. Alexander S. Webb • 1835-1911 • West Point Class of 1855 • Given command of Philadelphia Brigade by Meade before Gettysburg • Commands 2nd Division, 2nd Corps

  21. Col. James E. Mallon • Born in Brooklyn, NY • 27 years old • Commanded 42nd NY during most of war – “Tammany Hall” regiment • Now commanding brigade; many conscripts

  22. Col. James E. Mallon’s brigade opposed Cooke • BG Joshua T. Owen’s brigade of New Yorkers were on Mallon’s left flank and opposed Cooke and Perry

  23. The Artillery Factor • Maj. David G. McIntosh moved his battalion to knoll 400 yards from RR – only able to field 5 guns • Warren places two batteries (12 3-inch Ordnance Rifles) on slight rise behind infantry and one battery of 4 12-pounder Napoleons on east side of Broad Run

  24. The Battle Begins • 3,000 Federals vs. 4,000 Rebs • Cooke and Kirkland march blindly toward hiding Union troops • At 2:45pm, Mallon’s and Heath’s men stand up and deliver first crushing volley; Union artillery decimates CS lines • Cooke wounded in the leg; Kirkland hit in left arm

  25. The Advance…

  26. Brief yet Brutal Melee • Elements from 48th and 27th NC advance toward center of Mallon’s line near the road junction • Three color bearers of 27th NC cut down • Hand-to-hand fight at RR • Mallon personally rallies the 42nd NY and 20th MA and is mortally wounded

  27. The Mystery Flags • 11th and 52nd NC gain RR and fire into 82nd NY • Cpl. Thomas Cullen of 82nd NY captures the flag from either 47th or 52nd NC • Cpl. Moses C. Hanscom of 19th ME captures the flag from the 26th NC – second time since Gettysburg • Both men win Medal of Honor

  28. Posey and Perry Gain the RR • At 3:30pm, BG Carnot Posey’s MS brigade and BG Edward A. Perry’s FL brigade of MG Richard Anderson’s Division advance toward Union left flank • Briefly hold RR embankment

  29. Smyth to the Rescue • Timely arrival of ColThomas A. Smyth’s brigade and Battery G, 1st NY Light Artillery (2 guns) • Fires double canister from atop the RR; seals the breach

  30. The Fighting Continues • Nearly 300 men captured from Kirkland’s Brigade • By 3:30pm, Cooke and Kirkland retreat • Smyth ordered to advance to support Wass • Wass’s men drag 5 guns by prolonge back to Union line

  31. October 14: Evening • Smyth advances vs. Anderson; US line reinforced with 3 more batteries; artillery barrage 4-6pm - Posey wounded • 4-5pm: Caldwell’s division arrives; so does Ewell’s Corps – ANV never launches all-out attack • Lee’s men make camp on battlefield • 2nd Corps reaches Centreville by Oct 15

  32. The Aftermath: CS losses Kirkland: - 550/1,500or 36% casualties (300 captured) - 26th NC lost 179 men and flag Cooke: - ~650/2,500– 25% casualties - 27th NC lost 290/416 men - 48th NC, 160 casualties **Additional losses in other commands** Total CS casualties:~1,400 /3 genls

  33. US Losses • 256 men killed, wounded and captured at Bristoe Station • ~100 casualties at Coffee Hill Total US Casualties for Bristoe Campaign: 540

  34. Concluding Thoughts • Meade inexplicably retreats to Centreville • Warren performs well as corps commander and fights a smart defensive battle; uses reinforcements and artillery to blunt attack • US staff work commendable • Hill horribly mismanages the attack • Lee fails to follow up with all-out assault

  35. Thoughts… • Lee’s gains strategic victory/tactical loss at Bristoe • Destroys supplies and RR and forces Meade back to Defenses of Washington • Lincoln and Halleck disappointed with Meade • Lee’s strategic success temporary; Meade back again for Mine Run Campaign in November 1863

  36. Bristoe Today • Over 500 Confederate soldiers still buried on the battlefield (including 143 from the October 1863 battle)

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