Author: Dan O’Connell
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Chickasaw Bayou (2)
Sherman Prepares Designated by Grant to front the expedition Sherman’s task to assemble the necessary resources for the strike at Vicksburg was complicated by several factors. The impending arrival of MG John McClernand left command of the expedition in doubt. McClernand, a political ally of the President, had been given command of any river operations […]
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Chickasaw Bayou – A Retrospective (1)
Introduction As the 150th anniversary of the 1862 battles of the Civil War passes into history there are some that have received little or no attention. In my recent reading of Edwin C. Bearrs three volume history of the Vicksburg Campaign I found just such an example in the fight for Chickasaw Bayou. The excellent […]
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First Battle of Deep Bottom – Conclusion
Conclusion and Assessment The Union bridgehead was removed during the overnight of July 28-29. Grant , searching for some justification for the miserable performance, noted that they had drawn five Confederate divisions north of the river. It made no difference as the mine explosion led to nothing but a bloody fiasco. The promise of operations […]
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First Battle of Deep Bottom – Part VI
July 28th On the morning of the 28th the situation remained unchanged. The Federal line extended along the Long Bridge Road with Hancock’s II Corps on the left and Sheridan’s cavalry on the right. The troopers had experienced only a short little skirmish with the 10th and 50th Georgia the previous day and were itching […]
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First Battle of Deep Bottom – Part V
July 27 (0800-2400) Once across the river Hancock assembled his forces behind “a belt of timber “in Strawberry Plains. At dawn First and Third Divisions threw out skirmishers across the Malvern Hill road. On the right MG Greshom Mott deployed the 99th and 110th Pennsylvania with the 40th New York extending the line as flankers […]
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First Battle of Deep Bottom – Part IV
July 27th (2400-0800) While Foster conducted his isolated fight to preserve the bridgehead Hancock began his move. His orders were to cross the Appomattox at dark and proceed to Deep Bottom. After crossing that river he was to travel by side roads “so that the cavalry, which was crossing at Broadway Landing, might have an […]
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First Battle of Deep Bottom – Part III
July 25-26th Kershaw responding to Lee’s call for aggressive action increased the pressure on the Union bridgehead. As a result the opposing sides conducted a series of back and forth forays for control of the batteries and road network. On the 25th a position gained and held by the 11th Maine was turned over to […]