The battle that took place at New Market Heights was a Union victory, the South undermanned and their forces spread thin. Trying to protect the railhead at Petersburg along with defending Richmond had left Lee in a quandry.
Not only did Lee have this immediate problem to deal with, he had to keep an eye on a large contingent of troops entrenched around Williamsburg, to the south. The 35,000 troops of the Army of the James were led by an officer supposedly inept at the art of war, Maj. Gen. Benjamin Butler.
In May of 1864, Butler moved his troops up the James River to a place called Bermuda Hundred, and after setting up trenchworks, began making a number of attempts to breach the Confederate defenses. None were successful.
Meanwhile, Gen. Grant in June of that year moved about 100,000 men up from Cold Harbor to the south side of the James River. (See "The Little known Battle of Trent's Reach) Grant found himself getting frustated at Lee's apparent resourcefulness in battle.
On September 20th. Gen. Butler came to Grant with a very complex plan for an assault on Ricmond, along with an assault on the railroad supply depot at Petersburg. Grant gave his approval, and Butler left to further work out the details.
The plan Butler gave his officers was for a two-pronged assault. Two divisions led by Brig. Gen. Edward O.C. Ord on the left side were to cross the James at Aiken's Landing using pontoon bridges. They would then head up the Varina Rd. and capture Fort Harrison.
Turning west, they were to destroy any bridges at Chaffin's Bluff, then hit the Osborne Turnpike and go on to Richmond. At the same time as all this was happening, two corps led by Gen. Birney, along with regiments of Gen. Paines' USCT troops were to also cross the James.
They would cross at Deep Bottom, take New Market Heights, and then move on to Richmond using the New Market Road. Paine's USCT troops were to lead the assault, while behind them a calvary unit would follow, moving on to Darbytown Road and on to the Confederate capital.
The morning of the 28th. was foggy, and rebel lines were quiet. What was thought to be a surprise attack was thwarted, when as the troops moved forward up the enbankments, they were met by withering fire from above.
Time after time, the union troops were turned back, with many casualties to show for their efforts. The black troops lost many of their white officers, leaving it up to sergeants to carry out the orders of attack. They did so with vigor.
On the following day, Confederate Gen. Gregg, hearing of the loss of Fort Harrison, pulled troops away from New Market, leaving only a handful of defenders. They were easily overcome by the last surge of the Union troops, and so New Market Heights finally was in Union hands.
The bravery and persistance of Butler's black troops was not overlooked. They had proven themselves under the most horrendous conditions, and their courage was unquestionable. In all, 16 members of the USCT were recipients of the Medal of Honor.
Praise for the USCT was written about in Harper's Weekly and the New York Times. Even praise from Confederate troops was heard. Of the 16 men who received the medal, one died of his wounds, while the rest decided to stay and finish out their service in the army.
Comments