With General Sheridan In Lee's Last Campaign [Illustrated Edition]

By Lt.-Col Frederic Cushman Newhall

Includes Civil War Map and Illustrations Pack - 224 battle plans and campaign maps
“Descended from English and colonial high society-Newhall lived a life of privilege and opportunity. When the war erupted Newhall enlisted in the Sixth Pennsylvania Cavalry and served his various assignments honorably as he rose through the ranks until attaining the position of assistant adjutant to General Sheridan in Feb. 1865.
“This memoir serves two purposes…Newhall not only rehashes the climactic days of April 1865, he acts as defense counsel for Sheridan’s misunderstood character and for his contentious decision to remove Gen. Gouverneur K. Warren from command of the Fifth Corps following the Union victory at Five Forks.
“Newhall opens his memoir with a fiercely loyal vindication of General Sheridan the man and General Sheridan the soldier. Habits common to many Civil War soldiers like cigars and swearing were apparently comfortable within the confines of Philip Sheridan...He then seeks to secure the Union Cavalry’s nascent reputation as a valuable component of the Union war effort.
“Newhall’s rabid defense of Sheridan then subsides as he trades the pulpit for a podium. He describes in surprising detail the progressions of Five Forks and Saylor’s Creek as well as the fracases, reconnaissance missions, and “rides” between the two battles. The battle descriptions emphasize the labors of the Union horsemen but do not ignore the infantry and give appropriate credit where it is due.
“The longest portion of the memoir not only recounts the battles fought but leads the reader on a tour of the final footsteps of both armies making temporal and spatial sense of places like Dinwiddie Courthouse, Jetersville, Burkeville, Prince Edward Courthouse, Appomattox Station, and Appomattox Courthouse. A series of maps helps the reader though this section of the memoir and is invaluable in their assistance.”- Chuck Romig, The Civil War News

• Language: English
• Publisher: Golden Springs Publishing
• Release date: Aug 15, 2014
• ISBN: 9781782895367

Lt.-Col Frederic Cushman Newhall

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 This edition is published by PICKLE PARTNERS PUBLISHING—www.picklepartnerspublishing.com

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Text originally published in 1866 under the same title.

© Pickle Partners Publishing 2013, all rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted by any means, electrical, mechanical or otherwise without the written permission of the copyright holder.

Publisher’s Note

Although in most cases we have retained the Author’s original spelling and grammar to authentically reproduce the work of the Author and the original intent of such material, some additional notes and clarifications have been added for the modern reader’s benefit.

We have also made every effort to include all maps and illustrations of the original edition the limitations of formatting do not allow of including larger maps, we will upload as many of these maps as possible.

WITH GENERAL SHERIDAN

IN

LEE’S LAST CAMPAIGN.

BY

A STAFF OFFICER.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Contents

TABLE OF CONTENTS 4

DEDICATION 13

PREFACE. 14

CHAPTER I. — MAJOR-GENERAL P. H. SHERIDAN. 15

CHAPTER II. — FROM THE SHENANDOAH TO THE JAMES. 23

CHAPTER III. — SHERIDAN’S CAVALRY. 27

CHAPTER IV. — FEELING LEE’S RIGHT FLANK. 32

CHAPTER V. — A FIGHT ABOUT FIVE FORKS. 45

CHAPTER VI. — LEE BREAKS COVER. 63

CHAPTER VII. — THE PURSUIT. 66

CHAPTER VIII. — THE NINTH OF APRIL, SIXTY-FIVE. 95

CHAPTER IX. — BREAKING RANKS. 103

REQUEST FROM THE PUBLISHER 108

MAPS 109

I – CAMPAIGN AND BATTLE MAPS - 1861 109

Charleston Harbor, Bombardment of Fort Sumter – 12th & 13th April 1861 109

1st Bull Run Campaign – Theatre Overview July 1861 110

Bull Run – 21st July 1861 111

1st Bull Run Campaign – Situation 18th July 1861 112

1st Bull Run Campaign – Situation 21st July 1861 (Morning) 113

1st Bull Run Campaign - 21st July 1861 Actions 1-3 p.m. 114

1st Bull Run Campaign - 21st July 1861 Union Retreat 4 P.M. to Dusk 115

II – CAMPAIGN AND BATTLE MAPS - 1862 116

Battle of Mill Springs – 19th January 1862 (6-8.30 A.M.) Confederate Attacks 116

Battle of Mill Springs – 19th January 1862 (9 A.M.) Union Attacks 117

Forts Henry and Donelson – 6th to 16th February 1862 118

Battle of Fort Donelson – 14th February 1862 119

Battle of Fort Donelson – 15th February 1862 Morning 120

Battle of Fort Donelson – 15th February 1862 Morning 121

New Madrid and Island No. 10 – March 1862 122

Pea Ridge – 5th to 8th March 1862 123

First Battle of Kernstown – 23rd March 1862, 11 – 16:45 124

Shiloh (or Pittsburg Landing) - 6th & 7th April 1862 125

Battle of Shiloh – 6th April 1862 - Morning 126

Battle of Shiloh – 6th April 1862 – P.M. 127

Battle of Yorktown – 5th to 16th April 1862 128

Jackson’s Valley Campaign – 24th to 25th May 1862 - Actions 129

Williamsburg – 5th May 1862 130

Fair Oaks – 31st May to 1st June 1862 131

Battle of Seven Pines – 31st May 1862 132

Seven Days – 26th June to 2nd July 1862 133

Seven Days Battles – 25th June to 1st July 1862 - Overview 134

Seven Days Battles – 26th & 27th June 1862 135

Seven Days Battles – 30th June 1862 136

Seven Days Battles – 1st July 1862 137

Battle of Gaines Mill – 27th June 1862 2.30 P.M. Hill’s Attacks 138

Battle of Gaines Mill – 27th June 1862 3.30 P.M. Ewell’s Attacks 139

Battle of Gaines Mill – 27th June 1862 7 P.M. General Confederate Attacks 140

Pope’s Campaign - 24th August 1862 141

Pope’s Campaign - 28th August 1862 A.M. 142

Pope’s Campaign - 28th August 1862 6 P.M. 143

Second Battle of Bull Run – 28th August 1862 144

Second Battle of Bull Run – 29th August 1862 10 A.M. 145

Second Battle of Bull Run – 29th August 1862 12 P.M. 146

Second Battle of Bull Run – 29th August 1862 5 P.M. 147

Pope’s Campaign – 29th August 1862 Noon. 148

Second Battle of Bull Run – 30th August 1862 3 P.M. 149

Second Battle of Bull Run – 30th August 1862 4.30 P.M. 150

Second Battle of Bull Run – 30th August 1862 5 P.M. 151

Battle of Harpers Ferry – 15th September 1862 152

Antietam – 16th & 17th September 1862 153

Battle of Antietam – 17th September 1862 Overview 154

Battle of Antietam – 17th September 1862 6 A.M. 155

Battle of Antietam – 17th September 1862 7.30 A.M. 156

Battle of Antietam – 17th September 1862 9 A.M. 157

Battle of Antietam – 17th September 1862 10 A.M. 158

Iuka – 19th September 1862 159

Battle of Iuka – 19th September 1862 160

Corinth – 3rd & 4th October 1862 161

Second Battle of Corinth – 3rd October 1862 162

Second Battle of Corinth – 4th October 1862 163

Perryville – 8th October 1862 164

Battle of Perryville – 8th October 1862 – 2 P.M. 165

Battle of Perryville – 8th October 1862 – 3 P.M. 166

Battle of Perryville – 8th October 1862 – 3.45 P.M. 167

Battle of Perryville – 8th October 1862 – 4 P.M. 168

Battle of Perryville – 8th October 1862 – 4.15 P.M. 169

Battle of Perryville – 8th October 1862 – 5.45 P.M. 170

Fredericksburg – 13th December 1862 171

Battle of Fredericksburg – 13th December 1862 Overview 172

Battle of Fredericksburg – 13th December 1862 Sumner’s Assault 173

Battle of Fredericksburg – 13th December 1862 Hooker’s Assault 174

Battle of Chickasaw Bayou – 26th to 29th December 1862 175

Stone’s River – 31st December 1862 176

Battle of Stones River – 30th December 1862 177

Battle of Stones River – 31st December 1862 – 8.00 A.M. 178

Battle of Stones River – 31st December 1862 – 9.45 A.M. 179

Battle of Stones River – 31st December 1862 – 11.00 A.M. 180

III – CAMPAIGN AND BATTLE MAPS - 1863 181

Battle of Stones River – 2nd January 1863 – 4 P.M. 181

Battle of Stones River – 2nd January 1863 – 4 P.M. 182

Battle of Stones River – 2nd January 1863 – 4.45 P.M. 183

Chancellorsville Campaign (Hooker’s Plan) – April 1863 184

Battle of Chancellorsville – 1st May 1863 Actions 185

Battle of Chancellorsville – 2nd May 1863 Actions 186

Chancellorsville – 2nd May 1863 187

Chancellorsville – 3rd to 5th May 1863 188

Battle of Chancellorsville – 3rd May 1863 Actions 6 A.M. 189

Battle of Chancellorsville – 3rd May 1863 Actions 10 A.M. – 5 P.M. 190

Battle of Chancellorsville – 4th to 6th May 1863. 191

Battle of Brandy Station – 8th June 1863 192

Siege of Vicksburg – 25th May to 4th July 1863 193

Siege of Vicksburg – 19th May 1863 - Assaults 194

Siege of Vicksburg – 22nd May 1863 - Assaults 195

Gettysburg – 1st July 1863 196

Battle of Gettysburg – 1st July 1863 Overview 197

Battle of Gettysburg – 1st July 1863 7 A.M. 198

Battle of Gettysburg – 1st July 1863 10 A.M. 199

Battle of Gettysburg – 1st July 1863 10.45 A.M. 200

Battle of Gettysburg – 1st July 1863 11 A.M. 201

Battle of Gettysburg – 1st July 1863 12.30 P.M. 202

Battle of Gettysburg – 1st July 1863 2 P.M. 203

Gettysburg – 2nd to 4th July 1863 204

Battle of Gettysburg – 2nd July 1863 Lee’s Plan 205

Battle of Gettysburg – 2nd July 1863 Overview 206

Battle of Gettysburg – 2nd July 1863 Cemetary Ridge A.M. 207

Battle of Gettysburg – 2nd July 1863 Culp’s Hill – Initial Defence 208

Battle of Gettysburg – 2nd July 1863 Culp’s Hill – Evening attacks 209

Battle of Gettysburg – 2nd July 1863 Hood’s Assaults 210

Battle of Gettysburg – 2nd July 1863 Peach Orchard Initial Assaults 211

Battle of Gettysburg – 2nd July 1863 Peach Orchard and Cemetary Ridge 212

Battle of Gettysburg – 2nd July 1863 Wheatfield – Initial Assaults 213

Battle of Gettysburg – 2nd July 1863 Wheatfield – Second Phase 214

Battle of Gettysburg – 2nd July 1863 Cemetery Hill Evening 215

Battle of Gettysburg – 2nd July 1863 Little Round Top (1) 216

Battle of Gettysburg – 2nd July 1863 Little Round Top (2) 217

Battle of Gettysburg – 3rd July 1863 Overview 218

Battle of Gettysburg – 3rd July 1863 – Pickett’s Charge 219

Battle of Gettysburg – 3rd July 1863 – Pickett’s Charge Detail 220

Battle of Gettysburg – 3rd July 1863 Culp’s Hill – Johnson’s Third Attack 221

Battle of Gettysburg – 3rd July 1863 East Cavalry Field – Opening Positions 222

Battle of Gettysburg – 3rd July 1863 East Cavalry Field – First Phase 223

Battle of Gettysburg – 3rd July 1863 East Cavalry Field – Second Phase 224

Battle of Gettysburg – 3rd July 1863 South Cavalry Field 225

Battle of Gettysburg – Battlefield Overview 226

Fight at Monterey Pass – 4th to 5th July 1863 227

Chickamauga – 19th & 20th September 1863 228

Chickamauga Campaign – Davis’s Crossroads – 11th September 1863 229

Chickamauga Campaign – 18th September 1863 After Dark 230

Battle of Chickamauga – 19th September 1863 Morning 231

Battle of Chickamauga – 19th September 1863 Early Afternoon 232

Battle of Chickamauga – 19th September 1863 Early Afternoon 233

Battle of Chickamauga – 20th September 1863 9 A.M. to 11 A.M. 234

Battle of Chickamauga – 20th September 1863 11 A.M. to Mid-Afternoon 235

Battle of Chickamauga – 20th September 1863 Mid-Afternoon to Dark 236

Battle of Chickamauga – 20th September 1863 Brigade Details 237

Chattanooga – 23rd to 25th November 1863 238

Chattanooga Campaign – 24th & 25th November 1863 239

Chattanooga Campaign – Federal Supply Lines and Wheeler’s Raid 240

Battle of Missionary Ridge – 25th November 1863 241

Mine Run – 26th to 30th November 1863 242

IV – CAMPAIGN AND BATTLE MAPS - 1864 243

Siege of Petersburg – Actions 29th to 31st March 1864 243

Wilderness – 5th & 6th May 1864 244

Battle of the Wilderness – 5th May 1864 – Positions 7 A.M. 245

Battle of the Wilderness – 5th May 1864 - Actions 246

Battle of the Wilderness – 6th May 1864 – Actions 5 A.M. 247

Battle of the Wilderness – 6th May 1864 – Actions 6 A.M. 248

Battle of the Wilderness – 6th May 1864 – Actions 11 A.M. 249

Battle of the Wilderness – 6th May 1864 – Actions 2 P.M. 250

Spotsylvania – 8th to 21st May 1864 251

Battle of Spotsylvania Court House – 7th & 8th May 1864 - Movements 252

Battle of Spotsylvania Court House – 8th May 1864 - Actions 253

Battle of Spotsylvania Court House – 9th May 1864 - Actions 254

Battle of Spotsylvania Court House – 10th May 1864 - Actions 255

Battle of Spotsylvania Court House – 12th May 1864 - Actions 256

Battle of Spotsylvania Court House – 13th May 1864 - Actions 257

Battle of Spotsylvania Court House – 17th May 1864 - Actions 258

North Anna – 23rd to 26th May 1864 259

Battle of North Anna – 23rd May 1864 260

Battle of North Anna – 24th May 1864 261

Battle of North Anna – 25th May 1864 262

Battle of Haw’s Shop – 28th May 1864 263

Battle of Bethseda Church (1) – 30th May 1864 264

Battle of Bethseda Church (2) – 30th May 1864 265

Cold Harbor – 31st May to 12th June 1864 266

Battle of Cold Harbor – 1st June 1864 267

Battle of Cold Harbor – 3rd June 1864 268

Pickett’s Mills and New Hope Church – 25th to 27th May 1864 269

Battle of Kennesaw Mountain – 27th June 1864 270

Siege of Petersburg – Actions 15th to 18th June 1864 271

Siege of Petersburg – Actions 21st to 22nd June 1864 272

Siege of Petersburg – Actions 30th July 1864 273

Wilson-Kautz Raid – 22nd June to 1st July 1864 274

First Battle of Deep Bottom – 27th to 29th July 1864 275

Second Battle of Deep Bottom – 14th to 20th August 1864 276

Siege of Petersburg – Actions 18th to 19th August 1864 277

Opequon, or Winchester, Va. – 19th September 1864 278

Fisher’s Hill – 22nd September 1864 279

Siege of Petersburg – Actions 27th October 1864 280

Cedar Creek – 19th October 1864 281

Battle of Cedar Creek – 19th October 1864 5-9 A.M. Confederate Attacks 282

Battle of Spring Hill – 29th November 1864 – Afternoon 283

Battle of Spring Hill – 29th November 1864 – Evening 284

Battle of Cedar Creek – 19th October 1864 4-5 P.M. Union Counterattack 285

Franklin – 30th November 1864 286

Battle of Franklin – Hood’s Approach 30th November 1864 287

Battle of Franklin – 30th November 1864 Actions after 4.30 P.M. 288

Nashville – 15th & 16th December 1864 289

V – OVERVIEWS 290

1 – Map of the States that Succeeded – 1860-1861 290

Fort Henry Campaign – February 1862 291

Forts Henry and Donelson – February 1862 292

Jackson’s Valley Campaign – 23rd March to 8th May 1862 293

Peninsula Campaign – 17th March to 31st May 1862 294

Jackson’s Valley Campaign – 21st May to 9th June 1862 295

Northern Virginia Campaign – 7th to 28th August 1862 296

Maryland Campaign – September 1862 297

Iuka-Corinth Campaign – First Phase – 10th to 19th September 1862 298

Iuka-Corinth Campaign – Second Phase – 20th September – 3rd October 1862 299

Fredericksburg Campaign – Movements mid-November to 10th December 1862 300

Memphis to Vicksburg – 1862-1863 301

Operations Against Vicksburg and Grant’s Bayou Operations – November 1862 to April 1863 302

Campaign Against Vicksburg – 1863 303

Grant’s Operations Against Vicksburg – April to July 1863 304

Knoxville Campaign - 1863 305

Tullahoma Campaign – 24th June – 3rd July 1863 306

Gettysburg Campaign – Retreat 5th to 14th July 1863 307

Rosecrans’ Manoeuvre – 20th August to 17th September 1963 308

Bristoe Campaign – 9th October to 9th November 1863 309

Mine Run Campaign – 27th November 1863 – 2nd December 1863 310

Grant’s Overland Campaign – Wilderness to North Anna - 1864 311

Grant’s Overland Campaign – May to June 1864 312

Overland Campaign – 4th  May 1864 313

Overland Campaign – 27th to 29th May 1864 314

Overland Campaign –29th to 30th May 1864 315

Overland Campaign – 1st June 1864 – Afternoon 316

Sheridan’s Richmond Raid – 9th to 14th May 1864 317

Sheridan’s Trevilian Station Raid – 7th to 10th June 1864 318

Sheridan’s Trevilian Station Raid – 7th to 10th June 1864 319

Battle of Trevilian Station Raid – 11th June 1864 320

Battle of Trevilian Station Raid – 12th June 1864 321

Shenandoah Valley Campaign – May to July 1864 322

Operations about Marietta – 14th to 28th June 1864 323

Atlanta Campaign – 7th May to 2nd July 1864 324

Operations about Atlanta – 17th July to 2nd September 1864 325

Richmond-Petersburg Campaign – Position Fall 1864 326

Shenandoah Valley Campaign – 20th August – October 1864 327

Sherman’s March to the Sea 328

Franklin-Nashville Campaign – 21st to 28th November 1864 329

Operations about Petersburg – June 1864 to April 1865 330

Carolinas Campaign – February to April 1865 331

Appomattox Campaign - 1865 332

DEDICATION

"Whoe’er amidst the sons

Of reason, valour, liberty, and virtue,

"Displays distinguished merit, is a noble

Of Nature’s own creating."

"Till we called

Both Field and City ours, he never stood

To ease his breast with panting."

PREFACE.

As it is perfectly true, it seems proper to say that this slight sketch has not in any way been prompted by General Sheridan, who will be aware of its contents for the first time when he closes this book. He has not even been afforded the opportunity to speak for himself, which might perhaps with politeness have been tendered, and therefore he is not behind any of the scenes.

If from want of him the story has lost interest in the telling, doubtless it will be conceded that it has gained in propriety, as public self-eulogy and self-defense have of late grown somewhat unpopular.

The sketch, such as it is, has no object in the world but to fairly present the general and his campaigning to such readers as the book shall find; and the writer refrains from announcing himself only because of a conviction that, if the famous names now upon the title-page fail to receive attention, it would avail very

little to add his own; he does not wish to avoid the responsibility of a narrative which of necessity makes mention of many gallant officers of our army, and if any whose name appears on these pages care to learn the source of this small tributary to the ocean of our war history, he can trace it by an inquiry of General Sheridan or the publishers, if he happen to have no friend possessed of the weighty secret.

Philadelphia, October 1st, 1866.

CHAPTER I. — MAJOR-GENERAL P. H. SHERIDAN.

VERY few civilians of the North would know General Sheridan should they see him. After graduating at West Point he was almost constantly on duty in the far West, and if ever before the war he came to the Atlantic coast, he was unknown to fame, and attracted no attention. During the rebellion he was seldom out of the field; and as soon as Johnston’s army surrendered, without waiting for the grand review at Washington, which would have so delightfully introduced him to many loyal people, he hurried off to the Department of the Gulf to take command of the troops concentrating there for the expected campaign in Texas against Kirby Smith, who had presented an extremely defiant front so long as he was in no danger of being properly looked after.

As is well known, the general has remained in command of that department, now called the Military Division of the Gulf, with his headquarters in New Orleans; and thus, except in his hurried trip from Washington to St. Louis, on his way to Texas, has had no opportunity to meet those who most appreciate his services and whom he most regards. It is thought, therefore, that in this familiar narrative of his operations in the last campaign against Lee, the reader will be glad to find something concerning General Sheridan himself as a soldier and as a man, and will be glad to feel on rather better terms with the general than he has ever been before, especially if, as is likely, he has known him only through his very bad photographs and the stories of his very bad swearing.

But no attempt will be made here to write his life, or to follow him through his boyhood and early manhood to the days of his military distinction,