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Wilderness Driving Tour, #7, Longstreet's Wounding
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While the Texans did little to regain lost ground, they stalled Hancock's attack. Fortunately for the Confederates, by this point, the US forces were almost as disorganized in success as the Confederates had been in retreat. Much like during the attacks at Saunder’s Field, maintaining control of large formations of men in the Wilderness was a tricky business. As the Confederates crumpled before them, US forces rushed forward, degrading unit cohesion and organization. That was not too much of a problem, as the US had forward momentum. But now that they were running into fresh Confederate units it made it more difficult to coordinate. Although the US forces were able to resist the initial Confederate counterattacks, they were not organized enough to retake the initiative. Longstreet's constant assaults ensured that the Federal forces did not have the breathing room to get reorganized. But in much the same way that the Federal assault became disordered by the terrain over time, so too did Longstreet's. First hitting the US troops just after 6 am, the Confederate counterattack began to stall out by 8 o’clock. The two forces settled into a desperate close-in fight, as the woods filled with black powder smoke. "The atmosphere of the woods was now thick and heavy with sulphureous smoke. There seemed not wind enough to raise the dense shroud which clung to our line. Of the struggle along the front of other divisions we really knew nothing. The continuous rack of musketry – the excitement – the cheers of our own brigade – the sometimes sharp and sullen yells of the enemy – all deadened our senses to the fact that we were not alone engaged, but that the entire Army of the Potomac was in the throes of combat with its hereditary antagonist." Charles Cowtan National Zouaves 10th New York Volunteer Infantry. The situation was about to get worse for the US troops, however. Just south of their battle line, and just south of where you now are, rested a clear-cut path intended for a railroad that had never been built. Unknown to the Federals, the chief engineer of the Army of Northern Virginia had scouted the trail and found it perfect for moving a large force unseen around the US lines. Four brigades totaling 6000 men were quietly advanced along the railroad grade until they were around the US left. Around 11 am the brigades unleashed themselves on the US troops, bursting out of the trees in front of you, in much the same way US troops had attacked the Confederates just a few hours before. Caught by surprise from the side, the US line caved in with frightening speed. The flank attack accomplished exactly what Longstreet had hoped it would, breaking the stalemate in the woods and making the Federal positions untenable. As Hancock himself said after the war, Longstreet "rolled me up like a wet blanket." Eager to follow up the success, Longstreet was quick to assemble another force to attack the retreating Federal soldiers, grabbing and advancing a brigade of South Carolina troops led by General Micah Jenkins. Longstreet placed himself near the head of the column along with Jenkins. This, it would turn out, was a mistake. Much of Longstreet's command, Jenkins included, had been recently issued new uniforms made from imported British fabric. Rather than the stereotypical gray or tan, these uniforms were a dark blue-gray color, described by some as being almost black. As the South Carolinians advanced, they found themselves in a sudden and deadly crossfire between the 12th and 41st Virginia Infantry, who in the maze of the wilderness had ended up facing each other on opposite sides of the Orange Plank Road. The Virginians began to fire on each other and their confusingly clothed advancing allies. General Jenkins was mortally wounded in the head and Longstreet took a bullet to the neck before the mistake was realized. Now Longstreet had met nearly the same fate as Stonewall Jackson a year earlier. At first staying on his horse Longstreet continued to ride forward, waving to the horrified troops that had shot him, but it did not take long for him to realize the severity of his wound, saying later “[T]he flow of blood admonished me that my work for the day was done.” Shot through his right shoulder and neck, the bullet took with it a piece of Longstreet’s spine. Although Longstreet would survive, he would never regain the use of his right arm, and his voice would never fully recover. He would not return to the Army until October. In 1863 Lee lost Jackson in the in these same woods just 3 miles away, now in 1864 he would temporarily lose Longstreet when he needed him most. Longstreet's wounding proved to be a lucky break for the US 2nd Corps. Without him to lead it, Longstreet’s attack was as paralyzed as their commander's right arm. It took hours to sort out the mess and reorganize Longstreet’s Corps, hours the Federals were all too happy to put to use.
Description
Arriving on the battlefield just in time, Confederate General Longstreet's led his corps in a flank attack against the Federal position at the Brock Road-Plank Road intersection. Initially successful, the attack could not dislodge the US position. In the confusion, Longstreet was wounded by his own men. Part 7 of the Wilderness Driving Tour explores Longstreet's attack and the consequences of his wounding.
Credit
NPS
Date Created
05/17/2022
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