"...those d-----d gunboats"

Wednesday, August 17, 1864, North of James River, Virginia

We are so very frustrated. There is not a man in the company or regiment who is not desperately anxious to wade into those Yankees and soundly whip them to the far, far north. While it is true that we lack decent clothes and full bellies, as long as our cartridge boxes are full, we are content that we can whip any number of Lincoln's hirelings.

For some few days we had guessed that something was afoot. We were instructed by our officers to give our muskets a good going-over and to render our uniforms into a proper military presentation. It was not necessary to say anything about our muskets. We have been in this war long enough to know that our muskets are our lives. A good cavalryman puts his horse before himself. We infantry take care of our muskets better than we take care of ourselves. We did the best with what we had.

There was a lively trade in buttons and thread. Brass buttons are preferred but anything will do. Old shirts and drawers were consigned to the alter of cleanliness. For some of us, we are now wearing the only drawers and shirts that we have. We said that we would get new ones from the Yankees. We sharpened out bayonets, unaware of just how useless they were to be against our intended enemies.

It was an evening march this time and we were glad of it as it was cooler. This has been a very warm summer and Old Sol has sent not a few of us to sick call. We marched with the thought that on the morrow, we would heat up the Yankees. It has been too long since we have dealt them a blow.

On Monday, we were told of our mission. We were going to advance to the James River and attack the gunboats that threatened  to go upriver to capture Richmond. There are still a few of us left who remember the regiment's first encounter with gunboats. At Port Royal Ferry back in '61, they handled us badly. Now was our chance to pay them back. We would sink the lot of them. O, how we cheered.
We did not get much sleep that night. We were too excited at the idea of attacking the gunboats.

The next day, Tuesday the 16th, we heard the sounds of many muskets towards our left. As we marched to the sounds of the guns, we could see in the sunlit hours that this move was more than just our regiment or brigade. We could see so many of our flags in all directions it seemed. We thought that our Lee and his entire army was part of this great movement.

For awhile, the firing died down but we did not slack our pace. Before too long, the musketry increased as did our pace. The weather was very unfriendly to us and not a few fell off to the side of the road. When we formed into line, the picture of what lay before us became more clear. The Yankees had captured a line of advanced works near Fussell's Mill. It was odd that they were not advancing. They looked to be reforming their lines before making another assault. That allowed us enough time to throw up some crude breastworks.

When they were ready, they came at us. They had to advance across open ground to reach us. We poured it into them and many fell. Perhaps they thought that we would be overwhelmed by their numbers and that was why they advanced in the open.

Whatever the reason, it nearly worked. As one fell, it seemed as three filled his place. The Yankees came up to our works and we met them with the bayonet. I regret to write that we were pushed back but we were certainly not defeated. As the Yankees advanced, our own troops on either side of them who remained firm and were not pushed back were able to fire into both flanks of the enemy. The enemy staggered and then they fell back. When it was all over, we had retaken our works, a good number of prisoners and gathered up a fair amount of, well, plunder. I am well-supplied with two new shirts, a new pair of drawers, a new canteen and pokes of sugar, crackers, rice, and some salt horse. The best thing is a not-too-worn pair of shoes.

We never saw any of those d-----d gunboats.

It is rumored that we will return to Petersburg.


I Send You These Few Lines


This battle, Fussell's Mills, was one of the hardest I've written of since I've started this blog. Fussill's Mills is not one of the, "sexy", battles of the War Between the States. No historian will ever write a multi-volume or even single work on this battle. The Official Records have little to offer by way of documentation.

There is a history of the brigade written by the adjutant of one of the brigade's regiments. His version differs from what little material I can find coming from more modern sources. The author, J.F.J. Caldwell, writes that he was wounded about this time and he cannot vouch for the history of the brigade at this time. Perhaps that explains some things.

Fussell's Mills is north of the James River, a bit west of Malvern Hill, between New Market Road and Charles City Road.

The previous encounter with Union gunboats mentioned above was mentioned in the January 6, 1862 diary entry. It was the Battle of Port Royal Ferry.

Once again, Tooms has it wrong. They are not going after any gunboats. At this time, a part of Lee's army, under Jubal Early, has been detached from the main body in order to advance through the Shenandoah Valley and attack Washington. Grant was curious if enough forces had left Lee that an assault on Richmond might be successful.

To test this, Grant sent Winfield Scott Hancock, "Hancock the Suburb", to feel out the works southeast of Petersburg, probe the enemy lines and, if possible, take Richmond. It was this threat, not the gunboats, that the brigade was responding to. Lee had come up from Petersburg with substantial reinforcements to turn back Hancock's force.

But now, the lines protecting Petersburg are weakened. Lee is gambling. Will he win?