An Adventuring Spirit

Union General Augustus Wade Dwight was killed March 26^th 1865 in the attack on Fort Steadman.

Augustus Wade Dwight was born in Halifax, Vermont February 22^nd 1827, the first child born to Morris and Minerva (Bryant) Dwight.  The family moved in 1829 so his father could practice medicine in Cummington, Massachusetts, then to Poughkeepsie, New York in 1839 and finally in 1840 to LaFayette, New York.  Dwight started at Yale College in 1851, but a lack of funds caused him leave by the second semester.  He went west to California, caught up in the gold rush.  While in California he studied for the law.  His adventuring spirit found him on a ship to Hawaii, then onto China, and finally back to the United States having circumnavigated the globe.  By 1859 Dwight had settle in Onondaga County, New York and had been admitted to the bar.

In 1862 when Lincoln called for more troops, Dwight volunteered.  He was made the Captain of Company E of the 122^nd New York Infantry July 1862.  By August of 1862 he was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel under Colonel Silas Titus.  The regiment’s and Dwight’s first engagement was at the Battle of Antietam, where they were held in reserve.  The first heavy fighting came at the Battle of Gettysburg on Culp’s Hill.  Dwight sent reports of the war to the “Syracuse Journal” a local newspaper, as well as writing letters to relatives of men killed in action.  He was wounded the first time September 19^th 1864 at the Battle of Opequon in the right thigh, then at the Battle of Cedar Creek a ball shattered his right wrist, and he was sent home to recover.  He rejoined his regiment in February 1865 in front of Petersburg, replacing Titus in command of the regiment.

In the early morning hours of March 26^th 1865 the Confederates launched an attack on Fort Stedman, initially capturing the Union Fort.  The Union troops would retake the Fort, and in the afternoon Dwight’s regiment was ordered to take some Confederate trenches that had been weakened by the attack.  As the men moved forward, Dwight was hit in the head by artillery fire and killed instantly.  His body was returned home and is buried in the Oakwood Cemetery in Syracuse, New York.

Kind Of Late In The Game

An attack by the Confederate Major General John B Gordon that brought on the Battle of Fort Stedman on March 25th 1865, was an attempt to break the siege on Petersburg.

Confederate General Robert E Lee’s army of Northern Virginia had spent the last nine months in and around Petersburg, Virginia along a 37 mile long front. His supplies were short, and the Confederate soldiers there had suffered through a ruff winter. Lee had to break the Union hold. He pulled 12,000 soldiers, about half his army and massed them on the Union right, where the lines were only about 150 yards apart. The attack was to be focused on Fort Stedman and its 4 cannon.

On March 25th 1865 at 4am Confederate General John B Gordon’s skirmishers quickly overtook Union pickets. These were followed by ax men who cleared barriers in front of the fort. Fort Stedman under command of Union Major General John G Parke, fell in the first wave of Confederate attackers. This opened up a mile wide gap in the Union line. They turned the Fort’s captured cannons, using them to fire into nearby forts. Other of Gordon’s troops moved out into the trenches and batteries. Those Union soldiers who weren't taken prisoner, regrouped and slowed up the Confederate movement. Union reinforcements began massing for a counterattack. The counterattack placed the Confederates under a galling crossfire.

By 8am Lee who had been watching the attack, ordered Gordon to call it off. Many hundreds of Confederate soldiers surrendered. The battle was very costly for the Army of Northern Virginia, they lost over 2,900 men. Union losses were about 950.