The fate Of A Soldier

Confederate Brigadier General John Adams was one of six Confederate officers killed November 30^th 1864 during the Battle of Franklin.

John Adams was born July 1^st 1825 in Nashville, Tennessee, the son of Irish immigrants.  He received an appointment to the United States Military Academy at West Point, and graduated in 1846 ranked 25^th in the class.  Adams’ first posting was under Captain Philip Kearny in the United States 1^st Dragoons.  He served in the Mexican American War, and was brevetted for action during the Battle of Santa Cruz de Rosales.  After which he served mostly in the western frontier, reaching the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in 1853 when he served as the aide-de-camp for the Governor of Minnesota.

When Tennessee seceded in 1861 Adams resigned his commission and joined the Confederacy.   He was commissioned Colonel in 1862 and in December of that year became Brigadier General taking command of the late Confederate Brigadier General Lloyd Tilghman’s Mississippi brigade.  Adams’ service was entirely preformed in the Western Theater of the war.

When Confederate John Bell Hood broke off from Union General William T Sherman and the Atlanta Campaign, Adams’ brigade led the advance into Tennessee.  During the Battle of Franklin on November 30^th 1864 Adams was killed while at the head of his men.  His death was described in June 1897 by an Indiana Colonel, who witnessed the action, “General Adams rode up to our works and, cheering his men, made an attempt to leap his horse over them. The horse fell upon the top of the embankment and the general was caught under him, pierced with [nine] bullets. As soon as the charge was repulsed, our men sprang over the works and lifted the horse, while others dragged the general from under him. He was perfectly conscious and knew his fate. He asked for water, as all dying men do in battle as the life-blood drips from the body. One of my men gave him a canteen of water, while another brought an armful of cotton from an old gin near by and made him a pillow. The general gallantly thanked them, and in answer to our expressions of sorrow at his sad fate, he said, 'It is the fate of a soldier to die for his country,' and expired.”

If you are interested in reading more, check out BRIGADIER GENERAL JOHN ADAMS, CSA

Covering The Retreat To Washington

The Battle of Ox Hill; also known as the Battle of Chantilly was an attempt by the Confederates to cut off the Union retreat following the their loss at Second Manassas, and was fought September 1^st 1862.

After losing at the Second Battle of Manassas on August 30^th 1862 Union Major General John Pope ordered his Army of Virginia to retreat.  By the next morning it was becoming clear that Pope had lost control of his army and was afraid that another attack by Lee would destroy the army and leave Washington, DC unprotected.  While Pope was trying to regroup his army, Confederate Major General Thomas J Stonewall Jackson began to move on Pope’s right flank.  Jackson was moving for Germantown, Virginia where Pope’s only two routes into Washington were located, but his men were worn out and were moving slowly.

During the night Pope learned of the Confederate force that was advancing on him.  He ordered the army to retreat from their location at Centerville to Washington.  Pope sent out troops from several Corps to cover the roads they would be using to retreat.  Jackson’s force reached Ox Hill near the Chantilly Plantation on the morning of September 1^st 1862 were Confederate Cavalry spent the morning skirmishing with Union infantry and cavalry.  About 3 pm Union Brigadier General Isaac Ingalls Stevens’ division arrived, and despite being outnumbered, attacked Confederate Brigadier General Alexander Robert Lawton’s division.  Although the Union troops were initially successful; routing Confederate Colonel Henry Strong’s Brigade, they were shortly driven back by a counterattack made by Confederate Brigadier General Jubal Anderson Early.  Stevens was killed during this attack.

About this time; around 5 pm, a thunderstorm hit the field limiting visibility and soaking ammunition.  Union Major General Philip Kearny arrived in the storm and deployed on Steven’s left, ordering an attack by Brigadier General David Bell Birney, which stalled in hand to hand fighting with men of Confederate Major General Ambrose Powell Hill’s division.  Kearny road into the Confederate lines and was killed as his other two brigades arrived on the field.  Using these last two brigades as rear guard Birney withdrew, bringing the battle to an end.  The Union Army withdrew during the night to Germantown and Fairfax Court House.

Victory Or Withdrawal

The first major battle of the Peninsula Campaign fought on May 5th 1862 was the Battle of Williamsburg.

The Battle of Williamsburg or the Battle of Fort Magruder, was part of the Peninsula Campaign and took place on May 5th 1862. There were about 41,000 Union troops and 32,000 Confederates engaged. The Confederates were in retreat from Yorktown when a Union division commanded by Major General Joseph Hooker ran into their rear near Williamsburg. Confederate General Joseph E Johnston on May 4th 1862 established his rear position in earthen fortifications built by Major General John Bankhead Magruder, which overlooked the junction of two roads.

Hooker conducted a morning attack on May 5th 1862 against Fort Magruder, but was forced back. They were driven by a strong assaults lead by General James Longstreet. In time a division under Brigadier General Philip Kearny arrived to support the Union position and the Confederates fell back to their defenses. While this was going on Brigadier General Winfield Scott Hancock had marched his brigade in behind the Confederate left flank. Longstreet sent Major General D H Hill and Brigadier General Jubal A Early to try to flank Hancock’s men, but they were misdirected and this resulted in great loss.

Having delayed the Union advance, the Confederates left the redoubts during the night and continued their withdrawal toward Richmond. Although the Union claimed a victory, the Confederates saw the battle as a delaying maneuver allowing them to continue their withdrawal. The Union saw losses of 2,283 and the Confederates lost 1,682.