Contraband On Plantations

Fought by black Union troops the Battle of Goodrich’s Landing occurred on June 29^th and June 30^th 1863.

When the Union began occupying Louisiana, many escaped slaves or contraband went to them for protection.  Those members of the Union government in the area leased, or took over some plantations placing these newly freedmen on the plantations growing crops.  As protection African American soldiers were assigned to guard these properties.

Confederate troops under Colonel William H Parsons took on a mission to try to re-capture some of these areas.  They left from Gaines’s Landing, Arkansas to attack a fort the Union had built on an Indian mound.  On June 29^th 1863 Parsons’ men demanded surrender of the Union troops holding the fort, which they accepted.  The Confederate troops began burning the plantations in the area, before having a fight with the Union 1^st Kansas Mounted Infantry.

The next morning June 30^th 1863 the Mississippi Marine Brigade under the command of Union Brigadier General Alfred W Ellet landed at Goodrich’s Landing.  Ellet along with Union Colonel William F Wood began skirmishing with Parsons Confederates.  As the fight became heated Parsons withdrew his men.

His Nickname Was Kill-Cavalry

Union General Judson Kilpatrick received an appointment on June 28^th 1863 to command the Third Division of the Army of the Potomac’s Cavalry Corps.

Hugh Judson Kilpatrick was born on the family farm in Wantage, New Jersey on January 14^th 1836 the son of Simon and Julia [Wickham] Kilpatrick.  He graduated just before the start of the Civil in from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1861.  Kilpatrick received a commission to Second Lieutenant in First United States Artillery.

At the start of the Civil War Kilpatrick was made a Captain in Duryee’s Zouaves, the 5^th New York Infantry.  He was wounded at the Battle of Big Bethel June 10^th 1861, hit in the thigh while leading a company.  Kilpatrick was made a Lieutenant Colonel in the 2^nd New York Cavalry in September 1861.  He was an aggressive, ambitious leader, who had a willingness to use up men and horses in suicidal charges, earning himself the nick name “Kill-Cavalry”.  In February 1863 Kilpatrick moved up to command of the First Brigade of the Second Division of the Army of the Potomac’s Cavalry.  During the Chancellorsville Campaign Kilpatrick made a ride around Lee’s Army burning bridges and reaching almost to Richmond, Virginia.

Kilpatrick fought at Brandy Station on June 9^th 1863, receiving his commission to Brigadier General on June 13^th 1863.  Three days before the Battle of Gettysburg June 28^th 1863 he assumed command of a division.  Following Pickett’s Charge on July 3^rd 1863 he ordered a controversial charge against the Confederate infantry located at base of Big Round Top in which Union Brigadier General Elon J Farnsworth was killed. 

In the spring of 1864 Kilpatrick was involved in the Dahlgren Affair.  After this he was sent to the Army of the Cumberland, where he was placed in command of the third Division of the Cavalry under Union Major General William Tecumseh Sherman.  Sherman said of Kilpatrick, "I know that Kilpatrick is a hell of a damned fool, but I want just that sort of man to command my cavalry on this expedition."  He started in the Atlanta Campaign and on May 13^th 1864 was wounded at the Battle of Resaca badly enough he out of the fight until July 1864.

Following the war Kilpatrick became active in Republican politics.  President Andrew Johnson appointed him the Minister to Chile.  He married Luisa Fernandez de Valdivieso while in Chile.  Kilpatrick died while in Santiago, Chile December 4^th 1881.  He is buried in the West Point Cemetery at West Point, New York.

Another web site you might want to look at for more about this is Judson Kilpatrick, Vernon's Civil War hero (sort of)

Move On The Left Flank

The Battle of Kolb’s Farm between Union Major General Joseph Hooker’s men and Confederate troops under Lieutenant General John Bell Hood was fought June 22^nd 1864.

Confederate General Joseph E Johnston’s Army of Tennessee moved into a line between Big Kennesaw Mountain and Little Kennesaw Mountain.  Union Major General William Tecumseh Sherman started probing this line on June 19^th 1864, looking for a week spot.  Sherman decided the spot was the left flank, and he sent Hooker’s XX Corps with the support of Major General John McAllister Schofield to take on that flank near Powder Springs.  Johnston predicted the Union movement and sent Confederate Lieutenant General John Bell Hood’s Corps to cover the Union movement.

Confederate Major General Cater L Stevenson one of Hood’s division commanders moved on the afternoon of June 22^nd 1864 toward Kolb’s Farm on the south Powder Springs Road.  They ran into heavy skirmishing with the Union 14^th Kentucky and 123^rd New York.  Hood ordered his whole Corps; about 11,000 men, to advance up the Powder Springs Road pushing the Union troops ahead of them.  Hooker had information about Hood’s coming troops and had entrenched his Corps of about 15,000 men across the Powder Springs Road.  The marshy terrain and well placed Union artillery stalled Hood’s attack and caused him to have to withdraw.

It was a one sided battle with the Union side coming out on top.  Confederate losses were about 1,000, the Union only had about 350 casualties.

If you would like to read more look at The Battle of Kolb's Farm

Without A Loss

The Battle of Simmon’s Bluff fought June 21^st 1862 near Meggett, South Carolina, produced no casualties.

Charleston, South Carolina had been placed under a siege by Union troops, the only supplies coming in on a local railroad.  The 55^th Pennsylvania under the command of Lieutenant A C Rhind, were sent amphibiously on June 21^st 1862, coming on shore near Simmon’s Bluff at  Wadmelaw Sound with orders to cut the Charleston & Savannah Railroad.  The 55^th quickly came upon the camp of the 16^th South Carolina under the command of Colonel James McCullough and engaged the Confederate soldiers.  The Confederates scattered without putting up any kind of a fight.

After this short encounter the Union troops gave up on the railroad and returned to their ship.

African American Artillery

The First Alabama Siege Artillery made up of African American was raised in Tennessee and Mississippi and was mustered into service June 20^th 1863.

The First Siege Artillery a regiment made up of men of African American descent was raised in Corinth, Mississippi, LaFayette, LaGrange and Memphis, Tennessee.  They were mustered into Union service on June 20^th 1863.  The regiment renamed on March 11^th 1864 as the 6^th United States Colored Heavy Artillery.  They were placed under the command of Major Lionel F Booth on March 18^th 1864.

The 6^th were sent to Fort Pillow.  The fort was attacked on April 12^th 1864 by about 3,000 Confederate troops.  Booth was shot by a sniper and killed early in the fighting.  Command of the 6^th fell to Captain Charles Epeneter who was also wounded.  The 6^th’s guns weren’t effective as the Confederates stormed the fort as the guns couldn’t be depressed enough to fire on them.

Following the Battle of Fort Pillow, those members of the 6^th who survived were moved into the 11^th United States Colored Troops.

For more information look at 1st Alabama Siege Artillery (African Descent)

Home Guard Against Home Guard

Confederate victory at the Battle of Cole Camp on June 19^th 1861 in Benton County, Missouri allowed the Missouri governor and the State Guard to flee from the Union troops.

Union Brigadier General Nathaniel Lyon took over the Jefferson City, Missouri on June 15^th 1861, the state capitol.  Two days later Lyon fought with some of the Confederate Missouri State Guard near Boonville, Missouri.  A part of the Confederate State Guard along with the pro–secession Missouri Governor Claiborne Fox Jackson fled southwest toward Benton County with the Union troops behind them.

Most residents of Benton County, Missouri were of Confederate sympathies, but the German immigrants in the area were pro-Union.  They formed the Benton County Home Guard in early June 1861 under the command of Captain Able H W Cook at Cole Camp.  At the same time in nearby Warsaw, Missouri Confederate leaning Captain Walter S O’Kane and Captain Thomas W Murray organized the Warsaw “Grays” and “Blues”.

On June 18^th 1861 O’Kane’s men left Warsaw and marched toward Cole Camp.  A local citizen John Tyree reported the movement to officers at Cole Camp.  After making this report he was captured by some of the Confederates, tied to a tree and shot.  Despite the warning the men of the Benton Home Guard were caught sleeping in the early morning hours of June 19^th 1861.  O’Kane’s men hit a portion of the Home Guard to the east of Heisterberg barn, firing a volley into the men.  A company of Home Guard to the north of the barn; under Captain Elsinger fired into O’Kane’s flank, but quickly ran out of ammunition and were forced to withdraw.

The Union had 34 men killed, 60 wounded and 25 men taken prisoner.  The Confederates lost 7 killed and 25 wounded.  More importantly O’Kanes men captured 362 muskets that would be used at the Battle of Wilson’s Creek.

The Other Richmond

A part of the Siege of Vicksburg, the Battle of Richmond was fought June 15^th 1863 in Richmond, Louisiana.

Richmond, Louisiana was an important part of the Confederate supply line for Vicksburg, Mississippi.  After Union troops won battles at Milliken’s Bend and Young’s Point they were able to move against Richmond.  Union Major General William Tecumseh Sherman ordered Brigadier General Joseph Mower’s brigade from the trenches around Vicksburg, and told him to coordinate an attack against Confederate forces in Richmond with Union Marine Brigadier General Alfred W Ellet.

The Union troops advanced on Richmond on June 15^th 1863 with Ellet’s men in the lead.    Confederate Major General John G Walker’s scouts learned of Ellet’s men movements.  Walker had line of skirmishers made up of the 18^th Texas Infantry; they stopped the initial Union forward movement.  The Confederate held their line until Mower came up with his infantry, formed in line of battle and opened with their artillery.  The battle continued until Mower’s men made it through a bayou and got on Walker’s flank.

Walker had gotten his supply wagons to safety, and finding himself outnumbered, he withdrew his men.  As they pulled out of the area, the Confederate destroyed the bridges.  The Union win at Richmond on June 15^th 1863 took away another supply route from the garrison at Vicksburg.