A Long Serving Military Man

Union Captain George Lucas Hartsuff was appointed assistant adjutant general March 22^nd 1861 under the duty of General William S Rosecrans in West Virginia.

George Lucas Hartsuff was born May 28^th1830 in Tyre, New York.  He moved with his family in 1842 to Michigan.  He received an appointment to the United States Military Academy at West Point, graduating 19^th in the class of 1852.  Hartsuff served in Texas and Florida and was wounded during the Seminole Indian Wars.  He survived the wreck of the steamer “the Lady Elgin” on Lake Michigan in September 8^th 1860, while serving at Fort Mackinac.

When the Civil War started Hartsuff was sent on an expedition in April 1861 to reinforce Fort Pickens in Pensacola, Florida.  He received an appointment on March 22^nd 1861 to Assistant Adjutant General under Union General William S Rosecrans in West Virginia, even briefly serving as Chief of Staff in the Mountain Department.  He was promoted to Brigadier General April 15^th 1862, serving in the III Corps of the Armies of Virginia and the Potomac, where he would lead men at the Battles of Cedar Mountain and Second Bull Run.  He was wounded in the hip during the Battle of Antietam.  With another promotion to Major General, Hartsuff was back in duty, commanding the XXIII Corps in the Army of the Ohio by May 28^th 1863.  At the end of the Civil War he was commanding the defenses at Bermuda Hundred in the Army of the James.

Hartsuff mustered out of the Union volunteer army and went back to service in the United States Army on August 24^th 1865 with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.  Do to disabilities relating to old battle wounds he resigned his command on June 29^th 1871.  Hartsuff left the service with the rank of Major General.  He died of pneumonia May 16^th 1874 in New York City and is buried in the United States Military Academy Post Cemetery at West Point.

The Road To The End

The day before the Confederate loss at the Battle of Five Forks, on March 31st 1865 the Battle of White Oak road was fought.

Confederate General Robert E Lee moved his reinforcements March 30th 1865 to cover a Union movement on his right flank. Confederate Major WHF Rooney Lee’s cavalry moved to Five Forks, and Major General George Pickett’s division to Bermuda Hundred. The V Corps under Union Major General Gouverneur K Warren entrenched along the Boydton Plank Road, and Major General Romeyn B Ayres moved toward White Oak Road. On March 31st 1865 Warren moved his Corps on the Confederates entrenched along the White Oak Road. The plan being to cut Confederate communications with Pickett. A counterattack by Confederate Major General Bushrod Johnson slowed up the Union advance, however Warren’s men pulled it together and by the end of the day, the Union held the road.

Confederate loss were about 750, Union about 1,900.

Maine Goes To Texas

The 15th Maine Infantry, a three year Regiment mustered into service January 23rd 1862.

Organized in Augusta, Maine December 6th through 31st 1861, the 15th Maine Infantry mustered into the Union Army on January 23rd 1862 for a three year enlistment. They embarked for Ship Island, Mississippi from Portland, Maine March 6th 1862. The 15th was attached to Butler’s New Orleans Expeditionary Corp, the 3rd Brigade, Department of the Gulf. They were part of the Expedition to the Rio Grande and the occupation of Brownsville, Texas, and the Battle of Sabine Cross Roads. The 15th moved to Bermuda Hundred, Virginia where they did duty in the trenches until July 28th .

The 15th Maine mustered out of service July 5th 1866. The 15th had 5 enlisted killed in battle, 3 officers and 340 enlisted died from disease during the war.

Freed Up Troops To Fight

The Battle of Ware Bottom Church took place on May 20th 1864.

Confederates under the command of General PGT Beauregard on May 20th 1864 attacked near Ware Bottom Church advancing on Union Major General Benjamin F Butler’s Bermuda Hundred line. After driving Butler’s pickets back, the Confederate troops formed the Howlett Line. This line for all practical purposes stopped up the Union forces at Bermuda Hundred. This move freed Beauregard to send reinforcements to General Robert E Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia in time for the fighting at the Battle of Cold Harbor in Virginia. The battle left about 1,500 casualties on both sides.

The High Point of Union Cavalry

Sheridan’s Cavalry expedition hit its high point on May 11th 1864 at the Battle of Yellow Tavern.

As the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House continued, Union Cavalry under Major General Philip H Sheridan took on a raid against Richmond, Virginia. On May 9th 1864 Sheridan left with 32 guns and more than 10,000 mounted troops, setting off at a walk, four abreast the column stretched out 13 miles. After hitting Lee’s supply road and rail communications, the Union men met the outnumbered Confederate Cavalry being lead by Major General JEB Stuart at Yellow Tavern on May 11th 1864. Yellow Tavern was an abandoned Inn about 6 miles north of Richmond. After a 3 hour fight the Federal horsemen defeated their largely outnumbered Rebel counterparts and General Stuart was mortally wounded. Stuart had stopped on his way to Yellow Tavern at nearby a plantation where his wife and children were visiting, he kissed his wife hello and goodbye without ever dismounting. He would die the day after the fight.

Sheridan would continue south and threaten Richmond, before re-joining Union General Benjamin F Butler at Bermuda Hundred.