Friendly Fire Part Two

Confederate General Micah Jenkins died from a wound May 6^th 1864, received during the Battle of the Wilderness.

Micah Jenkins was born December 1^st 1835 on Edisto Island, South Carolina, the son of John and Elizabeth Jenkins.  He graduated in 1854 from the South Carolina Military Academy [the Citadel], first in his class.  Jenkins was a member of the Yorkville Episcopal Church.  He worked to organize, and founded along with Asbury Coward in 1855, the King’s Mountain Military Academy.

As the Civil War got started Jenkins recruited and became the Colonel of the 5^th South Carolina.  They were present for the First Battle of Manassas.  During the Battle of Seven Pines, Jenkins took command of Richard Anderson brigade after Anderson was wounded, leading it with distinction until he wounded in the knee.  He was promoted to Brigadier General July 22^nd 1862.  Jenkins was wound again at the Second Battle of Manassas in the abdomen and chest, which kept him out of the Battle of Antietam.  He was back with the army in time for the Battle of Fredericksburg, serving in Confederate Major General George Pickett’s division, but wasn't engaged.  Jenkins brigade went with Confederate Lieutenant General James Longstreet to Tennessee, taking part in the second day of the Battle of Chickamauga on September 20^th 1863.  On January 16^th 1864, he led his men in a victory against Union cavalry at the Battle of Kimbrough’s Crossroads.

At the Battle of the Wilderness on May 6^th 1864, Jenkins was riding with Longstreet and some other staff officers at about 1pm when they were hit with friendly fire coming from the 12^th Virginia.  It occurred very near the place where Confederate General Thomas J Jackson was struck down a year before.  Jenkins was hit in forehead, with the ball entering his brain.  He remained semiconscious, but unknowing, dying of his wounds six hours later.  He was buried first in Summerville, South Carolina, but in 1881 was moved to the Magnolia Cemetery in Charleston, South Carolina.

Step Towards Appomattox

The first move of the spring of 1865 was the Battle of Lewis’s Farm was fought March 29^th 1865 in Dinwiddie County, Virginia and was the opening of the Appomattox Campaign.

Union Lieutenant General Ulysses S Grant opened his spring campaign on March 29^th 1865 by sending Major General Philip Sheridan’s cavalry followed by the Union V Corps to turn the right flank of Confederate General Robert E Lee’s Petersburg defenses.  Union Major General Gouverneur K Warren, who commanded the V Corps, moved his troops up the Quaker Road, at the intersection of the Boydton Plank Road, they ran into Confederate Major General Bushrod Johnson’s brigade.

Union Brigadier General Joshua L Chamberlain led the main advance.  The Confederates were pushed back into entrenchments on the White Oak Road.  Confederate Lieutenant General Richard H Anderson ordered two brigades forward in an attempt the intercept the Union troops.  Chamberlain, who was wounded, rallied his men around an artillery battery, counterattacked and took the Confederate entrenchments.  There were reported casualties of 370 Confederate and 380 Union.

The Battle of Lewis’s Farm is also sometimes called Gravelly Road, Military Road of Quaker Road.

An Island Surprised

The Battle of Santa Rosa Island on October 9th 1861 was attempt to take the Union held Fort Pickens.


Santa Rosa Island about thirty miles from Alabama is a barrier island belonging to Florida. Fort Pickens was located on the western side of the island and in fall of 1861 was under the command of Union Colonel Harvey Brown of the 5th artillery, and Colonel William Wilson with the 6th New York Volunteer. Just after midnight on October 9th 1861 Confederate Brigadier General Richard Anderson with twelve hundred men landed on the beach about four mile east of Fort Pickens. Anderson divided his command into three columns, and marched about three miles. They surprised the 6th New York who were routed. Anderson set up in a defensive position hoping to draw the Union command out of Fort Pickens. Brown received reinforcements, and the Confederate left the island and returned to the mainland.

The Union saw 14 killed, 29 wounded and 24 missing. The Confederate reported losses of 30 to 40 men. General Anderson was severely wounded.

Another web site about this topic Bloodshed on White Sand