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FACTSHEET
“AT FIRST LIGHT”
ABOUT THE BATTLE
At first light on 12 May 1864, approximately 20,000
Union soldiers of the II Corps under Maj. Gen.
Winfield Scott Hancock launched an attack on
Confederate forces under Maj. Gen. Edward Johnson in
the trenches at the “Mule Shoe” salient near
Spotsylvania Court House, Virginia. Around 4,500
Confederates defended this mile and a half bulge in
the Confederate line, which was erected days earlier
as Lee’s army sought to stay between Grant’s army and
Richmond after the fighting in the Wilderness to the
northwest.
The salient was
not planned by Lee’s engineers, but had been formed in
the dark of night on 8 May as Confederate troops
followed the high ground in extending their line of
defense. More than two-dozen cannon were placed in the
salient to support it against Union attacks, which
occurred on the 10th. However, late in the afternoon
of the 11th, Lee received reports that Grant’s forces
were forming to move towards Richmond once again, so
Lee ordered his artillery to be ready to move early on
the 12th. Brig. Gen. Armistead L. Long, commander of
2nd Corps artillery, ordered the cannon that were
placed in the salient to assemble in the rear.
Just as these
maneuvers were being completed during the evening of
the 11th, other reports indicated that Union troops
were massing to the north for an attack. Orders went
out for the return of the cannon. But the orders
reached the artillery too late. Attacking southward
out of the mist and rain, the Union left, under Brig.
Gen. Francis C. Barlow, struck Brig. Gen. George
Steuart’s rebels on the northeastern side of the
salient at around 5:00 a.m. Shortly after, the Union
right, under Maj. Gen. David B. Birney attacked the
northern and northwestern sides, where it struck Col.
William Monaghan’s Louisiana regiments at the
salient’s apex.
Due to the wet
conditions, many of the black powder charges in
Confederate rifles were damp and unserviceable. Only a
few regiments had thought to clean out the old charges
the night before. Facing limited artillery and rifle
fire, the Federals were easily able to clear away the
sharpened-stick and brush abatis in front of the rebel
line and storm the trenches.
As Birney’s
troops rolled up the Louisianans, they ran into the
Stonewall Brigade to the west. The Stonewall Brigade,
commanded by Brig. Gen. James A. Walker, was composed
of the 2nd, 4th, 5th, 27th, and 33rd Virginia infantry
regiments. The 4th VA, under Col. William Terry, was
posted on the right of the brigade. As the Louisiana
regiments to the right disintegrated, Terry ordered
the 4th VA to form at a right angle to the main line
in traverse trenches to meet the Federal onslaught.
Meanwhile, more of Birney’s soldiers punched through
the other Stonewall Brigade regiments southwest of the
4th. The close-quarter fighting in the muddy trenches
was confused and fierce. The Stonewall Brigade, like
other Confederate brigades in the salient, was
surrounded and outnumbered. Very few made an escape.
As Confederate reinforcements rushed up to the
trenches, this pre-dawn attack opened a day of
continuous fighting at the salient’s “Bloody Angle.”
In this, its last
battle as an independent regiment, the 4th VA lost its
flag and about 75% of its men. Approximately 15 men
were killed or wounded and 125 captured out of about
175 present. The rest of the Stonewall Brigade
suffered a similar fate, with the 33rd VA losing its
flag and the 5th VA’s flag just barely saved. After 12
May 1864, the Stonewall Brigade no longer existed as
an independent entity. Its remaining troops joined
with elements of nine other shattered VA regiments and
served until the surrender at Appomattox Court House.
ABOUT THE PAINTING
This print is
reproduced from an oil painting done on canvas in the
old-school style of painting. The canvas is stretched
on wooden stretchers and primed with acrylic. A
semi-transparent wash (thinned oil paint) is first
applied. Then, a basic under-painting is blocked in
with paint, using real-life models and objects, and
sketches and photos of the battlefield. The final
shapes and colors are slowly built up and detailed
with many layers of paint.
At First Light is
based on visits to the battlefield and research on
troop positions, uniforms, weapons, equipment, and the
4th VA battle flag. It depicts the scene on 12 May
1864, at the northwest corner of the salient around
5:00-5:30 a.m., just after Birney’s troops struck.
Terry’s 4th VA has fallen back from the main trench
line to form a right angle with the main line. The
standard-bearer stands in a traverse trench, awaiting
the onslaught. Over his shoulder, Union soldiers can
be seen sweeping over and behind the trenches on the
western side.
The battle inscriptions of the 4th’s flag are in black
(with original misspellings):
Top quadrant: MANASSAS NO.1.
Left quadrant: COLD HARBOR.
KEARNSTOWN.
MALVERN HILL.
WINCHESTER NO.1. CEDER RUN.
PORT REPUBLIC.
MANASSAS NO2.
Right quadrant: CHANTILLY.
Bottom quadrant: KERNEYSVILLE.
HARPERS FERRY. CHANCELLORVILLE.
SHARPSBURG.
WINCHESTER NO2.
FREDERICKSBURG.
GETTYSBURG.
The
standard-bearer is wearing weather-beaten and faded
clothing and equipment: Richmond-issue jean cloth
shell jacket (with no belt loops or shoulder straps)
with brass “I” infantry buttons, jean cloth trousers,
4-button civilian pullover shirt with white china
buttons, slouch hat, haversack, and black-leather
cartridge box and cross-belt..
Walter Bublé © 2001
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