Chronology of Wartime Service

August 28, 1862

In early morning, Ewell's Division (including Lawton's Brigade) march 15 miles, crossing Bull Run at Blackburn's Ford, moving North, recrossing at the Stone Bridge and joining Taliaferro's Division near Bald Hill.

Battle of Brawner's Farm (Groveton): Jackson attacked King's Division along its line of march, striking Gibbon's Iron Brigade as it advanced across Warrenton Turnpike. Fighting dies away in the darkness and King withdrew at 1:00 a.m. toward Manassas. Ewell's Division lost 725 of 3000 engaged. Losses in Lawton's Brigade were heavy (20% of 2100 engaged). Ewell received a leg wound that required amputation. Lawton assumed command of the division.

Per Henderson: "Eight brigades, and three small batteries, which had been brought across country with great difficulty, were present, and the remainder of the artillery was not far distant. Taliaferro, on the right....Ewell, on the left, had placed Lawton and Trimble in front, while Early and Forno formed a general reserve. This force numbered in all about 8,000 men, and even the skirmishers, thrown out well to the front, were concealed by the undulations of the ground." Henderson, vol. ii., p. 145. Action precipitated when Iron Brigade advanced on confederate artillery, not seeing conceal line, just as confederates were preparing for the attack. "In many places the lines approached within a hundred yards, the men standing in the open and blazing fiercely in each others faces. Here and there, as fresh regiments came up on either side, the grey or the blue gave way for a few short paces; but the gaps were quickly filled, and the wave once more surged forward over the piles of dead. Men fell like leaves in autumn. Ewell was struck down, and Taliaferro, and many of their field officers, and still the Federals held their ground." Henderson, vol. ii., p. 147. Per Nolan (The Iron Brigade): "Lawton's Brigade, still further to the left and 2,100 strong, comprised the left flank of the Confederate front line and extended to the east of the eastern edge of the rectangular wood. [Notes conflicting views on placement of Lawton's Brigade, see note 11 at p. 319] Early's and Hay's brigades, 3,900 more officers and men and assigned by Ewell to Early's command, were behind Lawton's and within supporting distance...Farther to the left, Balthis' four-gun battery from Ewell's artillery was directed to take post along the line of the railroad embankment." p. 84. Battle opened as Balthis Battery opened fire on 6th Wisconsin, which sheltered in road embankment. Battery B esd called forward to answer fire. 6th Wisconsin and Battery B ordered forward to silence Balthis Battery. Due to intervening wood, 6th Wisconsin could not see Confederate infantry advance on the left flank. "With flying colors advanced, the Sixth scrambled up the roadside embankment, pulled down what remained of the turnpike fence, and crossed the open field east of the rectangular wood in line of battle. Making a half wheel to the left at the northern edge of the wood, the Sixth opened fire....the combined fire of the Sixth and Seventh regiments temporarily blunted the force of the Southern onslaught...but Trimble's and Lawton's men now added their rifles on the Confederate left, and Jackson's line again advanced and stood firm. The battle was now joined...Although Battery B, which had by now driven off Balthis' battery, continued to fire away at the Confederate line from its position to the right and rear of the Sixth, both of Gibbon's flanks were in the air...." pp. 87-88. "From the first infantry fire until the last, the battle continued unabated for more than two hours. It was a stand-up fight at a maximum range of seventy-five yards, with no respite and with neither side entrenced or covered...on the Federal right, the Sixth Wisconsin also slowly pressed forward and forced Lawton's men back twenty yards before the Confederates again powered their way to their original line....but except for these movements, neither side advanced or retreated...darkness and the tacit consent of the opposing commanders at last broke off the engagement." pp. 88-89. "Battery B, which had never closed with the Confederate infantry, had escaped with but a few wounded men...The Sixth Wisconsin, protected by the low ground it occupied and away from the blazing activity at the farmhouse and orchard on the Union left, lost only 72 killed, wounded, and missing." p. 95. "And the Sixth Wisconsin, which lost only 15 percent of its 504 officers and men, inflicted 20 per cent casualties on Lawton's 2,100-man brigade on the Confederate left, stronger medicine than the badly outnumbered Badgers received." p. 96.

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Last Updated: Jan. 21, 2001