Chronology of Wartime Service

April 29, 1863

The preceding night, Union General Hooker had ordered John Reynold's First Corps to cross the Rappahanock downsteam from Fredericksburg at Fitzhugh's Crossing. Reynold's task was to form a beachhead and pin Lee's army in place while Hooker completed his flanking movement around Lee's left with the men of Howard, Slocum and Meade's Corps. Reynold's picked Wadsworth's Division to make the crossing and Wadsworth selected the Iron Brigade of hard-fighting westerners from Wisconsin, Michigan and Indiana, a frequent nemesis of the Georgians, to lead the way.

That morning, the 13th Georgia was posted in rifle pits on a small bluff overlooking Fitzhugh's Crossing. As the heavy fog lifted they looked down to see Union engineers working desperately to unload a train of 40 pontoons needed to lay a bridge across the Rappahannock for the crossing. They quickly opened fire. On the opposite bank, approximately 200 yards away, the 6th Wisconsin was rushed forward to return fire. Soon, the entire First Corps artillery (seven batteries of 3-inch rifled guns and two batteries of12 pound Napoleons) opened up, raining death and destruction along the forward confederate lines.

The 13th Georgia held on gamely at Fitzhugh's Crossing until their ammunition ran low and the 6th Louisiana moved forward to relieve them. This was the most trying time of the battle for the men of the 13th Georgia, for they were fully exposed to the enemy's fire as they left the safety of their rifle pits on the bluff. Pvt. Henry Walker of the 13th recalled, "we never lost but one man while we was in the rifle fight...but when we went to base, they swept our boys down."

Shortly thereafter, the 6th Wisconsin and the 24th Michigan bravely crossed the river in pontoon boats under a hail of fire and stormed the line of the 6th Louisiana, which gave way. In their rapid pursuit the men of the Iron Brigade captured another 28 men of the 13th Georgia who were slow to retire.

Meanwhile, the balance of Gordon's brigade moved forward from their camps to the railroad and began strengthening their lines as the sound of the firing from the river became more insistent. According to Lt. Urbanus "Barney" Dart, Company A (Brunswick Rifles) of the 26th Georgia:

Everything was in the greatest confusion and we only took our haversacks, etc., with us, leaving baggage and camp utensils behind. We got to our advance line very soon, the pickets still firing and heavy cannonading from both sides...Thus we remained all day in line of battle as above stated our pickets being at the big road [River Road]. During that day and the next I never worked harder in my life, every Co. and regiment looking to its own safety began strengthening our position by cutting heavy logs and piling them on the railroad, also what crossties and iron we could get, and by nightfall we had made a splendid fortification and believe me there was not a handful of dirt thrown upon the work with hoe or shovel, but with coats off and sleeves rolled up we pitched in with bayonets, etc. for loosing the dirt, and our hands for throwing it on.

As they worked, a cheer passed along the brigade from left to right. The beloved Gen. Stonewall Jackson was passing behind the line gathering up his troops in preparation for the march on Chancellorville. Pvt. Nichols of the 61st joined in, noting years later that "I am, oh, so sorry to tell you, we never cheered him again."

Later in the day, as dusk fell, the soldiers of the 61st Georgia, secure behind their new breastworks, observed a brief artillery duel in which a roundshot managed to strike a Confederate gun, lodging squarely in the muzzle and dismounting the barrel. No other casualties were noted.

Sources:

U. Dart, Letters
H. Walker, Letters
Nichols, A Soldier's Story of His Regiment, p. 81.
Nolan, The Iron Brigade, pp. 210-215.

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Last Updated: Jan. 21, 2001