After our Bristoe campaign we moved into our winter quarters in early November 1863, however shortly after we were involved in the failed Mine Run Campaign through the wilderness (vaguely familiar terrain), but after it’s inconclusive result we soon retired and then encamped at Brandy Station, in Virginia, until the spring. During the winter my division suffered much attrition, but the men were cheered by the arrival of fresh units, including the smart looking 5th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment, the 3rd Pennsylvania Cavalry Regiment (finally we would have our eyes back, something we had missed since the 5th Cavalry had departed us in mid-1862), and Battery A of the Maryland Light Artillery, as always with our artillery a fine looking professional formation. Being an ex-Artilleryman I was much impressed by them, as with all our fine gunners!
Further reinforcements appeared in the form of the 3rd (Howitzer) Section of Battery 2 of the New Jersey Light Artillery, bringing them back up to full strength and my total artillery to 8 Sections. What really cheered the men was a visit by the Commander In Chief – yes none other than our President, Abraham Lincoln, who picked out the 1st Minnesota Infantry Regiment for special attention and commendation – this greatly lifted the men’s spirits and gave the regiment a new found pride & fire! Meanwhile I myself received some wonderful publicity, with my name in the papers and some much needed publicity about my glorious generalship!
Regrettably it was only in the Northern Minnesota Tattler (with a readership I believe of just 137 souls), so my fame was largely unchanged in Washington, New York, & Chicago by their elucidation (only +1 VP)! My Division therefore began the Spring of 1864 as follows:
- The “Fighting Sixty-Ninth” 69th New York (Strength 3; Veteran)
- 4th “Magnificent” Maine (Strength 5; Old Reliable’s)
- 6th New Jersey (Strength 3; Veteran)
- 2nd New Hampshire (Strength 2; Veteran)
- 4th Vermont (Strength 2; Veteran)
- 20th Indiana (Strength 2; Veteran)
- 54th “Unstoppable” Massachusetts (Coloured) (Strength 2; Veteran)
- 1st Minnesota (Strength 6) – Presidential Review
- 5th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment (Strength 10)
- 3rd Pennsylvania Cavalry Regiment (Strength 6)
- Battery L, 1st Ohio Light Artillery (2 x Rifles)
- Battery 2, New Jersey Light Artillery (2 x Napoleons; 1 x Howitzer)
- Battery A, Maryland Light Artillery (2 x Napoleons; 1 x Howitzer)
- Victory Points Accumulated: 23
Meanwhile Major General Longman’s Confederate force (yes General Longman had now been promoted and was of comparable rank to myself) was, according to our intelligence, constituted as follows:
- 11th Virginia “RWTP” (Strength 7; Veteran; Old Reliable’s; Hero; Sharpshooters)
- 10th Alabama (Strength 4; Veteran)
- 9th South Carolina (Strength 7; Veteran; Hero)
- 14th North Carolina (Strength 4; Veteran)
- 14th Louisiana (Strength 3; Veteran)
- 1st Texas (Strength 6)
- 2nd Virginia “Lynchburg Cougars” Cavalry (Strength 5)
- 4th Virginia “Deadly On 2 Legs” Cavalry (Strength 5; Veteran)
- “Lynchburg” Artillery Battery (1 x Napoleon)
- Victory Points Accumulated: 34
As Spring developed we received a large quantity of additional supplies and equipment (which coincided with the arrival of our new C-in-C, General Ulysses S. Grant, permanently at the Army of the Potomac headquarters), both events a welcome boost that greatly enhanced our combat readiness for our coming campaign! By April we were on the road, and heading South, through The Wilderness, for the third time…
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