This Mighty Scourge

Seymour “Hiram” Hall was born in Barkersville, New York on September 26, 1835.  Little is known of Hiram’s early life.  With the outbreak of the Civil War, and Abraham Lincoln’s call for 75,000 state militia volunteers on April 15, 1861, Hiram would begin recruiting soldiers for the 27th New York Infantry.  On May 21, 1861 he would be commissioned second lieutenant of Company G and be mustered into Federal service on June 15, 1861 in Elmira, New York.  On April 25, he would be promoted to captain.  He would lead his company at First Bull Run, the Peninsula Campaign, Seven Days, South Mountain, Antietam and Fredericksburg.  The 27th New York would officially muster out of Federal service on May 31, 1863.  The three year soldiers in the 27th would be assigned to the 16th New York Battalion, commanded by Hall.(i)

The 121st New York Infantry, often called Upton’s Regulars after their second commander, Emory Upton, had been decimated during the Chancellorsville Campaign while fighting in US Major General John Sedgwick’s VI Corps, at Salem Church.  Upton, desiring to fill out his regiment requested all the able bodied three year men he could obtain.  Knowing of the 16th New York Battalion, Upton petitioned VI Corps headquarters for the men.  The men of the 16th were given the option of joining a Massachusetts battery, a Federal battery of the 121st.  Most of the men chose the 121st.  On June 16, 1863, Hall took command of Company F, 121st New York.  While the VI Corps saw little action in the Battle of Gettysburg, they were engaged in the pursuit of Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia during his retreat from Gettysburg.  Seeing action during the Bristoe Campaign, from October 9–22, they would find themselves facing the Army of Northern Virginia, on opposite sides of the Rappahannock River, as winter approached. 

Many of the soldiers believed Army of the Potomac commander, US Major General George Gordon Meade, would enter the winter months with no additional fighting.  However, Meade had different ideas.  Believing he could out maneuver Lee along the Rappahannock River line, he determined to push across the river.  During the upcoming battle, Hiram Hall would provide his most valuable service to his country.

Robert E. Lee had constructed a strong bridgehead at Rappahannock Station with two artillery redoubts and connecting trenches, on the north bank.  CSA Major General Jubal Early’s 2d Corps Division manned the works, with the rest of Lee’s army south of the river commanding all the major fords.  He believed that any significant attack, by Meade, would require him to divide his forces.  Lee’s plans proved quite prescient.  On November 6, Meade ordered the I, II and III Corps to cross the Rappahannock River at Kelly’s Ford, while the V and VI Corps would push across at Rappahannock Station.  They were ordered to move on the morning on November 7.  Major General William French would command the left wing, while Sedgwick would command the right wing.  Meade’s tactical plan was to have French’s wing push across the river, at Kelly’s Ford, in an effort to divert Lee’s attention from the main attack by Sedgwick.(ii)  Once across, they would push west to join the rest of the army that had crossed at Rappahannock Station.  From there, the Army of the Potomac would push south towards Brandy Station.

On the morning of November 7, the 121st New York, with the rest of the V and VI Corps pushed south from Warrenton.  Emory Upton was commanding the Second Brigade of US Brigadier General Horatio Wright’s First Division.  With Sedgwick commanding the right wing, Wright commanded the VI Corps and US Brigadier General David Russell commanded the First Division.  Opposing them at Rappahannock Station were two brigades commanded by CSA Brigadier Generals Robert F. Hoke and Harry Hays.  Hays’ Louisianans had earned the moniker, “Louisiana Tigers,” for their fighting prowess.  Both brigades were seasoned veterans of the Army of Northern Virginia.  Once Sedgwick had his forces in place he began to pound Early’s Confederates with artillery.  He maintained this fire throughout the afternoon, causing much consternation, and many casualties at the bridgehead.  Meanwhile, Upton’s brigade, consisting of the 121st New York, 5th Massachusetts, 95th and 96th Pennsylvania were joined by US Colonel Peter Ellmaker’s Third Brigade, consisting of the 6th Maine, 5th Wisconsin, 49th and 119th Pennsylvania.  Commanded by David Russell, they were assigned the unenviable task of carrying the works manned by Hays’ “Louisiana Tigers” and Hoke’s North Carolinians.  With dusk beginning to blanket the field, Russell’s division pushed out of the woods and towards the bridgehead.  Partially protected by the railroad embankment, the division was able to get very close to the fortifications before they were engaged by Hays’ soldiers.  Upton would detach companies B and D, as skirmishers.  They were commanded by Captain John Fish.  Upton was very clear in his orders to Fish, “When the line advances upon your right, you will advance – you will drive the enemy off that crest, you will use your judgment and act as if you had a separate command: but remember one thing – I want my brigade line to get there as soon as any of them.”(iii)  Clinton Beckwith described the action, “We moved forward briskly and soon discovered the Rebel skirmish line.  They waited a good while, an age I thought, before they fired on us, and I knew someone would get hit.  Finally they let go and we started on a run after them, and they skedaddled.  One fellow waited until Jack Marden, one of our boys, got close to him, and then fired and hit Jack.  But the ball, striking something in Jack’s pocket, glanced off.  The Rebel shouted, ‘I surrender,’ but Jack shot and wounded him badly….The artillery in the fort was now firing rapidly and the cannon shots flew over us and went after our fellows who were coming up behind.  The Reb skirmishers kept falling back, but kept up a sharp fire.”(iv)  Soon, Fish and his skirmishers, along with the rest of the 121st New York, were upon the works.

Hiram Hall’s Company F was part of the attacking column.  Upon reaching the Rebel works, he was able to reform his lines.  The fighting became hand-to-hand, with several casualties coming from bayonet wounds.  With darkness quickly covering the battlefield, the action is described in “Upton’s Regulars,” by Salvatore Cilella: “(the Louisiana brigade remained) sanguine and defiant….Upton could see their colors in the gathering night, inscribed with “Cedar Run,” “Manassas Second,” “Winchester,” “Harpers Ferry,” “Sharpsburg,” “Fredericksburg,” “Chancellorsville,” and “Gettysburg.”  Without waiting for Russell for further instructions, Upton sent Capt. Seymour Hall to tell Russell that he had accomplished his mission and had reformed his lines parallel to the rifle pits that were still crawling with rebel soldiers.  He intended to attack again.”(v)  Upton had advised his men, “Boys, or rather Old 121st, I am with you again.  We are going to make a charge, and some of you will fall, but you will all go to heaven.  And I am going with you over the works.”  With that, Hall’s Company F, and the rest of the 121st New York stormed the rifle pits, performing a left face they rolled up the flank of the 6th, 54th and 57th North Carolina regiments.  Many of the Confederates surrendered and the 121st New York was able to capture a regimental flag.  All told, with the 5th Maine at their side, the 121st New York was able to capture seven Confederate flags, 103 officers, 1,300 enlisted men and 1,200 weapons.  One captured Rebel asked how many corps were involved in the attack.  When he was told only two regiments carried out the assault the “mortification” was “extreme.”  After the battle Upton reported, “The success at Rappahannock had a most electrifying effect throughout the army.”(vi)

Hall would continue to lead Company F, 121st New York Infantry, through some of the most bloody battles of the Eastern Theater: The Wilderness, Spotsylvania Court House, the North Anna and Cold Harbor.  In April 1864, he was promoted to lieutenant colonel of the 43d United States Colored Troops.  He would lead these men at the Battle of the Crater, Weldon Railroad, Boydton Plank Road, Hatcher’s Run and the Appomattox Campaign.  He would receive a brevet promotion to brigadier general on March 13, 1865.

After the war, Hall would move with his wife, Augusta, to Carrollton, Missouri and finally to Kansas.  She bore him five children: Clarence, Harry, John, Mabel and Augusta.  Seymour H. Hall would die on July 1, 1908 in Kansas City, Kansas and is buried at Oak Hill Cemetery in Lawrence, Kansas.

For his bravery, and gallant leadership, Hall would receive two Medals of Honor on August 17, 1891 – one for his actions at Gaines’s Mill and the other for his heroism at Rappahannock Station.  The official citation reads:

Although wounded at Gaines Mill, Va., he remained on duty and participated in the battle with his company.  At Rappahannock Station, Va., while acting as an aide, rendered gallant and prompt assistance in reforming the regiments inside the enemy works.(vii)

Captain Seymour Hall is a true American HERO.

(i) Cilella, Salvatore G., Upton’s Regulars: The 121^st New York Infantry in the Civil War, published by the University Press of Kansas in 2009, Pg. 184.
(ii) Cilella, Salvatore G., Upton’s Regulars: The 121^st New York Infantry in the Civil War, published by the University Press of Kansas in 2009, Pg. 235.
(iii) Cilella, Salvatore G., Upton’s Regulars: The 121^st New York Infantry in the Civil War, published by the University Press of Kansas in 2009, Pg. 237.
(iv) Best, Isaac O., History of the 121^st New York State Infantry, published by Lieut. Jas. H. Smith in 1921, Pgs. 100–101.
(v) Cilella, Salvatore G., Upton’s Regulars: The 121^st New York Infantry in the Civil War, published by the University Press of Kansas in 2009, Pg. 240.
(vi) Cilella, Salvatore G., Upton’s Regulars: The 121^st New York Infantry in the Civil War, published by the University Press of Kansas in 2009, Pg. 243.
(vii) R.J. (Bob) Pfoft, Editor, United States of America’s Medal of Honor Recipients, Fifth Edition, Pg. 883.

Today, the Civil War Preservation Trust announced a new campaign to save 179 acres of endangered battlefield at The Wilderness and Chancellorsville battlefields.  As you have previously read, on This Mighty Scourge, The Wilderness Battlefield has continued to be lost to development – including Wal-Mart receiving a special use permit to build a Supercenter adjacent to the hallowed ground that was covered with the blood of our countrymen.  Using generous matching funds, the CWPT has committed over $1 million to save 85 acres of Chancellorsville battlefield and 94 acres of The Wilderness.  Following are the details as provided in their email earlier today.

“You Can Go Forward, Then”

A Historic Opportunity to Save Land at Both Chancellorsville and the Wilderness

“You can go forward, then” — With those very words, Stonewall Jackson unleashed his 30,000 hardened soldiers upon an unsuspecting Federal Eleventh Corps deep in the woods around Chancellorsville.

It has to be one of the most exciting and historically important preservation opportunities that we’ve ever presented.  CWPT is now in a position to save a critical section of the Chancellorsville battlefield – the very ground where Stonewall Jackson’s forces crashed into the Union Buschbeck Line during his famous Flank Attack on May 2, 1863.

In addition to this remarkable Chancellorsville opportunity, we are also partnering with the Central Virginia Battlefields Trust to save 94 acres of the Wilderness battlefield.

As you well know, this great 1864 battlefield, where Grant first met Lee in battle, continues to be threatened by nearby development efforts.  Now we can step forward and snatch back a portion of the battlefield before it’s too late.

View our Chancellorsville-Wilderness Appeal Online:
civilwar.org/chancellorsvillewilderness
Battle maps, history articles, photos, videos, and more

Chancellorsville

* Acreage: 85 Acres
* Location: Spotsylvania County, Virginia
* Total Cost: $2,125,000
* CWPT Commitment: $916,667
* CWPT Donation Match: $2.3 to $1

Wilderness

* Acreage: 94 Acres
* Location: Spotsylvania County, Virginia
* Total Cost: $950,000
* CWPT Commitment: $95,000
* CWPT Donation Match: $10 to $1

My friend, I will be the first one “over the top,” so to speak.  I have already written a personal check, made payable to CWPT, for $1,000.  I could not, in good conscience, ask you to contribute to an effort I was not willing to put my hard-earned cash into as well.

For your gift of $100 or more, I will do something that CWPT has done with great success at several other battlefields around the nation, such as The Slaughter Pen at Fredericksburg, the First Day of Chancellorsville, Harpers Ferry, Parker’s Crossroads and more:

For your donation of just $100 or more today, I will include your name on a permanent display that will stand on this hallowed ground.

You read that right; this offer is not just for those “heavy hitters” among us; everyone who gives $100 or more to this appeal will have his or her name included on this commemorative display!

CWPT is going to recognize – at Chancellorsville, on this ground – the thousands of CWPT members who will now make this historic victory possible.

Most Sincerely Yours,

Jim Lighthizer
President

Civil War Preservation Trust
1156 15th Street N.W., Suite 900, Washington, D.C. 20005 | Phone (202) 367-1861
www.civilwar.org

Please take some time today to learn more about this great opportunity to save this hallowed ground.  I will be making my donation this evening – I hope you will as well.

Click here to listen to my June 2009 interview with CWPT president, Jim Lighthizer

Today marks the 146th anniversary of US Major General Joseph Hooker’s Chancellorsville Campaign.  After the terrible losses during the Battle of Fredericksburg, from December 11–15, 1862, the Northern populace was in a state of shock.  US Major General Ambrose Burnside had hurled his juggernaut Army of the Potomac, numbering 115,000, against CS General Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia.  Entrenched above Fredericksburg, on Marye’s Heights, and extending south to Prospect Hill, Lee’s soldiers were well fortified.  Burnside would send wave, after wave, of soldiers against the works.  The Federal army would suffer 12,600 casualties, compared to 5,300 on the Confederate side.  After a failed flanking move, called the “Mud March,” Lincoln had had enough.  Burnside upset with the conduct of his lieutenants, who he felt were conspiring to have him relieved of command, offered Lincoln the choice of his resignation, or relieving the generals plotting for his removal.  Lincoln would choose the former.  On January 25, 1862, “Fighting” Joe Hooker took over command of the Army of the Potomac.  In a letter sent to Hooker, the day after his promotion, Lincoln offered some advice, “I have heard, in such a way as to believe it, of your recently saying that both the Army and the Government need a Dictator.  Of course it was not for this, but in spite of it, that I have given you the command.  Only those generals who gain successes, can set up dictators.  What I now ask of you is military success, and I will risk the dictatorship.”(i)  Now to the story of Chancellorsville – Joe Hooker’s legacy.

Battle of Chancellorsville(ii)

Location: Chancellorsville, VA
Dates: April 30 – May 6, 1863
Union Commander:  Joseph Hooker, Major General
Confederate Commander:  Robert E. Lee, General

Battle Summary:
Abraham Lincoln, and the citizens of the United States, were ready for a change.  After a terrible defeat, in front of Marye’s Heights, at the Battle of Fredericksburg, the army was in disarray on the east bank of the Rappahannock River.  Being further demoralized, in mid-January 1863, while searching out CS General Robert E. Lee’s left flank, in what was dubbed the “Mud March,” the Army of the Potomac was a shadow of its former self.  Abraham Lincoln had had enough.  Promptly after the “Mud March,” Lincoln continued his search for a commanding general, that could win battles.  Unlike Irvin McDowell, George McClellan and John Pope, Burnside would continue in corps command, where he performed his best service.  Lincoln tapped First Corps commander, Joe Hooker to lead his army of the Potomac.

Hooker, who had earned the nickname, “Fighting Joe,” after a punctuation error in a newspaper, was known as a brave soldier who commanded respect.  Soldiers under his command, would fight for Hooker, as he would be there at their side.  However, outside of the First Corps, Hooker was not well known.  Hooker exhibited exemplary service, leading the First Corps, at the Corn Field, at Antietam, and the center Grand Division at Fredericksburg.  While Lincoln’s promotion of Hooker was not without reservations, he believed Hooker would exhibit the tempered aggressiveness he needed to get wins, in the east.

Hooker went to work immediately, bringing order, out of chaos.  He drilled his army, provided leave for soldiers, and brought pride back to an army that was demoralized, after the fiasco, in and around, Fredericksburg.  During February, March and early April, Hooker’s plan began to come together.  It called for a move north, along the east bank of the Rappahannock River, past Falmouth .  This move would be made by six of his seven infantry corps (I Corps, II Corps, III Corps, V Corps, XI Corps and XII Corps) and his Cavalry Corps, commanded by US Brigadier General George Stoneman.  His remaining infantry corps (VI Corps), commanded by US Major General John Sedgwick, would remain in the Fredericksburg area, in attempt to keep Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia in the ridges behind Fredericksburg.

As March gave way to April, and the roads in northern Virginia firmed up, Hooker put his tactical plans in motion.  His plans called for Stoneman to go upriver, fording the Rapidan and Rappahannock Rivers, to get behind Lee, cutting his vital supply line: the Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad.  Once this was accomplished, he would cross his six infantry corps at Kelly’s Ford, before Lee knew his intentions, and was able to challenge his crossing.  To further confuse Lee, Sedgwick would cross his VI Corps into Fredericksburg, in an effort to keep Lee engaged there, while the rest of Hooker’s Army of the Potomac would fall onto the rear of Lee’s unsuspecting army.

Unfortunately, Lee quickly deduced what Hooker’s plans were.  Sending a portion of his 1st Corps from Fredericksburg, Lee rushed two brigades, commanded by Brigadier Generals Carnot Posey, and William Mahone, to the area of a small crossroads tavern, Chancellorsville.  They were told to hold the Union army at bay, until Hooker’s plans could be better understood.  Lee was in a quandary, he could not leave Fredericksburg unguarded, as the road to Richmond would be wide open to the Federals across the river.  However, he was faced with growing danger to his north.  Fortunately, for Lee, the area near Chancellorsville was heavily wooded, with small scrub oaks, and other dense vegetation.  This gave him the advantage of being able to plan his offensive away from the prying eyes of the quickly gathering Federal force.

Hooker’s flanking forces arrived on west side, of the Rappahannock, on April 30, most having crossed at Germanna, and Ely’s Fords.  There, he deployed his army, with US Major General George Meade’s V Corps, US Major General Darius Couch’s II Corps and US Major General Henry Slocum’s XII Corps all in the vicinity of the Chancellorsville Tavern.  Additionally, US Major General Oliver O. Howard’s XI Corps arrived and was deployed along the Orange Plank Road, west of Chancellorsville.

On May 1, Hooker had fully enveloped the Chancellorsville Inn, and was faced by all of Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia.  With Lee’s army well protected by the Wilderness, the armies tangled during the afternoon, with neither side gaining a significant advantage.  Additional troops had also arrived, for the action on May 1, as US Major General Dan Sickles had brought his III Corps into action, via U.S. Ford.  Having probed forward, toward Fredericksburg, along the Orange Plank Road, Hooker ran into stiffer resistance than he had anticipated, from Lee’s entrenched army.  As the battle sputtered to a standstill, Hooker determined to defend his position, around the Chancellor house, protecting his retreat route at U.S. Ford.

By late day, on May 1, Lee had ordered the last defenders from Fredericksburg – Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson’s 2nd Corps division, of CS Major General Jubal Early – to join the rest of the army.  Sedgwick’s VI Corps would follow them out the Orange Turnpike, with little or no energy, even after Hooker had ordered him to move with alacrity, pushing Early’s Division into Lee’s rear, now holding the rest of his army, at Chancellorsville.

Late in the evening, Lee would meet with his most trusted subordinate, Lieutenant General Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson, behind the lines in Chancellorsville.  This would be their last meeting, but the outcome of the meeting would be one of the most daring military moves in history.  Had it failed, Lee would be forever second guessed.  If it were successful, Lee would be able to crush Hooker’s larger force (Hooker held close to a 2:1 advantage at Chancellorsville), destroying it against the banks of the Rappahannock River.  In this late night conference, upon learning of a back road through the Wilderness, Lee determined to split his army, sending Jackson’s Corps on long march around Hooker’s right flank.

As May 2 dawned, Jackson put his corps in motion.  It would be a long route to Hooker’s right flank, which CS Major General J.E.B. Stuart’s Cavalry Corps had determined was “in the air.”  In order to ensure surprise, Jackson stayed well south of the Orange Plank Road, so far that he actually turned south along the Brock Road, heading away from the prying eyes of the Federals.  This caused Hooker to believe that Lee’s army was in the process of retreating, to Richmond. 

With sporadic fighting throughout the day, Hooker determined to maintain his defensive posture in the area of the Chancellor homestead.  Further west, as supper was being prepared, in Howard’s XI Corps camps, the soldiers were relaxing, inevitably talking about the far off rattle of musketry, near Chancellorsville.  As the soldiers rested, around 5:20 PM, some troops noticed deer running towards them, from the thicket of the Wilderness, northwest of their camps.  Within moments, the “Rebel yell” was heard as their camps were stormed by Jackson’s infantry corps.  The resulting panic led to a headlong retreat, towards Hooker’s headquarters near the Chancellor house.  Hooker was able to rally his troops, counter attacking Jackson’s Corps, before darkness fell over the blood soaked fields, of the Wilderness. 

Overnight, Hooker would contract his lines, bringing order, out of disorder. However, it was apparent that Lee had more than answered Hooker’s flanking move, neutralizing a vastly superior force, and was in position to destroy the Federal army, on May 3.

While Hooker was engaged in repairing his damaged lines, Lee suffered the most devastating loss of the entire war.  After pushing the Federal XI Corps, from their camps, “Stonewall” Jackson was reconnoitering his position, between the enemy lines, to make preparations for the final “mop up,” on May 3.  Riding on his trusted horse, “Little Sorrel,” Jackson would be shot, in the left shoulder, by his own troops, as he approached his lines.  Jackson would have his left arm amputated and was expected to recover over the coming months.  However, pneumonia would set in, and Thomas Jackson would die, at Guinea Station,on May 10, 1863.  Lee would later be quoted as saying, “He lost his left arm; but I have lost my right arm.”

On May 3, Robert E Lee further tightened the vice, that Hooker found himself trapped in.  After pushing Sickle’s III Corps,from the heights, near Hazel Grove, Lee’s artillery came to life, bombarding Hooker’s, ever more precarious position, at the Chancellorsville Inn.  With Sickle’s retreat from the Hazel Grove position, CS Major General J.E.B Stuart, commanding Jackson’s 2nd Corps, pushed forward into the ever shrinking Union lines, from the west, while CS Lieutenant General James Longstreet’s 1st Corps pushed them from the east.  The fighting on this day would be some of the most intense of any battle in the eastern theater, of the Civil War.

On May 4, with Stuart’s Corps holding Hooker’s main army at U.S. Ford, Lee turned his attention to US Major General John Sedgwick’s tardy VI Corps.  Sedgwick would be pushed back to Fredericksburg, and was in a similar position as Hooker’s army, just a couple miles away.  His lines formed a “U” shape, backed up against Scott’s Ford – the only escape route.

With very few offensive options, remaining open, Hooker withdrew his forces, on May 5 and 6, closing one of the most disastrous campaigns for the North, during the entire Civil War.

Campaign: Chancellorsville

Outcome: Confederate victory

Troop Strengths
Union: 130,000
Confederate: 60,000

Casualties (estimated):
Union: 18,000 (killed, wounded or missing/captured)
Confederate: 12,800 (killed, wounded or missing/captured)

Battle Aftermath:
The Battle of Chancellorsville was considered Robert E. Lee’s most spectacular victory.  Lee was able to achieve victory, dividing his much smaller army in two, in front of a very aggressive adversary.  Unfortunately, Lee was never fully able to overcome the loss of his most trusted lieutenant – Stonewall Jackson.  After decimating Hooker, Lee went back on the offensive, pushing north into Pennsylvania, towards a fateful meeting with the next commander of the Union’s Army of the Potomac: US Major General George Gordon Meade.  While this offensive move was designed to alleviate some of the pressure in western theater, where CS Lieutenant General John Pemberton, at Vicksburg, was under a siege by US Major General Ulysses S. Grant.  Gettysburg, and Vicksburg would both be Confederate losses, by July 4.

(i) Sears, Stephen W., Chancellorsville, published by Houghton Mifflin Company 1996, Pgs. 57–58.
(ii) This entire essay is published on my website, BattlefieldPortraits.com.