This Mighty Scourge

Eri D. Woodbury was born on May 30, 1837, to Henry Woodbury and Hannah Davidson Woodbury, at Francetown, New Hampshire.    He would enlist in the 1st Vermont Cavalry, on December 14, 1863, as a private in Company E.  Woodbury was a graduate of Dartmouth College and would quickly learn the ropes of a cavalry trooper, “….(while) riding his horse to water, with only a halter, (when) he ran off: but I rode as far as he ran.”  The next day he wrote, “In mounting a horse for water today, while a couple of officers were looking on, I sprang and land(ed) clear of the other side in the mud.”(i)  Obviously Woodbury would learn to ride better as he had many cavalry engagements awaiting him!

On May 5, 1864, during the opening phases of the Battle of the Wilderness, Woodbury would see action at Craig’s Meeting House where he was sent forward, on foot, as a skirmisher.  Woodbury would describe the action, “I had taken a position behind a rail fence when one of Co. came up on my right and I moved about a foot and a half to the left, he taking my place.  In a half a minute a ball hit him in the temple – and without a groan he was ‘mustered out.’  His warm blood formed a little pool in which my knees were steeped.”(ii)  Woodbury would survive the skirmish at Craig’s Meeting House unscathed. 

During the Overland Campaign, Woodbury, and the 1st Vermont Cavalry, would participate in several significant engagements: Yellow Tavern, Meadow Bridge, and Hawe’s Shop.  After the Army of the Potomac crossed the James River, the 1st Vermont would participate in many raids south of Petersburg, most notably the Wilson-Kautz Raid.  This raid’s objective was to tear up track on three railroads: Richmond and Danville, Weldon and Southside.  Additionally, two important bridges were to be destroyed: High Bridge on the Southside and Roanoke on the Richmond and Danville.  After tearing up 60 miles of track the troopers reached High Bridge on June 25.  This bridge was heavily guarded and significant action took place in trying to push the Rebels from the bridge.  The 1st Vermont, while not directly involved in the fighting at High Bridge, were assigned rear guard duty – a very important assignment with Fitzhugh Lee’s Confederate Cavalry prowling in their rear.  During the evening, Wilson and Kautz determined that it was impracticable to remain in the area and made plans to reunite with the Army of the Potomac at Petersburg.  Their route would take them in a roughly northeasterly direction, swinging in somewhat of an arc.  For two and a half days, their return march proved uneventful.  This would change as the approached Stoney Creek.  There at Sappony Church was CSA Major General Wade Hampton’s cavalry division, many dismounted, blocking their route to the Federal lines at Petersburg.  Over the next couple of hours the 1st Vermont would work to throw up modest works.  Woodbury was assigned a front position from which he would kneel, directing his fire at the Confederate position.  While not well liked by most troopers, this position did offer them some protection from the Confederate musketry.  As Woodbury describes, “…many a time during that night the balls struck in this frail defense or in the dirt so near it as to sprinkle us with sand.”(iii)  The fight at Stoney Creek would continue throughout the night.  With first light, Wilson quickly determined to pursue a different route.  Pulling Kautz’s command out of line, he ordered them north towards Ream’s Station.  By mid-morning Wilson ordered the rest of his troopers to pull out of line and head for Ream’s Station.  The 1st Vermont, 3d Indiana and 8th New York were given the unenviable job of fighting a delaying action against a much larger Confederate force.  This would require the troopers to march a distance, dismount and fight the enemy, re-mount when the pressure became too severe, ride a distance and repeat the whole process – all the while under enemy fire.  Eventually, during this delaying action, over 60 Vermonters would be captured, many of which would end up at the dreaded Andersonville Prison.  Finding portions of Fitzhugh Lee and Hampton’s cavalry, along with a division of Confederate infantry, at Ream’s Station, Kautz and Wilson changed plans and would make their escape to the west – a direction the Confederates would not expect – before turning around and heading further south and then pushing east to the Weldon where their route would be open.  While Wilson was setting his plans in motion, Kautz was able to make his escape, with portions of Wilson’s command, and would arrive at the Federal camps on June 29.  Wilson’s much longer route would prevent him from arriving at Petersburg until July 2.  The cost of the Wilson-Kautz Raid was high with the Federal cavalry suffering over 900 casualties.  It was another sad chapter in the close knit 1st Vermont which would suffer 90 casualties.  Having left with 370+ men, the Green Mountain Boys would suffer a casualty rate nearly 25%, quite high for a mounted arm.(iv)

Over the next three weeks the 1st Vermont would receive some much needed rest.  They would camp on some high ground near the James River, enjoying much needed provisions.  In August, with CSA Lieutenant General Jubal Early’s 2d Corps Army of Northern Virginia (the 2d Corps would be designated the Army of the Valley) on the prowl in the Shenandoah Valley and Maryland, things began to change quickly in Army of the Potomac’s camps.  With the Lincoln administration fearing a raid on Washington City, Grant detached portions of his army (two divisions of cavalry, VI Army Corps and XIX Army Corps) to Harper’s Ferry.  Once there they would combine with the VIII Corps and form the Middle Department with US Major General Philip Sheridan in command of the combined forces.  Sheridan wasted no time and pushed his army into the Shenandoah Valley to confront Jubal Early’s Army of the Valley.  Finding Early’s forces spread out, near Winchester, Sheridan would attack them on September 19.  At what would be known as the Battle of Third Winchester (or Battle of Opequon), Sheridan would roughly handle Early sending him retreating up the valley.  The 1st Vermont Cavalry had little involvement in this battle. 

Next Sheridan’s army would find Early’s army holding high ground at Fisher’s Hill.  Executing a wonderfully designed plan, Sheridan was able to rout Early from the hill on September 21–22.  While the fight was going on at Fisher’s Hill, US Brigadier General Alfred Torbert was in command of a cavalry detachment sent towards Front Royal to block the Valley Turnpike sealing Early’s escape route from Fisher’s Hill.  The third cavalry division failed to block the road.  On October 7, Torbert’s rear guard was attacked by CSA Brigadier General Thomas Rosser’s Confederate cavalry division.  The 1st Vermont was in the rear guard and young Eri Woodbury described the unfolding events, “Today while pursuing our devastating course (the “Burning” of the Valley) we were attacked by Gen. Rosser’s Div. of Cavalry. I was sent out on a skirmish line with a squad of men.  While there they flanked us upon the left, & our troops were forced into a confused retreat.  I was at one time very near being captured.”  Sheridan was furious that Torbert had failed.  Besides the battlefield losses, Rosser’s troopers were able to capture seven important portable forges.  On October 8, Sheridan met with Torbert and made his thoughts quite clear: “That night I told Torbert I expected him either to give Rosser a drubbing next morning or get whipped himself, and the infantry would be halted until the affair was over.  I also told him that I proposed to ride out to Round Top Mountain to see the fight.”(v)

On the next morning, October 9, Torbert was able to resuscitate his career.  In what would be called the Battle of Tom’s Brook (also known as the Woodstock Races) Torbert’s numerically superior cavalry, containing two divisions, was able to easily flank Rosser’s position.  As historian Joseph D. Collea, Jr. described in his book, “The First Vermont Cavalry in the Civil War,” the Battle of Tom’s Brook “was a cavalry fight from start to finish.”  The First Vermont was positioned on the right flank and would not see action until later in the battle.  With Brigadier General George Custer leading the right wing, which included the 1st Vermont, the cavaliers charged forward in textbook style, building momentum gradually, rolling forward “in a walk to the skirmish line, then a trot, then a gallop, then a wild rush of shouting troopers and frantic horses.”(vi)  Custer’s troopers quickly pushed CSA Colonel Thomas Munford’s cavalry from Spiker’s Hill while the left wing drove the remainder of Rosser’s cavalry from their position.  Woodbury, then a sergeant, described the action, “We charged them, drove them and then drove them about seven miles.”(vii)  It was at this point that the “races” began with Custer’s wing driving the Confederate cavalry towards Columbia Furnace while the left wing drove them towards New Market.  The 1st Vermont would regroup, near Strasburg, after driving the enemy nearly twenty-six miles.

After the defeat of Jubal Early’s Army of the Valley at Fisher’s Hill, and the cavalry battle at Tom’s Brook, Federal army commanders felt that Early’s army was pretty well played out.  By the morning of October 19, Sheridan’s entire Middle Department was bivouacked north of Cedar Creek, near Middletown.  It was during the overnight hours, of October 19, that Early set in motion one of his most daring plans.  Sending CSA Major General John B. Gordon’s Division on a wide right flanking march, Gordon was able to slam into US Brigadier General George Crook’s VIII Corps at first light.  Quickly followed by the rest of Early’s army, Crook’s soldiers were pushed from their camps while their coffee was brewing.  The VIII Corps were quickly routed and pushed through US Brigadier General William Emory’s XIX Corps camps with the result being the same.  The Federal lines did not begin to stabilize until the last remaining Federal army corps, US Brigadier General James B. Rickett’s VI Corps, was pushed north, beyond Middletown.  Unfortunately, for the Federal fortunes, Phil Sheridan was at Winchester.  While he was away, US Major General Horatio Wright was left in charge of the army.  While Wright was an able commander, he was surprised by the early morning attack and was unprepared to defend his position.  Sheridan, hearing sounds of battle, mounted his powerful horse, Rienzi, and dashed back to his army.  Covering the seventeen miles very quickly, Sheridan would find his army in disarray north of Middletown.

Quickly bringing order, out of the chaos, Sheridan deployed his army to counterattack.  Riding in front of his lines he motivated his troops and the soldiers quickly realized they would be back in their camps that night.  Early, realizing Sheridan had no plan to retreat, determined to set up a defensive line north of Cedar Creek.  With the VI Corps marching towards the Confederate line, Sheridan ordered Custer to attack the Rebel left flank.  Placing the 1st Vermont and 5th New York into line, he quickly began to push across the open fields of grass.  Eri Woodbury would once again see action and would provide his country with his most valuable service at Cedar Creek.  Confederate General John B. Gordon described the events unfolding around him, “There came from the north side of the plain a dull, heavy swelling sound like the roaring of a distant cyclone, the omen of additional disaster.  It was unmistakable.  Sheridan’s horsemen were riding furiously across the open fields of grass to intercept the Confederates before they crossed Cedar Creek.”(viii)  The sudden charge of infantry and cavalry proved more than the Early’s shell shocked soldiers could handle.  As Collea described in his book, “Before the Vermonters a cavalryman’s dream lay waiting – a foe, already psychologically defeated, was in every-man-for-himself flight.”  This was not lost on the Vermont troopers, including Woodbury.  Charging past the most forward Federal infantry position the 1st Vermont was pushing the Rebels hard.  During the enemy’s flight, Woodbury, conspicuously mounted on his horse, and alone, came upon four armed Confederate infantrymen.  With one of the Rebels hiding a flag behind his back, Woodbury, with only a saber, demanded their surrender.  The tar-heels immediately complied becoming prisoners and turning over their weapons and flag.  Woodbury, himself, describes it best, stating that he noticed “a little hill on the left of the road at the entrance to Fisher’s Hill was covered with fugitive infantry.  I charged in alone, cut off four, and captured a battle flag belonging to the 12th NC Regt.’s infantry.”(ix)  The victory was complete.  Jubal Early’s Army of the Valley, already weakened, was forced to retreat deeper into the Shenandoah Valley.

The 1st Vermont Cavalry, would establish their winter camps near Winchester.  On February 27, Sheridan’s army pushed south.  Leading the van of the army was Colonel William Wells’ cavalry brigade – including the proud 1st Vermont.  Wells had entered the service as captain of Company C, 1st Vermont.  He was a favorite amongst the men from Vermont and had advanced slowly to brigade command.  Sheridan’s objectives, during the late winter of 1865, were left somewhat to his discretion.  Besides destroying the Virginia Central Railroad he was interested in the James River Canal and Lynchburg.(x)  Upon reaching Staunton, Sheridan sent Custer’s division east towards Waynesboro, on March 2.  Brigadier General Thomas Devin’s cavalry division followed Custer.  Waynesboro was situated on the Virginia Central Railroad making it strategically important to Sheridan.  Upon approaching the village, Custer found Early’s troops situated behind earthworks just west of town.  Reconnoitering the area, it was determined that Early’s left flank was vulnerable to attack.  Sensing an attack on this sector could crumble Early’s position, Custer turned again to the 1st Vermont.  After forming their lines the brave Green Mountain boys charged the Rebel line, which quickly folded.  With additional units attacking the center, Early was once again forced to retreat.  While a small engagement, in term of forces engaged, the Confederates suffered over 1,500 casualties – most of them captured.  Early and his staff, however, were able to elude capture.  With the Shenandoah Valley completely cleared of resistance, Sheridan exited the valley and pushed south, destroying the James River Canal locks near Goochland Court House.  On March 27 Sheridan reunited with the Army of the Potomac at Hancock’s Station near Petersburg. 

The beginning of the end was at hand.  Grant, now reunited with Sheridan, intended to use his forces immediately.  On April 1, Sheridan commanding a force that included Devin and Custer’s cavalry divisions and US Major General Gouverneur K. Warren’s V Corps, attacked CSA Major General George Pickett’s division at Five Forks.  While Woodbury, and the 1st Vermont, were held in reserve on the Federal left flank, the V Corps rolled up Pickett’s left flank forcing another Confederate retreat.  The loss of Five Forks made Robert E. Lee’s position at Petersburg untenable.  On the evening of April 2, Lee evacuated the trenches at Richmond and Petersburg and headed west.  Sheridan again played a major role, in the retreat to Appomattox, preventing Lee from pushing south towards a junction with CSA General Joseph E. Johnston’s Army of Tennessee in North Carolina.  On April 8, learning that supply trains were arriving at Appomattox Station, Custer’s cavalry division was able to defeat the Confederate reserve artillery, commanded by CSA Colonel Lindsay Walker, that was guarding the station.  The 1st Vermont Cavalry played a significant role in the action there, holding the right flank of the attacking Federal line.  While no Confederate casualty figures were given, nearly 1,000 soldiers were captured including Brigadier General Young Moody.  Additionally 25–30 guns were captured along with a huge amount of supplies in the railroad cars.  After surviving nearly 18 months unscathed, recently promoted First Lieutenant Eri Woodbury would be wounded in the woods north of the station.  Woodbury described his wounding, “Suddenly (I) felt a blow (and a) numbing sensation across my breast and found myself turning a double somersault off into the bushes.”  Getting up from the ground, Woodbury checked himself out and found his “fingers were completely knocked out and hanging over the backside (of my) hand by a little shred of skin.”(xi)  This chance encounter with a piece of shrapnel would result in Woodbury having his right hand amputated.

On April 9, with the two sides facing off near Appomattox Court House, the Vermont cavalry was focused on a Rebel wagon train.  With the Confederate position untenable, Custer would receive a courier from Lieutenant General James Longstreet requesting a cease fire so Grant could receive Robert E. Lee’s surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia.  It is fitting that Custer, and his 1st Vermont Cavalry, would play an instrumental role in the closing of the Civil War.  While Sheridan’s cavalry would not be at Appomattox Court House for the official surrender ceremonies, they would take part in the Grand Review of the Federal armies in Washington on May 23.  The 1st Vermont would finish its term of service at Champlain, New York, where they were on frontier duty.  They would officially muster out of service on August 9, 1865.  Due to his wounding, Lieutenant Woodbury would muster out on June 21.

After the war Woodbury would marry Emma M. McChesney.  He would become a professor at the Episcopal Academy (present day Cheshire Academy) in Cheshire, Connecticut.  He would become headmaster of the academy in 1892 and remain in that position until 1896 when he was made Principal Emeritus.(xii)  Woodbury would be presented the Medal of Honor for his actions at the Battle of Cedar Creek.  The citation, dated October 26, 1864, reads:

During the regiment’s charge when the enemy was in retreat Sgt. Woodbury encountered 4 Confederate infantrymen retreating.  He drew his saber and ordered them to surrender, overcoming by his determined actions their willingness to further resist.  They surrendered to him together with their rifles and the 12th North Carolina (C.S.A.) regimental flag.(xiii)

Lieutenant Eri Woodbury died on April 14, 1928 and is buried at Saint Peters Church Cemetery in Cheshire, Connecticut.  He is a true American HERO.

(i) Collea, Jr., Joseph D., The First Vermont Cavalry in the Civil War, published by McFarland & Company, Inc. in 2010, Pg. 208.
(ii) Collea, Jr., Joseph D., The First Vermont Cavalry in the Civil War, published by McFarland & Company, Inc. in 2010, Pg. 226.
(iii) Collea, Jr., Joseph D., The First Vermont Cavalry in the Civil War, published by McFarland & Company, Inc. in 2010, Pg. 245.
(iv) Collea, Jr., Joseph D., The First Vermont Cavalry in the Civil War, published by McFarland & Company, Inc. in 2010, Pgs. 247–248.
(v) Collea, Jr., Joseph D., The First Vermont Cavalry in the Civil War, published by McFarland & Company, Inc. in 2010, Pg. 258.
(vi) Collea, Jr., Joseph D., The First Vermont Cavalry in the Civil War, published by McFarland & Company, Inc. in 2010, Pg. 259.
(vii) Collea, Jr., Joseph D., The First Vermont Cavalry in the Civil War, published by McFarland & Company, Inc. in 2010, Pg. 260.
(viii) Collea, Jr., Joseph D., The First Vermont Cavalry in the Civil War, published by McFarland & Company, Inc. in 2010, Pgs. 264–265.
(ix) Collea, Jr., Joseph D., The First Vermont Cavalry in the Civil War, published by McFarland & Company, Inc. in 2010, Pgs. 266–267.
(x) Collea, Jr., Joseph D., The First Vermont Cavalry in the Civil War, published by McFarland & Company, Inc. in 2010, Pg. 276.
(xi) Collea, Jr., Joseph D., The First Vermont Cavalry in the Civil War, published by McFarland & Company, Inc. in 2010, Pg. 283.
(xii) See Eri D. Woodbury at Cheshire Academy’s website.
(xiii) For further information see Civil War Medal of Honor Recipients: A Complete Illustrated Record, by Broadwater, Robert P., published by McFarland & Company, Inc. in 2007, Pg. 223.

James Barton Wiley was born in Ohio between 1836 and 1838.  By 1850 he was living with his parents, Jacob and Mary Wiley, in Noble, Ohio.  He was the oldest of seven siblings.  He was the only son of Jacob and Mary.  He would marry Catherine Coffee on February 2, 1854 in Noble County, Indiana.  Together they would have three children: Mary Jane (1856), John M. (1859) and William S. (1862).  Wiley would often go by his middle name on official records, including his marriage certificate and the 1860 Federal Census record which listed the Wiley residence in Baker, Indiana.(i)

With the outbreak of hostilities, Wiley would enlist as a private in Company H, 59th New York Infantry.  His date of enlistment was September 20, 1861 at Bellville, Ohio.  In speaking with a couple of his ancestors, this author has been unable to determine why he would enlist in a New York regiment when he lived in Indiana and entered the service in Ohio.  The only logical conclusion is that Ohio had filled her volunteer requirements and the state had not authorized the formation of additional regiments by his enlistment date.

The 59th New York was officially mustered into Federal service in November 1861 and would leave New York City on November 23.  Proceeding to Washington City they would serve in US Brigadier General James Wadsworth’s command, defending Washington, through May 1862.  In July 1862 the 59th New York would join the Army of the Potomac and be assigned to the Third Brigade (Brigadier General Napoleon J.T. Dana), Second Division (US Major General John Sedgwick) of US Major General Edwin Sumner’s II Corps.  Commanding the 59th New York was Colonel William L. Tidball.  Leaving Washington City, they would join their new command at Harrison’s Landing on the James River Peninsula.  By this time The Seven Days was over and the Army of the Potomac, commanded by US Major General George B. McClellan was preparing to leave Harrison’s Landing to return to Alexandria, Virginia.  Private James Wiley would see no action while at Harrison’s Landing.(ii)

By August 28, 1862, the II Corps was located at Fairfax Court House, Virginia, and would be involved in covering US Major General John Pope’s retreating Army of Virginia from their rout at Second Manassas.  After the defeat of Pope’s army, CSA General Robert E. Lee determined to invade the North in an effort to recruit troops and provide relief for wary Virginians who had suffered through nearly all of the fighting in the Eastern Theater.  Pushing into Maryland during the first days of September, Lee would begin an effort to recruit Marylanders who were loyal to the Confederacy – an effort that turned out to be in vain.

Meanwhile, in Washington City, McClellan began to organize the remnants of Pope’s Army of Virginia using some of them to fill the ranks of his Army of the Potomac.  A master of organization, McClellan quickly had his army back in shape.  With intelligence mounting, that Lee had pushed into Maryland, McClellan quickly began planning his movements.  On September 6, the Army of the Potomac left Washington, in several columns, to find Lee’s army.  The first action of the Maryland Campaign would occur at South Mountain on September 14, when US Major General Joseph Hooker’s I Corps would engage portions of CSA Major Generals James Longstreet and Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson’s army wings.  The fighting at South Mountain would take place at Fox’s Gap, Crampton’s Gap and Turner’s Gap and would be intense.  Hooker was severely pressed while trying to push through the gaps.  The II Corps, including the 59th New York, would be sent to reinforce Hooker, but would arrive to find the I Corps alone at South Mountain – Lee having pulled his forces back.

On September 16, Sumner’s II Corps would be on the east side of Antietam Creek, facing the majority of Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia (CSA Major General A.P. Hill’s Light Division was at Harpers Ferry) deployed around Sharpsburg, Maryland – just west of Antietam Creek.  On the morning of September 17, Hooker’s I Corps, having crossed Antietam Creek north of the Confederates, pushed south towards the left flank of Lee’s forces.  Pushing through the “Corn Field” they would be heavily engaged against Jackson’s Left Army Wing.  With the fighting going back-and-forth, across the Corn Field, the I Corps would suffer terrible casualties.  At 7:20 a.m., McClellan would order the II Corps to reinforce Hooker’s I Corps, and US Major General Joseph Mansfield’s XII Corps which had become engaged east of the Corn Field, near the North Woods.  The plan was for Sumner’s II Corps to push towards the Dunker Church, slamming into the left of Jackson’s Confederate lines.  Two of the II Corps divisions were to attack in force.  Unfortunately, US Major General William H. French’s division would veer to the left instead of staying on Sedgwick’s Second Division’s left flank.  This would leave the Second Division, including Wiley’s 59th New York, unsupported as they pushed through the Corn Field towards the West Woods.  Crossing the Hagerstown Pike, the general order was to keep the Dunker Church on their left, and rear.  Pushing straight forward, the three brigades of Sedgwick’s division would not find the enemy in their front, but with their left flank refused and facing north into Sedgwick’s left flank.  Confusion reigned throughout Sedgwick’s division and it became especially pronounced within Dana’s brigade.  His troops, including Wiley’s 59th New York, were receiving heavy enemy fire from a direction they did not expect – their left - enfilading their lines.  Additionally, the division was receiving heavy artillery fire from CSA Major General J.E.B. Stuart’s horse artillery located on a rocky rise to their right.(iii)  Sumner, maintaining his composure, rode up and down his lines, encouraging his soldiers to remain steady.  One of Dana’s soldiers wrote home describing Sumner’s actions, “We were completely flanked on the left and in two minutes more could have been prisoners of war if Gen Sumner himself had not rode in through a terrific fire of the enemy and brought us off……My men fell around me like dead flies on a frosty morning.”(iv)  The 59th New York’s baptism of fire was harsh.  The regiment did not handle themselves well.  With the field shrouded by smoke, they fired unknowingly into the backs of the 15th Massachusetts Infantry.  Not hearing the Massachusetts men yelling at them to cease firing, they would continue to fire into them until Sumner rode up and “cussed them out.”  Sedgwick’s division was able to retreat across the Hagerstown Pike and reform.  The fighting at Antietam would move south to the Bloody Lane, where the II Corps divisions of French and US Major General Israel Richardson would continue the fight.  The fighting on the Federal right would diminish as the action at the Bloody Lane intensified.  US Major General Ambrose Burnside’s IX Corps would attack on the far left, after which the Battle of Antietam sputtered to a close.  Sergeant James Wiley, along with the 59th New York, had experienced their first major fighting, on a grand scale, at Antietam.

Wiley would continue to serve with the 59th New York through upcoming battles at Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville – each being terrible Federal defeats.  Once again, after the Battle of Chancellorsville, Robert E. Lee decided to invade the North.  From July 1–3, 1863, the Army of the Potomac, commanded then by US Major General George Gordon Meade, would battle Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia in the small southern Pennsylvania town of Gettysburg.  US Major General Winfield S. Hancock now commanded the II Corps.  The Second Division was now commanded by US Brigadier General John Gibbon with the Third Brigade being commanded by Colonel Norman J. Hall.  The 59th New York was in Hall’s brigade and was commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Max Thoman.  Brigadier General John Caldwell’s First Division would see action on the second day of Gettysburg, the other two divisions would not be involved.  On the third day of battle, the II Corps other divisions, commanded by US Brigadier General Alexander Hays, and Gibbon, would see significant action during CSA Major General George E. Pickett’s famous charge.  Positioned along Cemetery Ridge, Hays division held the II Corps right flank while Gibbon’s division held the left.  Gibbon received some support from US Colonel Edmund Dana’s I Corps’ brigade.  Pickett’s combined command, which included his 1st Corps Division and CSA Brigadier General J. Johnston Pettigrew’s Division and portions of CSA Major General Richard H. Anderson’s Division, both of the 3d Corps, totaled approximately 12,500 soldiers.  After CSA Colonel E. Porter Alexander’s 1st Corps artillery bombarded the Federal lines for over an hour, Pickett’s troops dressed ranks along Seminary Ridge and pushed towards Hancock’s II Corps.  It was approximately 3:00 p.m.  Crossing the fields between Seminary Ridge and Cemetery Ridge, the Confederates would start to receive artillery shelling.  Crossing a fence along the Emmittsburg Road, they pushed towards the Federal line, its soldiers well protected behind a stone wall.  As they closed to within small arms range, they received a terrible storm of lead as the Federal infantry opened on them.  The Confederate charge would be repulsed, with only a handful of regiments breaking through the II Corps’ line.  The 59th New York would receive a direct assault from the 48th Georgia Infantry regiment.(v)  During the hard fighting here, some of which was hand-to-hand, Wiley would capture the Georgia regiment’s battle flag.  He would receive the Medal of Honor for his actions at Gettysburg, on December 1, 1864.  His citation reads, “Capture of flag of a Georgia regiment.”

Meade’s Army of the Potomac would repulse Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia at Gettysburg, ending the bloodiest battle on American soil.  Lee would retreat back into Virginia, with Meade’s army slowly pursuing them, essentially “nipping at their heels.”

Wiley, and the 59th New York Infantry, would continue to serve their country.  They would be engaged in all the remaining battles in the eastern theater including Mine Run, the Overland Campaign, Petersburg Campaign and Appomattox Court House.  On June 22, 1864, during the fighting at Jerusalem Plank Road, 1st Sergeant James Wiley would be captured.  He would be sent south to the Confederate Prison at Camp Sumter – better known as Andersonville.  He would suffer, with his fellow prisoners, from malnutrition, poor drinking water and exposure to the elements.  On February 7, 1865, Wiley would die from dysentery – most likely never knowing he had been awarded the Medal of Honor for gallantry at Gettysburg.  James Barton Wiley is a true American HERO.

(i) James Barton Wiley, at Ancestery.com was used to research this article.
(ii) The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System was used to research this article.
(iii) Walker, Francis A., History of the Second Army Corps in the Army of the Potomac, Second Edition, published by Charles Scribner’s Sons in 1891, Pgs. 100–107.
(iv) Sears, Stephen W., Landscape Turned Red: The Battle of Antietam, published by Ticknor & Fields in 1983, Pgs. 227–228.
(v) Hess, Earl J., Pickett’s Charge: The Last Attack at Gettysburg, published by the University of North Carolina Press in 2001, Pg. 91.