Civil War 125th "The Battle of Sayler's Creek" - Re-enacting Retro 1990

[Music] [Music] [Music] they were beginning to call him the butcher Union General Ulysses s Grant had been battling his way south since May of 1864 fiercely opposed by the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia grant hurled his divisions at southern defensive positions again and again in the murky depths of the wilderness against the bristling fieldworks at Spotsylvania along the banks of the North bana River and across the blood-soaked fields of Cold Harbor legions of men in federal blue gave their lives in appalling numbers as the two armies settled into siege around Richmond and Petersburg the North counted nearly 70,000 men killed wounded or missing this was more than robert e lee had started the campaign within the southern ranks and the people of the north began to grow weary of the slumbers but the war was not over yet and grant knew that more sacrifices would be required by his army before the thing could be brought to a close he was not pleased with the prospect of a long siege for the southern capital and constantly sought ways to break it one of these efforts would become symbolic of the war effort thus far it proved to be a triumph of Yankee engineering offset by the failure of union leadership and defeated by the resourcefulness of Confederate response it was known to all as the crater the longest tunnel in military history to that date was dug by some Pennsylvania miners and filled with four tons of powder in the early dawn hours of July 30th 1864 the mine was exploded though the Confederate lines had been breached federal soldiers poured in and around the hole without some of their division commanders who sat behind their own lines drinking white and black soldiers alike or sacrificed needlessly as the rebel forces quickly recovered and lined the rim of the crater pouring a devastating fire into the Bluecoats within a few hours later 4,000 Yankees lay dead or captured the southern defenses remained intact a Union General lost his command and grants men settled in for a long and tedious siege [Music] [Music] the Union forces gradually extended their lines westward around Petersburg cutting southern supply routes and stretching the Confederate manpower resources to the breaking point the bloodied feels around Richmond and Petersburg were not the only place of the south was being strangled since 1863 the northern blockade of southern ports had been increasingly effective and basic supplies were becoming scarce and expensive rampant inflation had rendered the Confederate currency nearly worthless a Western Confederate Army in a disastrous campaign under John Bell hood had been shattered at the battles of Franklin and Nashville Union General William T Sherman's march from Atlanta to Savannah had scoured the countryside clean of crops and animals and left much of Georgia and the Carolinas in ruins cut off since 1863 the Confederate states west of the Mississippi River could offer little assistance to their sister states in the East while pockets of resistance still held out in southern Alabama and the trans-mississippi the area of the struggling southern nation that still remained under control of Richmond had been effectively reduced to the state of Virginia and a small portion of North Carolina where Joseph E Johnston's small army tried valiantly to hold Sherman back in March 1865 Johnston carefully laid a trap for his adversary as Sherman's separated columns tramped through the state waiting near Bentonville on March 19th Johnston caught his enemy in the open air with a savage attack [Applause] [Applause] [Applause] the early success of the rebels was quickly encountered by the stubborn resistance of the Federals and the timely arrival of Sherman's remaining forces the battle was basically a draw but in the badly outnumbered Johnston withdrew from the field they had taken their best and last shot and could be no more in Virginia Lee's army was in little better shape Brandt's strategy had cut off all but a single remaining rail line leading into Petersburg the Southside railroad in late March grant sent Phillip Sheridan to sever this final lifeline Lee anticipated this move however and sent George Pickett with five brigades to stop him on April 1st Sheridan attacked pickets lines at the Five Forks Road junction [Applause] [Applause] [Applause] [Applause] although the initial federal assaults went awry the Yankees corrected the mistake and closed in on Pickett's flank from three sides the Confederate line collapsed and Pickett's command was shattered five thousand roubles ended up as prisoners it was the break grant had been waiting for he immediately ordered a general assault the next day April 2nd saw the end of the Petersburg siege grant attacked in many places at once and the thin grey line could not stop them withdrawing to the inner most defensive lines Lee determined to escape before he was completely trapped his thinking was to move west consolidate the Richmond and Petersburg Garrison's at Amelia Courthouse then turned south to join forces with Johnston and Carolina if he could steal a march on Grant he just might have time to defeat Sherman before grant could come to his aid the entire plan hinged on speed and having enough time but such a plan was wishful thinking on Lee's part his men were weak and dispirited many were sickly and would never survive such a journey much less win a battle quickly furthermore even United with Johnston Lee would still be facing a superior enemy in Sherman's 100,000 well-fed veterans it was a desperate plan but it was characteristically bold and optimistic and it was Lee's only hope the movement got underway in the evening hours of April 2nd Lee had ordered supplies collected at Amelia Courthouse but the order was somehow never transmitted and the food didn't arrive the army found artillery and ammunition but no food we elected to give the troops a day to collect forage from the countryside the slim margin of time that was so precious was slipping away grant reacted quickly orders and puts Sheridan and his cavalry on the western road south of the Appomattox River with orders to stay between Lee and the Carolinas the infantry was then split into two columns and sent after the rebels the Yankees could sense that victory was close and the pursuit was vigorous the Confederate column was marching West with Longstreet's Corps in the lead followed by Richard Anderson's and Richard Ewell's Corps next came the Confederate wagon trains who were guarded by Gordon's Corps at the tail of the army the Federals were following in three groups on the heels of Gordon's men and skirmishing constantly with them was the second Corps under Humphreys to the north of this column was Griffin's fifth Corps farther south Sheridan's cavalry was racing west to block the Confederate column and right 6th Corps was following the federal cavalry some distance south of Sheridan was the 24th corps under Gibbon with one division of the twenty-fifth Corps attached the 9th corps under park was spread out along the south side rail road as Lee's column twisted and turned to find the best route west the Federals led by Humphreys men followed them closely the more southerly Cullen was able to move towards the west in the straighter line and gradually gained ground on the rebels near the town of farmville a tall structure known as high bridge crossed the Appomattox River a group of Yankee horsemen and infantry got there before the Confederates and then Confederate cavalry had to scramble to chase them off in the middle of the column you'll feared for the safety of the trains he ordered them to take a different Road and Gordon's men charged her their protection took the same route the federal Vanguard under Humphries followed Gordon now Ewell was at the rear of the column and Wright's federal sixth Corps who had closed up on them was fast approaching it was April 6th 1865 and you will determine to make a stand near a small stream known to local residents as sailors Creek fuels brigades deployed at the top of a hill southwest of the stream sending some of Kershaw's men forward to contest the federal advance Ewell was outnumbered three to one and Anderson's men under attack from Sheridan were unable to detach themselves and come to his aid without artillery without hope of reinforcements Ewell grimly dug in as best he could the Federals coming at him were from Truman Seymour's and Frank Wheaton's divisions of the 6th Corps these were hardened veterans perhaps some of the best in the Army of the Potomac and they were supported by nearly two dozen pieces of artillery Kershaw's men were unable to deter the federal advance and soon withdrew [Applause] [Applause] [Applause] [Applause] [Applause] at approximately 5:00 p.m. the federal artillery hosted near the house of a farmer named Hillsman made its presence felt you'll and Anderson were debating whether to withdraw when the federal infantry began to advance [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Applause] as they began to close the distance between them and the Confederates some of the Federals waved white handkerchiefs at the rebel is calling on them to surrender the Confederates would not hear of it however and said so in no uncertain terms the Confederate volley devastated the front rank of the Federals and they fell back in some confusion the rebels seized on the opportunity in the counter-attack the momentum of the charge carried the fighting to the banks of the creek and for a time it looked like the federal effort had been beaten back but the flanks of the Confederates were exposed in Yankees left and right swung their guns around and opened fire now the Yankees regrouped and came on again the rebels fought bravely but the issue was never really in question [Applause] [Music] [Applause] the gray soldiers begin surrendering in drove to the South merits cavalry had overrun Anderson's position with repeated charges and the Confederate rearguard was nearly demolished further north the Train stalled near the creek crossing and Gordon's men found Humphreys men pressing in on them in a panic the southerners swarmed across the creek abandoning the wagons and many of them dropping their weapons as well in a single day the already weakened rebel army had suffered 8,000 casualties and lost most of its meager supplies surveying the scene Lee cried out in despair my god has the army dissolved in the aftermath Sheridan sent a dispatch to Grant stating that if the thing is pressed I think Lee will surrender grant forwarded the message to Lincoln who quickly wired back let the thing be pressed some of the dwindling remnants of the Army of Northern Virginia crossed the Appomattox River over the high bridge near farmville the soldiers ordered to destroy the bridge were slow in obeying the order and only a section was burned before the Federals arrived to save it Lee took up positions on the north side of the river to meet the expected attack and another half day was lost in the indecisive fighting that evening April 7th grant sent to dispatch to lead the results of the last week must convince you of the hopelessness of further resistance on the part of the Army of Northern Virginia in this struggle I feel that it is cell and regarded as my duty to shift from my self responsibility of any further effusion of blood by asking a view the surrender of that portion of the Confederate States Army known as the Army of Northern Virginia on the evening of April 8th cavalry under George Custer captured several railroad trains filled with supplies for Lee that had arrived at Appomattox station from Lynchburg Custer's presence also signaled to the Confederates that the Federals were now in front of them as well as behind that same night Lee summoned his generals and suggested surrender they disagreed saying that the southern infantry could sweep aside the Union cavalry it was agreed that Gordon would attack in the morning the attack got underway at dawn as expected the Yankee Horseman gave way under pressure from the attacking rebel lines as Gordon's men reached the crest of a low Hill they were met with a vision that took the heart out of them they're on the opposite bill were 20,000 infantryman of Edward hoards army of the James and 15,000 veterans of Griffin's 5th Corps filing into line the road west was completely blocked and the weakened Confederates had no hope of breaking out when Lee received the news that federal infantry and strength blocked the way he sadly acknowledged the inevitable and there's nothing left me but to go and see General Grant and I had rather die a thousand deaths by 8:30 a.m. Lee had sent a dispatch to Grant requesting a ceasefire in the meeting and rode off to meet between the lines Grant replied by sending the staff officer Orville Babcock ahead to set up the meeting and followed with his staff after meeting Babcock Lee sent his trusted aide Colonel Charles Marshall into the town of Appomattox Courthouse to find a suitable spot for the meeting to take place this small town was located on the road between Richmond and Lynchburg and was chiefly known for being the county seat were the courthouse County offices and a jail April 9th 1865 was Palm Sunday and some amid 75 residents were in the streets although the nearby firing had convinced many of the more prudent to remain in their houses now their quiet neighborhood was about to host one of the most important meetings in American history thanks for watching if you'd like to help us produce more compelling historical content like this please like comment below and share this video with fellow history buffs and of course be sure to subscribe to help keep history happening

Channel: LionHeart FilmWorks

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Keywords: american civil war, american history, americans, army uniform, blue & grey, civil war, civil war reenactment gear, civil war uniforms, confederates, federal army, historical, johnny reb, military history, north and south, rebel flag, rebels, reenacting, re-enacting, reenactors, soldiers, the civil war, u.s. army, uniforms, union army, us civil war, yankees, appomattox court house, battle of saylers creek, saylors creek, 125th anniversary, classic images, petersburg, general lee, grant

Id: WqYutEO2kCQ

Length: 25min 27sec (1527 seconds)

Published: Mon Apr 06 2020