Battle of Boydton Plank Road
Battle of Boydton Plank Road | |||||||
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Part of the American Civil War | |||||||
Second Corps US Army under Hancock outflanking Confederate works at Armstrong's Mill, October 27 | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
United States (Union) | CSA (Confederacy) | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Winfield S. Hancock | Henry Heth | ||||||
Units involved | |||||||
IX Corps | Third Corps | ||||||
Strength | |||||||
30,000 [1] | 11,691 [1] | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
1,758 | 1,300 |
The Battle of Boydton Plank Road (also known as Burgess Mill or First Hatcher's Run), fought on October 27–28, 1864, followed the
Background
At the
Opposing forces
Union
Confederate
Battle
On October 27, Hancock marched across Hatcher's Run, brushed aside Confederate pickets and moved around the Confederate flank towards Burgess Mill. The division under Brig. Gen.
Having never linked up with Crawford's division, Hancock's corps returned to Hatcher's Run crossing but found it blocked by Confederate cavalry. This left the entire II Corps isolated on the north side of Hatcher's Run without support. With the memory of
Aftermath
With October nearly over, both armies settled into winter quarters. The Confederates maintained their hold on the Boydton Plank Road throughout the winter. Hancock had won a tactical victory over Heth's Confederates, partially erasing the stain of the rout at Reams's Station. No further significant action occurred on any front around Petersburg for the rest of the year.
The Battle of Boydton Plank Road marked the last battle of two distinguished Union generals in the Army of the Potomac. The following month, Winfield Hancock resigned from field command due to complications with the wound he received at Gettysburg. Then in January 1865, David McM. Gregg unexpectedly resigned his command. His letter of resignation alluded to an anxiety of being away from his home. Meade's chief-of-staff, Maj. Gen. Andrew A. Humphreys, assumed command of the II Corps and would resume the offensive against the Boydton Plank Road in February of the following year.
Notes
References
- Petersburg National Battlefield (Burgess Mill)
- National Park Service battle description
- First Hatcher's Run
- CWSAC Report Update
Further reading
- Newsome, Hampton. Richmond Must Fall: The Richmond-Petersburg Campaign, October, 1864. Kent, Ohio: Kent State University Press, 2013. ISBN 978-1-60635-132-1.