Description:

Civil War

Battle of Spotsylvania Court House 8th New Jersey Volunteers handwritten account

 

3pp DS signed by Major Virgil M. Healy (died 1871), commanding officer of the 8th New Jersey Volunteers, as "Virgil M. Healy" at center of third page. Docketed on the lightly soiled fourth page. The "Congress" embossed cream blue-lined bifold paper is in near fine condition, with expected light paper folds. Each page measures 7.75" x 9.75."

 

The report addressed to W.J. Rusling, written in a "Camp near Petersburg, Va." on August 8, 1864, contains a detailed record of the 8th New Jersey Volunteers' movements during the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House. Healy was complying with Army of the Potomac Special Orders No. 209, dated August 5, 1864, which ordered all commanders to report their troop movements during the recent campaign.

 

Part of U.S. Grant's Overland Campaign, the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House was actually a series of Union attacks launched between May 8-21, 1864. This was a particularly busy and bloody period of the Civil War; armies were marching straight from the Battle of Chancellorsville into the upcoming Siege of Petersburg. These Union campaigns aimed to sever enemy supply lines and encircle the Confederate capital at Richmond.

 

Healy's account provides an almost day-by-day record  of the 14-day Battle of Spotsylvania, including the "grand attack" at Bloody Angle on May 12, 1864. During this specific engagement, Hancock's II Corps shattered Confederate defenses.

 

With untouched spelling:

 

"May 8th Left bivouac at Chancellorsville and escorted the Train to Falls Church and bivouacked.

 

May 9th Joined the brigade at Todds Tavern, and march to the left about 2 miles and threw up breastworks. In the afternoon the regiment left the breastworks and marched to the right about 3 miles and threw up breastworks across the Kitoklow Road and remained until 4 A.M.

 

May 10th At 4 A.M. left the breastworks and marched to rejoin the Corps, and took up a position on the right of the Brown House, near Spottsylvania Court House and made a connection with the left of the 6th Corps about 9 A.M.

 

May 11th The regiment went on Picket along the Ny. River and connected with the right of the 9th Corps.

 

May 12th About 5 A.M. and soon after the storming of the Rebel works, the regiment advanced across the Ny, and captured 2 officers and 40 men (Rebels) straggling through the woods and send them to the Provost Marshall, carried some 30 wounded men to the rear and had them taken to the hospital one man wounded on picket.

 

May 13th + 14th On Picket.

 

May 15th Relieved from Picket and rejoined the Brigade and connected with the right of the 9th Corps in the breastworks and was shelled by the enemy during the day.

 

May 16th Lay in the breastworks all day and strengthened them during the night, and built traverses.

 

May 17th Moved to the rear about 1/2 mile and had an inspection of the regiment.

 

May 18th Returned to the breastworks.

 

May 19th About 1 oclock A.M. marched to the left about 4 miles and bivouacked. During the evening got under arms and marched (double quick) to repel an attack of the enemy on our train on the Fredericksburg turnpike and remained in line all night.

 

May 20th Returned to our bivouac of the day previous."

 

Healy's frequent references to breastwork fortifications anticipate the trench warfare of the Siege of Petersburg. During this 9-month-long siege beginning the following month, Union forces would construct over 30 miles of trenches around the Confederate stronghold. Healy's account also illustrates how tremendous gains were only achieved through high casualties. According to a regimental history of the 8th New Jersey Volunteers, 15 soldiers were killed, 140 were wounded, and 25 went missing between May-June 1864.

 

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