A Tornado of Shot & Shell: Storming Marye’s Heights at Second Fredericksburg

Private Henry H. Bowles of the 6th Maine Volunteers observed that successful assault of the 6th Army Corps upon Marye’s Heights at Fredericksburg during the Chancellorsville campaign turned into a vicious hand-to-hand struggle.

“The men fought with the courage of despair, maddened both by their heavy loss and the perfidy of the Rebels. Men became fiends. The lumbermen of Maine and Wisconsin, who had handled picks and spikes all their lives on the rivers and logjams, used their guns in the same manner. Mike Carey cried out when he saw the Johnnies breaking, “Hang Palfrey, boys! Boom ‘em, damn ‘em, boom ‘em!” Jumping on the works, he kicked a giant Confederate to the ground and drove his bayonet to the hilt in his breast. Corporal Brown used his gun as a club and, like a mad demon, brained five men. A wiry little Frenchman named Willet bayonetted man after man, and when implored by a Rebel to spare his life for God’s sake cried, “Me know no God! You kill me, me kill you!”

Bowles’ vivid account of Second Fredericksburg was featured in Wilbur Hinman’s 1892 tome Camp and Field: Sketches of Army Life Written by Thos Who Followed the Flag, ’61-’65.

 

One of my favorite images from the war depicts the men of the 6th Corps preparing for the assault on Marye's Heights on May 3, 1863. As Bowles describes below, perhaps these men have just learned their mission for the day was to storm Marye's Heights where so many thousands of their comrades had fallen a few months before. The looks of concern and determination are written upon their faces. It was a hard day ahead for the 6th Corps but the following day's fighting at Salem Church would be even harder. 

            During the winter of 1863, there was organized in the 6th Corps what was known as the “light brigade.” It was composed of the 6th Maine, 5th Wisconsin, 31st New York, 43rd New York, and the 61st Pennsylvania, all veteran regiments. These regiments were put under the command of Brigadier General Calvin Pratt of New York. Our badge was a green cross worn upon the cap.

            On the afternoon of April 29, 1863, it was understood that we were soon to move and that evening we broke camp and started for the Rappahannock River. All night long we made pack mules of ourselves, lugging pontoons down to the river; so quietly was this done, that when we had launched the pontoons, no intimation of our doings had reached the enemy across the river. A detachment of our regiment and details from other regiments were ferried across and captured the Rebel pickets on the south bank of the river two miles below Fredericksburg.

            The next morning, May 3, 1863, dawned bright and clear and the thunder of guns told us the battle was on. Our heavy batteries on Stafford Heights commenced shelling the Rebel works in a steady and deliberate manner, and, ever and anon, shells burst within our own lines. The light brigade marched by the right flank up the river and took position directly in the rear of the city and under Marye’s Heights.

            To the surprise of all came the news that General Pratt had resigned and the command of the light brigade devolved upon Colonel Hiram Burnham of our own 6th Maine. We learned that we were soon to assault the heights. Everything was got in readiness and that calm which precedes the storm rested for a few moments over the scene.

Colonel Hiram Burnham
6th Maine

The brigade was formed with Colonel Thomas Allen’s 5th Wisconsin in advance with five companies as a double line of skirmishers. Following the 5th Wisconsin was the 6th Maine under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Benjamin F. Harris; on the right was the 43rd New York and 31st New York while farther to the right was the 61st Pennsylvania.  Between 10-11 o’clock, the order was given to advance. The gallant Burnham, disdaining the bugle call, gave the order “Forward!” Colonel Harris said to the 6th Maine, “Boys, we’re going to charge those heights yonder and we’re going to take them, too! Arms aport, double quick, march!”

No grander sight was ever seen in the battles of the Army of the Potomac. Steadily the lines swept over the beautiful green grass, soon to be reddened by the blood of so many of my comrades. The shot and shell flew like missiles from a tornado. The grape and canister hurled through the ranks, cutting great gaps in the living walls. “Close up, steady, boys!” were the orders and the next time another voice gave the command. A case shot or shrapnel exploded at the head of the 61st Pennsylvania, killing Colonel George Spear and 15 men, for a time throwing that regiment into confusion.

We were now on the very ground where the brave Meagher and his noble Irishmen were so fearfully cut up on December 13, 1862. Major Haycock of the 6th Maine fell, shot through the heart; Captains Gray, Young, Ballenger, Buck, and Roach also went down. We reached the first line of rifle pits and the 6th Maine and 5th Wisconsin broke wildly over them, carrying all before them. The Rebels in this line threw down their arms and were marched to the rear.

Flag of the Light Division, 6th Army Corps

A few rods further on, just at the foot of the hill, we came to the second line of rifle pits. Here the fighting was desperate. The Johnnies would not yield a foot of ground and our boys would not turn back. Our line was intact and firm. Although nearly every commissioned officer was killed or wounded (our companies were commanded by sergeants and even corporals), the best of discipline prevailed and the men fought with the courage of despair. They were maddened both by their heavy loss and the perfidy of the Rebels who had surrendered in the first line and (seeing us temporarily checked) attempted to shoot is from the rear. Men became fiends.

The lumbermen of Maine and Wisconsin, who had handled picks and spikes all their lives on the rivers and logjams, used their guns in the same manner. Mike Carey, a stalwart Irishman from Topsfield, Maine, cried out when he saw the Johnnies breaking, “Hang Palfrey, boys! Boom ‘em, damn ‘em, boom ‘em!” Jumping on the works, he kicked a giant Confederate to the ground and drove his bayonet to the hilt in his breast. Corporal Brown used his gun as a club and, like a mad demon, brained five men. A wiry little Frenchman named Willet bayonetted man after man, and when implored by a Rebel to spare his life for God’s sake cried, “Me know no God! You kill me, me kill you!” And above all this bellowed the guns above our heads, now so near that they could do but little harm.

The line swept on and now up the steep hill and over the escarpment of the stone wall pell-mell. Sergeant Gray, the color sergeant of the 6th Maine, was knocked down and the colors badly shattered and torn. Sergeant Hill of Co. C grasped the flag and springing down upon the parapet just as a cannon was discharged, the smoke of which blackened his face, planted the standard firmly in the earth. The stars and stripes floated gloriously from Marye’s Height’s and the day was won. The Washington Battery was captured and in our immediate front 700 men from Barksdale’s brigade.

The grim aftermath of the assault on Marye's Heights shows the carnage of battle: dead men, discarded guns, clothing, and equipment litter the scene. After taking the heights, the 6th Corps continued to push west towards Chancellorsville to link up with the rest of Hooker's giant army. The following day, the Confederates swooped behind the 6th Corps to retake these heights. 

The courage and heroism of the 5th Wisconsin in this action was unsurpassed by any regiment in the field. Colonel Allen, badly wounded in the hand, fought like a tiger. Springing through an embrasure, sword in hand, he sabered a gunner at his post and mounted the gun in triumph. The other regiments in the brigade did equally well and I must not pass by unmentioned the 7th Massachusetts on our right.

The loss of the 6th Maine included 135 officers and men and that of the 5th Wisconsin about the same. Colonel Burnham, Colonel Allen, and Lieutenant Colonel Harris went with their men up the heights and were among the first to enter the enemy’s works.

 To learn more about the role of the 6th Army Corps in the Chancellorsville campaign, please check out these posts:

"To Die or Conquer: The 6th Vermont at Second Fredericksburg."

"Gulping Down the Disaster: The 119th Pennsylvania at Salem Church."


Source:

“The Storming of Marye’s Heights: A Tornado of Shot and Shell” Private Henry H. Bowles, Co. C, 6th Maine Volunteer Infantry, from Wilbur F. Hinman’s Camp and Field: Sketches of Army Life Written by Those Who Followed The Flag, ’61-’65. Cleveland: N.G. Hamilton Co., 1892, pgs. 138-140

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