The Death of Uncle John Sedgwick - May 9, 1864

155 years ago today, the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House was entering its second day. After failing to break through the Confederate defenses atop Laurel Hill, Union commanders began planning contingencies to break through the Confederate line.

All through the night of May 8-9, Confederate soldiers had been hard at work constructing entrenchments that ran for four miles between the Po River on the left to the Ni River on the right.

The earthworks were reinforced with timber and guarded by artillery placed to allow enfilade fire on any attacking force. There was only one potential weakness in Lee's line - the exposed salient known as the "Mule Shoe" extending more than a mile in front of the main trench line. Although Lee's engineers were aware of this problem, they extended the line to incorporate some minor high ground to Anderson's right, knowing that they would be at a disadvantage if the Union occupied it.

The Battle of Spotsylvania Court House - May 9, 1864 (both sides dig in)


The Union soldiers were also busy building their own entrenchments. At about 9 AM, John Sedgwick left his headquarters tent to inspect the lines of his VI Corps. While parading around in full view of the distant enemy on Laurel Hill, a private extolled Sedgwick to take cover. Sedgwick turned to the infantryman and with a sly grin responded, "They couldn't hit an elephant at this distance!"

Moments later, a bullet fired by a Confederate sharpshooter from Laurel Hill found John Sedgwick's head. He was dead before he hit the ground. The death of John Sedgwick was a dark moment for the Army of the Potomac. While he was by no means the best general officer in the army, he was inarguably the most beloved. His death came as a huge blow to his colleagues in the high command as well as to the infantry who served under him.

On the Union left flank, Ambrose Burnside's IX Corps had arrived on the field. He immediately became concerned that he was too far in advance of Meade's main lines and ordered his corps to begin entrenching. At the same time, on the Union right, Hancock was reporting that the Confederates to his front were pulling back.

Grant absorbed these two pieces of information and concluded that Lee was shifting his men from west to east, opening an opportunity for attack. He ordered Hancock to cross the Po and attack the Confederates' left flank, driving them back toward Burnside's position near the Ni River, while the rest of his command, in the center, watched for an opening to attack there as well.

Hancock's II Corps advanced across the Po, but he became nervous that the Confederates had the Block House Bridge heavily defended and decided to delay his attack until the morning. This error was fatal to Grant's plan. That night, seeing the potential threat, Lee moved two divisions of Jubal Early's corps from Spotsylvania Court House into position against Hancock. The Union army had let another golden opportunity slip past them.

Grant fumed to his generals that evening in his headquarters tent, expressing his disappointment in both Meade and Hancock. The Battle of Spotsylvania would roll on into a third day....