Posted on 05/06/2022 6:24:22 AM PDT by Homer_J_Simpson
DISPATCHES FROM GEN. McCLELLAN.
HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, May 4 -- 7 P.M.
Hon E.M. Stanton, Secretary of War:
Our cavalry and horse-artillery came up with the enemy's rear guard in their intrenchments, about two miles this side of Williamsburgh. A brisk fight ensued just as my Aid left. SMITH'S Division of infantry arrived on the ground, and, I presume, carried his works, though I have not yet heard. The enemy's rear is strong, but I have force enough up there to answer all purposes.
We have, thus far, seventy-one heavy guns, and large amounts of tents, ammunition, &c. All along the lines their works prove to have been most formidable, and I am now fully satisfied of the correctness of the course I have pursued. The success is brilliant, and you may rest assured that its effects will be of the greatest importance.
There shall be no delay in following up the rebels.
The rebels have been guilty of the most murderous and barbarous conduct in placing torpedoes within the abandoned works, near wells and springs, and near flagstaffs, magazines, telegraph offices, in carpet-bags, barrels of flour, &c. Fortunately we have not lost many men in this manner -- some four or five killed and perhaps a dozen wounded. I shall make the prisoners remove them at their own peril. Signed G.B. McCLELLAN,
Major-General.
HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC.
MAY, 4 -- 11:30 A.M.
Hon. Edwin N. Stanton, Secretary of War:
An inspection just made shows that the rebels abandoned in their works at Yorktown two three-inch rifled cannon, two four and a half inch rifled cannon, sixteen 32-pounders, six 42-pounders, nineteen eight-inch columbiads, four nine-inch Dahlgrens, one ten-inch columbiad, one ten-inch mortar, and one eight-inch siege howitzer, with carriages and implements complete, each piece supplied
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
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Gen. McClellan’s Advance: The Rebel Rear Guard Overtaken Near Williamsburgh – 2-4
Important from the Southwest: The Reported Capture of Baton Rouge Confirmed – 4
General News from Washington – 4
Editorial: The Flight and Pursuit of the Rebel Army – 4-5
Contraband Information – 5
Virginia Engagements. 1861 - 1862 to date
| Date | Engagement | Military Units | Losses | Victor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 18-19 | Sewell's Point, VA | Union naval squadron vs Confederate shore artillery | 10 total | inconclusive |
| May 29- June 1 | Aquila Creek, VA | Union naval squadron vs Confederate shore artillery | 10 total | inconclusive |
| June 1 | Fairfax Court House, VA | detachments from CSA & USA armies | 8 on each side, 1 each killed | inconclusive |
| June 1 | Arlington Mills, VA | detachments from USA ( ~200 McDowell) & CSA (~9 Bonham) armies | Union 2-total (1 killed); CSA 1 wounded | inconclusive |
| June 10 | Big Bethel, VA | Union (Butler) -3,500, CSA (Magruder) -1,400 | Union 71-total (18-killed); CSA: 10-total (1-killed) | CSA (CSA outnumbered) |
| June 15 | Hooe's Ferry (near Mathias Point) VA | Union schooner Christina Keen; CSA Farmer's Fork Grays | none -- Christina Keen captured and burned | CSA |
| June 17 | Vienna, VA | Detachments from both Union & CSA armies | Union: 12-total (8 killed); CSA: none reported | CSA |
| June 27 | Matthias' Point, VA | Union gunboats ~50 vs. Confed garrison ~500 | Union: 1-killed, 4-wounded; CSA none | CSA |
| July 18 | Blackburn's Ford, VA (pre-Manassas) | Union Department of NE Virginia (McDowell, Richardson) -3,000 vs. Confederate Army of VA (Beauregard, Longstreet) -5,100 | Union: 83-total; CSA 70-total | CSA |
| July 21 | Bull Run/Manassas, VA | Union Department of NE Virginia (McDowell, Patterson) -54,000 (18,000 engaged) vs. Confederate Army of VA (Beauregard, Longstreet) -34,000 (18,000 engaged) | Union: 2,708-total (481-killed); CSA 1,897-total (387-killed) | CSA |
| Aug 7 | CSA burned Hampton, VA | Union (Butler) vs. Confederate Cavalry (Magruder) | Union unknown; Confederates unknown | CSA |
| Aug 8 | skirmish at Lovettsville, VA | Union vs. Confederate | Union unknown; Confederates 6-total | USA |
| Aug 25 | Mason's Hill, VA | Union (Lowe's observation balloon) vs. Confederate Army NVA (Longstreet, Stuart) | Union unknown; Confederates unknown | USA |
| Aug 31 | Munson's Hill, VA | Union Army of the Potomac vs. Confederate Dept of Northern VA | Union 5-total; Confederates unknown | USA |
| Sep 3 | Bailey's Cross Roads, VA | Union & Confederat detachments | Union 8-total; Confederates none | CSA |
| Sep 11 | Lewinsville, VA (McLean, Fairfax County) | Union 79th NY Highlanders (Stephens ~1,800) & Confederate 1st & 13th VA (JEB Stuart ~400) | Union 12-total (3-killed); Confederates none | CSA (CSA outnumbered) |
| Oct 21 | Ball's Bluff, VA | Union MA, NY, MI, MN & CA Infantry, RI Artillery (Stone -1,720) & Confederate VA & MS Infantry, VA cavalry & artillery (Evans -1,709) | Union 1,002-total, including Lt. Oliver Wendell Holmes (223-killed including US Senator Edward Baker R-OR)), Confederates 155-total (36-killed) | CSA |
| Nov 26 | Skirmish at Hunter's Mills, VA | Union 3rd PA Cavalry (Bell ~94) & Confederate 1st NC Cavalry (Ransome ~120) | Union 33-total (1-killed), Confederates unknown 0? | CSA |
| Dec 20 | Drainsville, VA | Union Pennsylvania Volunteers (Ord ~5,000) & Confederate VA, KY & NC Volunteers (Stuart ~4,000) | Union 71-total (?-killed), Confederates 230-total (?-killed) | USA (1st larger Union victory in VA) |
| Jan 3, 1862 | Cockpit Point, VA | Union gun boats (Wyman ) & Confederate shore battery (French ~50) | none | Inconclusive |
| Mar 8-9 | Hampton Roads, VA | Union Navy (Marsten, Worden, USS Monitor +11 ships) & Confederate Navy (Buchanan, Jones CSS Virginia +5 ships) | Union 369 total (261 killed, 7 ships sunk), Confederate 24 total (7- killed) | Inconclusive (Strategic USA) |
| Mar 23 | Kernstown, VA | Union Army of Potomac V Corps (Kimball ~9,000) & Confederate Stonewall Division (Jackson ~4,200) | Union 590 total (118-killed), Confederate 718 total (80- killed) | USA tactical, CSA strategoc |
| April 5 - May 4 | Yorktown, VA | Union Army of the Potomac (McClellan ~103,000) & Confederate Army (Magruder, JE Johnson ~72,000) | Union 182-total (unkn-killed), Confederate 300-total (unkn killed) | Inconclusive, Confederates retreated |
| May 5 | Williamsburg, VA | Union Army of the Potomac (McClellan ~41,000), Confederate Army of Northern VA (JE Johnston, Longstreet ~32,000) | Union 2,283-total (~342 KIA), Confederates 1,682-total (~252 KIA) | Inconclusive (Confederate withdrawal) |
This brings the war's total casualties to over 80,000 including at least 9,000 killed in action.
Summary of Civil War Engagements as of May 5, 1862:
Engagements in Confederate states:
| State | Union Victories | Confederate Victories | Inconclusive | Total Engagements |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Carolina | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| Virginia | 5 | 11 | 7 | 23 |
| North Carolina | 4 | 1 | 0 | 5 |
| Florida | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Louisiana | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| Tennessee | 3 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| Arkansas | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| Georgia | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Mississippi | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Total Engagements in CSA | 19 | 15 | 10 | 44 |
Engagements in Union states/territories:
| State | Union Victories | Confederate Victories | Inconclusive | Total Engagements |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maryland | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| West Virginia | 9 | 2 | 2 | 13 |
| Missouri | 11 | 9 | 1 | 21 |
| New Mexico | 4 | 8 | 0 | 12 |
| Kentucky | 4 | 3 | 2 | 9 |
| Oklahoma | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| Total Engagements in Union | 29 | 25 | 6 | 60 |
| Total Engagements to date | 48 | 40 | 16 | 104 |
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