Reenacting Photos of the Generals

General Lee

General Custer

General Grant

The Three Generals

Four Generals

Destiny at Appomattox

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Chancellorsville

The night of May 1, 1863 Generals Robert E. Lee and Thomas Jonathan "Stonewall" Jackson sat on Union hardtack boxes by a campfire. The Generals knew they were outnumbered two to one. The Union was in good position around Chancellorsville and the Rappahannock River protected them on the left.

General J.E.B. Stuart discovered a way to go on the defensive.

George Armstrong Custer's indoor assignment was cut short. Custer had misgivings due to having previously served under the command of McClellan. This time he would be serving under the command of Major General Joseph Hooker. Custer felt more secure about the situation once Hooker told him he was reorganizing the army making a cavalry corps with three divisions.

Generals Alfred Pleasonton, David McMurtie Gregg, and William W. Averell headed the three divisions. Lucky for Custer, he was assigned to ride with Pleasonton.

On May 2, General Thomas Jackson's Corps launched a surprise attack on Major General Joseph Hooker's Army of the Potomac. The Confederate troops let out a bone-chilling yell and advanced out of the wilderness.

Hooker initiated his first offensive falling into Jackson's trap. Pleasonton discovered Jackson just in time, stopping his advance. Hooker blamed his defeat on the absence of General Stoneman. He relieved him and gave the Cavalry Corps to Pleasonton.

George Armstrong Custer benefited from Pleasonton's promotion. He moved up as aide to a corp commander.

By dark Jackson's men had backed the Union up two miles. Jackson rode out to scout a place to launch a night attack. This wasn't out of the ordinary for him. Confederate troops mistook him for the Union cavalry. Jackson took two bullets to his left arm, which was amputated about two hours later. He also received a bullet to his right hand. He later died of pneumonia.

After Jackson's death, General J.E.B. Stuart took over his command.

On may 6, 1863 Custer wrote a letter to his parents telling him about the food. Pleasonton sent his quartermaster to Baltimore daily for fresh vegetables and other delicacies. Pleasonton invited Custer to partake in the bounty of foods. They had onions, radishes, ripe tomatoes, asparagus, fresh fish, mackerel, beef, mutton, veal, bacon, pound cake, oranges, ginger snaps, candies, peas, warm biscuits, butter and cheese.

Battle of Kelley's Ford, March 17, 1863

The Army of the Potomac Tuesday, March 17, 1863, St. Patrick's Day, the Irish Brigade celebrated in its usual royal manner. The day is celebrated due to an adorned Saint. She cast out all serpents from her bounderies in Ireland.

General Meagher believed the morale of the troops would benefit by a celebration of St. Patrick's Day. Preparations for the celebration were grand. Speaker stands were erected for speeches which would be given by honored guests. At one o'clock in the morning the ball began. The drums and music startled soldiers in encampments for miles.

General Meagher's quarters were decked with Irish and American flags. Among the officers and soldiers who were guests and speakers for the festivities were General Hooker, General Sickles, General Sedgwick, and General Butterfield.

Horse racing, vaulting, foot-races, wheel-barrel races, wrestling matches,and the finale would be a grand Irish Brigade steeple chase for a greased pig. There was only one pig around for miles and unfortunately for te soldiers it belonged to a widow who didn't want to part with it easily. She requested thirty dollars for her prized pig, but the soldiers hoped to negotiate the price to fifteen or the race might have to be cancelled.

The quarter master was sent to Washington for liquors and meats.

After the many speeches, the commanding officers, some with their ladies on horses and in ambulances, headed for refreshments. Even though they were in the middle of war the celebration was grand. The brigade officers and their brass hat guests consumed thirty-five hams, a side of an ox roasted, an entire pig stuffed with broiled turkeys, and unlimited number of chickens, ducks, and small game.

The officers consumed eight baskets of champagne, ten gallons of rum, and twenty-two of whiskey. The whiskey was mixed with condensed milk, nutmeg, and hot water to make a milk punch. The punch was served from an enormous punch bowl which held not less than thirty gallons. The Irish Brigade enlisted men each received a special ration of two gils of rum before the race. The various activities continued until five o'clock.

While these sports took place, rapid artillery fire could be heard in the distance. Cavalry regiments started out on a reconnaissance the prior day toward Culpeper. Early in the morning a Confederate Brigade was spotted in pursuit on the opposite side of the Rappahannock.The enemy was fully prepared to defend the ford. Only two men could ford the river abreast. The crossing, however, was successful after a brief skirmish.

Once the river was crossed, a regular cavalry and artillery fight occurred between General Averill's command and General J.E.B. Stuart and Fitzhugh Lee. For once te cavalry was engaged in a fair fight with a Union victory.

The Irish Brigade remained in Falmouth until George Meagher returned from a bout of rheumatism, and then they headed to Chancellorsville.

The Battle of Antietam,September 1862

The Battle of Antietam was General Robert E. Lee's first attempt to fight in Union territory On September 5th, 1862, Lee crossed the Potomac River into Maryland following the second battle of Manassas. Lee's men were hungry, tired, and lived off of the land for more than two weeks. Lee was more determined than ever to lure General George McClellan away from te Union capitol and force him to battle at a place of his choosing.

Sending General Stonewall Jackson south Lee continue toward Hagerstown, Marylad. Fortunate for the Union, a soldier came upon three cigars wrapped with a piece of paper. The soldier thought himself lucky to be able to have three cigars to enjoy. But to his amazement, the paper the cigars were wrapped in would be much more interesting.

The Union soldier had found Lee's Special Order 191. The order detailed plans of the davidir, The Army of Norther Virginia to attack Harper's Ferry. The paper made its way up the chain to the Union commander of The Army of the Potomac, General George B. McClellan.

The Union men of the Army of the Potomac arrived on the fields of Antietam well nourished. They had received three pounds of rations for each day. The army brought more than 3,000 wagons of supplies on the march to Antietam, but that wouldn't be enough. Both the Union and Confederate soldiers had stripped the land from most of its food source.

To compensate the local farmers, Lee wanted to give them time to harvest crops to feed the locals through the winter.

Tidbit: General Robert E. Lee's family suffered while he was away at war. Due to all the shortages, Mrs. Lee's family survived on 1/4 pound of bacon and 1/2 pint of meal per day.

Battle of Second Manassas

General Stonewall Jackson's men marched toward Manassas Junction early on August 27th, 1862. A Confederate artillery battery fired into a Union cavalry unit, sending them fleeing for cover. The march resumed and the Confederate troops reached the Union supply depot at Manassas Junction around noon. General Stuart's cavalry and Isaac Tremble's Brigade had seized the depot the previous night. Union box cars stretched for about a half-mile. The tired, ragged men foraged warehouses ad wagons full of military and luxury items. The hungry soldiers overran Jackson's guards and tore into the wonderful bounty. They gorged themselves with cans of lobster salad, sardines, vegetables, corned beef, cakes, fruits, pickles, and mustard. The men celebrated with confiscated champagne, whiskey, and wine. Their uniform pockets overflowed with cigars.

General Jackson reported they seized 50,000 pounds of bacon, 1,000 barrels of corned beef, 2,000 barrels of salt pork, ad 2,000 barrels of flour.

Tidbit: Grant considered onions so important to his mess and the health of his troops he stated, "I will not move my army without onions." Grant ate cucumbers and vinegar every morning with his breakfast.

Battle of Seven Pines and Fair Oaks, June 1862

General Stonewall Jackson ordered his army to get into position on August 16th, 1862 and to strike early on the 17th. General Longstreet objected. Longstreet wanted more time for his commissary to bake bread for the journey. Jackson told Longstreet he would give him enough biscuits for the march, but that didn't appease Longstreet.

Jackson ordered his men to cook enough rations for three days. Not allowing enough time for all the men to prepare their rations, they had to resort to eating apples from orchards and green corn. Jackson's men captured Union supplies. One Confederate soldier foraged twenty boxes of cigars, another canned fruits. One private hung a string of shoes he confiscated around his neck. A great bounty of coffee was foraged by another soldier, but the best booty was a haversack full of French mustard. The soldier traded his bounty for meat and bread throughout the rest of the campaign.

Tidbit: Soldiers often shared rations while on campaign. Each man would prepare his own meal to his specific taste. A common diner might be salted pork sliced over hardtack.

The Peninsula Campaign/Peninsular Campaign May-August 1862

The Peninsula Campaign also known as "The Peninsular Campaign" began in March 1862. It was a major Union offensive operation from March through August 1862.

Major General George B. McClellan used amphibious transportation to try and capture the capitol of Richmond,Virginia. McClellan was unnerved by Confederate J.E. B. Stuart's cavalry ride around the Union Army (June13-15.) McClellan ordered Lieutenant George Armstrong Custer to oversee the use of hot-air balloons to spy on the Confederates. Custer ascended in one of three trips in a hot-air balloon to gather information about enemy troops. On the night of May 3rd, while Custer was observing the enemy, he detected the Confederates abandoning Yorktown and retreating up the Peninsula. Custer notified Chief topographical engineer, "Baldy" Smith, who then telegraphed McClellan. McClellan ordered an advance. Custer was made Captain during the campaign.

On June 15th, Stuart stopped at Edgewood Plantation in Charles City, Virginia for coffee. He was on his way to Richmond to warn General Lee of the Union's strength.

The Edgewood Plantation was also home of the 1725 Benjamin Harris Grist Mill which provided corn for the Union and Confederate armies.

Major General McClellan planned to drive Major General John B. Magruder's army from Richmond. The Union army would then be in control of Richmond, the railroad center, and the most important waterway ports. But when General Robert E. Lee changed the course of the Peninsula Campaign, the outcome ended with an embarrassing defeat for the Union.

Tidbit: Custer wore his famous navy/sky blue shirt with no stars his bugler found in a Navy ship in 1862. His bugler friend, Joe, who rode through the war with him helped him choose his unique outfit and red tie. Custer always carried a small bible in his saddlebag.