Click 👉Today in History (general history) May 5.
On This Day in Confederate History, May 5.
1862: The Battle of Williamsburg, Va. is fought on the Yorktown Peninsula. The advancing Federals, 40,768 strong, encounter a fighting retreat by the Confederates, 31,823 strong, from the town of Yorktown (Warwick Line) to the fortifications at Williamsburg to slow down the advancing Northern juggernaut. The commanders are Maj. Gen. George B. McClellan for the Yankees and Gen. Joseph E. Johnston for the Confederates. The Southern forces under Maj. Gen. John B. Magruder holds the Northern army at bay at Fort Magruder while the bulk of Confederate forces withdraw to the defenses around Richmond. Confederate casualties are 1,682 to 2,283 for the Federals.
1863: At the Battle of Chancellorsville, Va., the Federal forces under Maj. Gen. John Sedgwick at Fredericksburg withdrew across the Rappahannock River at Bank's Ford under pressure from Maj. Gen. Lafayette McLaws' Confederates. After Maj. Gen. Joseph Hooker hears of Sedgwick's retreat, and he orders a retreat of the entire rest of the Army of the Potomac behind the safety of the Rappahannock River at the U.S. Ford, which continues until May 6. The Federals suffered 17,287 casualties to the 12,764 on the Confederate side. The Battle of Chancellorsville is one of General Robert E. Lee's most masterful victories.
staff was present at the Battle of
Chancellorsville at the wounding of Hill and
Taylor was injured when his horse fell on his
leg. (Library of Congress)
1864: Red River Campaign: As the Federal gunboats Covington and Signal, and transport John Warner carrying the 56th Ohio Infantry reach Davidson's Ferry/Dunn's Bayou on the Red River in western Louisiana, they are again ambushed by Confederate dismounted cavalry and artillery. The John Warner's rudder is broken by Confederate shells, and it is grounded on the riverbank. Concentrated fire on the vessel reduces it to rubble with the men of the 56th Ohio badly cut up. The gunboat Covington sends over a demolition crew but the colonel of 56th Ohio pleads for them not to set fire to it, explaining he still has 125 killed and wounded men onboard. The captain of the John Warner surrendered by raising a white flag. The gunboat Signal also had damage to its steering assembly, and it had also lost its port engine. When the Covington tried to tow it away, a Confederate shell hit the Signal's boiler. The Covington cut the towline to save itself, but it too was riddled by fire and was engulfed in flames and the crew had to abandon ship. The Signal also surrendered. The Confederate forces included Baylor's and Hardeman's Texas cavalry brigades and Captain J.A.A. West's artillery battery. The crews of the John Warner and Signal were captured, while the captain and crew of the Covington escaped to Alexandria. The 56th Ohio lost approximately 50 men killed, wounded, and captured while the rest of the regiment escaped to Alexandria.
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