Battle of High Bridge: Difference between revisions

|result=Inconclusive<ref>[httphttps://www.cr.nps.gov/hpscivilwar/abpp/Battles/va095search-battles-detail.htm?battleCode=va095 National Park Service battle description]</ref>

The '''Battle of High Bridge''' refers to two engagements fought on April 6, 1865, and April 7, 1865, near the end of the [[Appomattox Campaign]] of the [[American Civil War]] about {{convert|4|mi}} northeast of [[Farmville, Virginia]]. The first battle is often the one identified as the Battle of High Bridge.

On April 6, 1865, [[Confederate States Army|Confederate]] cavalry under [[Major General (CSA)|Major General]] [[Thomas L. Rosser]] fought stubbornly to secure the [[Southside Railroad (Virginia)|South Side Railroad's]] [[High Bridge (Appomattox River)|High Bridge]] and lower wagon bridge over the [[Appomattox River]] near Farmville, Virginia. A large [[Union Army]] raiding party intended to destroy the bridges to prevent the Confederate Army from crossing back to the north side of the river. Both sides had several officers killed and wounded. The Union force suffered 42 killed and wounded. The entire surviving Union force of about 800 men was captured. The Confederates suffered about 100 casualties. Union Colonel ([[Brevet (military)|Brevet]] [[Brigadier general (United States)|Brigadier General]]) [[Theodore Read]] and Confederate Colonel Reuben B. Boston were killed. Union [[Colonel (United States)|Colonel]] [[Francis Washburn]] and Confederate Colonel [[James Dearing]] (often identified as a [[Brigadier General (CSA)|brigadier general]] but his appointment was never confirmed<ref>[[David J. Eicher|Eicher, David J.]] ''The Longest Night: A Military History of the Civil War''. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2001. {{ISBN|978-0-684-84944-7}}. p. 817.</ref><ref>Eicher, John H., and [[David J. Eicher]], ''Civil War High Commands.'' Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2001. {{ISBN|978-0-8047-3641-1}}. p. 593.</ref>) were mortally wounded in the engagement.

While Washburn prepared to set fire to the bridge, three brigades of Confederate cavalrymen arrived and conducted a dismounted attack against the Union infantry, which was waiting near the Watson farmhouse, about half mile to the south. Hearing sounds of battle, Washburn and his men rejoined the infantry, and unaware that he was facing two divisions of cavalry, Read ordered a mounted charge by the 4th Massachusetts. The ferocious charge forced through the Confederate line of Colonel [[Thomas T. Munford]] and dissolved into hand-to-hand combat. Read exchanged gunfire with Confederate [[James Dearing]] during the fighting and was killed.<ref>[https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/7471487/theodore-read Theodore Read at Find a grave]</ref>. Dearing was mortally wounded and died on April 22. Washburn was also mortally wounded and died 22 April 1865.<ref>[https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/124462800/francis-washburn Francis Washburn Find a Grave memorial]</ref>. The Confederates counterattacked and separated the cavalry from their supporting infantry. After another attack, the Union troopers were surrounded, and all were killed, wounded, or captured. Colonel Reuben B. Boston of the [[5th Virginia Cavalry]] was killed in the attack.<ref>Korn, 1987, pp. 118-20.</ref><ref>Salmon, 2001, p. 482.</ref> Both Read and Washburn received ranks of Brevet Brigadier General.

With 47 Union casualties (plus 800 captured) versus only about 100 Confederate casualties,<ref name=Salmon483/> the first battle on the bridge seemed to favor the Confederates. However, the second battle, in which Union troops successfully extinguished the fire, crossed the bridge, and forced the Confederates to flee along a specific path, proved to be a decisive tactical victory, and may have shortened the war by several days.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.historynet.com/burning-high-bridge-the-souths-last-hope.htm|title = Burning High Bridge: The South's Last Hope|date = 13 February 2007}}</ref>