The Battle of Wilson’s Wharf was a Victory for the Black Troops of the USCT

On May 24th, 1864, approximately 2500 Confederate cavalry men under Major General Fitzhugh Lee attacked the U.S. base at Wilson’s Wharf, about 20 miles down the James River

Gen. Fitzhugh Lee CSA

from Richmond, Virginia. This position on the river was established to help guard the supply lines for Major General Benjamin Butler’s Bermuda Hundred Campaign, which was proceeding in conjunction with the Union Army of the Potomac’s Overland Campaign. The Federal troops were building fortifications for the garrison, called Fort Pocahontas, but had not yet completed the task when the Confederates attacked.

The defenders of Wilson’s Wharf included the 1st United States Colored Troops (USCT), four companies of from the 10th USCT, and one section of artillery from Battery M of the 3rd New York Light Artillery, a total of about 1100 men under the command of Brigadier General Edward A. Wild (at that time, all officers were white). The gunboat USS Dawn was also nearby on the river.

The 1st Regiment United States Colored Troops (USCT). Note the white officers in foreground.

General Wild had served in a couple of Massachusetts regiments earlier in the war, and was wounded at the Battle of Seven Pines, and again at South Mountain. The latter wound resulted in amputation of his left arm. Wild was a fervent abolitionist, and recruited Black troops after they were accepted into the Union Army. Wild was not averse to turning the tables on slave holders; he had his troops whip one who had a particularly harsh reputation. The general also freed slaves and enlisted them in the army.

Brigadier General Edward A. Wild

All of this outraged the local population and press. There were calls—or demands– to take action against Wild and his Black troops, and while there were far more important military actions taking place in Virginia in May of 1864, the pressure on Confederate authorities to act resulted in the dispatch of Fitzhugh Lee’s cavalry to Wilson’s Wharf.

The Rebels drove back the Union pickets, and Fitzhugh Lee sent a demand to Wild that he surrender his garrison and they would be treated as prisoners of war. If the surrender demand was rejected, Lee stated he could not be answerable for the conduct of his men. Not willing to take a chance on treatment by the enemy if they surrendered, Wild rejected the demand, and the fighting resumed.

Edward Simonton, an officer in the 1st USCT, recalled the battle:

On the receipt of Gen. Wild’s answer to his demand for surrender the enemy began the attack on our position. Dismounting their men, they first made a feint attack on the left and center of our line and then made a direct charge on our right. The surrounding woods favored the enemy so that they were able to advance quite near our works before the fire from our line could have much effect on them. But some of the “Johnnies” showed themselves to our view; they received a destructive fire from our line. Still the enemy charged on with a yell, firing all the time as they advanced, and seemed confident of their ability to drive all our force into the river. Then it was that our sable warriors showed their fighting qualities. They stood their ground firmly, firing volley after volley into the ranks of the advancing foe. Many of the “Johnnies” had succeeded in approaching quite near our line. The artillery stationed in our works then threw grape and cannister into their ranks. Again the brave and determined foe rallied under the frantic efforts of their officers; again their ranks were scattered and torn by our deadly fire. Next the gunboat in the river began to throw shells into their already demoralized ranks, when they broke and fled in disorder to the rear; then our soldiers poured into their ranks a final volley and this was the last of the fight. They left on the field a portion of their dead and wounded.

General Wild supplied some additional details in this excerpt from his after action report:

I have the honor to report that this post was attacked yesterday at noon by a considerable force of the enemy, supposed to be cavalry, having three guns, probably horse artillery. The attack was evidently made in earnest, with a design of rushing in upon us suddenly, but they received so decided a check from our pickets, that a large portion of the force dismounted and made their approach more cautiously. They encompassed our front, and filling the woods on the river bluff to the north tried to stop all communication with steamers coming to our aid, and harassed our landing place. They also made it uncomfortable for the gunners to serve their pieces on our gunboats. After fighting an hour and a half, they sent forward a flag of truce, with a note containing a summons to surrender in the name of Maj. Gen. Fitz Lee. This note was forwarded to department headquarters yesterday. I declined. We then went at it again. They massed troops on our extreme right, concealed by wooded ravines, and made a determined charge, at the same time keeping up a steady attack all along our front and left flank. This charge approached out parapet, but failed under our severe crossfires. They fled back into the ravines, and after another hour gradually drew off out of sight.

Black troops repelling an attack.

The gunboat USS Dawn provided additional support, as reported by its commanding officer, Lieutenant J.W. Simmons:

The enemy got possession of a small piece of woods above the fortification and the transport steamer Mayflower coming by at the time, they opened a galling fire of musketry on the Mayflower and this vessel, badly wounding the captain and pilot of the transport. I at once opened on the woods and succeeded in driving them out. The firing having almost ceased on our left and increased on our right flank, I altered the position of this vessel, and commenced shelling the enemy just as they were making a charge which drove them back, and as General Wild tells me, thus ended a sharp action of five and a half hours.

Casualty figures vary a lot for the Battle of Wilson’s Wharf. In his report, Wild listed his losses as two killed, 19 wounded and one missing. He also noted that the Confederates had “ample opportunities for removing all their dead and wounded” and apparently did so except for about two dozen dead. The Federals also retrieved one wounded Rebel and captured four others.

By May of 1864, Black troops had seen action in other theatres of operation, but this was one of the first times in Virginia. While the Battle of Wilson’s Wharf was a relatively small battle by Civil War standards, it was intense fighting fought mostly with Black troops, who fought well and achieved victory.

Sources:

Back Door to Richmond: The Bermuda Hundred Campaign April—June 1864 by William Glenn Robertson

“The Campaign Up the James River to Petersburg” by Edward Simonton. In Glimpses of the Nation’s Struggle, Volume 5, Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States, Minnesota Commandery

Generals in Blue: Lives of the Union Commanders by Ezra J. Warner

Like Men of War: Black Troops in the Civil War, 1862-1865, 2nd Edition by Noah Andre Trudeau

Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies in the War of the Rebellion, Series I, Volume 36, Part 2

Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Series I, Volume 10

To the North Anna River: Grant and Lee May 13—25, 1864 by Gordon Rhea