The Fatal Charge of the First Maine at Petersburg: Petersburg Video Tour

A. Wilson Greene and Doug Ullman discuss one of the if not THE costliest regimental charge of the Civil War-the futile attack of the 1st Maine Heavy Artillery at Petersburg. At one point, the Mainers were losing one man every second for ten minutes.
This video is part of our Petersburg and North Carolina Battlefield Tour series. Be sure to check out all of the other videos here: • Petersburg and North C...

[@Rogijimbex]

Mr Greene is just about the best! Great overviews always!

[@mch12311969]

Thank you for this video and the poignant ending. It is interesting to note also that this is around the time of Early's Raid on Washington, where the men of the 1st Maine were originally posted.

[@lthom5158]

So sad, but so important to learn about. Thank you for the great description of the battle and all the work you do to preserve our history!

[@mrs6968]

Beautifully said they were not cowards they just seen enough

[@mrs6968]

I love this channel I'm 30 and always lived on a fixed income yet im obsessed with civil war history and feel I may never get to visit so thank you beyond belief for all these countless videos and no lie they create a spark to make sure one day I may step on hallowed ground from this part of American history!

[@karllewis4718]

Where do you live?

[@mrs6968]

@@karllewis4718MilWaukee WI U.S.A. and yourself? Fun fact our first v.a hospital was built for the civil war soldiers and it still stands as a empty relic to the past. Yet that's as deep as my civil war site seeing goes for around here

[@markholbrook3949]

The recent group of videos have been a joy to watch and learn... Gary you and your boys are really putting out a quality product as of late.. Its one thing to know critical dates and major troop movements but to discuss the inner workings of the Civil War is priceless!!!

[@herberthinton1499]

Great job Mr. Green. I am amazed at the bravery exhibited by these men. It is hard for us in this day and age to understand the sheer bravery required to do what these soldiers did.

[@kanifalam7835]

So many great videos in such a short time. I wish I had the time and money to just head south and visit all of these battlefields.

[@a.solarz5340]

Thanks much for this! Very meaningful to see the spot where these brave men fought and fell. My great-great-grandfather's three brothers, Whiting, James, and Frank Clark (all officers) were there. You'll find James' name emblazoned on the monument among the list of officers who were mortally wounded that day. Following the battle, he was shipped up to the Army Hospital at David's Island, NY, where his arm was ultimately amputated several weeks later after his wound began to hemorrhage. Although he appeared to be recovering well initially after the amputation, he suddenly succumbed to his wounds. From my great-great-grandfather's diary (Charles Clark, who was an officer with the 6th Maine and who received a Medal of Honor for his valor at Chancellorsville): August 3 “I am stunned-unmanned-overwhelmed with grief and sorrow. James, my dear, dear, brother is dead! Oh my God, how can I endure it? I recd the news of this terrible affliction from Whiting to night. He died very suddenly on the 31st July.” August 4: “I have been over to see Frank [their brother, who also served in Co. E, 1st ME HA] to day and break the sad tidings of James’ death to him. He was no more prepared for it than I had been. I could not tell him that our dear boy was dead. I could only tell him that I had sad, sad news and give him Whiting’s letter to read. He endured it manfully, and with a degree of fortitude which I must confess I am not master of. My poor dear brother-how continually my thoughts revert to him-and in what a maze of grief am I plunged.” James had first served in the 2nd New Hampshire (where he saw combat early in the war), a 9-month unit. He then enlisted with the 18th Maine (later named the First Maine Heavy Artillery), where his brother Whiting was raising Co. E. He left behind his beloved wife, Laura, whom he had married on May 15, 1863.

[@davidbowman4259]

Bless the brave men from Maine ...

[@robinblankenship9234]

Bless the brave men who defended their homes against the invaders. As today Putin is wrong, so then was Lincoln.

[@paulnienhaus5359]

Excellent presentation.

[@markmullin4246]

Thank you for sharing, these are very interesting! Someday,would love to see all this in person. Be awesome, if all these battlefields, be " restored " to their war time appearance.

[@richardh.5404]

These videos are simply outstanding! Thank you all so much

[@anthonytreece5066]

Incredible! Thank you for sharing this with us all 👊

[@richardglady3009]

Thank you for describing the Civil War era terrain. Thank you for the video

[@neighbortim]

Wow, very moving video. You guys are doing a great job in this series.

[@kaycox5555]

Garry, you are the BEST narrator and story teller. You're all great. Thank you.

[@briangoldy8784]

General Meade ........Buried in Philadelphia.......My HomeTown..... my 3rd Great GrandFather fought at Petersburg, Virginia....

[@blukeblue1235]

Very moving to watch. The slaughter on this day was just another brief moment of four years of slaughter. Hard to reconcile in my mind.

[@rebelscumspeedshop]

It always amazes me that throughout the entire war that even after so many battles where attempts to attack fixed position has the same results that the tactic was continually used.

[@Driver_Eddie]

easy to give the order when you aren't the one doing it I guess. i just visited fredricksburg for the first time and my stomach turned thinking about how the union generals sat at the mansion and watched their soldiers charge at the sunken road

[@aaronjohnson718]

It is amazing that from the beginning of May 1864 to the middle of June 1864 the war front was moved from around Fredericksburg to Petersburg and the gates of Richmond over land that is incredible

[@Mis-AdventureCH]

Don't forget the 17th Maine. Held that horrible wheatfield at great cost.

[@pshawhudson]

Great job narrating this by Mr Green! Aaron Shaw - Bangor Maine

[@bruceschmidt3404]

Thank you so much for this series. I enjoy the presentations very much. Wishing you continued success!

[@paulnienhaus5359]

Great job! You really know your topic as well as the area. It is easy an enjoyable to listen to any of your presentation. Many thanks.

[@timbrook7810]

The incompetence in leadership on both sides is staggering.

[@carlhelms595]

Guess you never served in our armed forces.

[@CW-76Raider]

That was a great presentation.

[@bobbymiller1414]

Thank you for this video that's a beautiful moment God bless Maine boys

[@tomdynia9951]

Great video. A tragic tale well told.

[@genes.3285]

Armies prefer the very young to the more mature. The older you get, the more skeptical you are of the wisdom of head-on attacks, particularly against entrenched troops. A bunch of wizened old guys like myself might ask Gen. Meade, "General, isn't there some better strategy that we might employ to force Johnny Reb out of his position?" Or: "Marse Robert, are you really certain that the center of the Union line has got fewer troops than the ends [at 7/3/63, Gettysburg]?" IMO, there were few actual "cowards" in that war. There were just soldiers who had more common sense than others. As for James Emerson, he should have divorced his wife.

[@FelixstoweFoamForge]

Sounds like Grant had worn his army pretty much out by this stage after the repeated bloodbaths of the summer campaign. There's only so much you can ask of men.

[@donnyleehicks]

On the left plate of the monument is the name of Pvt Harrison Friend. I've often wondered if he was kin to the folks that owned the Friend house, near the site of Ft Friend. If so he then may have approached Petersburg down the Courthouse road just past the Friend home crossing Harrison creek to his mortal wounding. Rest in peace Pvt Harrison Friend

[@mackenzieblair8135]

Unlikely considering Pvt. Friend was from Maine.

[@donnyleehicks]

@@mackenzieblair8135 Many many families were connected throughout the original 13 colonies. It wouldn't be that far of a stretch.

[@garrettoliveto7483]

great video

[@tberkoff]

For a correction, the 1st Maine Heavy Artillery was in the Third Division commanded by Gershom Mott on June 18 (not Barlow's division). David Birney commanded the 2nd Corps that day. The 1st Maine HA may have been in the army since 1862 but they didn't see actual combat until May 1864 at the Battle of Harris Farm, two months before the charge on June 18.

[@tommythuntdeer]

Wow! Thanks!

[@h.j.d.2624]

Bravo gentlemen.

[@johnleonard8311]

Thank you for this history. I will be investigating to see if the James Emerson is a relative to my mother Madelyn Emerson Leonard who is berried in Arlington National Cemetary section 13 up near the old section. She was originally from Brunswick Maine.

[@Feathermason]

w0w...just w0w...many thanks from Denmark!

[@mrs6968]

Alright didn't see that coming. Milwaukee WI here saying hi and thank you for the appreciation you shown

[@8CountAudio]

Chilling and poignant. And that feeling multiplies exponentially when you think of the losses in the AoP since May 4th. The psychological toll over those six weeks must have been horrendous

[@Edward-qy4dp]

My great great grandfather George Bicknell was with the 4th NY Heavy Arty. They saw action at Petersburg Spotsylvania Wilderness. .He was wounded left hand probably Wilderness. After the war he had a long career with the NYPD Mounted Unit. He was decorated for helping a young girl to get off of a runaway “village cart” in the upper east side of Manhattan. I have all papers from the war and his NYPD citation for bravery. I was told the regiment was in the first assault on Petersburg.

[@steveshipkie1624]

That is a battle I’ve heard of, so thank you for sharing this

[@Mark-qq9cd]

Still frontal attacks. Attack towards the sides of the salient. Buggers my mind.

[@crippledcrow2384]

Grant had used them up is why they wouldn't charge. Maine didn't know what they were in for.

[@rogercollins8080]

A very interesting presentation. At the beginning he remarks that many of the enlistments of the Yankees were coming up. They had a fixed number of years to serve and then they were able to go home. The confederate soldiers did not have that easy way out of the war. My confederate ancestors had all signed up for "3 years or the war".

[@paulmorales3815]

George Meade said it

[@paulmorales3815]

(Start again) George Meade once said "you can't do these things without breaking a few eggs"

[@Sgt_Rosz.CIB-11Bravo]

Gahdang he makes you feel it like you lost a brother there.

[@carlhelms595]

I bet lots of folks now days wonder if their ancestors were on the right side.

[@jcksnghst]

Neither side were traitors.

[@jcksnghst]

Lincoln, Hitler, and Obama look a lot alike, wtm.

[@vintinoo1924]

@@jcksnghst The confederates, by definition, were traitors. Cope more

[@noelp4916]

" ole snapping turtle " being furious... ... i can just imagine. Great major general tho. 🇦🇺

[@swarm6697]

Love it when I hear the name Beauregard Beauregard gave Butler hell

[@noelp4916]

Thats so sad. 🇦🇺

[@jameswilliams7057]

Ok where is the Petersburg site what state

[@gingerbiscit1296]

Virginia

[@swarm6697]

Are you guys on the designated Trail LOL

[@michaelamanek8908]

Must creepy to live in those homes.

[@Baseballnfj]

The 1st Maine was in Mott's Division.... Not Barlow's.

[@stubbsieshorse327]

A point of interest - the vast majority of those names on the monument are British. Was this the case that the majority of the soldiers in both Armies were of British heritage? There were very few German, Scandinavian, Italian or Spanish soldiers listed there.

[@thewestisthebest6608]

Well Maine is in New England so I’d say most of Maine at least came from England A lot of immigrants moved out west to find new lands that hadn’t been settled yet for whenever they came over. That’s why you have lots of Germans and Scandinavians in the Midwest states because they were the frontier at the time those immigrants came over

[@jcksnghst]

Too much detail?? Wtheck is that?

[@thomasfeltes1041]

If those blue bellies that invaded the South could come back today and see the results of what they fought for they would Disney big Ci. have join their Southern brothers.

[@garycousino4016]

10:15 walking accross the colonial pipeline

[@user-yo3hb7it2v]

Viva o General Lee ,viva a Confederação

[@outofgas5293]

Them Georgia boys was some shooters.

[@edwil111]

yee-haw, they were back picking peanuts on the family farms less than a year later. That is, If they hadn't already deserted before April 1865.

[@73beetle19]

Love them Georgia boys!

[@ryankiesel4610]

Just the way I like my Yankees: Toes up or face down.

[@quietsloop3980]

Sounds like traitor talk to me

[@oneshortgamer2540]

@@quietsloop3980 you're traitor to your own country lmao

[@robinblankenship9234]

If those fine fellows from Maine had just stayed home instwead of invading another country and seeking to impose their by violence, they probably would not have bee shot.

[@thewestisthebest6608]

If the South just didn’t enslave people I.e. take peoples freedom and steal their labor and the labor of their children and children children, then they wouldn’t have had too I’m a southerner btw. Proud of it but not proud of slavery or the confederacy

[@curtc2194]

Grant the butcher of Cold Harbor strikes against...what a waste of human life and for what?

[@Camecol21]

To save the United States of America.

[@jordanbrown4886]

Nice try, but Meade ordered the attack.

[@Camecol21]

@@jordanbrown4886 I don't understand. Is Eisenhower a butcher too? Is General Buckner a butcher?

[@jordanbrown4886]

@@Camecol21 I was replying to Curt, not you

[@Camecol21]

@@jordanbrown4886 ah gotcha, my bad. I will add for Curt that we are all men of our time. Poor tactics and technology do not make the effort less meaningful. Petersburg is certainly one of the sadder battles in the Civil War but American men still fought to defend the American dream.

[@spacecatboy2962]

too bad the northerners were not brave enough to tell lincoln to stick it and leave the south alone

[@derfunkhaus]

Yeah, maybe we'd still have slavery today. [sarcasm]

[@spacecatboy2962]

@@derfunkhaus even if slavery had not existed, the northern regime would have invaded and burned the south, kind of the way the usa war machine invades and burns everything today

[@derfunkhaus]

@@spacecatboy2962 riiiight.

[@mackenzieblair8135]

I like how Andrew Jackson told South Carolina to "stick it" when they threatened secession in 1833.

[@spacecatboy2962]

@@mackenzieblair8135 yeah the federalis are real good at sticking it to people on the state level, saying do what we say or be shot. Kind of like king george only more murderous. Andy jackson was good at sticking it to all those indian women and children he slaughtered. I am sure he wasnt a racist though. If he slaughtered people living in huts, he must be a hero, just like grant and sherman and all the other union thugs that hunted down and killed off indians after the civil war.

[@crippledcrow2384]

Just one more yankee story. No Confederate stories?