20th Connecticut Infantry
Encyclopedia
The 20th Connecticut
Infantry was a regiment
in the Union Army
of the Potomac
that fought in several pivotal battles in the Eastern and Western theaters during the American Civil War
. Raised in July 1862, they were placed under the command of Colonel William Wooster, a businessman in civilian life. Wooster was chosen for command because of his quick learning of military tactics and strong personality. Within a few months, Wooster and the men of the 20th Conn found themselves on the front lines as a part of the Union XIl corp. The 20th took part in its baptism of fire at the [Battle of Chancellorsville]] (May 1-6, 1863).
On May 2, 1863, at Chancellorsville, the unit suffered heavy casualties as they and other units bore the brunt of CSA
General Stonewall Jackson's
surprise assault. However, it is the unit's role in the next major battle that they would be remembered for. On July 2, 1863, on the second day of the Battle of Gettysburg
, several units were moved from the Union right flank on Culp's Hill
to the south to reinforce the left flank which was being attacked. Seeing an opportunity, Confederate General Richard Ewell launched an attack on Culp's Hill and his men occupied the earthworks
deserted by the withdrawn units. Attempts were made to retake the fortifications, but due to miscommunications, such attempts were unsuccessful and resulted in heavy Union casualties.
At dawn on July 3, 1863, the commander of the Confederate army, Robert E. Lee
, devised a plan to launch a massive assault on the center of the Union line (the attack now imfamously known as Pickett's Charge
). This plan also called for Richard Ewell's troops to renew their assault on Culp's Hill to keep any Union regiments from leaving that area to reinforce the assault's target area. Long before Pickett's men were ready to make the charge, Ewell's men, still occupying the earthworks, awoke to a ferocious artillery
barrage from Union batteries
nearby. Forced into action by the bombardment, Ewell sent a message back to Lee saying that he could not wait for the main assault to begin to attack, and was sending his troops into battle.
The artillery that the Confederate soldiers woke up to was devastating, and its effectiveness can only be credited to Colonel Wooster and the 20th Connecticut. The 20th was tasked with scouting the movements of the enemy and relaying that information to nearby batteries. They stayed in the woods overlooking the Confederate position and sent back constant updates. It was an incredibly dangerous task because in order to give accurate reports, they had to be very close to the target. Being in the impact zone was incredibly dangerous. Several men of the 20th were wounded/killed due to misfires or faulty ammunition
. The last one to be wounded was Private George W. Warner, who lost both of his arms when a misfired shell
detonated above him. Infuriated, Col. Wooster sent a report back to the batteries which allegedly said that if one more of his men were injured from a misfire, he would pull the 20th out of position, turn them around, and charge the batteries himself. The courier who carried the message added the comment, "he'd do it, too, so be careful." Save for a few mishaps, the artillery was incredibly effective. It did enough damage that the following infantry assault drove Ewell's men from the hill. Other Confederate units in the area attempted to charge up the hill and while they outnumbered their adversaries, the Union units on Culp's Hill were very well entrenched, and the attacks were repulsed with heavy losses.
It was one of the first times that an infantry
unit was used as a scout force for artillery. Citing the effectiveness, the tactic was used by several other Union generals throughout the rest of the war, including Ulysses S. Grant
and William T. Sherman. This became a common practice in the army and the tactic is still being employed today. While the 20th Connecticut
Infantry Regiment was left out of the combat at Gettysburg, their role in securing Culp's Hill
would forever change how infantry was used in warfare.
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
Infantry was a regiment
Regiment
A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...
in the Union Army
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
of the Potomac
Potomac
-Places in the United States:Washington, D.C. area:*The Potomac River, which flows through West Virginia, Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC**The Potomac Highlands of West Virginia, a region of the Potomac River's watershed in West Virginia...
that fought in several pivotal battles in the Eastern and Western theaters during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. Raised in July 1862, they were placed under the command of Colonel William Wooster, a businessman in civilian life. Wooster was chosen for command because of his quick learning of military tactics and strong personality. Within a few months, Wooster and the men of the 20th Conn found themselves on the front lines as a part of the Union XIl corp. The 20th took part in its baptism of fire at the [Battle of Chancellorsville]] (May 1-6, 1863).
On May 2, 1863, at Chancellorsville, the unit suffered heavy casualties as they and other units bore the brunt of CSA
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
General Stonewall Jackson's
Stonewall Jackson
ຄຽשת״ׇׂׂׂׂ֣|birth_place= Clarksburg, Virginia |death_place=Guinea Station, Virginia|placeofburial=Stonewall Jackson Memorial CemeteryLexington, Virginia|placeofburial_label= Place of burial|image=...
surprise assault. However, it is the unit's role in the next major battle that they would be remembered for. On July 2, 1863, on the second day of the Battle of Gettysburg
Battle of Gettysburg
The Battle of Gettysburg , was fought July 1–3, 1863, in and around the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The battle with the largest number of casualties in the American Civil War, it is often described as the war's turning point. Union Maj. Gen. George Gordon Meade's Army of the Potomac...
, several units were moved from the Union right flank on Culp's Hill
Culp's Hill
Culps Hill is a Battle of Gettysburg landform south of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, with a heavily wooded summit of . The east slope is to Rock Creek , 160 feet lower in elevation, and the west slope is to a saddle with Stevens Knoll with a summit lower than the Culps Hill summit...
to the south to reinforce the left flank which was being attacked. Seeing an opportunity, Confederate General Richard Ewell launched an attack on Culp's Hill and his men occupied the earthworks
Earthworks (engineering)
Earthworks are engineering works created through the moving or processing of quantities of soil or unformed rock.- Civil engineering use :Typical earthworks include roads, railway beds, causeways, dams, levees, canals, and berms...
deserted by the withdrawn units. Attempts were made to retake the fortifications, but due to miscommunications, such attempts were unsuccessful and resulted in heavy Union casualties.
At dawn on July 3, 1863, the commander of the Confederate army, Robert E. Lee
Robert E. Lee
Robert Edward Lee was a career military officer who is best known for having commanded the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia in the American Civil War....
, devised a plan to launch a massive assault on the center of the Union line (the attack now imfamously known as Pickett's Charge
Pickett's Charge
Pickett's Charge was an infantry assault ordered by Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee against Maj. Gen. George G. Meade's Union positions on Cemetery Ridge on July 3, 1863, the last day of the Battle of Gettysburg during the American Civil War. Its futility was predicted by the charge's commander,...
). This plan also called for Richard Ewell's troops to renew their assault on Culp's Hill to keep any Union regiments from leaving that area to reinforce the assault's target area. Long before Pickett's men were ready to make the charge, Ewell's men, still occupying the earthworks, awoke to a ferocious artillery
Artillery
Originally applied to any group of infantry primarily armed with projectile weapons, artillery has over time become limited in meaning to refer only to those engines of war that operate by projection of munitions far beyond the range of effect of personal weapons...
barrage from Union batteries
Artillery battery
In military organizations, an artillery battery is a unit of guns, mortars, rockets or missiles so grouped in order to facilitate better battlefield communication and command and control, as well as to provide dispersion for its constituent gunnery crews and their systems...
nearby. Forced into action by the bombardment, Ewell sent a message back to Lee saying that he could not wait for the main assault to begin to attack, and was sending his troops into battle.
The artillery that the Confederate soldiers woke up to was devastating, and its effectiveness can only be credited to Colonel Wooster and the 20th Connecticut. The 20th was tasked with scouting the movements of the enemy and relaying that information to nearby batteries. They stayed in the woods overlooking the Confederate position and sent back constant updates. It was an incredibly dangerous task because in order to give accurate reports, they had to be very close to the target. Being in the impact zone was incredibly dangerous. Several men of the 20th were wounded/killed due to misfires or faulty ammunition
Ammunition
Ammunition is a generic term derived from the French language la munition which embraced all material used for war , but which in time came to refer specifically to gunpowder and artillery. The collective term for all types of ammunition is munitions...
. The last one to be wounded was Private George W. Warner, who lost both of his arms when a misfired shell
Shell (projectile)
A shell is a payload-carrying projectile, which, as opposed to shot, contains an explosive or other filling, though modern usage sometimes includes large solid projectiles properly termed shot . Solid shot may contain a pyrotechnic compound if a tracer or spotting charge is used...
detonated above him. Infuriated, Col. Wooster sent a report back to the batteries which allegedly said that if one more of his men were injured from a misfire, he would pull the 20th out of position, turn them around, and charge the batteries himself. The courier who carried the message added the comment, "he'd do it, too, so be careful." Save for a few mishaps, the artillery was incredibly effective. It did enough damage that the following infantry assault drove Ewell's men from the hill. Other Confederate units in the area attempted to charge up the hill and while they outnumbered their adversaries, the Union units on Culp's Hill were very well entrenched, and the attacks were repulsed with heavy losses.
It was one of the first times that an infantry
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
unit was used as a scout force for artillery. Citing the effectiveness, the tactic was used by several other Union generals throughout the rest of the war, including Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant was the 18th President of the United States as well as military commander during the Civil War and post-war Reconstruction periods. Under Grant's command, the Union Army defeated the Confederate military and ended the Confederate States of America...
and William T. Sherman. This became a common practice in the army and the tactic is still being employed today. While the 20th Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
Infantry Regiment was left out of the combat at Gettysburg, their role in securing Culp's Hill
Culp's Hill
Culps Hill is a Battle of Gettysburg landform south of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, with a heavily wooded summit of . The east slope is to Rock Creek , 160 feet lower in elevation, and the west slope is to a saddle with Stevens Knoll with a summit lower than the Culps Hill summit...
would forever change how infantry was used in warfare.