Wainwright, Charles Shiels (1826-1907) to Henry Jackson Hunt
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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC02382.029 Author/Creator: Wainwright, Charles Shiels (1826-1907) Place Written: s.l. Type: Autograph letter signed Date: circa 18 May 1864 Pagination: 2 p. ; 12.8 x 6.1 cm. Order a Copy
Battle note re artillery: "I have almost no control of firing," describing positions and actions. Contains Hunt's reply on verso, questioning remaining supply. Written in pencil. The Battle of Spotsylvania Court House (9-21 May) was the second battle in the 1864 Overland Campaign. Grant, whose force numbered 100,000, suffered 18,000 casualties. Lee, whose army had 52,000 men, suffered 12,000 casualties. Although Grant's losses were more numerous, Lee's army would never regain the initiative it held in early May 1864, and President Davis had to pull units from other theaters to reinforce him.
A wealthy farmer who had traveled through Europe and studied artillery there, Charles S. Wainwright put his knowledge to good use during the Civil War. He spent the beginning of the war drilling his batteries and on a board weeding out incompetent artillery officers. Taking part in the Peninsula Campaign he was promoted to command the regiment after the death of Colonel Guilford Bailey at Seven Pines. On leave at the time, he missed the Seven Days but served creditably at Antietam, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, the Wilderness, Spotsylvania, Cold Harbor, Petersburg, and Appomattox. He had already received a brevet brigadier generalship in 1864 for the campaign to that point when he mustered out on 21 June 1865. Hunt served as Chief of Artillery for the Army of the Potomac during the Civil War.
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