[76] succeeded to Wadsworth's command, while Robinson's Division was broken up, and its regiments were distributed to the other three divisions. The losses of the Fifth Corps, at the Wilderness, May 5th and 6th, were 487 killed, 2,817 wounded, and 1,828 missing; total, 5,132. At Spotsylvania, May 8th-13th, it lost 657 killed, 3,448 wounded, and 375 missing; total, 4,480. During the hard fighting and bloody assaults at Cold Harbor, the Fifth Corps was in line at Bethesda Church, a point on the extreme right, where it was engaged in some sharp actions along the skirmish line, in which it sustained a considerable loss. It also took part in the assaults on Petersburg, June 18, 1864, losing 389 killed, 1,899; wounded, and 38 missing; after which it took its place in the trenches preparatory to the long siege which followed. During the seige it was engaged, August 19th, in the battle at the Weldon Railroad, in which a large number of the men were captured. In this action the divisions were commanded by Griffin, Ayres, and Crawford, these officers remaining in command of their divisions until the close of the war. On October 27th the Corps participated in the first of the battles at Hatcher's Run (Boydton Road), in which it sustained a loss of 279. On February 5th, 1865, it was again engaged at Hatcher's Run (Dabney's Mills), with a loss of 1,319 killed, wounded, and missing. On March 31, 1865, just before the final campaign, the morning reports show the corps strength to have been 17,073, “present for duty, equipped.” In the closing battles of the war, from March 29th to April 9th, 1865--including Gravelly Run, White Oak Road, and Five Forks--the casualties in the corps aggregated 2,465 in killed, wounded, and missing. Its last battle was fought at Five Forks, in which action the corps, still under Warren, captured 3,244 men, 11 flags, and 1 battery of artillery. The war having ended, the organization was discontinued, June 28, 1865.
Sixth Corps.
- West Point -- Gaines' Mill -- Golding's Farm -- Garnett's Farm -- Savage Station -- White Oak Swamp -- Malvern Hill -- Manassas -- Crampton's Gap -- Antietam -- Fredericksburg -- Marye's Heights -- Salem Church -- Banks' Ford -- Gettysburg -- Funkstown -- Rappahannock Station -- Mine Run -- Wilderness -- Spotsylvania -- Cold Harbor -- Petersburg -- Monocacy -- Fort Stevens -- Island Ford -- Strasburg -- Winchester -- Charlestown -- Opequon -- Fisher's Hill -- Cedar Creek -- Fall of Petersburg -- Sailor's Creek -- Appomattox.
The Sixth Provisional Corps was organized May 18, 1862, by uniting Franklin's Division, which had just arrived on the Peninsula, with General W. F. Smith's Division, which was taken away from the Fourth Corps for this purpose. This provisional arrangement having been sanctioned by the War Department, the command received its permanent designation as the Sixth Army Corps. General William B. Franklin was appointed corps commander, and General H. W. Slocum succeeded to the command of Franklin's Division. On June 20, 1862, the corps numbered 24,911, present and absent, with 19,405 present for duty, equipped; the corps artillery numbered 40 guns. At Gaines' Mill, Slocum's Division was sent to the support of General Porter, and became hotly engaged, losing 2,021 men out of less than 8,000 present. The Vermont brigade of Smith's (2nd) Division took a prominent part in the fight at Savage Station, the Fifth Vermont losing 209 men in that action. The corps fought at other points during the Seven Days Battle, but at Malvern Hill it was held in reserve. At Manassas (Second Bull Run) it was partially engaged, the Jersey Brigade of Slocum's (1st) Division having a sharp fight on August 27th, at Bull Run Bridge, in which it lost 339 in killed, wounded and missing, General Taylor, the brigade commander, receiving a mortal wound. While on McClellan's campaign, Slocum's Division made a gallant and successful charge up the mountain's side at
