Browsing named entities in Isaac O. Best, History of the 121st New York State Infantry. You can also browse the collection for G. W. C. Lee or search for G. W. C. Lee in all documents.

Your search returned 74 results in 18 document sections:

1 2
Isaac O. Best, History of the 121st New York State Infantry, Chapter 13: Cold Harbor (search)
Chapter 13: Cold Harbor Charge of 2nd Conn. withdrawal shriek of wounded man Cold Harbor is one of the points near Richmond which General McClellan reached during the Peninsular campaign and from which he was compelled to retire at the beginning of his retreat to Harrison's Landing on the James. It is situated about directly northeast of Richmond, and almost within sight of the city. General Lee having correctly interpreted the design of General Grant, had transferred his army to this point and was found occupying works advantageously located and very strongly constructed. The Sixth Corps arrived at Cold Harbor about noon of the 30th and at 5 o'clock in the afternoon was formed in line of battle, on the left of the Third division and the 121st were deployed in close order as skirmishers, and relieved the cavalry skirmishers, who had suffered quite heavily. Let Beckwith tell the rest. Word was sent along the line that the enemy's line was in the farther
Isaac O. Best, History of the 121st New York State Infantry, Chapter 14: from Cold Harbor to Petersburg (search)
to Grief arrival at Petersburg a mortar shell It is generally conceded that General Grant's purpose in the movement from Cold Harbor was not anticipated by General Lee. All his other movements had been accurately divined so that he was able to get to the position most advantageous to him before the advance of the Union army had reached it in sufficient force to hold it. This movement to the James River seems to have left Lee in perplexity as to where the Army of the Potomac was, and where it was going. The part which the 121st took in it, is of interest to us. The regiment, reduced by deaths, wounds and sickness, now numbered about one hundred men of days we were idle, but on the 29th of June we moved out to Ream's Station to help out Wilson's cavalry, who had been out on a raid, and had been cut off by Hampton, Lee, and some of Pickett's troops. We did not meet the enemy, but some of Wilson's men came to our lines, and we learned from them, that he had been badly used up and
Isaac O. Best, History of the 121st New York State Infantry, Chapter 15: from Petersburg to Harper's Ferry (search)
nt Lincoln, Secretary Stanton and a vast multitude of soldiers and civilians standing upon the works, where they had for many hours fearfully awaited the advance of Lee's choicest troops, the superb veterans of Bidwell rushed upon their old time foes and pushed them from our front, under a devouring fire of musketry, but stimulatedr which they gave their lives. General Gordon says that the objects of this movement under Early were two, first, to draw some of Grant's troops from in front of Lee, and second, the release of the Confederate prisoners confined at Point Lookout. The capture of Washington was not contemplated, and Early was perplexed as to what serious opposition some distance into the valley. The result of these observations convinced General Grant that Early had been called back to Petersburg, by General Lee, and he ordered the 6th and 19th Corps to report as soon as possible at Petersburg. This left the 8th Corps under General Crook in the valley. While the two
Isaac O. Best, History of the 121st New York State Infantry, Chapter 16: with Sheridan in the Shenandoah Valley (search)
enridge, Rodes and Gordon, and they were operating in a friendly country, on familiar grounds. The task before Sheridan was three fold, to prevent another raid into Maryland, to keep so close to Early's army that none of it could be dispatched to Lee, and to keep from a general engagement. These three facts are needed to explain the complicated and erratic movements of the period from the 7th of August to the 19th of September. The itinerary of the brigade is given in a report made by the Adin their accounts of the affair. Of the result of the battle Colonel Beckwith says, We were all greatly encouraged by the splendid victory we had won. We knew the men we had been fighting and we considered them as good as any, if not the best, in Lee's army, but they were no match for us on open ground. It was voted a luxury to be permitted to fight on a fair field instead of in the jungle we had been in, from the Rapidan to the James, and it did us great good. We knew that the Louisianians
Isaac O. Best, History of the 121st New York State Infantry, Chapter 18: back to Petersburg and winter quarters (search)
received consideration by the War Department, and four hundred additions were ordered to be sent to the 121st; but they did not arrive until after the surrender of Lee, and while the corps was at Burksville Junction. Then the officers were duly mustered. During the winter also changes were made in the field and staff, by appoien in command of the regiment, did not escape denunciation by the transgressors. General Grant says in his memoirs that at this time he was in great anxiety lest Lee should leave his, position protecting Petersburg and Richmond, and leaving only a thin line for the purpose of deception send or take the greater part of his army tthrough the Carolinas. If he should do this before the roads became passable for artillery and trains, a great disaster to the Union cause might result. But General Lee determined to make one more desperate effort to break the vice-like grip that the Union army had on Petersburg; and so directed General Gordon with a chosen for
Isaac O. Best, History of the 121st New York State Infantry, Chapter 19: the capture of Petersburg by 6th Corps (search)
rps skirmishes into Petersburg the pursuit of Lee battle of Sailor's Creek Colonel Cronkite woudivision fagged out, but ready to push on after Lee's broken columns. On the morning of the third ot very rapid and we saw but little evidence of Lee's retreat. During the day we heard firing in ot was Grant's purpose to cut off the retreat of Lee and compel a surrender. The 2d and 6th Corps uut the 5th was nearer, and was sent instead. Lee's intention was to take his army to Danville, t and many prisoners, and that we were close to Lee's infantry. As we came out of the woods into t mostly boys and were commanded by G. W. Custis Lee who fell into our hands with a large number ofployed his divisions, Kershaw on the right, G. W. C. Lee on the left. Their plan was that Anderson General Ewell surrendered, as did also General G. W. C. Lee. General Kershaw advised such of his med. About 200 of Kershaw's men got away. General Lee being informed of this disaster rode back,
Isaac O. Best, History of the 121st New York State Infantry, Chapter 20: Appomattox and after (search)
Chapter 20: Appomattox and after Lee's surrender Sixth Corps sent South to Burkesville and Danville Receives recruits and officers mustered to full ran resulted in the destruction of the corps, so long led by the veteran general of Lee's 3d Army Corps. The result was disastrous also to the Army of Virginia. Afthe Confederates, several miles from Appomattox Court House. It was rumored that Lee was surrendering and the brigade waited in eager anxiety for certain informationo escape the limb of a tree, and as soon as his voice could be heard he shouted, Lee has surrendered. And then what a tumult broke out among the troops. Cheers, sht a great many more of the citizens of the country than we had in the pursuit of Lee, and had opportunity to talk with them. They claimed that they had been impover is beyond doubt that they exceed the entire enrollment of the regiment prior to Lee's surrender. It had made for itself a record which its survivors believe was un
Isaac O. Best, History of the 121st New York State Infantry, Appendix (search)
ers and men to January 1, 1865 .............................. 169 Recruits, including conscripts and substitutes, after Lee's surrender in 1865........ 413 A total of .......................1815 A careful study of the records in hand convinr 1903 gives the names of 1897 enrolled. But, this includes the names of 413 who joined the regiment at Burksville after Lee's surrender; and therefore do not really belong to the fighting record of the regiment. The only advantage of their conneed in the 121st New York is given as 1426. This is twenty-four more than the above table justifies if the 413 added after Lee's surrender are not counted. But for purposes of comparison let the figure stand at the latter number (1426), as the auth Wilderness, Spottsylvania on May 10, Opequan, Cedar Creek, the successful assault on Petersburg and the final battle with Lee at Sailor's Creek, suffering losses in eighteen different engagements, counted by superior officers the equal of any regul
1 2