50th New York Engineer Regiment


The 50th New York Engineer Regiment was an engineer regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. The regiment was initially raised as the 50th Volunteer Infantry, but was converted to an engineer regiment after it arrived in Washington DC. It served as an engineer unit for the Army of the Potomac from the Peninsula Campaign through the Appomattox Campaign.

Organization and muster

COL Charles B. Stuart had received, July 26, 1861, authority to recruit a regiment of infantry, which he organized at Elmira, and which was designated September 20, 1861, the 50th Regiment of Infantry. The companies were mustered in the service of the United States for three years at Elmira:
In 1860 the army Corps of Engineers consisted of just 44 officers and 100 soldiers for an army of 15,000 soldiers. After the formation of the Confederacy and the Battle of Fort Sumter, Congress authorized a massive increase in the number of specialized engineer troops on August 3, 1861, to complement the growing Union Army. On October 22, 1861, in Virginia, the regiment was converted into and designated the Fiftieth, Regiment of Engineers.
Two new companies, L and M, mustered in the United States service for three years in December, 1863, and January and February, 1864, joined the regiment in December, 1863, and February, 1864, respectively. They were recruited from:
Quite a number of men enlisted for this regiment in 1864 were assigned to the 15th N. Y. Volunteer Engineers. At the expiration of its term of service the men entitled thereto were discharged and the regiment continued in service.

Service

When the regiment was converted by special orders from the war department into a regiment of engineers, it was ordered to Washington, where instruction was received by the men in their new duties. They were joining a Corps of Engineers that would play a significant role in the American Civil War. Many of the men who would serve in the top leadership in this organization were West Point graduates. Several rose to military fame and power during the Civil War. Some examples include Union generals George McClellan, Henry Halleck, and George Meade; and Confederate generals Robert E. Lee, Joseph Johnston, and P.G.T. Beauregard. The Corps were responsible for building pontoon and railroad bridges, forts and batteries, destroying enemy supply lines, and constructing roads for the movement of troops and supplies. Both sides recognized the critical work of engineers. On 6 March 1861, once the South had seceded from the Union, its legislature passed an act to create a Confederate Corps of Engineers.
One of the main projects for the Army Corps of Engineers was constructing and reconstructing railroads and bridges. Union forces took advantage of such Confederate infrastructure because railroads and bridges provided access to resources and industry. The Confederate engineers, in contrast used slave labor, on their engineering projects. Through the war, the United States used these Engineer troops as a cadre, adding regular troops, and hiring former slaves to bolster them as needed.

1862

In March, 1862, the AoP, commanded by the engineer, McClellan, embarked on the Peninsula Campaign. With the volunteer engineers' brigade under BGEN Henry Washington Benham, the 50th moved to Yorktown and worked digging trenches, constructing bridges, and earthworks until the evacuation of that city. At White House, the command was divided into several detachments, which were engaged in escort duty and bridge building until reunited at Dispatch Station on June 1, when the regiment was employed in providing for the passage of the troops over the Chickahominy. It accompanied the army through the Seven Days' battles to Harrison's landing, where it was again separated, one detachment being sent to Hampton. When the regimental headquarters was transferred to Hampton in August, a detachment was left behind at Harrison's landing, but on Sept. 3 the regiment was reunited at Washington.
Until July 17, 1862, the 50th was enrolled on the state records as an infantry regiment, but an act of Congress of that date accepted it as a regiment of the volunteer engineer corps, of the same rank as the regular army engineer corps.
Four companies were detached on Sept 12 and ordered to Harper's Ferry, where they were engaged in constructing pontoons and later returned in charge of two of the pontoons to Washington, leaving a part of the detachment behind. Another detachment was sent to the vicinity of Fredericksburg with these boats, and the headquarters of the regiment were transferred to Acquia creek, leaving one company at Washington. After Antietam. the 50th threw two pontoon bridges over the Potomac at Berlin, for the AoP's crossing in pursuit of Lee.

The Bridges at Fredericksburg

After McClellan failed to pursue Lee's retreat from Antietam, Lincoln fired McClellan on Wednesday, November 5, 1862, and replaced him with MGEN Burnside on Friday. Formally taking command on Sunday, November 9, 1862, Burnside immediately received pressure from Lincoln to take aggressive action. In response to prodding from Lincoln and general-in-chief MGEN Halleck, Burnside planned a late fall offensive that the relied on quick movement and deception. Concentrating his army in a visible fashion near Warrenton, feigning a movement on Culpeper Court House, Orange Court House or Gordonsville, he would then rapidly shift southeast and cross the Rappahannock River to Fredericksburg, hoping to steal a march on Lee. The AoP would then move rapidly south along the Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad against Richmond.He chose this course lest he strike directly south from Warrenton, exposed to a flanking attack from LTGEN Jackson in the Shenandoah Valley and because he felt the Orange and Alexandria Railroad would be an inadequate for logistics as well as the fact that Lee had blocked the O&A.
While Burnside began assembling a supply base at Falmouth, Washington reviewed the plan. Lincoln, correctly, saw the main goal was the destruction of Lee and his army and not Richmond, but despite this when Burnside presented his plan on Thursday, November 14, Lincoln reluctantly approved it. Halleck wired Burnside, "The President has just assented to your plan," adding for emphasis: "He thinks that it will succeed if you move rapidly; otherwise not."
Burnside saw the rapid movement of his army as key to catching Lee, off guard, and that the river crossing could be made before Lee could concentrate his forces at Fredericksburg and contest the crossing. The Rappahannock, a short river rising in the mountains, is not much more than a mountain stream until Warrenton where several tributaries swell it into a river, the principal one being the Rapidan. At Fredericksburg it is quite deep below the falls and can be crossed only by bridges. Opposite the northern end of Fredericksburg was a smaller town, Falmouth. They were both mill towns that had prospered grounding the local grains into flour. Powered by canals as well as the river, the mills tapped the river above the dam. In the antebellum era, bridges had connected the two towns but they had been destroyed during Johnston's withdrawal a year before. Any crossing would need to be done at a ford or with pontoon bridges. The 50th, like the other AoP engineers, were well-practiced in assembling pontoons as well as manipulating canals for various purposes.
Burnside went into action immediately. On Friday, November 15, he began to pull his army out of the Warrenton, Virginia area and head southeast towards Fredericksburg. That morning, AoP artillery roused the Confederates. IX Corps struck the Rappahannock River at Warrenton Springs, and I Corps demonstrated focusing on Freeman's and Beverly's fords to the east. Cavalry and infantry attacked Rebels at Rappahannock Station and captured the bridge there intact.
The sudden action on a wide front surprised Lee who began a pullback from his position in front of the Army of the Potomac. Unsure of the Federals’ destination, Lee had to hold back and see how the situation developed before he could make a countermove. Unsure about Burnside's movements, he sent an infantry regiment and an artillery battery to strengthen a small force stationed at Fredericksburg. If Burnside had already crossed and occupied the town, Lee would withdraw North Anna River. Anticipating that Fredericksburg could not be held, Lee got permission to destroy the railroad between Fredericksburg and Hanover Junction. Lee had yet to hear intelligence that AoP was rebuilding the wharves at Aquia Creek, so as Sumner’s troops approached Falmouth, Lee still thought it likely that Burnside would transfer his army south of the James River.
Burnside had moved rapidly on Friday and Saturday without Lee discovering his intent. On Sunday evening, when he heard Sumner’s men were approaching Falmouth, Lee immediately had Longstreet send two of his divisions toward Fredericksburg. As these units left their camps the next morning, Monday, November 18, Stuart’s scouts forded the Rappahannock arriving at Warrenton just as the last U.S. troops were departing.
In the meantime, when the AoP started from Warrenton, Sumner's grand division was given the advance; II Corps arrived on Sunday evening, the 17th at Falmouth, opposite the upper edge of Fredericksburg. Burnside had fooled Lee made it opposite Fredericksburg almost undetected. Next, he needed to get the army across the Rappahannock and push on to Richmond.
When Sumner arrived at Falmouth, Fredericksburg was occupied only by a small force. As soon as the Union troops appeared on the Stafford Heights, an artillery duel began. The Rebels were soon driven from the guns. Standing unmanned, the Rebel guns tempted Sumner to cross the river and capture them. Lest he incur Burnside's wrath, Sumner would not permit volunteers to go over and get them, but he did ask permission to take Fredericksburg, if he could find a crossing. Burnside turned him down as he felt it unwise to take Fredericksburg before he had fully established his communications. He was also concerned that the increasing autumn rains would make the fording points unusable and that Sumner might be cut off and destroyed. He ordered Sumner to wait in Falmouth ending the matter, and the troops went into camp waiting for orders.
When the rest of the AoP arrived two days later, Hooker also suggested crossing, this time at United States Ford, just a few miles upriver. Burnside, mindful of McClellans problems when a river divided his forces in the Peninsula campaign, again worried that the high water would do the same to him and chose to wait.
Burnside became anxious, concerned that the increasing autumn rains would make the fording points unusable and that Sumner might be cut off and destroyed, ordering Sumner to wait in Falmouth.