The Battle of Fort Fisher, N.C.

Sunday, June 20, 2021

Edward S. Bragg-- Part 9: End of the War

For the next several weeks, they remained in position besieging Petersburg.  They were in the trench line, which meant they were subject to  sniper fire and enemy artillery and there they remained until June 28, when they were relieved temporarily.

Finally, Edward Bragg received word of his official promotion to brigadier general, effective June 25, 1864.  They rotated back to the trenches a few weeks later.

They remained engaged in siege for the rest of the year and into early 1865.

On July 30, 1864, a Union sapper mine was exploded under the Confederate trenches resulting in what was called the Battle of the Crater.  On August  18, 1864, they were part  of a successful Union raid known as the Battle of Globe Tavern, to cut the Weldon Railroad and reduce the flow of supplies to the Petersburg defenders.

In October there was  another attempt to do that known as the Battle of Boydtown Plank Road, to sever another Confederate supply line, but the attack was withdrawn.

General Bragg's final battle of the war was the Battle of Hatcher's Run, which took place  February 6, 1865, near the site of the Battle of Boydtown  Plank Road.  The Iron Brigade took heavy casualties and, following the battle had to be significantly reorganized.

General Bragg was then summoned to Washington with four regiments and then sent to Baltimore to supervise transportation of conscripts.  He remained there until the end of the war and mustered out on October 9, 1865.

--Old Secesh

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