Soldiers of the Bonnie Blue (UG:CW)

[Cap Ologist]

April 1861

I arrived in Richmond to find the city bustling more than usual. After the fall of Fort Sumter, every able bodied man scrambled to enlist and gain a position of importance, myself included.

I had served in the war with Mexico, earning some distinction in the cavalry before heading home to take over the family business. I had asked my father to arrange a meeting with a newly designated military official. I asked for and received a commission of militia. After 2 days of training, we were ordered to march to retake a fort on the Potomac the north had taken a few days ago.

We were a ragtag bunch and what we made up for in technique and drill, we made up for with a hunger to defend what was ours. We took the fort, held off a counterattack supported by 2 ironside navy ships and emerged somewhat unscathed.

I returned from the battle with 3 brigade of militia under my control. I knew that in order to be successful, we needed to be molded into a modern, fighting machine. Not knowing when we might be called upon again lent a frantic pace to our training. We gained enough recruits to field another brigade bringing our strength up to 3 infantry and 1 artillery. Each infantry brigade was outfitted with Springfield M1842 weapons and we had 12 guns in our artillery brigade, though they were by far a relic of the past. But for now they would serve our purpose.

Our orders came in June, we were to advance to the town of Newport News and hold off a northern raid. Since time was of the essence, we were forced to leave our artillery behind to get there in time.

Other orders had been dispatched to General Stuart and General Johnston to send any aid they could. We arrived in the sleepy town and took up defensive positions around the town square. A brigade of cavalry from General Stuart soon arrived as well. The first hour was eerily quiet. Then all hell broke loose.

Fortunately, General Johnston arrived with about 3,000 infantry and two batteries of cannon. He deployed them in support of our lines, while Stuart's cavalry took up a flanking position in the forest west of town.

For the next hour, wave after wave of Yankees crashed into our lines. Stuart led a timely charge and smashed a charge that had us on the brink of collapse. We heard retreat and let out a rebel yell.

My report to Richmond listed our enemy's strength at approximately 8,500 men. We'd mustered about 7,500 men. The Union suffered over 2,700 casualties while we only suffered a little over 700. Major Crocker was wounded holding the line on the northern edge of Newport News.

Richmond sent us an additional 2,000 Springfield M1842 rifles. After 2 victories, we have more recruits than weapons. We were able to form another 2 infantry brigades of 1,500 soldiers each and another 12 gun battery.

Training will commence first thing in the morning for them so they can be ready for our next orders.

[Cap Ologist]

We're ordered to march to Manassas in July with 4 of our brigades to assist Gen. Beauregard. Our orders are to secure our right flank. There are two routes the Yanks can use to quickly move troops across the river. We build earthworks to block the passage over a stone bridge and station one brigade there supported by our artillery.

We station another brigade in a clump of trees overlooking a shallow ford. It's a good location and should set up a killing field for any Yank that tries to cross. Our third brigade we station by a little farmhouse by the bend of the river to protect the rear of our other two brigades.

The battle begins quickly and our positions hold. After a couple of hours, I order the brigade at the farmhouse to relieve the brigade overlooking the bridge. We slaughter Yanks by the thousands.

Across the river, General Beauregard and General Jackson deploy their forces in an impenetrable line. We hold them off for several hours. They've been hit hard, and if we counterattack, we can probably destroy them. Two brigades hit their right flank and the rout is on. We lose collectively about 3,000 men, they lose over 10,000.

None of our officers were wounded and we lost only about 600 men between our three brigades. Our artillery lost 3 guns and about 90 men. Richmond sends a telegraph that they are sending us 8 Napoleon guns to restock our artillery. We make camp that night with a little more pep in our step. Many of the men are wondering how many more days it'll be before they can return home.