The Battle of Payne’s Farm

The Battle of Payne’s Farm. Baptism of Fire.

“[It was] … as warm a contest as this regiment was ever engaged in. … It seemed as if the enemy was throwing minie-balls upon us by the bucket-full, when the battle got fairly under way.” , Member of the 3rd North Carolina Infantry, CSA, “It was truly a baptism of fire, while it was a deluge of lead and iron that swept over us. The musketry was not in the least of a jerky or intermittent sort, but one continuous roll.” , History of the Tenth Regiment, Vermont Volunteers, USA

, While Union Gen. Henry Prince’s division held the ground on either side of the road to Jacob’s Mill, Gen. Joseph B. Carr aligned his division on Prince’s left flank in support. He was ordered to make a connection if possible with the II Corps near Locust Grove. Nicknamed “General French’s Pets” by the rest of the corps, Carr’s division had seen little action. For several of the regiments, this would be their baptism of fire., The three brigades of Carr’s division entered the conflict just as the Confederates were making a concerted effort to turn Prince’s flank. After some initial confusion, the untested troops advanced through this difficult terrain, scaled the ridge in front of you, and drove the Confederate skirmishers back. The Federals took up positions behind a fence at the edge of a large field atop the rise. In this engagement, the three regiments of Gen. William H. Morris’s brigade suffered the highest regimental losses in the Union army during the Mine Run Campaign. The green troops performed admirably and, in a matter of minutes, became veterans., (captions) , The three brigades of Gen. Joseph B. Carr’s division advanced up the hill in front of you and, in its first battle, drove away a smaller but heavy Confederate skirmish line., When Union Gen. William H. Morris’s brigade advanced to the crest of the ridge in front of you, it had at last “seen the elephant”, the popular saying for one’s first battle experience. Morris rode to the front, congratulated his men for their bravery, and told them that “as new troops, a brigade never fought better.” Miller’s Photographic History of the Civil War (1911), Pvt. Jesse Benson, Co. A, 151st NY, was wounded in the right shoulder at Payne’s Farm. His arm was amputated soon after, and he was discharged from service two months later. , Courtesy Gettysburg National Military Park