Potter's Raid

Potter's Raid. April 8-21, 1865. Sumter Experiences the Civil War First Hand, In early 1865, the Civil War was coming to a conclusion after four long and bloody years of fighting. Union General Ulysses S. Grant's army had broken Confederate General Robert E. Lee's line around Petersburg, Virginia. Union General William T. Sherman's army had completed its march to the sea, captured Savannah, and was burning its way through South. By April, the capitol at Richmond was evacuated. Lee retreated toward North Carolina in an attempt to join forces with Confederate General Joe Johnston's army for a last stand. Lee's ragged army made it as far as Appomattox, Virginia. There, on April 9, 1865, Lee surrendered the Army of Northern Virginia, in effect ending the Civil War. Shortly thereafter, Johnston met with Sherman, and a cease fire was ordered., The fighting, however, was not. Scattered engagements took place where word had not reached that the war was over. One of these places was Sumter County. On the same day that Lee surrendered to Grant, a desperate battle was fought here at Dingle's Mill. Several other skirmishes and battles took place over the next 12 days in what came to be called "Potter's Raid". This was the last fighting of the Civil War in South Carolina., Battle of Boykin's Mill, April 18th , Kentucky cavalry and militia units engage Union troops as they move south via the old Charleston Road still in pursuit of trains. The Confederates are pushed back after a fierce fight. Along with 14 other Union troops, Lt. Stevens of the 54th Massachusetts is killed here, the last known Union officer to die in the War., Battle at Dinkins' Mill, April 19th , Young's Confederates briefly engage Potter's troops, but during the skirmishing Young receives orders to take up new positions to prevent any movement of the Union troops northward. Young disengages and moves his units back towards Providence and Beech Creek., Skirmish at Beech Creek, April 19th , Potter's cavalry and infantry units attack and overrun elements of Young's Alabama and Georgia cavalries here late on the 19th in what is considered the last engagement of the Civil War in South Carolina and the last cavalry saber charge of the war., Battle of Stateburg, April 14th-15th , Potter moves north toward Camden in pursuit of trains but is engaged by 9th Kentucky Cavalry and militia units here who force him to detour toward Cherryvale and then north through present-day Dalzell (Providence)., Singleton Plantation (Midway) , Potter headquarters here and sends 32nd U.S. Colored Troops with several thousand "contraband" (freed enslaved persons) to make contact with Union gunboats coming up the Santee River and bring back supplies., Manchester, April 11th , As the railhead for the Wilmington and Manchester Railroad and the connecting point with the Camden Railroad, Manchester is an important stop for Potter, He occupies the town and destroys five engines and 13 boxcars loaded with military supplies. He returns on the 20th and destroys 16 engines and 245 cars. Nothing remains of the town today except a historical marker indicating the town's former site., Milford Plantation, April 20th , After Beech Creek, Potter keeps moving toward Middleton Depot where he finds the railroad trains he had been looking for in Camden. Union soldiers spent the 20th demolishing "18 locomotives and 200 cars" filled with subsistence and railway machinery. Potter briefly occupies the house during his withdrawal while the Confederate cavalry continues to harass his force. On the 21st, a few miles south of the line of march, Potter finally receives word that the war is over and all fighting ends., Skirmish at Spring Hill, April 16th , A small Confederate cavalry force under Col. Pressley engage Potter's troops here on their march toward Camden. Union troops finally reach Camden but discover no trains. They march back towards Stateburg and Manchester., Oakland Plantation, April 18th , Confederate Major General Pierce M.B. Young arrives late on the 18th with reinforcements to cover the Confederate retreat from Boykin. He headquarters in the Sanders home called Oakland Plantation, now known as "Dixie Hall", then falls back to Dinkins' Mill. Potter occupies the house and sets up a field hospital. For years, a cannon ball could be seen embedded in the outer wall of the house - whether Union or Confederate remains an open debate., Marysville Railroad Depot Attacked, April 10th , Potter sends a group of Black troops to destroy railroad stores and equipment. Confederates had already moved a large amount of supplies but the troops still destroy remaining railroad boxcars, equipment, and stores., Sumter April 9th-11th , Potter establishes headquarters in the Solomons' family home, the site of a present-day court house. Union troops destroy railroad property, the jail, and newspaper presses. Like in Manning, they change the local newspaper to the Sumter Banner of Freedom. They also take clothing, food, and other valuables like china. On the 11th, Potter moves towards the town of Manchester to find locomotives and cars hidden there., Battle of Dingle's Mill, April 9th , A small Confederate force of 154 men, including the 20th S.C. Militia and hospital convalescents with two cannons, stop the Union advance for several hours until flanked and finally driven back. This battle takes place at the same time Confederate Gen. Lee surrenders at Appomattox., Manning-First Blood, April 8th , Potter's cavalry surprises a Confederate scouting party in Manning. Lt. Jones of the 7th S.C. Cavalry kills Pvt. Pratt of the 4th Mass. Cavalry and escapes out of town with the Union troops in hot pursuit. Before they leave, Potter's men take over Clarendon Banner Newspaper and change it to the Clarendon Banner of Freedom, proclaiming that "newspapers of the South have done more towards bringing about the Rebellion than aught else and they should not be spared." The newspaper also advertises for the recruitment of "American citizens of African descent for soldiers in the U. States army., Union Lands at Georgetown, April 5th, (sidebar) , Railroads and the War , Railroads played a key role in the Civil War, dictating the movement of armies and even the location of battles. They were also prime targets. On his sweep through South Carolina, Sherman learned that there were several trains loaded with military supplies south of his line of march on the Wilmington and Manchester Railroad that ran from Sumter. He ordered that a force be organized from the various Union garrison units on the Carolina coast to march inland and destroy the trains and their cargos, "even if it should cost 500 men." A provisional division of 2,700 men commanded by General Edward E. Potter was assembled, consisting of two brigades of white and black infantry, and supported by cavalry, artillery, and engineer detachments., Union Army Order of Battle , Two Brigades - 2,700 Men , 25th and 107th Ohio Infantry , 56th and 157th New York Infantry , 32nd and 102nd U.S.Colored Troops Infantry , 54th Massachusetts Infantry , 3rd New York Artillery (2 guns) , 4th Massachusetts Cavalry Company , New York Engineer Detachment, Confederate Order of Battle , At Dingle's Mill- 154 men , 20th S.C. (Sumter) Militia , 44th Clarendon Militia , Hospital Convalescents , Col. Pressley's Infantry , 9th Nentucky Cavalry , Two 12 lb. Cannon , At Dinkins' Mill- 1,500 men , Hannon's Brigade Cavalry , Kentucky 1st Brigade Cavalry , Hamilton's Artillery, At Boykin's Mill-725 men , Kentucky 1st, 5th, 9th Cavalries , Mixed Militia and Reserves, (captions) , General Edward E. Potter , Confederate troops retreat , Boykin's Mill , Millford Plantation , Oakland Plantation , Destruction of railroad by Union troops , Union troops attacking military train , Private U.S. Infantry , Private Infantry, C.S. Army , Images courtesy of Open Parks Network: Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.