Guinea Station

Guinea Station. Grant Maneuvers South. General Winfield Hancock’s Union Second corps left Spotsylvania Court House after sunset on May 290, 1864. It trudged south along dark roads, headed toward Milford Station on the Richmond, Fredericksburg, and Potomac Railroad. Grant had ordered Hancock to Milford in the hope of luring the Confederate army out of its Spotsylvania trenches to a place where he could attack it and have the advantage., Hancock reached Guinea Station about dawn, May 21. Pickets of the 9th Virginia Cavalry fired at the Union column, then disappeared to spread the alarm. Hancock continued south. A soon as his troops left Guinea Station, the Confederates began tearing up the Downer’s Bridge, less than a mile behind you. A spirited attack by the 114th Pennsylvania Volunteers saved the bridge for the Union, however, enabling Warren’s Fifth Corps to cross the river there later in the afternoon., (caption of picture, upper left): The 114th Pennsylvania Volunteers. A Zouave regiment, this unit sported baggy red trousers, blue vests and turbans., (caption of picture, upper right): Fairfield (left) was a sturdy brick plantation house when Grant dropped by on May 21, 1864. A fire later gutted the building, and in 1911 it was torn down., (caption of picture, lower right): Grant established his headquarters at the Motley House (above) on May 21. He later wandered over to Fairfield and spoke with Mrs. Chandler about “Stonewall” Jackson’s death there one year earlier.