The Battle of Payne’s Farm

The Battle of Payne’s Farm. The Confederate Wheel. “Several efforts were made to charge the hostile line, but as these attempts were made by single brigades, without proper deliberation and without co-operation on the part of the other forces to the right and left, they naturally resulted in nothing but the loss of a considerable number of lives.” , Lt. Henry E. Handerson, 9th Louisiana Infantry, CSA, “On they came in formidable gray columns, waving their red battle-flags in traitorous defiance, and screeching and yelling like demons.” , History of the 138th Pennsylvania Volunteers, USA, The battle reached its climax in the fields before you as Gens. George H. Steuart’s and James A. Walker’s Confederate brigades advanced through the woods to your left. To support them, Confederate Gen. Edward Johnson ordered Gens. Leroy Stafford’s and John M. Jones’s brigades to make a wide-wheeling movement from the Raccoon Ford Road into the Payne Farm lane, on which you are standing. From here, the Southerners attacked the Union position in the woods across the field in front of you., Instead of a coordinated effort between the two brigades, however, Stafford’s Louisianans made the initial attack unsupported, suffering heavy casualties. When Jones’s Virginians arrived soon after, they also attacked with the same result. Jones was wounded in the head. The Confederates retreated to this lane until darkness ending the fighting. After dark, the Confederates fell back to the Raccoon Ford Road and eventually to a position behind the stream called Mine Run., (captions) , "Gallantly exposing himself” to enemy fire, Confederate Gen. John Marshall Jones wheeled his brigade into position and fell wounded with a shot in the head. He recovered, returned to duty, and was killed the following May just several miles from here at the Battle of the Wilderness. , Courtesy Valentine Richmond History Center, On the Confederate right, Jones’s regiments encountered steep terrain and the quagmire along Russell’s Run, pictured here. Sgt. John H. Worsham, 21st Virginia Infantry, recalled, “Continuing our wheeling, we soon came to a swamp in a bottom, the most miry place I ever entered. How the men crossed it I don’t know. Many left one or both shoes in the mud, the horses could not cross, the officers were compelled to dismount and take the mud too.” , Courtesy Gary Adelman, In the battle's climax, Stafford's Louisiana Brigade and Jones's Virginia Brigade failed to attack in unison across this open field. Union troops in the woods repulsed each bloody charge in turn.