Chris Mackowski conducted this tour which was arranged by the American Battlefield Trust. The ground we walked on is protected by the Central Virginia Battlefields Trust.

Background information on the battle from a previous post from the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House series is summarized below (link).

Grant’s attacks on Laurel Hill on the Confederate left and the Mule Shoe in the center had failed. His next plan involved shifting his army to the east for an attack on the Confederate right. Moving his army from the Brock Road toward the Fredericksburg Road had several advantages. It would place him closer to the Telegraph Road, the main road to Richmond, and allow him to shorten and secure his supply line to Fredericksburg. He would move the V and VI Corps around the back of the army to Burnside’s left to the Fredericksburg Road, then the V Corps would move west down the road attacking Spotsylvania Court House supported by the VI Corps. Hancock would now be on the Union right and Wright on the left. They were ordered to move out at 4:00 AM on the 14th. The continuing rain and muddy roads slowed Warren as the V Corps moved past the Landrum house, forded the Ni River, and marched past the Stevens house and Harris farm toward the Fredericksburg Road in the dark. The march bogged down when it began to rain heavily. At 6:30 AM, on the morning of the 14th only 2500 men from Warren’s Corps were in position. The rest of his corps and Wright’s Corps were strung out along the way. Warren noticed that Myer’s Hill, three quarters of a mile to the southeast of his position near the Fredericksburg Road, was held by only a token Confederate force. Warren felt that the hill was an excellent spot for artillery to bombard the town. He ordered Brigadier General Romeyn Ayers to take the hill, see map below. 

Ayers sent the 91st PA and 140th NY there where they encountered Confederate cavalry from Brigadier General John Chambliss’ brigade (9th VA Cavalry). They easily pushed the cavalry back and captured the hill. Brigadier General Emory Upton from the VI Corps had also noticed the strategic value of Myer’s Hill and went directly to Grant to get permission to take it. By the time Upton got there at 10:00 AM with his 800 men Ayers had already taken the hill. Upton expecting a counterattack from Early’s Third Corps quickly set about entrenching and placing lookouts on the roof of the Myer’s house. He also called for reinforcements and received the 2nd and 10th NJ bringing his total force to 1200 men. Upton was correct, to the south Jubal Early now commanding the Third Corps witnessed the action and launched a counterattack sending Brigadier General Ambrose Wright’s five GA regiments, as well as four regiments from Brigadier General Nathaniel Harris and the members of Chambliss’s Cavalry that were originally on the hill. As they advanced they were spotted by Upton’s lookouts on the Myer’s house roof. Upton sent the 96th PA and two companies of the 2nd PA toward them. The Confederates easily brushed them aside and drove Upton’s men off the hill.

Meade and several staff members were on their way to Myer’s Hill when Upton’s men fleeing the assault ran past them. Meade was nearly captured by the Confederates chasing them. Infuriated, Meade ordered the VI Corps’ commander Horatio Wright to use his entire Corps and the entire V Corps to retake the hill if needed. With the aid of artillery General Ayers retook Myer’s Hill. The Federals now controlled the Fredericksburg Road.

We parked at the end of Greenway Drive (38.1978472, -77.5652153) and walked to the power line right of way which is on Myer’s Hill and walked a short distance up the hill. The next several images are looking down the hill. The 91st PA and 140th NY would have been coming up the hill toward the camera.

Looking up the hill to where Brigadier General John Chambliss’ brigade (9th VA Cavalry) were stationed.

The next stop was a line of earthworks.

The works are shallow. The red line marks their base.

The next stop was the Myer’s house (Bleak Hill). At the time of the battle Myer was not home. He had been conscripted into the Confederate Army and was a member of the 40th VA who were at Spottsylvania at Heth’s Salient a short distance away.

The large hole in the ground with the tree branch crossing part of it is the location of the ice house. Ice would be cut from the Ny River and hauled uphill by oxen. Blocks would be placed in the large hole and the top covered. This would be used to refrigerate meats in the winter.

House location- A short distance further down the narrow path leads to the location of the Myer’s house. The house is to the right of the path. There are many bricks near the hole in the ground, where the house was formerly located. It was difficult to completely visualize the area of the foundation, given the heavy growth of vegetation. I will try and return in winter to take better pictures of the location. The depression in the ground begins a few feet to the left of the large tree.

The ground appears to fall off a few feet to the right of the path. In the second image below, this occurs just behind where Chris Mackowski is standing (far right of image). It is hard to determine the depth of the depression given the overgrowth of vegetation.

The well is covered.

Gunnery Hill Road- The line of earthworks shown in the video above extended across the power line right of way all the way to Gunnery Hill Road shown below.