Battle of Legareville facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Battle of Legareville
Part of the American Civil War
The rebel battery attacking the Marblehead
Date December 25, 1863 (1863-12-25) Location Johns Island, South Carolina Result Inconclusive
Belligerents
United States (Union)	CSA (Confederacy)
Commanders and leaders
Lt. Cdr. Richard W. Meade	Col. Powhatan R. Page Lt. Col. Delaware B. Kemper
Casualties and losses
3 Killed 4 Wounded	3 Killed 8 Wounded

The Battle of Legareville happened on Christmas Day, December 25, 1863. It was part of the American Civil War. Confederate soldiers tried to surprise Union troops near Legareville, on Johns Island. But their plan didn't work, and they couldn't push the Union forces away. The battle ended without a clear winner.

Confederate Army Plans

Before the battle, Confederate soldiers prepared their cannons. Major Edward Manigault kept a detailed record of these plans. He wrote about five different cannon positions. These positions had various types of cannons, like Parrot Guns and Howitzers.

All these cannons were under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Delaware B. Kemper. Colonel Powhatan R. Page led the Confederate foot soldiers. They had troops from the 26th Virginia Infantry and the 59th Virginia Infantry. The Confederates hoped to surprise the Union forces on Christmas morning. However, the different commanders for the cannons and the foot soldiers made it hard to coordinate their attack perfectly.

Union Forces in the Area

The Union army had a small group of about 200 foot soldiers. These soldiers were part of Brigadier General George Henry Gordon's division. They were stationed just outside Legareville.

They also had help from a Union Navy ship, the USS Marblehead. Lieutenant Commander Richard Worsam Meade commanded the Marblehead. He was the nephew of a famous general, George Gordon Meade. The Marblehead was a strong ship with several powerful cannons.

Two other Union gunboats were further down the Stono River. This river flowed past Johns Island and into the Atlantic Ocean.

• The USS Pawnee was commanded by George Balch. It had many large cannons.
• The USS C. P. Williams was a mortar schooner. It carried large mortars, which are like big cannons that fire shells high into the air. Acting Master S. N. Freeman commanded this ship.

The Battle Begins

The battle started early on Christmas morning, around 6:00 AM. Confederate cannons began firing first. Their shots were not very effective at the start.

Union Lieutenant Commander Richard Meade quickly ordered his men to fire back. Even though the Marblehead only had steam in one of its boilers, the ship moved and fired at the Confederates. The Confederates fired accurately, hitting the Marblehead many times. Some Union crew members were hurt.

• Boatswain's Mate William Farley was in charge of a large cannon. He kept firing back despite the danger.
• Robert Blake, who was Meade's servant and an escaped slave, bravely helped with the cannons after a crew member was shot.
• Charles Moore, a crew member, was badly wounded but refused to stop helping.
• Quartermaster James Miller helped guide the ship safely away from shallow water.
• Acting Ensign George Winslow also encouraged the crew to keep fighting.

Later Stages of the Fight

More Confederate cannons joined the attack, firing at the Union forces in town. The Confederates had an advantage in numbers. However, Colonel Page, who led the Confederate foot soldiers, refused to advance. He wanted the Marblehead to be completely out of action first. He tried to make the small Union group surrender, but they wouldn't because the Marblehead was still fighting.

Soon, the other Union gunboats, the Pawnee and C. P. Williams, arrived.

• At 6:35 AM, the C. P. Williams started firing on the Confederate positions from the side.
• When the Pawnee joined in, the Union ships fired so much that they broke up the Confederate cannon attack.

By 7:30 AM, the Confederates stopped firing. The Union forces stopped soon after. Colonel Page then ordered his Confederate soldiers to retreat. Lieutenant Colonel Delaware Kemper had to leave two of his large howitzers behind. He tried to get them back later, but fire from the C. P. Williams stopped his men.

What Happened After

The battle ended without a clear winner.

• The Union army had 3 soldiers killed and 4 wounded.
• The Confederate army had 3 soldiers killed and 8 wounded.

After the battle, Colonel Page blamed the Confederate cannons for not winning. Lieutenant Colonel Kemper said his men couldn't hit the Marblehead accurately because of the long distance. General P. G. T. Beauregard looked at both reports. He said the cannons failed because of bad ammunition and poor gun service.

Even though the Confederates thought their cannons were not accurate, the Marblehead was actually hit 30 times! Meade reported that his ship had a lot of damage, but it was mostly on the surface.

Later, William Farley, James Miller, and Robert Blake received the Medal of Honor for their brave actions during the battle on Christmas Day, 1863.