1
/
of
1
Charles River Editors
Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies: General Darius Couch's Account of the Battle of Fredericksburg (Illustrated)
Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies: General Darius Couch's Account of the Battle of Fredericksburg (Illustrated)
Regular price
$0.99 USD
Regular price
Sale price
$0.99 USD
Shipping calculated at checkout.
Quantity
Couldn't load pickup availability
Darius Nash Couch (July 23, 1822 – February 12, 1897) was a career U.S. Army officer during the Mexican-American War, the Second Seminole War, and fought in the Union Army during the Civil War. During the Civil War, Couch fought most prominently in the Peninsula and Fredericksburg campaigns of 1862, as well as the Chancellorsville and Gettysburg campaigns of 1863. He rose to command a corps in the Army of the Potomac, and led divisions in both the Eastern Theater and Western Theater.
On November 14, 1862, Couch was assigned command of the II Corps, and he led it during the Battle of Fredericksburg as part of Maj. Gen. Edwin V. Sumner's "Right Grand Division". In this fight Couch's corps contained three divisions, led by Brig. Gens. Winfield S. Hancock, Oliver O. Howard, and William H. French. Early on December 12 infantry from his corps attempted to support the Union engineers' efforts to lay pontoon bridges across the Rappahannock River and into the town. When Confederate fire repeatedly prevented this, and a heavy artillery bombardment failed as well, the decision was made to send small groups of soldiers in pontoon boats across to dislodge the defenders. This amphibious assault was executed by one of Couch's brigades under Col. Norman J. Hall, which finally succeeded in driving out the Confederates.
Nevertheless, the battle would be a debacle for the Union army, and Couch’s corps played a key role in the repeated assaults against fortified Confederate positions on Marye’s Heights. Lee would later say during the battle, “It is good that war is so terrible; otherwise we would grow too fond of it.”
After the battle, which got commanding general Ambrose Burnside fired, Couch wrote his official post-battle accounts, and they were preserved in the Official Records. This edition includes illustrations of the battle of Fredericksburg, Couch, and other important generals at the battle.
On November 14, 1862, Couch was assigned command of the II Corps, and he led it during the Battle of Fredericksburg as part of Maj. Gen. Edwin V. Sumner's "Right Grand Division". In this fight Couch's corps contained three divisions, led by Brig. Gens. Winfield S. Hancock, Oliver O. Howard, and William H. French. Early on December 12 infantry from his corps attempted to support the Union engineers' efforts to lay pontoon bridges across the Rappahannock River and into the town. When Confederate fire repeatedly prevented this, and a heavy artillery bombardment failed as well, the decision was made to send small groups of soldiers in pontoon boats across to dislodge the defenders. This amphibious assault was executed by one of Couch's brigades under Col. Norman J. Hall, which finally succeeded in driving out the Confederates.
Nevertheless, the battle would be a debacle for the Union army, and Couch’s corps played a key role in the repeated assaults against fortified Confederate positions on Marye’s Heights. Lee would later say during the battle, “It is good that war is so terrible; otherwise we would grow too fond of it.”
After the battle, which got commanding general Ambrose Burnside fired, Couch wrote his official post-battle accounts, and they were preserved in the Official Records. This edition includes illustrations of the battle of Fredericksburg, Couch, and other important generals at the battle.
Share
