Seeing the Elephant

At Harris Farm, Union heavy artillery regiments serving as infantry bore the brunt of the fighting. These "Heavies," pulled from forts protecting Washington, D.C., were brought in to replace losses Grant had suffered in the Wilderness and at Spotsylvania Court House, and veteran soldiers mocked the inexperienced troops in their fresh uniforms as "bandbox soldiers." The 1st Massachusetts Heavy Artillery was among the regiments that had its first experience in battle here. Forming ranks east of the house, the Heavies went into action against Ramseur's battle-weary veterans around 6:00 p.m. In this area and in the nearby fields, the former artillerists held their ground, loading and firing muskets as they had been drilled. A Union officer later said they "got a little mixed and didn't fight very tactically," but "they fought confounded plucky." After four hours of fighting, the Confederates withdrew after suffering 900 casualties. Federal losses totaled 1,535, including nearly 400 from the 1st Massachusetts Heavy Artillery. The battle won the Heavies the army's respect, and after Spotsylvania one officer wrote, "I never heard a word spoken against the heavy artillerymen."

Virginia · United States