Wednesday, September 20, 2017

Who Captured North Carolina's Col. John Algernon Baker and Sgt. Fred C. Foard June 21, 1864?

Who captured Col. John Algernon Baker of the 3rd North Carolina Cavalry and Sgt. Fred C. Foard of Brig. Gen. Rufus Barringer’s staff near the Jerusalem Plank Road on June 21, 1864?  The 5th New Hampshire of Miles’ brigade, Barlow’s division, claims its skirmishers captured the two while they slept in a barn (Child's regimental history)  The 2nd United States Sharpshooters, detached from McAllister’s brigade of Mott's division to lead McDougall's brigade of Barlow's division, claims to have captured them in the fighting between the plank road and the Weldon Railroad (Stevens' regimental history).

If the 5th New Hampshire captured Baker and Foard, it probably would have happened before the 2nd U.S. Sharpshooters caught up with Barlow's division.  The 2nd no sooner caught up and took the lead than Barringer's brigade sprang its ambush on the Federals.

September 29, 2017.  I'm satisfied for now that the 2nd United States Sharpshooters (Berdan's) captured Baker and Foard.  All the Tarheel sources in Clark's North Carolina Regiments indicate that, as does Stevens' history of the 2nd United States Sharpshooters.  I'll be getting Foard's memoir later and will see what it says.

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