Union engineers constructing a pontoon bridge across the North Anna River
Today Union General Ulysses S. Grant‘s march south of the North Anna River is brought up short on the river banks by yet another brilliant defensive maneuver effected by Confederate General Robert E. Lee. Thus the next battle of the Overland Campaign begins, the Battle of North Anna.
For three days the armies of the Potomac and Northern Virginia clash in minor skirmishes on and around the North Anna River. The Confederates thwart Grant’s advance, but Lee falls ill at a critical juncture and his subordinates are unable to capitalize on an opportunity to press the advantage against the enemy.
With his advance stalled, Grant once again withdraws from the battlefield and begins yet another flanking maneuver designed to bring his army ever closer to the Confederate capital of Richmond.
Although outright victory continues to elude him, Grant is encouraged by what he sees and hears from Confederate prisoners of war captured in the battle:
Lee’s army is really whipped. The prisoners we now take show it, and the actions of his Army show it unmistakably. A battle with them outside of intrenchments cannot be had. Our men feel that they have gained the morale over the enemy, and attack him with confidence. I may be mistaken but I feel that our success over Lee’s army is already assured.
Meanwhile, far to the west Jonathan B. Fuller is a Baptist pastor in Kansas City, Missouri, and a Union man. During the war he periodically writes to his father, speaking of his congregation, the progress of the war, and inquiring of news back home in the east.
Minister or not, Fuller has a sharp wit as well as a self-deprecating sense of humor, as his wide-ranging letter of today evidences in excerpts.
The Campbellites are giving Baptists a rough time in Missouri, as Fuller notes with dry wit:
Yesterday was a fine day and we had good congregations both morning and evening. The Campbellites had a couple of their big guns at work — but they did not hurt us a bit. Our choir too was in better working order — and we had splendid music so altogether I was abundantly satisfied.
Although the war hangs heavy over everyone’s mind, there is time for joviality. The young pastor is self-confident enough to find amusement in the jokes his congregation plays on him.
Meanwhile they get out some funny jokes on my beauty. I must tell you one that is really too good to keep. The morning that I preached my first sermon after my return — a good old Sister was going home from Church. Just as she reached a reasonable distance from the Church she lifted up her hands to heaven — and devoutly exclaimed “Thank God! At last we have got a Pastor so ugly that the girls won’t steal him from us!” Now was’nt that a knock down of a compliment. When the Dr. was telling me of it last night his fat sides shook till I thought he would tumble out of his chair — and Mrs. Lykins laughed till her throat was sore, and her ribs too I should think. But as a kind of offset to this. On Saturday after the Speech was over one of the prettiest young ladies on the ground come up to Mrs. Lykins — “Mrs. Lykins, I thought the first time I saw him that Mr. Fuller was the ugliest mortal I ever saw — but he improves upon a close examination, ask him if he wants to marry!!” So I tell them the old Sister was mistaken.
Laughter aside, distant battles and the immediate impact of war are daily realties.
Things are quiet in a general way. We have bushwhackers in the county — but I think they are few in number and not likely to do any general mischief. I hope they will keep quiet —for my success in building up the church depends in great measure upon it.
The Church has paid me my first quarter’s salary $123.00 without any deductions or grumbling. So far good. We will see next what the Board will do.
The weather is dry and hot — roads very dusty — vegetation begins to need rain. News from the Potomac is not quite so encouraging as I could wish. But as Grant’s military renown is at stake, I am confident that Lee will have to stand a severe [tug?] before the matter ends.
While news of today’s battle will not arrive in Missouri for days, Rev. Jonthan B. Fuller is not the only Baptist, or Union man, who is placing his hopes on Grant’s ability to defeat Lee and put down the Southern Rebellion.
Sources: The Battle of North Anna (link) and (link); image (link); Jonathan B. Fuller, “From Jonathan B. Fuller to Dear Father,” May 23, 1864, in “Civil War on the Western Border” by The State Historical Society of Missouri Research Center-Kansas City (link)
