Samuel W. Gore
A cousin. Sam had 3 brothers in the war. Another beside him also died. Another fought for the South, and never went back home.Samuel W. Gore
Samuel was killed at Fredericksburg, VA while attending to the wounded. His brother, Silas, reported the event to his family in a letter to home, indicating that Samuel had been shot in the neck. He was buried in an unmarked grave. He was an ambulance corpsman in the 57th Pennsylvania Infantry.
Sources:
Tim Travers, The Gore Family Newsletter, vol. 5, no. 1, pp 35.
57th PA Infantry- Organized at Harrisburg December 14, 1861.
Left State for Washington, D. C, December 14.
Attached to Jameson's Brigade, Heintzelman's Division, Army Potomac, to March, 1862. 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, 3rd Army Corps, Army Potomac, to August, 1863
Service & Battles - 1862
Duty in the Defences of Washington, D. C., till March, 1862.
Moved to the Virginia Peninsula March 16-18.
Siege of Yorktown April 5-May 4. Skirmish Yorktown April 11.
Battle of Williamsburg May 5.
Battle of Fair Oaks, Seven Pines, May 31-June
Discussion: On May 31, Gen. Joseph E. Johnston attempted to overwhelm two Federal corps that appeared isolated south of the Chickahominy River. The Confederate assaults, though not well coordinated, succeeded in driving back the IV Corps and inflicting heavy casualties. Reinforcements arrived, and both sides fed more and more troops into the action. Supported by the III Corps and Sedgwick’s division of Sumner’s II Corps (that crossed the rain-swollen river on Grapevine Bridge), the Federal position was finally stabilized. Gen. Johnston was seriously wounded during the action, and command of the Confederate army devolved temporarily to Maj. Gen. G.W. Smith. On June 1, the Confederates renewed their assaults against the Federals who had brought up more reinforcements but made little headway. Both sides claimed victory.
Seven Days before Richmond June 25-July 1.
Oak Grove June 25. Peach Orchard and Savage Station June 29.
Charles City Cross Roads and Glendale June 30.
Malvern Hill July 1.
Duty at Harrison's Landing till August 16.
Movement to Centreville August 16-26.
Skirmish at Bull Run August 20.
Pope's Campaign in Northern Virginia. Battles of Gainesville August 28;
Groveton August 29;
Bull Run August 30;
Description: In order to draw Pope’s army into battle, Jackson ordered an attack on a Federal column that was passing across his front on the Warrenton Turnpike on August 28. The fighting at Brawner Farm lasted several hours and resulted in a stalemate. Pope became convinced that he had trapped Jackson and concentrated the bulk of his army against him. On August 29, Pope launched a series of assaults against Jackson’s position along an unfinished railroad grade. The attacks were repulsed with heavy casualties on both sides. At noon, Longstreet arrived on the field from Thoroughfare Gap and took position on Jackson’s right flank. On August 30, Pope renewed his attacks, seemingly unaware that Longstreet was on the field. When massed Confederate artillery devastated a Union assault by Fitz John Porter’s command, Longstreet’s wing of 28,000 men counterattacked in the largest, simultaneous mass assault of the war. The Union left flank was crushed and the army driven back to Bull Run. Only an effective Union rearguard action prevented a replay of the First Manassas disaster. Pope’s retreat to Centreville was precipitous, nonetheless. The next day, Lee ordered his army in pursuit. This was the decisive battle of the Northern Virginia Campaign.
Chantilly September 1.
Guard fords from Monocacy River to Conrad's Ferry till October.
March up the Potomac to Leesburg, thence to Falmouth, Va., October 11-November 19.
Battle of Fredericksburg, Va., December 12-15.
Discussion: On Nov. 5, 1862 McClellan was relieved of command, and General Burnside was put in his place. A sense of responsibility made the latter commander exceedingly cautious. Before he moved he endeavored to get his 120,000 men well in hand. Aquia Creek was made his base of supplies, and he moved the army towards Fredericksburg on Nov. 10. Sumner led the movement down the left bank of the Rappahannock. By the 20th a greater portion of Burnside's forces were opposite Fredericksburg, and their cannon commanded the town. Sumner demanded the surrender of the city (Nov. 21). It was refused. The bridges had been destroyed. A greater portion of the inhabitants now fled, and the town was occupied by Confederate troops. Lee's army, 80,000 strong, was upon and near the Heights of Fredericksburg by the close of November, and had planted strong batteries there. The army lay in a semicircle around Fredericksburg, each wing resting upon the Rappahannock, its right at Port Royal and its left 6 miles above the city. Pontoons for the construction of bridges across the Rappahannock were not received by Burnside until the first week in December. Then 60,000 National troops under Sumner and Hooker lay in front of Fredericksburg, with 150 cannon, commanded by General Hunt. The corps of Franklin, about 40,000 strong, was encamped about 2 miles below.
Battle: On the morning of Dec. 11 the engineers went quietly to work to construct five pontoon bridges for the passage of the National army. Sharpshooters assailed the engineers. The heavy ordnance of the Nationals on Stafford Heights opened upon the town, set it on fire, and drove out many troops. The sharpshooters remained. They were dislodged by a party that crossed the river in boats, the bridges were rebuilt, and by the evening of the 12th a greater portion of the National army occupied Fredericksburg, and on the morning of the 13th made a simultaneous assault all along the line. The Confederates, with 300 cannon, were well posted on the heights and ready for action. When General Longstreet inquired of his commander of artillery as to whether his guns could delay the Federals when they attacked their lines on the heights, he was answered, “General my guns control the field. Even a chicken could not escape my gunsâ€. And so, it pretty much was on the next day.
The battle was begun by a part of Franklin's corps, Meade's division, supported by Gibbon's, with Doubleday's in reserve. Meade soon silenced a Confederate battery, but very soon a terrible storm of shells and canister-shot, at near range, fell upon him. He pressed on, and three of the assailing batteries were withdrawn. Jackson's advance line, under A. P. Hill, was driven back, and 200 men made prisoners, with several battleflags as trophies. Meade still pressed on, when a fierce assault by Early compelled him to fall back. Gibbon, who came up, was repulsed, and the shattered forces fled in confusion; but the pursuers were checked by General Birney's division of Stoneman's corps.
The Nationals could not advance, for Stuart's cavalry, on Lee's right strongly menaced the Union left. Finally, Reynolds, with reinforcements, pushed back the Confederate right to the Massaponax, where the contest continued until dark. Meanwhile, Couch's corps had occupied the city, with Wilcox's between his and Franklin's. At noon Couch attacked the Confederate front with great vigor. Kimball's brigade, of French's division, led, Hancock's following. Longstreet was posted on Marye's Hill, just back of the town. Upon his troops the Nationals fell heavily, while missiles from the Confederate cannon made great lanes through their ranks. After a brief struggle, French was thrown back, shattered and broken, nearly one-half of his command disabled. Hancock advanced, and his brigades fought most vigorously. In fifteen minutes, Hancock, also, was driven back. Of 5,000 veterans whom he led into action, 2,013 had fallen.
Howard's division came to the aid of French and Hancock; so, also, did those of Sturgis and Getty. Finally, Hooker crossed the river with three divisions. He was so satisfied with the hopelessness of any further attacks upon the strong position of the Confederates, that he begged Burnside to desist. He would not yield. Hooker sent 4,000 men in the track of French, Hancock, and Howard, to attack with bayonets only. These were hurled back by terrific volleys of rifle-balls, leaving 1,700 of their number prostrate on the field. Night soon closed the awful conflict, when the Army of the Potomac had 15,000 less of effective men than it had the day before. Burnside, intent on achieving a victory, proposed to send his old corps, the 9th, against the fatal barrier (a stone wall) on Marye's Hill, but Sumner dissuaded him, and, on the 14th and 15th, his troops were withdrawn to the north side of the Rappahannock, with all his guns, taking up his pontoon bridges. Then the Confederates reoccupied Fredericksburg.
“…possibly ruined the chances for a Union victory which would have been achieved under more able leadershipâ€
COL WILLIAM BARKSDALE
CDR MISSISSIPPI BRIGADE
ANY UNION COMMANDER ATTACKING LEE’S DEFENSIVE
POSITION AT FREDERICKSBURG WAS ALMOST GUARANTEED
DEFEAT!
Sometime during the three days of fighting, Samuel Gore was shot in the neck as he tended to wounded on the field of combat. He was buried in an unmarked grave.

Fredericksburg Heights
By L. L. Kimmel 27 Apr 2011