Battle of the Wilderness
The Battle of the Wilderness, fought from May 5 to 7, 1864, was a significant engagement during the American Civil War, occurring in a densely wooded area near the Rapidan River in Virginia. It marked the first clash between Union General Ulysses S. Grant and Confederate General Robert E. Lee in Grant's Overland Campaign. The battle was characterized by chaotic and close-range combat, where visibility was severely limited due to the dense foliage, leading soldiers to fire blindly into the trees. Initial fighting on May 5 resulted in fierce yet inconclusive skirmishes, with neither side gaining a decisive advantage. The following day saw a temporary Union advantage that was countered by Lee's reinforcements, stabilizing the front by nightfall. The battle resulted in heavy casualties, with Union losses totaling around 17,000 and Confederate losses exceeding 11,000. Although tactically a draw, the engagement was strategically significant as it demonstrated Grant's determination to continue pushing toward Richmond, shaping the course of the war. The Battle of the Wilderness ultimately set the stage for further confrontations in the Overland Campaign, contributing to the eventual Union victory.
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Battle of the Wilderness
Type of action: Ground battle in the American Civil War
Date: May 5-7, 1864
Location: West of Chancellorsville, Virginia
Combatants: 115,000 Union vs. 70,000 Confederate forces
Principal commanders:Union, Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant (1822–1885); Confederate, General Robert E. Lee (1807–1870)
Result: Tactical draw in first battle of the 1864 Overland Campaign
On May 4, 1864, when Ulysses S. Grant crossed the Rapidan River, Robert E. Lee moved quickly to strike the Union army in the dense, overgrown Wilderness, hoping to minimize the Union’s manpower and artillery advantages. Fighting began the following morning along the Orange Turnpike and later along the Orange Plank Road. Fed into battle as they arrived, soldiers rarely saw their opponents in this wooded maze and were forced to fire blindly in the direction from which bullets and noise came. Combat was furious, incredibly confused, but inconclusive on May 5.
May 6 brought another day of vicious, disoriented fighting, during which the tide of battle shifted frequently. A heavy, early morning Union assault drove the Confederates back and threatened disaster until just-arriving reinforcements stopped the advance. Later, though outnumbered, Lee managed to turn both of Grant’s flanks, but lines stabilized after dark. The situation that evening was similar to that in Chancellorsville the previous year. Joseph Hooker had retreated; Grant, however, pressed on toward Richmond on the night of May 7. Union losses numbered 17,000 and Confederate casualties exceeded 11,000.
Significance
Although the Battle of the Wilderness was a costly tactical draw, Grant’s decision to continue his offensive, to move southward toward Spotsylvania Court House, marked the beginning of the end. Grant maintained pressure on Lee and concluded the war on his terms.
Bibliography
Gallagher, Gary W., ed. The Wilderness Campaign. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 1997.
Rhea, Gordon C. The Battle of the Wilderness, May 5-6, 1864. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1994.
Steere, Edward. The Wilderness Campaign. Harrisburg, Pa.: Stackpole, 1960.