The Battle of the Wilderness

What's called the wilderness is actually Spotsylvania County in central Virginia. The wilderness was directly below the river, Rapidan and has rough land with thick brush and is about 70 square miles. The Wilderness is almost completely impenetrable with few roads that were no more than paths. Also fought in the same area was the Battle of Chancellorsville in May 1863.

The battle of the wilderness took place on May 5-6, 1864. The Battle of the Wilderness was the first battle of Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant's 1864 Virginia Overland Campaign against General Robert E. Lee and the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia. The United States of America whom was led by Ulysses S. Grant and George G. Meade had a total of 20,000 men. The Confederate States of America led by Robert E. Lee had 40,000 men. Grant had superiority in cavalry and artillery but in the thick Wilderness there would mostly be neutralized by Lee's man power.

To prevent this from happening Grant was going to flank Lee's army in a more open area. Taking this path would take longer and they didn't have adequate supplies for a longer journey. Also there was word of other armies advancing so by May 1st Grant decided to go on his original path. On May 4th rant sent troops to cross the Rapidan. At about 5 a.m. on May 5th Meade spotted the Confederates and demanded his troops fight at once.

With all of the streams, marshes, bogs, thickets and dense woods Grants troops couldn't see vary far in front of then and because of this there flank was threatened so instead of continuing through the Wilderness they attacked from each of warrens divisions. After lots of fighting By 9 p.m. the fighting stopped and most of the troops went looking for water, rations and sleep. Neither of the generals felt satisfied with the days fighting so Grant decided that he could catch up on the next day (May 6th).

Next morning Ewell sent an attack at about 4:30 which surprised Sedwick and Warren but without enough troops to back it up each side ended up about even. Sedwick and Warren Sent a counter attack but to Grant surprise in didn't work. After Lee's next attack failed Grant gave up pursuing the battle further. The next day both sides continued toured each other but Grant kept side stepping and eventually ended up in Petersburg. Without a true victory by ether side The wilderness ended up just being a stopping place along the way. The most significant fact about my topic in regards to the Civil War is that even though Lee had twice as many troops he didn't win the battle. This is evidence of the great determination of both armies.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Wilderness, http://www.civilwarhome.com/wildernessor.htm