Battle of the Wilderness

The Battle of the Wilderness was a battle of the American Civil War. It was the first battle of the Overland Campaign. It was fought from May 5 to 7, 1864. A Union army commanded by U.S. Grant started marching south to capture Richmond, Virginia. The Confederate Army of Northern Virginia, commanded by Robert E. Lee, attacked Grant's army in an area called the Wilderness. After two days, Grant wasn't able to defeat Lee's army. He then decided to move the Union army southward to get between Lee and Richmond. This resulted in the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House. This was a battle that was considered inconclusive.

Battle Of The Wilderness Media

• GrantsPlanForLee.png

  Grant planned to surround Lee's army and cut off its sources of supplies.

• Grant crop of Cold Harbor photo.png

  Crop of Fowx's General Ulysses S Grant at Cold Harbor

• Portrait of Gen. Robert E. Lee, officer of the Confederate Army LOC cwpb.04402.jpg

  Title: Portrait of Gen. Robert E. Lee, officer of the Confederate Army*Abstract: Selected Civil War photographs, 1861-1865 (Library of Congress) Physical description: 1 negative :

• Portion of the Wilderness battlefield photographed in 1865 near Palmer and Spotswoods houses

• Wilderness VA May 2, 1864.png

  May 2 Virginia positions of Union (blue) and Confederate (red) forces, with the Wilderness Tavern area circled in green and main fords circled in blue

• Overland Campaign May4.png

  Overland Campaign begins as Union (blue) and Confederate (red) troops move to the Wilderness in Virginia.

• BattleOfTheWilderness - HammondAndHill.png

  Hammond found A.P. Hill's Third Infantry Corps

• WILDERNESS May5.jpg

  May 5: Warren faces Ewell while Getty stops Hill.

• Battle of Wilderness Meade noon May 5 V2.png

  At noon, Meade had two fronts and no help from cavalry.