Battle of the Wilderness, Virginia
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- Multiple units engage in the thick forested area called "The Wilderness" in Spotsylvania and Orange Counties in Virginia from May 5-7, 1864. Union Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant attempts to move his troops quickly through the dense forest but is cut off by Confederate General Robert E. Lee. A bloody struggle ensues and the first battle of Grant's Overland Campain ends in a tactically inconclusive stalemate.
Sub-Operations
- May 4-June 12, 1864 -
The Overland Campaign
- May 5-6, 1864 -
Engagement at Todd's Tavern, Virginia
- May 5, 1864 -
Combat at Craig's Meeting House, Virginia
- May 5, 1864 -
Combat at Parker's Store, Virginia
- May 6, 1864 -
Combat at Brock Road, Virginia
- May 6, 1864 -
Combat at the Furnaces, Virginia
- May 7-8, 1864 -
Engagement at Todd's Tavern, Virginia
- May 5-6, 1864 -
Union Troops
- Ulysses S. Grant (Lieutenant General, General-in-Chief of the Union armies
- 5th United States Cavalry / Companies B/F/K[1]
9th Corps
- Ambrose E. Burnside, Major General[2]
- Chief of Staff: John G. Parke, Major
(AoP) Staff/HQ
- George G. Meade, Major General
General Staff:
- Chief of Staff: Andrew A. Humphreys, Major General
- Assistant Adjutant General: Seth Williams, Brigadier General
- Chief Quartermaster: Rufus Ingalls, Brigadier General
Division | Brigade | Regiments and Smaller Units |
---|---|---|
General Headquarters | Provost Guard Marsena R. Patrick, Brigadier General |
|
Engineer Troops |
| |
Guards and Orderlies |
(AoP) 2nd Corps
- Winfield Scott Hancock, Major General
Escort:
- 1st Vermont Cavalry (Company M)
John H. Hazelton, Captain
(AoP) 5th Corps
- Gouverneur K. Warren, Major General
- Provost Guard
- (II) 12th New York Infantry (battalion)
(AoP) 6th Corps
- John Sedgwick, Major General
Escort:
- 8th Pennsylvania Cavalry / Company A
Charles E. Fellows, Captain
(AoP) Cavalry Corps
- NONE OF THESE TROOPS LISTED ON DYER - ON EXPEDITION?
- Philip H. Sheridan, Major General
Escort:
- 6th United States Cavalry
Ira W. Claflin, Captain (Headquarters) - 8th Illinois Cavalry
William W. Long, Lieutenant (3rd Division)
(AoP) Artillery
- Henry Jackson Hunt, Brigadier General[15][16]
Other Units
- Other units listed on Dyer summary or other part of order of battle
- 6th New York (Independent) Light Artillery Battery
Joseph W. Martin, Captain (listed in Cavalry Corps) - 7th New York Heavy Artillery
- 15th New York Engineers[17]
- 46th New York Infantry
- 6th New York (Independent) Light Artillery Battery
Joseph W. Martin, Captain - 2nd United States Artillery / Battery B
Edward Heaton, Lieutenant (listed in Cavalry Corps) - 2nd United States Artillery / Battery D
Edward B. Williston, Lieutenant (listed in Cavalry Corps) - 2nd United States Artillery / Battery L
Edward Heaton, Lieutenant (listed in Cavalry Corps) - 2nd United States Artillery / Battery M
Alexander C.M. Pennington (Jr.), Lieutenant (listed in Cavalry Corps) - 4th United States Artillery / Battery A
Rufus King (Jr.), Lieutenant (listed in Cavalry Corps) - 4th United States Artillery / Battery C
Charles L. Fitzhugh, Lieutenant (listed in Cavalry Corps) - 4th United States Artillery / Battery E
Charles L. Fitzhugh, Lieutenant (listed in Cavalry Corps)
Confederate Troops
- This feature is not yet available. Check back soon for updates!
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilderness_Confederate_order_of_battle
Casualties
- Union loss: 2,246 killed, 12,037 wounded, 3,383 captured and missing = total 17,666
Notes
- ↑ Referenced on Wikipedia, but not Dyer summary
- ↑ The IX Corps was under the direct orders of Lieutenant General Grant until May 24, 1864, when it was assigned to the Army of the Potomac. (see: Official Records, Series I, Volume XXXVI, Part 3, page 169)
- ↑ Sun-struck May 6, 1864
- ↑ 1st and 2nd Companies Michigan Sharpshooters attached (no separate units in Dyer) - Wikipedia
- ↑ Not originally referenced on Dyer summary but referenced on unit homepage
- ↑ Detached at Warrenton Junction; rejoined Brigade on May 7, 1864 (see: Cutcheon's report)
- ↑ Detached at Warrenton Junction; rejoined Brigade on May 7, 1864 (see: Cutcheon's report)
- ↑ Not originally referenced on Dyer summary but referenced on unit homepage
- ↑ Not engaged
- ↑ Originally listed on Wikipedia as 30th Connecticut (Colored) Infantry, not listed in Dyer summary
- ↑ Wounded, but did not relinquish command (see: Gordon C. Rhea, The Battle of the Wilderness May 5–6, 1864, page 395)
- ↑ Assigned May 6, 1864
- ↑ Brigadier General Getty was wounded May 6, 1864, and was succeeded in command of the First, Second, and Fourth Brigades by Brigadier General Wheaton, who was relieved by Brigadier General Neill early on the morning of May 7, 1864, when the Division was reunited
- ↑ <Assigned May 5, 1864
- ↑ Chief of Artillery to the whole Army
- ↑ 1st Brigade Horse Artillery detached with Cavalry Corps; 2nd Brigade Horse Artillery attached to the Artillery Reserve (see: Hunt's report)
- ↑ Not originally listed on Dyer summary
- ↑ Listed on unit homepage but not referenced on Dyer summary
Sources
- Dyer, Frederick H. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion. The Dyer Publishing Company (Des Moine, 1908). (Pages 649, 892, 934)
- Wikipedia - Battle of the Wilderness
Categories:
- Engagements in the War of the Rebellion
- Engagements in Virginia
- Engagements in Spotsylvania County, Virginia
- Battles in Virginia
- Battles in Spotsylvania County, Virginia
- Engagements in 1864
- Engagements on May 5, 1864
- Engagements on May 6, 1864
- Engagements on May 7, 1864
- Source: ACWR 657
- Source: ACWR 893
- Source: ACWR 933