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==Prelude==

==Prelude==

Near dawn on May 4,1864, the leading division of the Army of the Potomac reached Germanna Ford, 18 miles west of Fredericksburg. The spring campaign was under way and it superficially mirrored the strategic situation prior to the battles of [[Battle of Fredericksburg|Fredericksburg]] and [[Battle of Chancellorsville|Chancellorsville]]. A numerically superior Union force, well-supplied, in good spirits, and led by a new commander, moved south toward the Confederate capital. There, however, the similarities ended.

Near dawn on May 4, 1864, the leading division of the Army of the Potomac reached Germanna Ford, 18 miles west of Fredericksburg. The spring campaign was under way and it superficially mirrored the strategic situation prior to the battles of [[Battle of Fredericksburg|Fredericksburg]] and [[Battle of Chancellorsville|Chancellorsville]]. A numerically superior Union force, well-supplied, in good spirits, and led by a new commander, moved south toward the Confederate capital. There, however, the similarities ended.

Ulysses S. Grant now directed the Army of the Potomac, although George Meade technically retained the authority he had inherited from Hooker just before the [[Battle of Gettysburg]]. In fact, Grant carried the new rank of lieutenant-general and bore responsibility for all Federal armies, but unlike some of his predecessors his headquarters was in the field.  And it was in the field that the General-in-chief told Meade, "Lee's army will be your objective. Where he goes, there you will go also."

Ulysses S. Grant now directed the Army of the Potomac, although George Meade technically retained the authority he had inherited from Hooker just before the [[Battle of Gettysburg]]. In fact, Grant carried the new rank of lieutenant-general and bore responsibility for all Federal armies, but unlike some of his predecessors his headquarters was in the field.  And it was in the field that the General-in-chief told Meade, "Lee's army will be your objective. Where he goes, there you will go also."

Three miles south along the Plank Road, another battle raged unrelated to the action on Ewell's front. Two of A.P. Hill's divisions pressed east toward the primary north-south avenue through the Wilderness, the Brock Road. If they could seize this intersection quickly, they would isolate Hancock's corps, south of the Plank Road, from the rest of the Union army. Grant recognized the peril and hurried one of Sedgwick's divisions to the vital crossroads.  These men arrived just in time and in cooperation with Hancock slowly began to drive Hill's overmatched brigades west through the forest. Fortunately for the Confederates, darkness closed the fighting for the day.

Three miles south along the Plank Road, another battle raged unrelated to the action on Ewell's front. Two of A.P. Hill's divisions pressed east toward the primary north-south avenue through the Wilderness, the Brock Road. If they could seize this intersection quickly, they would isolate Hancock's corps, south of the Plank Road, from the rest of the Union army. Grant recognized the peril and hurried one of Sedgwick's divisions to the vital crossroads.  These men arrived just in time and in cooperation with Hancock slowly began to drive Hill's overmatched brigades west through the forest. Fortunately for the Confederates, darkness closed the fighting for the day.

Lee expected Longstreet's corps to relieve Hill on the Plank Road that night.  Hill, anticipating Longstreet's arrival, refused to redeploy his exhausted troops to meet renewed attacks in the morning, which would prove nearly disastrous.  For a variety of reasons, Longstreet had fallen hours behind schedule.  Hancock's 5:00 a.m. offensive on May 6 therefore pitted 23,000 Federals against only Hill's unprepared divisions, and overwhelmed them.  A single line of Southern artillery, posted on the western edge of the Widow Tapp's Farm, now provided the sole opposition to Hancock's surging masses.  The guns could not survive long unsupported by infantry.  

Lee expected Longstreet's corps to relieve Hill on the Plank Road that night.  Hill, anticipating Longstreet's arrival, refused to redeploy his exhausted troops to meet renewed attacks in the morning, which would prove nearly disastrous.  For a variety of reasons, Longstreet had fallen hours behind schedule.  Hancock's 5:00 a.m. offensive on May 6 therefore pitted 23,000 Federals against only Hill's unprepared divisions, and overwhelmed them.  A single line of Southern artillery, posted on the western edge of the Widow Tapp's Farm, now provided the sole opposition to Hancock's surging masses.  The guns could not survive long unsupported by infantry.  

   

   

Just then a ragged line of soldiers emerged from the forest to the west. "What brigade is this?" inquired Lee. "The Texas brigade!" came the response. Lee knew the only Texans in his army belonged to the First Corps under Longstreet.  These troops along with others from Arkansas, Georgia, and Alabama charged the blue ranks before them and halted Hancock's advance at the price of 50 percent casualties in several regiments.  

Just then a ragged line of soldiers emerged from the forest to the west. "What brigade is this?" inquired Lee. "The Texas brigade!" came the response. Lee knew the only Texans in his army belonged to the First Corps under Longstreet.  These troops along with others from Arkansas, Georgia, and Alabama charged the blue ranks before them and halted Hancock's advance at the price of 50 percent casualties in several regiments.  

==Aftermath==

==Aftermath==

The Battle of the Wilderness marked another tactical Confederate victory. Grant watched both of his flanks crumble on May 6 and lost more than twice as many soldiers (about 18,000 to 8,000) as did Lee.  Veterans of the Army of the Potomac had seen this before: cross the river, get whipped, retreat -- the story of Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville reprised, and Grant would be referred to once more as a "butcher" in the papers for the large amount of men he had lost in the battle.   

The Battle of the Wilderness marked another tactical Confederate victory. Grant watched both of his flanks crumble on May 6 and lost more than twice as many soldiers (about 18,000 to 8,000) as did Lee.  Veterans of the Army of the Potomac had seen this before: cross the river, get whipped, retreat—the story of Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville reprised, and Grant would be referred to once more as a "butcher" in the papers for the large amount of men he had lost in the battle.   

But Grant was also something that previous commanders of the Army of the Potomac was not, and Lee had already sensed it long before the Wilderness: Grant was a fighting general who wouldn't give up.  Late on May 7 Grant rode at the head of his army and approached a lonely junction in the Wilderness. A left turn would take his army back toward the fords of the Rapidan and Rappahannock, and retreat.  To the right lay the highway to Richmond via [[Battle of Spotsylvania Court House|Spotsylvania Court House]].  Grant went to the right, to the cheers of his soldiers.

But Grant was also something that previous commanders of the Army of the Potomac was not, and Lee had already sensed it long before the Wilderness: Grant was a fighting general who wouldn't give up.  Late on May 7 Grant rode at the head of his army and approached a lonely junction in the Wilderness. A left turn would take his army back toward the fords of the Rapidan and Rappahannock, and retreat.  To the right lay the highway to Richmond via [[Battle of Spotsylvania Court House|Spotsylvania Court House]].  Grant went to the right, to the cheers of his soldiers.

{{Template:Campaignbox Overland Campaign}}

{{Campaignbox Overland Campaign}}

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{{ACW Battles of 1864}}

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