- WILDERNESS, BATTLE OF THE. A battle of the Civil War in America, fought on May 5-6. 1864, between the Army of the Potomac 'under General Meade, with General Grant in supreme command, and the Army of Northern Virginia under General Lee. The Wilderness is a region of dwarfed woods and tangled lying south of the Rapidan River, and extending for about fifteen miles from east to west and ten miles from north to south. the nature of the ground being such as to render cavalry operations and the use of artillery almost impossible. The battle of the WildernesA was the opening engage ment of the campaign of 1864 in Virginia. The Confederate army, consisting of three corps, lay in a strong position south of the Rapidan, with its right under Ewell on the river, the centre under A. P. Hill at orange Court House, and the left under Longstreet at Gordonsville. Its strength was about 62,000 men, with 224 guns. The Union army was encamped north of the Rapidan from Hazel's River through Culpeper to Stevensburg. It comprised the corps of War ren (Fifth), Sedgwick (Sixth), and Hancock (Second). With Bnruside's corps a day's march to the north, the Union strength amounted to about 120.000 men, with 316 guns. Grant's plan was to cross the Rapidari, turn Lee's right flank, and interpose his army between the Confederate forces and Richmond. The movement of troops was begun at midnight of May 3(1, Warren's corps, preceded by cavalry and followed by the corps of Sedgwick, crossing at Germanna Ford, while Han cock crossed at Ely's Ford, farther down the river. The right column was ordered to proceed to Wilderness Tavern, at the junction of the Germanna I'lank Road and the Orange County Turnpike; Hancock's objective was Chancellors ville. As soon as Lee became acquainted with the movement of the Union troops he adopted the bold expedient of changing front and sent the corps of Ewell and Hill along the Orange County Turnpike and the Orange Plank 1-Zoad to take Grant's army in flank. Early in the morning of May 5th Warren sent Griffin westward along the pike and Crawford along the plank mad to ascer tain the presence of the enemy. Griffin came into contact with 11 111 little later " am. a ...e been we engaged with Hill's troops. Believing at first that the enemy's forces were but a strung rear guard, Grant made no attempt to support Warren, but some time before noon it became evident that the main strength of the Confed erates was in front. Sedgwick's corps was there upon directed to support Warren on the right, while orders were sent to Hancock, who was now some distance beyond Chancellorsville, to return by the Brick Road and take up his position at its junction with the Orange Plank Road. Until Hancock's arrival a division of the 'Sixth Corps under General Getty was ordered to hold back the Confederates, under Hill, at that point. Owing to the nature of the ground, Sedgwick was delayed in bringing support to Warren on his left, and though Griffin's and Wadsworth's divisions drove Ewell's vanguard before them, they were com pelled to give way before the attack of the lat ter's main force. The Sixth Corps as it was working into position was also struck by Ewell, but after a fierce struggle the Confederates were repulsed. Getty, meanwhile, hard pressed by Hill, was relieved by the arrival of Hancock at about three in the afternoon, and a desperate con flict ensued, at a close distance, in which neither side gained any distinct advantage. Wadsworth,
sent to the support of Hancock's right, did nut arrive until night put an end to the combat. Owing to the impossibility of manoeuvring in the tangled underbrush, the conflict became a struggle between lines of men closely in touch, but for the most part invisible. It was almost clutively a musketry battle. The combat between Warren and Ewell and that between Hancock and Hill were practically isolated.
During the night BurnAide's corps was brought to the front and placed between Warren and Hancock. Longstreet was summoned by Lee from Gordonsville and ordered to reinforce Hill on his right. It was Lee's intention to hurl Long street against the Union left in air attempt to throw it back on the Rapidan. To gain time for Longstreet's arrival and to divert attention from the move, he ordered an assault on the Union right. The assailants were thrown hack and Sedgwick took up sill advanced position. At the same time Hancock assailed Hill in front, while Wadsworth struck him on the flank. The Con federates were driven hack for more than a mile, when the Union advance ceased, owing to the eon fusion in the lines and to the fast that Hancock had left part of his corps behind, in anticipation of a flanking movement by Longstreet. The lat ter had actually begun such a movement, but had been summoned to reinforce Hill's weakened forces in front, and now came on the field of battle, driving Hancock back to his original po sition. At this critical moment for the Union army, however. Longstreet was wounded and the violence of the attack subsided until about four o'clock, when Lee threw Hill's and Longstreet's corps against Hancock. Aided by a fire which broke out in the underbrush and seized on the logs of the Union breastworks, while the wind blew the smoke into the faces of the Federals, the Confederates broke through the Union line and a Confederate flag was planted upon the intrenchments. Almost immediately, however, the Confederate line was driven hack. The battle ended with an assault by Ewell on the Union right, in which two brigades were captured and the Union line was for a time endangered. The Confederate advance, however. was checked and night made an end of hostilities. No definite gain had been made by either side, and within a few (lays fighting was resumed at Spottsyl•ania Court House (q.v.).
The losses were heavy, the best authority plac ing the Union casualties at 2265 killed, 10,220 wounded, and 2902 missing, a total of 15.3S7. The woods took fire in many places, and at least 200 wounded perished in the flames. The Con federate records show 2000 killed, 6000 wounded, and 3400 missing, a total of 11,400. Among the general officers killed were Wadsworth and Bax ter, of the Union army, and Jenkins of the Con federates, while Getty of the one and Longstreet of the other side were wounded. Consult: John son and Duel (eds.), Battles and Leaders of the Civil liar (New York. 1887) : Humphreys. The Virginia Campaign of 1864 and 1865 (New York, 1883) ; Grant, Personal Memoirs (last ed., New York, 1895) ; Badeau, Militant History of Ulys ses S. Grant (New York, 1868-81) ; and Swinton, Twelve Decisive Battles of the Thar (New York, 1S67).