Battle of North Anna facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Battle of North Anna |
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| Part of the American Civil War | |||||||
 Pontoon bridge constructed by Union engineers for crossing the North Anna River |
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 United States (Union) |
 CSA (Confederacy) |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Ulysses S. Grant George G. Meade |
Robert E. Lee | ||||||
| Units involved | |||||||
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Army of Northern Virginia | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 67,000–100,000 | 50,000–53,000 | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 3,986 total (591 killed; 2,734 wounded; 661 captured/missing) |
1,552 (124 killed, 704 wounded, 724 missing/captured) |
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The Battle of North Anna was a series of smaller fights during the American Civil War. It happened from May 23 to 26, 1864, in central Virginia. This battle was part of a bigger plan by Union General Ulysses S. Grant to defeat Confederate General Robert E. Lee's army.
After a tough fight at Spotsylvania Court House, Grant tried to move his army to a new spot. He wanted to trick Lee into fighting in an open area. But Lee got there first, setting up defenses south of the North Anna River. On May 23, Union troops crossed the river at Jericho Mills. Another Union group took control of the Chesterfield Bridge.
That night, General Lee and his engineers designed a clever defense. They built earthworks in the shape of an upside-down "V". This design could split the Union army if they attacked. It would let the Confederates attack one part of the Union army at a time. This way, they could stop the other part from helping.
The Union army walked right into this trap. On May 24, Union attacks on the "V" shaped defenses failed. A Union brigade tried to attack a strong position at Ox Ford, but they were pushed back. Sadly for the Confederates, General Lee became very ill. None of his officers could carry out his plan to attack the split Union army.
After two days of small fights, the battle ended. Grant decided to move his army again. He marched them southeast towards Cold Harbor.
Contents
What Led to the Battle?
General Grant's Overland Campaign was one of many attacks against the Confederacy. By May 1864, only two main attacks were still moving forward. One was General William T. Sherman's march towards Atlanta. The other was Grant's own Overland Campaign.
Grant was with the Army of the Potomac, led by General George G. Meade. Grant's main goal was not to capture the Confederate capital of Richmond. Instead, he wanted to destroy Lee's army. President Abraham Lincoln had always wanted this strategy. He knew that Richmond would fall once its main army was defeated.
Grant told Meade, "Wherever Lee goes, there you will go also." Grant hoped for a quick, decisive battle. But he was ready for a long war where both sides would lose many soldiers. The Union had more resources to replace lost soldiers and equipment.
On May 5, Grant's army crossed the Rapidan River. They entered a dense forest called the Wilderness of Spotsylvania. Lee's army attacked them there. Lee's army was smaller, about 60,000 men compared to Grant's 100,000. But Lee's men fought bravely, and the thick forest helped them.
After two days, nearly 29,000 soldiers were hurt or killed. The battle had no clear winner. Lee had stopped Grant, but he had not made Grant retreat. Grant had not destroyed Lee's army. In the past, Union generals would have retreated. But Grant ordered Meade to move around Lee's army. He wanted to capture the important crossroads at Spotsylvania Court House. He hoped this would force Lee to fight on more open ground.
Parts of Lee's army reached Spotsylvania Court House first. They quickly started building defenses. Grant's cavalry, led by General Philip Sheridan, was sent to fight Confederate cavalry. Sheridan's men badly wounded General J.E.B. Stuart, a key Confederate cavalry leader. This left Grant and Meade without their "eyes and ears" on the battlefield.
Fighting continued at Spotsylvania Court House from May 8 to May 21. Grant tried different ways to break Lee's defensive line. On May 8, Union generals tried to push Confederates off a hill called Laurel Hill. They failed. On May 10, Grant ordered attacks along the Confederate earthworks. These defenses stretched over 4 miles. They included a part that stuck out, called the Mule Shoe.
Union troops failed at Laurel Hill again. But a new attack method by Colonel Emory Upton at the Mule Shoe looked promising. Grant used Upton's idea on a much larger scale on May 12. He ordered 15,000 men to attack the Mule Shoe. The Union troops were successful at first. But the Confederate leaders rallied their men and pushed them back.
Attacks on the western side of the Mule Shoe, called the "Bloody Angle," lasted almost 24 hours. This was some of the most intense hand-to-hand fighting of the Civil War. Other Union attacks did not succeed.
Grant moved his lines again, trying to find a better way to fight Lee. He launched a final attack on May 18, but it made no progress. A Confederate attack on May 19 was a costly failure. The battle ended with no clear winner. But with almost 32,000 casualties on both sides, it was the costliest battle of the campaign. Grant decided to move his army around Lee's right side again. He headed southeast, towards Richmond.
Who Fought in the Battle?
Union Forces
General Grant's Union forces had about 68,000 men. This number was lower than at the start of the campaign. Many soldiers had been lost in battles, to illness, or because their time in the army was up.
The main Union forces were:
- The Army of the Potomac, led by Maj. Gen. George G. Meade.
- The IX Corps, led by Maj. Gen. Ambrose Burnside.
The Army of the Potomac had several corps, or large groups of soldiers:
- II Corps, led by Maj. Gen. Winfield S. Hancock.
- V Corps, led by Maj. Gen. Gouverneur K. Warren.
- VI Corps, led by Brig. Gen. Horatio G. Wright.
- Cavalry Corps, led by Maj. Gen. Philip H. Sheridan. This group was away on a special mission from May 9 to 24. So, they did not fight at Spotsylvania Court House or the North Anna River.
Confederate Forces
General Lee's Confederate Army of Northern Virginia had about 53,000 men. It was organized into four corps:
- First Corps, led by Maj. Gen. Richard H. Anderson.
- Second Corps, led by Lt. Gen. Richard S. Ewell.
- Third Corps, led by Lt. Gen. A.P. Hill.
- Cavalry Corps, which had no main commander after Maj. Gen. J.E.B. Stuart was badly wounded on May 11.
For the first time in the campaign, Lee received many new soldiers. About 6,000 men from Maj. Gen. George E. Pickett's division joined him. Also, 2,500 men from Maj. Gen. John C. Breckinridge's command arrived. These new soldiers helped make Lee's army stronger.
Moving Towards North Anna
May 21–23: Marches to the North Anna River
After Spotsylvania, Grant wanted to reach the North Anna River. This river was about 25 miles (40 km) south. There was also an important railroad crossing nearby called Hanover Junction. By taking these, Grant could cut off Lee's supplies. He could also force Lee to fight in the open.
Grant knew Lee might beat him in a race to the North Anna. So, he came up with a plan. He sent Hancock's II Corps southeast from Spotsylvania. He hoped Lee would attack this isolated group. If Lee did, Grant would attack him with his other three corps. If not, Grant would still be ahead.
Hancock's 20,000 men started marching on the night of May 20–21. Union cavalry rode ahead, fighting small skirmishes with Confederate cavalry. By dawn on May 21, they reached Guinea Station. Some Union soldiers visited the house where Stonewall Jackson had died a year before.
The Union cavalry found 500 Confederate soldiers. These men were from Maj. Gen. George E. Pickett's division. They were marching north from Richmond to join Lee's army. After a short fight, the Confederates retreated. But one group of soldiers was forced to surrender. Hancock realized Lee was getting more soldiers. He decided not to risk his corps in a fight alone.
By the afternoon of May 21, Lee was still unsure of Grant's plans. He slowly moved his troops towards the Telegraph Road. He also told Maj. Gen. John C. Breckinridge to stop at Hanover Junction. Breckinridge was on his way to join Lee's army. Lee wanted him to defend the North Anna River line until Lee could get there.
Meanwhile, Grant started the rest of his corps marching. Grant learned that Lee's troops were blocking the Telegraph Road. So, he changed his orders for his V Corps. They were to go to Guinea Station and follow Hancock's corps. Lee then understood Grant's plan. He ordered his army to march south quickly.
May 21 was a day of missed chances for Grant. Lee did not fall for the trap of attacking the isolated II Corps. Instead, Lee marched directly to the North Anna. That night, Grant's V Corps camped near the Telegraph Road. They somehow missed Lee's army marching right past them. If they had attacked Lee's side, they could have caused a lot of damage.
Instead, Lee's army reached the North Anna without trouble on May 22. Grant realized Lee had beaten him to the river. He decided to give his tired men an easier day of marching. They followed Lee for only a few miles before resting for the night.
The Battle Begins
May 23: Chesterfield Bridge and Jericho Mills
On the morning of May 23, Union General Warren reached Mount Carmel Church. He waited for new orders. Hancock's corps caught up, and the two groups got mixed up on the road. The generals decided that Hancock would go to Chesterfield Bridge. Warren would cross the North Anna River upstream at Jericho Mills.
There were not many defenses in front of them. Lee had guessed Grant's plan wrong. He thought any move towards the North Anna was just a trick. He believed Grant's main army was still moving east. At Chesterfield Bridge, a small Confederate group had built a dirt fort. There was also a small group guarding the railroad bridge. But all other river crossings were left open. Grant had a great chance if he moved fast.
Union General David B. Birney's division led Hancock's group. They started taking fire from the Confederate fort. Birney sent two brigades to attack. Union artillery began firing at the Confederates. General Lee, watching nearby, was almost hit by a cannonball.
At 6 p.m., the Union soldiers charged. They used their bayonets to climb the dirt walls like ladders. The small Confederate force was quickly overwhelmed. They ran across the bridge and tried to burn it. But Union sharpshooters stopped them. Hancock's men did not try to cross the bridge. Confederate artillery was firing heavily at them. Instead, they dug in on the north side of the river.
At Jericho Mills, Warren found the river crossing unprotected. He ordered his men to wade across and set up a position. By 4:30 p.m., the rest of his corps crossed on floating bridges. Warren learned that Confederates were camped nearby. He arranged his men into battle lines.
General Lee believed Warren's move was just a trick. So, he sent only one Confederate division to deal with it. This division was led by Maj. Gen. Cadmus M. Wilcox. Wilcox's men attacked hard. Union troops suffered heavy losses from artillery and infantry attacks. One Union line broke, and soldiers ran back towards the river bluffs.
Warren's V Corps was saved by their artillery. Twelve cannons fired down on the Confederates. At the same time, Union soldiers attacked the Confederates from the side. The Confederates were forced to retreat. Wilcox's division was outnumbered about 15,000 to 6,000. They lost 730 men. Union casualties were 377. The next morning, Robert E. Lee was unhappy with his officer's performance. He said, "General Hill, why did you let those people cross here? Why didn't you throw your whole force on them and drive them back as Jackson would have done?"
May 23–24: Lee's Clever Defense
By the evening of May 23, Grant's army was spread out at the North Anna. Warren's men had dug in south of Jericho Mills. Other Union troops were on the north bank. Lee finally understood that a major battle was happening. He began to plan his defense.
Lee and his chief engineer came up with a brilliant idea. They built a five-mile (8 km) long defensive line. It was shaped like an upside-down "V". The point of the "V" was at Ox Ford, the only strong crossing in the area. One side of the "V" went southwest, and the other side went east. Lee's men worked all night to finish the defenses.
Lee's new position was a big danger to Grant. By moving south of the river, Lee hoped Grant would think he was retreating. Grant might then try to cross the river. If Grant did, the "V" shape would split his army into two parts. Lee could then use his troops to attack one part of Grant's army. He could concentrate his forces to have more soldiers in one spot.
Warren and Wright's troops could only help Hancock's men by crossing the North Anna River twice. This would take a lot of time. Lee had used a similar tactic at Spotsylvania Court House. He believed he could win a big victory here. Lee told a doctor, "If I can get one more pull at [Grant], I will defeat him."
May 24: Grant Crosses the North Anna
On the morning of May 24, Grant sent more troops south of the river. Wright's VI Corps crossed at Jericho Mills. By 11 a.m., both Warren and Wright had moved forward. At 8 a.m., Hancock's II Corps finally crossed the Chesterfield Bridge. Union soldiers quickly scattered a small Confederate guard.
Downriver, the Confederates had burned the railway bridge. But Union soldiers cut down a large tree, and men crossed on it one by one. Soon, a floating bridge was built, and more troops crossed. Grant was falling into Lee's trap. Seeing how easy it was to cross, he thought the Confederates were retreating. He sent a message to Washington: "The enemy have fallen back from North Anna. We are in pursuit."
The only visible resistance was at Ox Ford. Grant thought this was just a small group of Confederates guarding the rear. Grant ordered Burnside's IX Corps to deal with it. Burnside's division marched upstream to Quarles Mill and took control of the crossing there. Burnside ordered another division to cross the river and attack the Confederate position at Ox Ford from the west.
The lead brigade was commanded by Brig. Gen. James H. Ledlie. Ledlie decided to attack the Confederate position with only his brigade. He faced strong Confederate earthworks. Ledlie ordered his men forward, but they were quickly pushed back. He asked for more soldiers, but his commander told him to wait.
Ledlie ignored warnings about Confederate artillery. He ordered another charge. His men rushed forward as rain began to fall. Their lines became mixed up. The Confederates waited until they were very close to open fire. This forced Ledlie's men to hide in ditches. As a thunderstorm started, some Union regiments tried to rally. But Confederate troops came out of their defenses and shot them down. Ledlie's men retreated. Despite this, Ledlie was praised and promoted after the battle. However, he was later removed from command after another failure.
Hancock's II Corps began pushing south from Chesterfield Bridge. They ran into strong Confederate earthworks. Union troops attacked, but the Confederates fought back. Most of Hancock's division was soon fighting. The fierce battle was briefly stopped by the thunderstorm. Soldiers on both sides worried their gunpowder would get wet. As the rain eased, more Union troops arrived. But even with more men, they could not break the Confederate line.
The Union army had done exactly what Lee hoped. But Lee could not take advantage of the situation. Lee suddenly became very ill and had to stay in his tent. He had no suitable officer to take over. His officers were either sick, tired, or new to commanding large groups. Lee felt frustrated in his tent. He said, "We must strike them a blow—we must never let them pass again—we must strike them a blow." But Lee lacked the means to carry out his plan.
Many historians believe Lee's illness and the "V" shaped defense were a big lost chance. However, some historians disagree. They say there is no proof that Lee planned a big attack. They also say the "V" shape was not good for attacking. Union troops were also well dug in.
At 6:30 p.m., Hancock warned Meade that Lee's position was as strong as Spotsylvania. Grant finally understood that his army was split. He ordered his men to stop advancing and build their own defenses. His engineers started building more floating bridges. This would help the two parts of his army support each other faster.
A big change happened on the evening of May 24. Grant and Meade had argued a lot during the campaign. Grant tried to make Meade happier. He ordered that Burnside's IX Corps would now report to Meade. Even though Burnside was a higher-ranking general, he accepted the new role without complaint.
May 25–26: No Progress
On the morning of May 25, Warren's V Corps tested the Confederate line. They found it too strong to attack. Wright's VI Corps tried to go around the Confederate line. But they found Confederate cavalry blocking the way. Hancock already knew how strong the enemy line was and did not do anything more.
For the rest of the day, there were only small skirmishes. Union soldiers spent their time tearing up 5 miles (8 km) of the Virginia Central Railroad. This was a key supply line for the Confederates. Grant's choices were limited. He did not want to attack the strong Confederate lines head-on. Going around their sides was not possible.
However, Grant remained hopeful. He believed Lee had shown his army's weakness by not attacking when he had the chance. He wrote to his chief of staff:
Lee's army is really whipped. The prisoners we now take show it, and the actions of his Army show it unmistakably. A battle with them outside of intrenchments cannot be had. Our men feel that they have gained the morale over the enemy, and attack him with confidence. I may be mistaken but I feel that our success over Lee's army is already assured.
After the Battle
Just like after the Wilderness and Spotsylvania, Grant planned another big move around Lee's army. He marched east of the Pamunkey River to hide his movements. He ordered his supply bases to be moved to a new location. He also sent cavalry to the west. This was to trick Lee into thinking the Union army would attack his left side. The cavalry destroyed more parts of the Virginia Central Railroad.
After dark on May 26, Union troops quietly crossed the North Anna River. They marched east on May 27. Their goal was the important crossroads of Cold Harbor, about 25 miles (40 km) southeast. Union cavalry screened their advance.
Grant's hope and his dislike for frontal attacks would be severely tested soon. The upcoming Battle of Cold Harbor would be very difficult. The Battle of North Anna was a smaller fight compared to other Civil War battles. Union forces lost 2,623 soldiers. Confederate losses were not fully recorded. But it is thought they lost between 1,500 and 2,500 soldiers.
Battlefield Preservation
The North Anna Battlefield Park opened in 1996. It is managed by Hanover County, Virginia. The park protects a small part (75 acres) of the battlefield. Visitors can walk trails to see parts of the "inverted V" Confederate line.
In 2011, the county approved expanding a rock quarry nearby. As part of this, the owner gave 90 more acres to the county. This land included the "killing fields," where the heaviest fighting happened. The park now covers 165 acres. In June 2014, a group started a new effort to save 665 more acres. This would bring the total saved battlefield land to 830 acres.
Images for kids
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Quarles Mill, where Grant and Meade placed their headquarters
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Another view of the Quarles Mill dam. White tents above are the Union General Headquarters
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See also
In Spanish: Batalla de North Anna para niños
