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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.
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Map of Southeastern Virginia.
Union marches and operations in Central Virginia (1864-65).
Initial positions in the Wilderness, 7 a.m., May 5, 1864.
Actions in the Wilderness, May 5, 1864.
Actions in the Wilderness, May 5, 1864. (Additional map)
View of the front of Ellwood Manor, originally built around 1790 by William Jones. During the battle this structure, then owned by J. Horace Lacy, was used as the V Corps headquarters of Gouverneur K. Warren. Ellwood is the last remaining structure from the Battle of the Wilderness still standing today.
Actions in the Wilderness, May 6. (Additional map)
Actions in the Wilderness, 6–10 a.m., May 6. Longstreet counterattacks.
Actions in the Wilderness, 2 p.m. until dark, May 6.
Skulls remaining on the field and trees destroyed at the Battle of the Wilderness, 1864.
Former proposed location of the Wal-Mart Supercenter
U.S. postage stamp, 1964 5-cent issue, Battle of the Wilderness centennial commemorative stamp.
