Grant Comes to the Eastern Theatre
The Wilderness was a frightening place. Because of the tangled mass of underbrush, neither army had a clear perspective on where the enemy was in strength. It was virtually impossible to maneuver large forces. It tested the nerves of the men in the field and certainly the officers who were trying desperately to adjust to the difficult situation.
General Grant, who was in his first major encounter with General Lee on the Overland Campaign, had an additional concern added to his list–one which demonstrated a tolerance for the press not shared by most general officers in either the Union or Confederate armies.
One night during the battle, General Grant, General Meade, and some staff officers were seated around a campfire discussing tactical procedures for the following day. One of the officers spied a shadowy figure hiding behind a nearby tree stump and quickly approached him. It was William Swinton of The New York Times who was scribbling the overheard plans as discussed by Grant, Meade, and their officers. Hauled before the officers, Swinton, who surely would have been shot if it were Sherman or Halleck he spied upon, was let off with a reprimand by Grant.
Swinton was not unknown to Grant. He had previously misrepresented himself to Grant, through an intermediary, to be not a correspondent of the press but rather a literary gentleman who wished to write a history of the war when it was over. Grant discovered Swinton’s true identity when a Richmond newspaper, which Grant read with regularity, contained a verbatim report of instructions he had given a subordinate officer while crossing the Rapidan River.
May 9, 1864 – From the Charleston Mercury
Latest from the Seat of War
The Battles on the Rapidann
Continued Success of Our Arms
Official Despatches from Gen. Lee
General Jenkins Killed, and Generals Longstreet and
Pegram Severely Wounded
Fighting Continued All Day Friday and Saturday
Movements on James River
ORANGE C.H., May 6 – We have the following additional particulars of the fighting on Thursday:
HETH’S and WILCOX’S divisions were engaged. They checked and drove back three corps and two divisions of the enemy.
LANE’S North Carolina brigade last night surprised and captured three hundred prisoners.
From 3 p.m. until nightfall there was very heavy musketry fighting. But little artillery was engaged.
COOK’S brigade fought well and suffered a heavy loss.
THOMAS’ and McGOWAN’S brigades (the latter consisting entirely of South Carolina troops) also suffered considerably. ROSSER, with his single brigade, fought WILCOX’S whole division of Yankee cavalry, driving them back at all points.
The fighting has been resumed this (Friday) morning. It is reported and believed that we are driving them. About 300 more prisoners have been received here, and more are on the way.
Gen. BENNING was slightly wounded this morning, in the arm, and Gen. PEGRAM in the knee.
The battle field is about twenty-five miles below here.
The Richmond ambulance committee have arrived here. The Press correspondent left for the battle field this morning.
ORANGE C.H., May 6 – 9 p.m. – The attack of the enemy this morning was very violent, but it was repulsed in every instance. A strong effort was made to turn our right. We drove them on our left; but their line resisted stubbornly on the right. LONGSTREET, however, finally forced them to give way.
MAP OF THE BATTLE FIELDS OF THE WILDERNESS, MAY 5, 6, AND 7, 1864. SHOWS FIELD OF OPERATIONS OF THE ARMY OF THE POTOMAC COMMANDED BY MAJOR GENERAL GEORGE B. MEADE. LIBRARY OF CONGRESS.
General LONGSTREET received a severe wound in the shoulder, and General JENKINS, of South Carolina, was mortally wounded. Col. BROWN, of Georgia, of the Virginia Artillery, was killed.
Amongst the other casualties reported are the following:
Colonel JAMES D. NANCE, South Carolina regiment, killed; Colonel MILLER, 12th South Carolina regiment, killed; Lieutenant Colonel BOOKTER, 12th South Carolina regiment, mortally wounded; Lieutenant Colonel FRANKLIN GAILLARD, 2nd South Carolina regiment (and formerly editor of the Columbia Carolinian) killed.
The fighting was principally with musketry, the ground being unsuitable for the use of artillery. The battle was fought near the ‘Wilderness,’ and the enemy has been pushed back nearly to Chancellorsville. Everything looks well. The Yankee General WADSWORTH, who was the Abolition candidate for Governor, against SEYMOUR, in the last New York election, was killed. Up to this time seventeen hundred prisoners have been received here.
Richmond, May 6 – The following has just been received at the War Office:
Headquarters
Army Northern Virginia, May 6
To the Secretary of War
Early this morning, as the divisions of General HILL, engaged yesterday, were being relieved, the enemy advanced, creating some confusion; but the ground lost was recovered as soon as our fresh troops got into position, and the enemy was driven back to the original line. Afterwards, we turned the left of his fresh line and drove it from the field, leaving a large number of dead and wounded in our hands – amongst them General WADSWORTH.
A subsequent attack forced the enemy into his entrenched lines on the Brook Road, extending from the Wilderness Tavern, on the right, to Trigg Mill. Every advance on his part, thanks to a merciful God, has been repulsed.
Our loss in killed is not large; but we have many wounded – most of them slightly, the artillery having been little used on either side. I grieve to announce that Lieutenant General LONGSTREET was severely wounded, and General JENKINS killed.
General PEGRAM was badly wounded yesterday. General STAFFORD, it is hoped, will recover.
(Signed)
R.E. LEE
RICHMOND May 7 – The chief Monitor of the enemy fleet in James River is the Onandaga, which has just been finished in New York. The Yankee gunboat destroyed by one of our torpedoes yesterday was blown into fragments. The official despatch says that hardly a piece as big as a rowboat was left. After the explosion, the rest of the fleet was stopped.
Nothing has been heard of the situation of affairs on the Rappahannock this morning. GRANT’S plan was to turn our right and get between LEE and Richmond. LONGSTREET turned the enemy left and was pushing him back steadily when he received his severe wound. He was shot, owing to a mistake, by some of our own men, of MAHONE’S brigade, and Gen. JENKINS was killed by the same brigade. Gen. KERSHAW commanded McLAWS’ division with distinguished honor. BATTLE’S Alabama and GORDON’S Georgia brigade suffered severely.
An interruption of telegraphic communication with Richmond on Saturday afternoon, which was not restored until a late hour Sunday night has prevented the receipt of the expected press despatches in regard to the operations of Saturday. Private telegrams, however, received on Saturday, before the interruption took place, render it certain that the conflict still continued on that day, with encouraging results.
Ed. Mercury
RICHMOND, SUNDAY, May 8 – The following was received at the War Office this morning:
Headquarters
Army Northern Virginia
May 8, 1864
To the Secretary of War
Gen. GORDON turned the enemy extreme right yesterday evening, and drove him from his rifle pits.
Amongst the prisoners captured are TRUMAN, SEYMOUR and SHALLOE. A number of arms were also taken.
The enemy has abandoned the Germania Ford Road, and removed his pontoon bridge towards the ElyFord Road.
There has been no attack to-day; only slight skirmishing along our line.
(Signed)
R.E. LEE.
A despatch from ChaffinBluff says that one of the enemy gunboats had been attacked and disabled, and afterwards boarded and burned on the 7th instant. Two iron clads bore down on our forces, but subsequently withdrew. We have no further particulars.
THE 6TH CORPS – BATTLE OF THE WILDERNESS – FIGHTING IN THE WOODS (FORBES). LIBRARY OF CONGRESS.
(Note – In order that our readers may comprehend the state of affairs, we will explain the position of the roads and fords alluded to in General LEE’S despatch. Germania and Ely Crossings, on the Rapid Ann, are on the roads leading from Culpeper to Fredericksburg. Germania is the crossing for the plank road, and Ely, which is lower down the river, for the old wagon road. These are the roads formerly used by the country people in passing from Culpeper to Fredericksburg. When the enemy crossed, he occupied both roads and both fords. But it seems that, on Saturday evening, our forces turned the right of his line, which was drawn up along the plank road, and at right angles to the course of the river. Being thus cut off from the south bank of the river at Germania Ford, the enemy appears to have withdrawn his line of battle to the old wagon road, lower down, at the same time removing his pontoons from Germania to ElyFord.)
Ed. Mercury
May 9, 1864
GENERAL JENKINS – Among the heavy casualties which our country will be called to mourn when the sad list of those killed on the field of battle shall have appeared, South Carolina will weep the extinction of no more distinguished name than that of the lamented Gen. M. JENKINS, who fell mortally wounded on the 6th, whilst leading his victorious troops against the enemy near The Wilderness. We fear, too, that he fell by the hands of our own men, another victim of the carelessness which deprived us on the same ground, and by the same misfortune, of the illustrious Stonewall JACKSON.
In a few days we shall attempt to give a sketch of the life and services of the General, whose loss our whole State will deeply deplore. She has given few names to the history of this awful contest, of more unsullied or enduring luster, and none more generally respected and beloved, than his which has been forever stricken from the roll of living men.
May 10, 1864
The Defeat of GrantArmy
In the devout language of the Commander-in-Chief of the Army of Northern Virginia, which he has so often led to victory, Thanks to the Giver of all Victories, that wise General and that invincible host have again triumphed, and once more the hirelings of the North, baffled and demoralized, are in full retreat along the historic banks of the Rappahannock.
Cheered by glad tidings from every quarter of our extended frontier, nerved to the highest pitch of resolute courage and endeavor by the consciousness that our all was at stake, and supported by an unwavering confidence in the discipline, spirit and intelligence of our troops, the whole country has awaited, with undisturbed confidence, the issue of this last, long threatened and tremendous assault upon the Capital. Though the details that have thus far reached us are meagre, and though the conflict may yet be prolonged for days, we know enough to be certain that the new ‘On to Richmond,’ like those which preceded it, has met with signal and humiliating disaster.
A brief review of the operations which led to this splendid triumph of our arms will enable our readers, with the aid of their maps, to form a tolerably correct idea of the campaign. The Yankee forces at Culpepper Court House, it appears, moved by the old Plank Road and crossed the Rapidan at Germania Ford. Those at Brandy Station, Catlett, Warrenton and Manassas, on the Orange and Alexandria Railroad, moved by the old Turnpike and crossed the Rappahannock at ElyFord, four miles below the junction of the Rapidan and Rappahannock Rivers, and eight miles, in an air line, from Germania Ford.
Germania Ford is about twelve miles and ElyFord about four miles from Chancellorsville. Orange Court House is about twenty-seven miles and Wilderness Tavern about twenty-two miles from Chancellorsville. From points between Chancellorsville and Wilderness Tavern, roads lead to Gordonsville, Louisa Court House and FrederickHall, on the Virginia Central Railroad, at distances varying from twenty and thirty miles. From these places there are good roads leading direct to Richmond, which is distant between forty-two and fifty-four miles; and also good roads to Hanover Junction.
The enemy having clearly developed the direction of his advance, our forces, marching parallel with the courses of the river, rapidly moved to meet him, LONGSTREET’S corps starting from Gordonsville, HILL taking the Plank Road, and EWELL the Old Turnpike, which joins the Plank Road a few miles above Chancellorsville. The conflict opened at noon on Thursday, May 5th, in a considerable engagement between EWELL’S Corps and the Fifth Corps of Yankee infantry, including SYXE’S Regulars.
GENERAL WADSWORTH’S DIVISION IN ACTION IN THE WILDERNESS NEAR WHERE THE GENERAL WAS KILLED (WAUD). LIBRARY OF CONGRESS.
The collision took place near PACKER’S store, where the Germania Ford road debouches into the old turnpike. This point is in Spottsylvania county, about eight miles above Chancellorsville and twenty miles below Orange C.H. The whole face of the country in that neighborhood is thickly covered with an undergrowth of field pines, cedars and scrub oaks, and therefore utterly unfit for the use of cavalry or artillery.
The night of the 5th instant closed with the complete repulse of the enemy on all sides, and the capture of seventeen hundred Yankee prisoners, and four pieces of artillery. The fighting was resumed on the next morning (Friday), 6th inst.
The battlefield was about five miles lower down, at the Wilderness, or, as Gen. LEE states in his despatch to the War Department, near Wilderness Tavern. The enemy were soon driven back on Chancellorsville, so that the principal fighting must have taken place at or near the old Chancellorsville battle ground. The attack of the enemy was desperate and violent, but was repulsed in every instance. GRANT’S plan, it seems, was to turn our right and get between LEE and Richmond. This maneuvre was frustrated by LONGSTREET, who had turned the enemy left and was pressing him back steadily when he received the severe wound in the shoulder by a shot from MAHONE’S Brigade through mistake. With this mishap, the fighting of Friday seems to have substantially ceased. On Saturday, however, the battle was renewed, and while the enemy’s whole line was steadily held in check. GORDON’S Brigade, by a brilliant charge, turned his right, cutting him off from Germania Ford and necessitating a hasty withdrawal of his force towards Ely. Our accounts of the subsequent operations are scanty; but a severe cavalry engagement having occurred on Sunday, in which the enemy was with great slaughter, GRANT, at last accounts, had abandoned the position to which he had been driven, and in which his right rested upon ElyFord, and was marching off down the river, in the direction of Fredericksburg. So ends the advance of the great column, which was to crush LEE and deliver Richmond to the mercies of BUTLER, the jackal of Yankee conquerors. We trust, however, that the chapter of GRANT’S reverses is not yet closed, and that his victor has yet to strike the closing blow of the campaign.
WOUNDED ESCAPING FROM THE BURNING WOODS OF THE WILDERNESS (WAUD). LIBRARY OF CONGRESS.
But, if our people be wise, they will indulge in no exaggerated fancies as to the probable consequence of our victory. Let them be satisfied that the latest and most formidable aggressive movement of the public enemy has been completely baffled. A force, much superior to ours in numbers and equipment, bearing upon its banners the last hope of the infatuated Northern rabble, and led by their idol of the hour, ‘Man on Horseback,’ has been hurled back, shattered and demoralized, by our gray clad veterans. The lying presses of the North may palliate the disaster, but the world will not fail to recognize the glory and the importance of our triumph. Taken in connection with our late brilliant successes everywhere, by sea and land, West as well as East, the defeat of GRANT must still further relax the energies and sap the strength of our already tottering opponent.
For us, meantime, there is but one course – to press on our victorious standards everywhere, sparing no effort, abating no hope, but yielding to no false confidence until the goal of an acknowledged Independence be fairly won, trusting the issue to Him, who has so marvelously befriended us in our dread struggle against the unholy aggressions of a powerful and malignant foe.
THE WILDERNESS, ON THE BROCK ROAD, 2ND CORPS, MAY 11, 1864 (FORBES). LIBRARY OF CONGRESS.
Special Dispatches to The New York Times
First Dispatch
Washington, Sunday, May 8, 1864
The latest news from the army received here is up to seven o’clock yesterday evening, at which time GRANT fully maintained his position. The fighting on Thursday and Friday was very severe, with skirmishing only on Saturday. LEE’S first onset was made upon our left, but failing, he then fell upon our centre and finally upon our right, where the hardest contest took place. Here the rebels charged upon our lines twice. but were repulsed each time with severe loss. HANCOCK’S corps charged back twice, and at one time entered that portion of the enemy’s entrenchments commanded by A. P. HILL but were at length compelled to fall back. SEYMOUR’S division of HANCOCK’S corps was badly cut. Gens. WADSWORTH and BARTLETT were badly wounded, the former having been knocked off his horse by a spent minié ball. The rebels were reported retreating yesterday morning. The number of wounded is reported at about ten thousand; the killed at two thousand. The loss of the enemy exceeds this. He left his dead and disabled on the field, in our hands. The Ambulance Corps, with its admirable organization, is working up to its full capacity, carrying the wounded to Rappahannock Station. Sixteen trains of cars, dispatched from Alexandria to-day, will receive them. It is expected that they will return, with their bruised and mangled freight, about daylight. Several car-loads of ice were also sent down for the comfort of the wounded. The Sanitary and Christian Commissions are on the field, with a full force of assistants, and with plentiful supplies of everything necessary for the wounded. The Government has hospital accommodations here for thirty thousand, which will probably meet all demands.
Second Dispatch
Washington, Sunday, May 8 – Midnight
Your special correspondent, writing from headquarters at Wilderness Tavern, Friday evening, May 6, gives the following intelligence of the great battle on Friday:
The day has closed upon a terribly hard-fought field, and the Army of the Potomac has added another to its list of murderous conflicts. LEE’S tactics, so energetically employed at Chancellorsville and Gettysburgh, of throwing his whole army first upon one wing and then upon another, have again been brought to bear, but I rejoice to say that the army of the Potomac has repulsed the tremendous onslaught of the enemy and stands to-night solidly in the position it assumed this morning. The first attempt was made upon HANCOCK, upon the right, somewhat weakened in numbers by the battle of yesterday, but the iron old Second Corps nobly stood its ground. Then the enemy hurled his battalions upon SEDGWICK, and once or twice gained a temporary advantage; but our veterans were nobly rallied, and the rebels repulsed with awful slaughter. About half past four P.M., LEE made a feint attack upon the whole line, and then suddenly fell, with his whole force, upon SEDGWICK, driving him back temporarily; but the advantage was soon regained, and the rebels hurled back with great loss. Night had now come on, and it is believed at headquarters, at this hour, that LEE has withdrawn from our front. Although the nature of the ground has been of a terrible character, most of it being so thickly wooded as to render movement all but impossible, and to conceal entirely the operations of the enemy, yet he has been signally repulsed in all his attacks, and nothing but the nature of the battle-field has been preventing it from being a crushing defeat. The loss on both sides has been very heavy, but at this hour of hasty writing, I cannot even give an estimate.
The battle in The Wilderness, known also as Combats at Parkers Store, Craig’s Meeting House, Todd’s Tavern, Brock Road and the Furnaces, occurred in Spotsylvania County, Virginia, May 5-7, 1864. It was the first of the eleven major battles in Ulysses Grant’s Overland Campaign, which occurred during May and June, 1864. The principal commanders were Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant and Maj. Gen. George G. Meade of the Union Army and Gen. Robert E. Lee of the Confederate. The forces engaged were 101,895 Federal troops and 61,025 Confederate. The estimated casualties were 18,400 and 11,400 respectively.
The opening battle of Grant’s sustained offensive against the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia, known as the Overland Campaign, was fought at The Wilderness, May 5-7. On the morning of May 5, 1864, the Union V Corps attacked Ewell’s Corps on the Orange Turnpike, while A.P Hill’s corps during the afternoon encountered Getty’s Division (VI Corps) and Hancock’s II Corps on the Plank Road. Fighting was fierce but inconclusive as both sides attempted to maneuver in the dense woods.
WOUNDED SOLDIERS CROSSING THE RAPPAHANNOCK RIVER AT FREDRICKSBURG ON A FLATBOAT. AFTER THE BATTLE OF THE WILDERNESS (FORBES). LIBRARY OF CONGRESS.
GENERAL U.S. GRANT AT THE WILDERNESS, MAY 7, 1864 (FORBES). LIBRARY OF CONGRESS.
Darkness halted the fighting, and both sides rushed forward reinforcements. At dawn on May 6, Hancock attacked along the Plank Road, driving Hill’s Corps back in confusion. Longstreet’s Corps arrived in time to prevent the collapse of the Confederate right flank. At noon, a devastating Confederate flank attack in Hamilton’s Thicket sputtered out when Lt. Gen. James Longstreet was wounded by his own men. The IX Corps (Burnside) moved against the Confederate center, but was repulsed. Union generals James S. Wadsworth and Alexander Hays were killed. Confederate generals John M. Jones, Micah Jenkins, and Leroy A. Stafford were killed. The battle was a tactical draw. Grant, however, did not retreat as had the other Union generals before him. On May 7, the Federals advanced by the left flank toward the crossroads of Spotsylvania Courthouse.
It was a major battle but with significant but inconclusive results. Grant was not deterred from proceeding on the offensive.
