Cliiss E "-IIU ■SI I I [~|£^^« ■>»»■■■■■■■ WILDERNESS CAMPAIGN f f»»»»»9»»a»»»»a»»»9»»t»**t i VIVIAN MINOR FLEMING FREDERICKSBURG. VA v. M. Fl-t-iviii f- < Jiw^ ^ A ^fc ^/ /^^ ^, '/^^ ^4,*. \) / r \ - Vv/1 ^1^^ Jx^ (^^^ t/ 'C'V-J *-^iC^ tA^^t^Z^ V- z W < Hii V4. v/«H V. M. FLEMING 503 HANOVER ST. L RECEIVED ■- JAN 3 '::'5 ACCESSION DIVISION Fredericksb "^^J^/S^^^ URG. Va. /^>~^ 7 "* 192N^ u J-, e ^""-^ '(^ A-7 ^V^ ^-— ^ ^ V** ^^ /^>^-, v.5-(L -^O ^>>-^ /— y£^ '^ ^^. »»■»»»«»■■»« 111 p.* WILDERNESS CAMPAIGN --* VIVIAN MINOR I LEMING FREDERICKSBURG. V'A. \\. (' Ilm rniyrmo ConrAxr i. =w -.0. V». F y GIFT All r:' OR JA^; p '25 V(^K VW'OK n This acrtiunl uf the liattU- of thr WiKirmr' I !• il a« a trial of *lri-n^tii of tlir Frtlrral forcm, wliirli were ronatantiv augmmtrtl by lar. :• ' Ir l»> . . <• of the Govrmmrnt »trctchrd ' mi»«t limit for matrrial with ithith l«> Mipply r%'rry n< • «! «>f tiiin iii" Tliin otTii-rr. (it-nrral l*. S. Grant, had won ittii^ , .talion for hia roilitarv ability in thr Wrat. Il< iimi%%ionni a« ! ' nrral by l*n-«idrnt I.inttiin aixI iiiadr Com niAt : of all the- nnnira of the I'nitcd Statm, at thiA tiror r%tiinatrd at one million mm. Cirant atHTptrd thi« tnut. and tiimrd over to Major-CMnrml Sin rman \\\s com- mand of thr NVr*trm Army. He pn»«i««l« «l to Culiirftrr ami tiHtk iMTMiiial (hnri;t- of thr Army of thr I'otoinar. The Spring • i wn% prrct'drd in Frbniary by two iiiiurmrnt^ of tli< i ' ' *• *' - ' ---.r of Grn- rral H. I'. Hullir up . thrralrn- ing for a »hort time Klchmond. Hin hn|>es. however, were disp " ' ' ' ' ' !' ' 1.1. The other, an ■ nly of cavalry from Rapitlan to Richmond. The object of thi« movrment wa* to r • T ' T Thin oMir I t\ _ when atlaik'd. rapidly rrtreated. AntI that part of hit command, tindrr I ' ■\. and a large por- tion kil- _ ' ' „- iivlf. It i« hoped, for humanity's ukr. that Dahlgrrn'* de«ign« 6 The W ildciiiess Campaign. Win- clintrml iroin wlial wtrt- iiiiiicalcd by ])a|)(rs ioiiml on his body after dtalli, wliii li sil forth the purpose of his mis- sion. Thi-sc j)apcrs conlaiiuil niinulf instructions fonctrning llu- rclt-asc of the jjrisonirs in Libby Prison and othtr prison barra( ks in Richmond, and giving up the city to them as well as the putting to death of I'rcsident Davis and his Cabinet. Grant now assumes tlic ilirectiim of the Army under very favorable circumstances. This new commander enters upon this great struggle under very different conditions from other commanders of the Federal Army. Personally and politically General Grant was acceptable to President Lincoln and re- ceived his hearty co-operation. All power was placed in his hands and the best troops of the Federal Army were added to his command. He had now under him an armv of veterans, and the army opposed to him had lost strength month by month. It seemed, under such conditions, he should have crushed his enemy in a few months. The Federal Army, ready for duty May 1, 1864. numbered one hundred and forty-one thousand and sixty men. Lee con- fronted this force with fifty thousand, his force being little over one-third of Grant's. The accessions to Grant's army between the 1st and 1th of May still increased the odds against Lee's command. From a glance, at this discrepancy, one could readily see the conception of the Federal Government was ins))ired with the purpose of extermination, confronted as it was by an army one-third its size, with an inadequate sup- ply of both food and ammunition. Longstreet's Corps at this time bad reached Gordonsville from its Chickamauga Campaign in Tennessee. Grant had been urged by many of his advisors to move his army to the James and thus enconipass Richmond within a radius of twenty miles, but he steadfastly declined upon the ground that Lee's army first of all was his objective, and the siege of Richmond without the elimination of Lee's army first would amount to nothini;. Wliile the conception of such a plan was Thf WiUlrmi'sis CainpaiKii. 7 guotl. tlir failurr of it* |nir|M»ftr rnUilrti • big toll of lo%f, inclutling killed •ml wuumlrtL Ixe's anBy, •• tonir Nortl»rm r piitn it. ia an aniiy of trtrrani kt. > , ' What if Villi ilitl turn itn llank. it > all that I'oulil Ik- muI or i-onnitlrrrd fn>ni an rffcctivc itand- |taiint wa* tlir Ut%% of Iifr. With an ^r thr Sotitlirm Ann\ , tUfrat in a ilay or bati 4 in itM-lf. (irant M-rtnrd to undrmtand tliia. anil hrncc hit pur- pose of t-itrrmination, for hr «oldly raltulatrd (hat hr could Itcttrr (lulurr ttir lo^n of trii nirii than itiuld Ia-v one. Thr Federal ('«»mmantlrr lu-«itatrd iH-twrcn two plan*, one to rffect a (-ro|>er to kerp in mind that this design of (feneral Ctrant. l^-e t-ompletely revrmrd. by ino\ ing in front of him rvery »trp whieli hr tiMtk in advanet*. Thr Frtlrral Commandrr, bring foiird in every way to gain the mawtery of I-er by strategy. %»a* (-om|M-lled to attopt a plan that did not enter hi* mind, rxerpt a* a la«t rr«ort. So on tlir 4th of May (irant Itrgan « r !ie Rapitlan at Cm r mhI other ford* alMtve Chan- « • < and by May tin - > ulire army wa* over. The raar and faeility with whieh he rros*ei;nrdeil by him- M-lf n* a great *ur»-r**. I.er made no m«»vrmrnt to di«piite hia paaaagr acrou thr atrram; hr prrfrrrrd to takr thr mraa- urr of hi* advrrsary'* strength and attark hi* flank a* flrant'* ndiimn pa*«rd across his front. Thr idea obtaimd among thr Frdrral rommandrrs was that I.rr intmdrd falling bark to thr North .\nna rl\er and there take up hi* line of defense. Ijrr'n roovitnents. however, were very different. In*tead of retiring before thr Frtlrral forrc* in thr dirrrtion of Rirhmond. hr movrd with thrrr army corps toward* the Wilderness, to offer hattlr. 8 The Wilderness Cainpaij:;!!. 'I'lu- Iliad ot till ('(iiifi (Itralc loliiinii lonsisltd of J'^wcH's ♦•orps. wliitli n taiiifd its jxisilion on tlje Uapidaii. 'I'liis corps fonm-d the right of Ltr 's line. A. 1*. Hill, who had btcn sla- lioncd higher up in thr \itinity of Liberty Mills, followed, and Longstreet, who was near (Jordoiis\ illi . Itrought iij) the rear. This disposition of the three army erops named was dic- tated by the conditions for tlie ensuing struggle. I'lwell ad- \aiieed in front down tin old turnjjike, running east and west nearest, and along the lla])idan. Hill came over the Orange I'lank road, parallel to atid south of the old turnjiike. thus forming on J-.well's right, who, as stated, was moving down that road, and Longstreet, following, came in on the right of Hill. CJrant hail plunged his army in the dense wilderness, which had been the scene of Hooker's discomfiture the year before. His army, followed by a wagon train of four thousand wagons, indicated the ])reparations for a permanent campaign. These had reached the Wilderness Tavern and the Brock road, over which Jackson liad made that "Secret Flank Movement," a year before (May, 1863) on Hooker's right wing. In order to have a proper understanding of this great Bat- tle of the Wilderness, keep well in mind that nothing surprised Crranl more than the sudden appearance of Lee in this dense thicket and under-brush. He misinterpreted Lee entirely, for he did have a general knowledge of the condition of Lee's army, as well as its vast numerical infiM'iority to his own. .V natural construction of Lee's movemints woidd place his column on a rajiid retreat towards Richmond, but instead, like an apparition, he ajipeared in this dark wilderness, and ready to attack the vast host of his adversary. The last thing that suggested itself to Grant's mind was that Lee was not only confronting him. but preparing to bring on an attack. Having this offensive movement in mind, Lee moved with liis usual celcritv and energy. Vhr W •I w (»% », priN. 1 of the t I'll . itiK, m>tli Momiii l.*»rll niovrd in ttir tmcr of tli> in iit« UHii •■ the (i c«in|>ril that nifHit of •Im tl . /jJr^- 10 Tiir W ildcrness Cami)aign. This iJrbt collisiDH oi the Armies on l^c's left was followttl iininc-diatcly by a inosl bloody struggle- on the crnlLr. This j)urt t)f the line was luld by A. ['. lliU, who hail niarchiil down till- Plank road and near the intersection of that road with the iiroek. road (a very iiuporlant point), when he was suddenly attaeked by the enemy. This was likewise a desperate strug^ gle, which resulted, as the other attacks, when the enemy was driven back. The (ith of May came, and at dawn the two adversaries confronted each other as by common consent, they both being prepared for action. The battle wliich followed is well nigh indescribable. While nearly one-half of Grant's army thus vainly strives to break through Hill's corjis. Lee sends swift messages to Ewell to move forward and capture the Wilder- ness Tavern Ridge road and thus cut Grant oH' from the Raj)i- (lan. I'well starts; sends two brigades against the center of Sedgwick's corps, but Sedgwick had fortified himself liehind a barracade of logs, and Ewell holds back his men. From Hill's center a counter charge is made by Heath, which re- sulted in the capture of Rickett's battery, but the gims are lost again. Hill's right is pushed by Wilcox around Hancock's left and two Federal brigades are routed. Hancock makes re- peated and desperate attacks, but Hill's line is unyielding, while the Confederate cavalry drives back Sheridan's advance column. A heavy tribute of blood has Lee exacted of Grant, and as the shadows of night deepened into darkness a tenv porary quiet followed. Lee sends dispatch to Richmond, "All is yet well, by the blessing of God we maintained our position, against every effort, until night, when the contest closed." Longstrcet had only made a twelve mile advance during tli« entire day. At 8 P. M. Lee sends courier to order Longstreet to make a night march, promising Hill at the same time that his men should be relieved at early dawn, and he sends Ewell orders to make an early attack on May 7th with the left wing of the Confederate T\\v \ViKli-nH*Ks C'lUnpaiKii- 11 Anny. Ix-r Mrks rrst u|M>n thr liarr groumi antonK hii wrmrj mm. Hi* pUiu arr laid to |niah Kwcll. I^*nfr»trrr1. and Aiulrr^on •! (ii\i<»i<)n« of Hill •» ior|»« in t tlr a^ainit hjih Hanks of (irm.' > mny. IcrtMind whrrr thrjr Im lirj had little food; thejr tihtk tittir carr to wtniigllMii ii.«ir l>r- v for I- tnakr n ; , . .»rth and take llill'ii |Mi%ition. An Iknif «ftrr midniiclit In'r%»or. Warrm and Srilgwirk rrplv to Kwcll, and then fnmi Irft (o right along thf rntirr linr of the Confrdiratr^ thr hattlr h<-gin«. ' »■ "•••' thr night HumHidr (-nt%«rd thr lUpitlan Mitli twrnty ' mrn, and (irant ortirrrd hiii rntirv army to makr aaaauit along thr \\ ! ' ' /it five in thr morning. Hanro«k lrad« on«*half of th' li anny against l^r'% right and Huni«idr movr« forward to pirror thr crntrr. I^ee had plannr«l for I^>ng- ''n IliH\ fr •oldirm already wrarr with l«>ng continiird fighting. Ilill'i «rntrr "iIihhI until \V«.!- • .- • ■ j^fj Hank; thrn Hant-mk'o ^^ linr. (ram thrir romhinrd a««aults, waa drivm ha* • prratrly Hill** mrn hrhl and ■ IS" I>'U^ %lrrrt'« tanlinr** rau«rd thr gr. _ . » riglit wing. liill't mrn hati hrm forr«d hack u|>on Pnagnr'a battalion of artillrry. that «t«Ht«l a« a bulwark in thr way of thr Frdrral ••)< -^M<-r. and llannvk darr« not pau Poagnr'« gra|M- and 'rr. Jutt brhind thrar gun* la Ixx on hor%rl>ark. aaying morr than onrr. "Why don't I/on|Citrrrt onnr '" From thr Confrdrratr Irft wing romr« thr heavy ainind of Itattlr. F.wrll hatI mannrd hi« log Mitrk* with rannon and hraprti diaa«trr upon Warrrn and Sr«lgwick. At la«t I>rr't cotintrr «tmkr upon llan«xx-k i« prrparrd. In rioard rank« and doable 12 Tlu' Wilderness ('ain|)aifj;n. folmnii. advaiu-in^ rapidly down llic I'laiiU ntad. rushes Lon^- slrtfl, al last! I'irld s di\isi()n on tin- lee rides onward, waving his old gray hat, when the cry rent the very heaven — "Lee to the rear! Lee to the rear!" A tall, lank, rugged Texas sergeant moves from the ranks, catches the bridle rein and turns Traveler's head to the rear. A look of disappointment flashed o\ ( r the face of Lee. but he felt that patriotism demanded for the good of the cause that he should not risk himself. At the head of this column dash the Tcxans. They were the heroes of First Cold Harbor. Second Manassas. Sharpsburg and Round To]). At the very head of the Federal Army, massed in the Plank road, the brigade flings itself. The Federal fire is ceaselessly ]>ouring into their front and flanks. As one writer says. "To the right of them, to the left of them, in front of them, mus- kets and cannon volley and thunder, but into the jaws of death charge the eight hundred." Benning and Anderson, with their Georgians, and Law. his Alabaraians, crash forward against the encircling host. The forest rings with yells, and the roar of battle becomes fearful; half the Texas brigade falls in ten minutes. But the tide of the The- Wihi l.'i Knlrral *ll«''>«« \tn\ lt< < ■■ ttiriifL• l« otlllinurtl 1 M-l.t «l The itmJi , Kn>w(li. Thr fri»i « llit-rn tt»vrr I lilt l»ri»/ '' - ' ouiiiiiAnil. Wall trill •n«i rr«r ami roll up hi* r- . (to ra|irrMi it in Ham^M-k « »onU). I.ik. « %».f ' II A V * ' rnlirr fonr akniiihI ii . Tttnt «n. im|M-tuH. II i« rominaitti k ami bmkf^ in fraff iitrtilH. an<| \\'n>\ i i ' throw II ill ^^^llt • mlirr left wing mutrd and divtrganiirtl ; tlirir mrti I in • ■ Wni now like a lion thorou^hl^ n Grant's putn himself at thr hrad of Krrahaw'i division ami pU' .It ro'k* thr T' »...!, I ..t* •!,. ■ tiii«tnk< iiiiii t>>r itlti a filil v<' till ( M III rnl ■•■ ' ■ ' •■'■• '•■ - - iiinili l«%- .In vol). . klllnl. ahlr tl.r Th. ami anotlii r ;• rriiii. roni ••! i[i. . • mu;. \» ,x ,. . rtt .| h-. (in lall of 11 The Wildcmcss Cainimi^ii. Lungslrnt. L< r lm.sl(ii> to slraigliltii »>iil this line of baltlt'. At four o'clock lli( orilt r lo charge is given, tlirougli fianu- and smokf. upon tin- Uroik road. l{urnsidc, Itcfort- lliis. had ircatcd a stir against Ihc Conftthratf <»nltr. hut Hill iiad already quieted the firing of tliis Ninth (orps. Kwell sends Early and Gordon to encompass Sedgwiik's right flank at the very time he presses his right wing against Hancock's three lines of defense. The forest fire has reached the front line of the Federal logs; onward rusli the divisions of Field and Anderson. They ojjcn with heavy musketry fire, but Haniock's second lin«- is defended by heavy field pieces. wliicli swctj) llu' til hi. I p to tlic \ ( ry breastworks on Han- cocks line the C'onfedcralcs rush. A gap is made and the Federal line crumbles and turns in flight The Confederate flag is triumi)h.inlly placed on Hancock's first line of defense, but his second and third arc impregnable. The Federal artil- lery compel the Confederates to loosen their grij) on Han- cock's fortress. The sun is setting and Gordon is ready for the charge against Grant's extreme right. The Confederate brigades beyond the turnj^ikc arc facing south and directly along Grant's line of battle. They advance at the well-known sound, in the distance, of the "Rebel Yell." Sedgwick's right is en- gaged in constructing a log fortification, but the men lay down their axes and tools and join their Brigadier as prisoners of war. The second brigade is likewise broken and a second Brigadier is captured. When Jenkins falls Gordon is in ])os- session of a mile of Grant's rifle pits and six hundred prisoners, including Generals Shaler and Seymour. In this dense thicket Gordon's men find themselves in a state of confusion, so he halts. The Federal Sixth corps is drawing back beyond the danger zone to a line of defense, just established along the Germana road. Grant writes, "Had there been day light the enemy would have injured us seriously." This fearful strug- gle, in brush and tangled wood, had closed with T.ee. pressing Tlu- W iidiTiM'ji.*' CainpuiKii. 15 (irant's rif(iit and Irft •nil he making draprratr rffurta to gel aMa\. draiil had rvidrnlly luat his first i-«ini-r|iltun at making i.rr's Annjr hi* objective. When aakcd why he did not iiKnr his anny in an rmtMiipasiung cirilr aroumi Ruhnvttul. whuii hr lould have dour witlhuil thr I<>»s uf a tuan. b\ wa} o( the James ami York rivers, hia reply wm, tJiat Lcc's Army, first of all, %ra« hU main purpoM- ; not one momrnt o^-- - .- that l^rt had the ability to grt him in that intrnuiiia: t in the Mrildeme%s and keeping him ihrrc at a most Ireroendnua toll of human life. Hut he did leani a »rry .! ' ' le%Min. ami hr wa« \a>tly more niixiout to mak« 1 objective, and let I.,re's Army alone, but I..«>e did not |K-rmit him • '^ that »i-' : '-M him \\ ' ' ' f ne\ < ' n <•<^ (l>f t r« ; to one. .Vn the M roiul il."»\ f»>m« i to n » of 'An \' mai' Mai struggling in |>artty a ' itr, and •ehind three heavr walls of lof( con- Atrurtion. ami alvt draws it« riglit wine U hind frr«hl'« <'>«i structed intrent-hmrnts. So in that attitude (irant i» h- li. Hi« defensive |Mtiiition, however. It to strong that Iax did not derm it wi%e to attack. If sut-erss or failure, drtrrminrd by the \o\% of men. the ailvantage orrtainly rented with Ijcr. as the official e«timate of thew few days put Grant's loaa at I7.000 men. while I.ee'« was ont^ lialf that niimlN-r May 7th «Uwns bright and riear and Grant ordt rr%\ Mi aiI<- to make a night's march tn .^|«otrd in fJranl'* mind n- jltrd in a despatch to Wasliinglon Official" 'My efforts will be to form a jnn«-tJon with Getirral Butler as soon as possible K; 'I'lic Wilderness ( "ampniti;!! .•mil Ik' ))1( |)ar< tl to im i I any iul:lil further stale, any rout«' to ^'et out of tliis «ntan;;le- menl and to net away from Lee's Arniy. wliieli lie felieilaled himself would lie an easy (thjeet. Jiefore moving on Riehmontl. (Jraiit li.id t iionuli of Lee's Army, and this very dispateh was really that he had been entirely (nittceneraled. by an army one-third the size of his own. and wanted to j;*, • firr » r<'- .... j Sctliprick's AMaull. Aa niglit nmics on the Sromd Frdrral • H rr|Hil«ni ami Kwrll rtiunlrr rhargnl on thr H|clit of During thr niglit tli<* (onfidrratr* U-gan throwitiK up thr po»ition iintrnablr, but Kwt-li rallril hin attrntlon to a inuii IMiint on tilt- linr (h-fmiinl h\ jMhn»ton\ ««liciit. |-'nNn tlml |Mtint thr rnriny'» artillrry t-itiild «wr«-p tliat M-t-tiim of thr itMintry lictwc^n thr rivrm. To rioar thi» ri*k Ia-*-. thrrrforr. onlrrril hi my >ni»>"» iM-hmil th«' drfrnar to ntvrr ' Hrhiiul 'I'tHhl'*! 'l'a\rrn IlAnttHn ami F.«rll y^vrv hamnt- - - ' ' ! " May the 0th. rarly in thr mornini;. (irnnl t\i- - iilan on a raid in thr liirrrtion of Rirlimoml. ami thi« |piTr Ijcr limr to rnnrmtralr hark Hiim^iil \y. The latter arrmrd without any hia |pin« on Ihr north ami *oiiih alonx thr road, whirh «rnt ■Ac. Thr Irft wif , :• it a* to '.nilr M I rrrMtinc thr ffrrat aalim' ^idr wa« lirld hr 1 1 : ;.. and Irfl. At lhi% anjtli* thr Confrdrratr jinr v^% pu«hrd <»«it dor north, onr milr lon|r ami onr-half milr in width. Thr 18 I'lic W il(l< rncss Campaign. .suliliiTh calkd tliis "riii Mule SIiol" (llorst- Slmt- by soiiit ). IJy obstTvalion, il rcqiiirtil three times the men to man holh sitles of this "shoe" and llie apex as it would, had the line heen so contracted as to subtend the opening of the "shoe," which (icncral I.ee finally adopted, but not until he had sus- tained pretty heavy losses on both sides and at the bend of this salient. Hancock followed the IJrock road, on May !Hh. to lake tiic position on Grant's extreme right. He sent three divisions across the Po to attack Lee's left and rear. Grant sought to attack Lee's "Mule Shoe" from the north and the two sides, cast and west. I ndcr the cover of niglit Lee made ready a counter stroke across the Po, below the Court House. He moved Hill's division at early dawn of May 10th. Hill fell upon the Hank and rear force of Hancock's men just as Han- cock was proceeding to carry into execution Grant's order to withdraw his men to the northern side of the Po. Grant seemed very nervous and timorous in his movements, for lie had seen enough of Lee to know that he was reckoning with a very different soldier from those he confronted in Tennessee. So Grant at once recalled Hancock's column, in order to con- centrate in front of the Confederate intrenchments. Amid a dense pine thicket Heath made a vigorous attack upon Barlow's Federal division, in which Barlow lost many men — killed and wounded. Tlirough the burning wood.s — a perfect "inferno" — he hastened Hancock's retreat across the Po. capturing one of his big guns. May 10th. — Grant storms the Confederate works. At 1 1 .\. M. a strong force assails Lee's left wing. Field's divisions clothed their defense with a constant flare of musketry and artillery fire and the Federal soldiers ]>ourcd out their blood in unstinted quantity and without avail. The Federals made a second attack about 3 P. M. against the Confederate First corj^s and their second failure equalled their first. This repulse was very signal and absolute; so Tlir \Vililrrn«-s ( 'uni|miKi) 1'' roiu-ii Ml that, after tin lirfrnt >•( tlir KrtirraU. thr C'onfrtirr mtr% lra|M-(l ovrr thr fortitu atiiMi^ Ut gathrr up and rollrrt thr mu«krt« and ammunition of thi- Frdrral ilrmA and woun4l(«l. Thr*r %»rrr dittrdtutrd ahm|{ thr linr of thr Confrdrratr*. till r\rry C'onfrdrratr Mihiirr mmh nrmrtl with a l«>ad« il lidrral mu«kr( and ammunition. AImmU aumlown tianrock waa unitrd with Warnn. ami th- ' ! a lonu and In a» r linr and da^lird lhr^t^ < >ii liiir at tliio |Miint on hi« Irft wing. llanixH-k'n fn>nt linr wrnt down Itrforr thr rapiil fir« «»f I-'irld'i division. ' »rd hra*-' ' •■ Srouul I rdrriil linr ovrr thr I-* kh of thr 1 Ukr tigrrs fought thr nmnaiil of thr hravr "right hunilrrmhination of forrr hntkr tlin>ugh Dolr'n hrigatir and %wrpt him from thr Con- frdrralr workntinur«i to %trugglr. (fonhm and Walkrr'^ hlows u|)«in •'- ! -tfrral flanks fon-r<| I'pton hark with hravy lo%.%r)i. Srvrral linrs of Kumnidr'^ corps tried to aeise and hlork- ade the r«Mid to thr Court IIoii«r, hut Confr«lrratr artillrry. ' Tutti and Prgram. ^plrndiilly rrmovr«l thi% Frdrral ■ ••nt. Thin tlay of I'lihral luii riHrr wa% followrd hy a day of rain. May lOth. Cirant wires thu% to Ilalirt k : ".^nd to Hrllr P' " -Ur inf.iiii ■:**•." May nth. II. ..% to U r^ ^.a%t. ■ Wr will tight it out on this linr if it takea all niimmrr." May I Ith. |.rr ob*rr\r«| ritraonlinary / thr Krtlrral trt)op«. Hum%i«ir turn* thr h i «rnt«» thr Ny ami marrhes back to the Court Hou«r. Higher up the Po marrhe« anothrr Fetleral hrisade. llan<^H-k then withdrew a 20 'I'lic \\'ile infantry and the iiims failed to fire. The Confederate force was about 2.800. commanded hy Kd- ward .Johnson, better known as "Allejjhany" Johnson on ac- count of the reputation he won in western Virginia. This 2.800 men were made captives. Other Confederate batteries rushed forward to the salient, but not in time. Before they could unlimber for action they too were made captives. Twenty cannon, in all. and Generals Johnson and Stewart fell into Hancoc-k's hands. This was the onlv feat of any consequence made by Cirant in this campaiijn. .Vcross the ojienin*; of this "Mule .Shoe" Gordon ran his line, thus shorteninu' the Con- federate line of defense ami savini; nun by this moxcment — makinj; one man on the o)>enini>; of the salient equal to three around it. Lie spurred his horse to the battle front and found Cior- don's men ready for a charge. I^ce qidetly took his position at the head of Gordon's column. "This is no ])lace for Gen- eral Lee," said Ciordon. The soldiers heard what Gordon said and began to shout "Lee to the rear!" These men. Cicneral Lee. arc Georgians and Virginians and have never failed von. " Thr Wil.lini zu 21 *'An«l tlx \ w.Mi'l fail n<»« (!y iinrri^ nnd Mi%ran. > A t*i Irati llarriH\ Ml«M«%lpplnl)^ into > ImiI ai^ain llir pn>(r«t aroM*. pulMTtl llan(iK-k'» ripl>' ' anil was tlrivrn out trt I ol tiir Mulr > ..I.. . .1 I... iin«l> I I ' CiUlfrdi "Mull- > S«» for I f|rr«Mi« iiMllI HAlurnd li \\ ^«itti ill' (>n Mat* • nrwi eamr to Ciranl. Hal I "luffrrril «nr» mil KMiiiiifii a« u ii wn »i i .'^uiii' »« rivtr and could not niovt- like hriiij; inside a bottle, with the .lanus and the Appomattox rivers, and 1{( aur*-^ gard iicld the eork of tin hottle. so IJutlcr could neither go back or come forward. On May 18 Grant massed two army corps, the Second and Sixth, and sent them to storm the salient. Lee, having cer was the estimated loss of the Confederate Army. Afay 21st. — Kwell led the advance of Lee's Army towards Hanover Junction bevond the North Anna river. The fore- T\\v WiKlt'mc'jvs ('anipaiKi). 23 noon of May i'ind thr lirad of the column rrachrU tlir Jum-^ tion. At noon tlir Mmr day Amlrraon croMrtl the Norih Anna, utiilf i>n May :;a«l. thr TliirtI •■>r|M. iimii r lliil. wa« on llir M>uth »iilr oi the utrrant. I^c liiU nut hate Uic ktr'tit'*)- i.i alrikc Grant* flank, llr prrfrrrrd a ahortrr wa\ <. hi% aouthwarti march. Hrrtki-nrulf^- aiui I'ukrtl. \«lii>«r forcrs totalnl ninr tli > and. awaitrd Ixr'ii arrival at Hanorrr Junction. May '.' Thr anny of Ixr wcrr brhind rude intr«nihin«nt<. nn northMartl. awaiting Grant's approachrs, the rmtrr of thi« line, cvt' ,' thr Trlrifraph road, was IxinK^trrrt'* old corpN Im i i.y ftrld pircron Ctenrral Hill. "Why did rou Irt tho*e jiTuple crn%% the river? \\'hy did you not drive • bark, as (irneral .laekson would have done.'" Hill'* move:. haennitting ' ' r to rest at Ox F ' Vr North Anna. h. ' * ' ' I pn. Voting thii ■ *«' ran see that I • was drawn up like a wrdgr. the apes against lb- Grant pushrti two corps atross thr rivrr to face Mnithwar' north-eastward on a ridj^e between Totoj)otomy and Beaver Dam creek. Grant kept close to the bank on the Jiorthern side of the Faniunky and tried to cross the stream and take Riciimond. This movement on the part of Grant was retarded by General I'itz Lee till Lee's wliole army was thrown athwart Grant's route. On May 28th Grant moxid his wliole army soutli of the Paniunky. but Lee's formidable front broui^lit the Federal Army to a halt, so Grant jiauscd to await reinforcements from Butler. May ."{Oth. — W. F. Smith's corps readied the White House and marched to strencrthen Grant's left wing. "(Lee's con- tinued sickness during tliis most important epoch interfered with his movements considerably.)" From Beauregard, south of Richmond. Lee asked for reinfcn-eements. This request was not very aceejitable to Beauregard, because of Beauregard's disapjiointment in not liaving a previous plan of his carried out by the acbninistration. He suggested earlier in the cam- paign tliat Lee slionld fall back from Sjxitsylvania to tlie Chicahominy and draw Grant's line after him. As Beauregard sug<':este(l. only a part of Lee's line held to retard the move- Tin* \ViltlcTiM*?v> ( 'aiDimi^n. 25 inrnt uf Grant, while Uir balanir of hU arm)* »lioulil furm • junction with hit, and by a combination of tJio«c two forces rtii-ttiii|i«sH ltiitl« r. <«|>turr lutii ninl movr northwani mini with th( uiiiti-ii »trvn^h uf tin <•<- two forcri a|(ain«l < ' Thia wa« impractical, for leer's Army, mlurrtl by a »utt forur to aid Beauregard in capturing Butler, would have been an ra%y prey to (irant, with «ii> Lind '' ' Iatc bitti-rl\ «tp|>(>M-il llim plan of lim that Bcauregartl manifested an unwillingneaa to rrinfortv Ijcr when he reachetl the line% around Richmond. The ride pitH of l.cc'» men s|M>kr with Name* and (ire and with deadly eflect upon the rederala. As Mime one ha« Miiti. "So great was the prrrision i>f thrar practii*ed mark%men of Iatv that no man or act of men could utand in front of tho%e riHe pits and live." Ilani-ock attacked the Confederate riglit, in double ctdumn. with heavy ftup|Ktrts in the rear. All this was one and the same to the«ie v-" '! \ ' ■ ^ Fecleral prt-y. A TetleraU Imck. while an entiUding fire of the Confederate artillery laid three thouiM*k'4 on the field. A nimilar defeat met the atlarking Frdt rnl ior]is on I centre and left. I'ractically the fnml Itiif % of (>rniir<> n ing column were almost lUerallr destrojred in ten minutes. One's blood runs cndd when v«e think of f' Hfier of human life on the alter of one man'< %tii|> A «H>ntinuation of thi% «laui;litrr wa« attempted when, at nin Meade sent C!rant\ order to his suborflinate« to ren« u Ilsn. *\ refll%ed lo <• order 1 1 :;. . . \V. I". > ..t.inding the 1 .,. .U Army n»rp*. writes this sentence: "That onler I refuse to obey." (General McNfahon. Chief of Staff. Sixth Federal Army corps, has this to say ''ofBcIal): 20 The W ildcrness Campaign. The sccoiiil (111(1 tliiiil r(»iiiiiwiii(l to all/ick cainf Irum (iranl. "Tilt order," says Mc.Malion, ■came to the eorps eominanders, and to the brigades and to the regiments witliout eommenl. To mo\ e that army further, exeept by regular approaelies was simply ."111 al)S()hitf impossibility known to In siicli by every offieer and man of tlie three eorps engaged. The order was obeyed by a desidtary fire from the men as they lay in jiosition on the ground." Heavy fighting look place on .hint 'Jd mar ]5ring of the* puhlit- mind br- ixnnr rrlaxrd, that thrrr %ra*c of thr war." The hi«tory of thi* conflict, truthfully written, will thow this. The archives of the State Department, whrn one ilay mnitr ptihlic, will ^how how drrply thr (tovrmmrnt wa« af- f<-( Irtl liy thr want of military «iii «r%« ami to what relutM>n« the Kxecutivc had in ronseqiiencr otrnr. Ilnil not success else- where come to brighten thr horison, it would hate been diffi- cult to have raiurd new forrvn to recruit the .\rmy of thr Potomac, which wa« shaken in its structure, its valor qiirnrhetl in blood and thnutantU of its ablest oficrrs killetl and woumle«l. Thr rampaigii of onr month, from May llh to .limr ith. had oMt thr Federal Commander sixty tht>u%and men ami thrrr thouvinti oflitYr^ numl>ers whi«'h are given on the authority of Federal historians — while I.er's loss did not exceed eighteen thousand. The r«'»uii vi..iild seem mi <.ni .-i«orable «~imiiiii' ii< .j-'ti the rhoi(Y of rtMites to the James from Culiteiier. which (trneral Grant adnptrd, instead of by water up the James and York nxers. Two years Iwforr (irnrral McClrllen had rraehrtl Cold Harlior with trifling losses, and that too at a time wlicn General Ixe's Army was in a mmdition to have efTectrd a very much heavier blow than it did on Grant's .\nnT (two years later. ^ To attain thr same point Grsnt ' ' -n a friffltftil lull of lifr. nor roul.l i! Ih- ssiil lltat hr • \rd 28 Tlic ^^ ildcnicss ( 'aiiipaii^n. a single imporlaiil siuccss l«» oll.stl lliis fearful loss. Jlr liad not tlcfcalcil liis ailvcrsary in any of llii- hallle fields of tlie campaign, nor did it scctn lliat lie had iidlictcd on liiin even a serious blow. A re\ ifw of llif uiidlc caiiip/iinii condt iist s the entire move- ment. The Army of Northern \'irginia got no reinforecments till it riaelied llunover Junetion. and then by IJreekenridgc and Piekelt's nine thousand. Lee had held his lines against forees largely his sujxrior in nnnihi rs and had inflieted upon his enemy at tlie close of this months campaign at Cold Har- bor alone the loss of some thirteen thousand iU( ti in thirty or forty minutes. The mo\emenl of (irant across \'irginia is now t(»nceded by his admirers as very unfortunate. He failed to accomplish liis expected end. The environment of Richmond could have been attained, as stated, without the loss of a man. and yet the lives of sixty-three thousand were given for the accompli.sh- ment of the same end ! The unparalleled loss of life sustained by one month's cam- paign from Spotsylvania to Cold Harbor by the Federal Array from May 4th to June 4tli. 1864, made it impossible for another soldier to be raised for the Army of the Potomac and plunged the nation into such dispair that a collapse of the Government was only saved by signal successes of the Western Army, under Sherman, as before stated. This closes the Wilderness Campaign. The accompanying ])ocm is a fitting appendage to this Bat- tle of the Wilderness- — on the same day of the occurranee of this act of John Xicholls of Spartanburg. General Sedgwick was killed by a sharp-shooter one and one-half miles northwest of Spotsylvania Courthouse near Simlight. A liandsomc stone marks the place where he fell. Thr Wililrrnrss ( '{inipaifni- 29 JOHN NICH61.LS. OF SPARTAN'Bt'R(;. S i\ (The author of thin poem U John Jaromr Roonry and Um linen wr • f 1», I You tolti your talc how your brave bo)** fought In the (la)H of '63; How they carrie blue Shall nnK upun the minMtrpl'K tonjrue. Rut I'll tell it will make you think— An nunc an • That the NorthlanUi>iltHi Ua U> Uto iiMd. W. pii'irt- charge T.. Hut th< i with stubborn frrip Of Uic _ . ,rkj«. The deadly hail came tearing out Of their forwani rifle pitii. Ami the "Yank", who trie«l to get freah air Would take it in cut-up bitiu Well, I need'nt i< " -o pumped it back. In a rtendy •tr- A, And «' Ht tip Of a "J i.l: Well, what do you think ? No, youll never ffti«a«. If jrou T'~ •'•<* whole year throuifh — When • t« went crackint; like kindlinff wood And the oir waj red and blue. 30 Tlic Wilderness ( ';nni)aiuirh lh« driftinfr Mnok«». The North ami South cmhrare. Jim Brown, he never waji known to melt, ! ...V-o I .'..,vn at h ' ■• I 1 ' • . :ie»l away — i an habirx then. V^ • ' .' ►. '.iw, I" t .• M;;;!.!;, Ui.i- ■.vi..a i.a-. :...'lie«l OUf »hot F'nim the brrajit of our dearrxt foe. many a ileetl I have ^«'<•^ in war. 1 ui the bookA have Kpclle«l out lanre. Hut never a Kwecter act I'll nee. Till I tak. .-! Y-H. we . n the flight WM done, ^ at hit'ht rhe mory waii told and tnl.l ^' in our inmn.it hearta, A .-.r^ are burnt. Shall van: ..||ji of Spartanburir, Of the Sowln t nnuma Kirst.