\
VIEW FROM NEAR THE WILDERNESS TAVERN, LOOKING TOWARD THE BATTLE-FIELD—2 P. M., MAY 7.
From a sketch made at the time.
BREASTWORKS OF HANCOCK’S CORPS ON THE BROCK ROAD —MORNING OF MAY 7.
From a sketch made at the time.
skirmishers struck Hill’s corps, moving down the Orange Plank road toward the Brock road. Thus at 8 a. M. General Grant and General Meade had developed the presence of Hill on their left and Ewell on their right. Getty’s division of Sedgwick had reached Wilderness Tavern; and when it was learned that Hill was coming down the Orange Plank road, Getty was directed to move out toward him, by way of the Brock road, and drive Hill back, if possible, behind Parker’s store.
On our right Johnson’s division of Ewell was driven back along the Orange turnpike in confusion by General Griffin of Warren’s corps. Ricketts and Wright of Sedgwick were delayed in reaching their position on the right of Warren, and for lack of such support Griffin’s right brigade under Ayres was forced back and two guns were abandoned.
Wadsworth, withhis division of Warren’s corps, supplemented by Denni-son’sbrigade of Robinson’s divi-
left wing (Hancock) the Brock road, while the center (Warren) stretched across the obtuse angle formed by them. At the Lacy house, in this angle, Grant, Meade, and Warren established their headquarters during the day of the 5th. If, standing at the intersection of these roads, you stretch forward your arms, the right will correspond with the Orange turnpike, the left with the Orange Plank road. Down the Orange turnpike, on May 5th, Lee sent Ewell againstWarren, while two divisions of A. P. Hill advanced by the Orange Plank road to cheek Hancock. Nearly a day later, Longstreet reached the field on the same road as Hill. The engagements fought on May 5th by Ewell on the Orange turnpike, and by A. P. Hill on the Orange Plank road, must be regarded as entirely distinct battles.
Warren received orders from Meade at 7:15 in the morning to attack Ewell with his whole force. General Sedgwick, with Wright’s division and Neill’s brigade of Getty’s division, was ordered to move out, west of the Germanna Plank road, connecting with the Fifth Corps, which was disposed across the turnpike in advance of Wilderness Tavern. At this time also, General Hancock, at Chancellorsville, was warned by General Meade that the enemy had been met on the turnpike, and he was directed to halt at Todd’s tavern until further orders. Meantime, Crawford’s division of Warren’s corps, between the turnpike and plank road, in advancing, found Wilson’s cavalry skirmishing with what he supposed to be the enemy’s cavalry. At 8 A. M., under orders, Crawford halted, and, hearing that our cavalry, at Parker’s store, almost directly south of him, was in need of support, he sent out skirmishers to assist them. Those
stream which flows on the southwest; Ewell’s corps in the center, north of the Court House, and Hill’s on the right crossing the Fredericksburg road. These positions were generally maintained during the battles that followed, though brigades and divisions were often detached from their proper commands and sent to other parts of the field to meet pressing emergencies. .	.	.
THROUGH THE WILDERNESS.—THE UNION SIDE.
BY ALEXANDER S. WEBB, BREVET MAJOR-GENERAL, U. S. A.
Commanding a "brigade under Hancock during the "battle.
... As for the Wilderness, it was uneven, with woods, thickets, and ravines right and left. Tangled thickets of pine, scrub-oak, and cedar prevented our seeing the enemy, and prevented any one in command of a large force from determining accurately the position of the troops he was ordering to and fro. The appalling rattle of the musketry, the yells of the enemy, and the cheers of our own men were constantly in our ears.
At times, our lines while firing could not see the array of the enemy, not fifty yards distant. After the battle was fairly begun, both sides were protected by log or earth breastworks.
For an understanding of the roads which shaped the movements in the Wilderness, cross the Rapidan from the north and imagine yourself standing on the Germanna Plank road, where the Brock road intersects it, a little south of Wilderness Tavern, and facing due west. In general, the Union right wing (Sedgwick) held the Germanna road, and the
249
Both sides were now strongly intrenched, and neither could well afford to attack. And so the 7th of May was spent in skirmishing, each waiting to see what the other would do. That night the race for Spotsylvania began. General Lee had been informed by “ Jeb” Stuart of the movement of the Federal trains southward during the afternoon. After dark the noise of moving columns along the Brock road could be heard, and it was at once responded to by a similar movement on the part of Lee. The armies moved in parallel columns separated only by a short interval. Longstreet’s corps (now commanded by R. H. Anderson) marched all night and arrived at Spotsylvania at 8 o’clock on the morning of the 8th, where the ball was already in motion. Stuart had thrown his cavalry across the Brock road to check the Federal advance, and, as the Federal cavalry had failed to dislodge him, Warren’s corps had been pushed forward to clear the way. Kershaw’s, Humphreys’s, and Law’s brigades were at once sent to Stuart’s assistance. The head of Warren’s column was forced back and immediately commenced intrenching. Spotsylvania Court House was found occupied by Federal cavalry and artillery, which retired without a fight. The Confederates had won the race.
The troops on both sides were now rapidly arriving. Sedgwick’s corps joined Warren’s, and in the afternoon was thrown heavily against Anderson’s right wing, which, assisted by the timely arrival of Ewell’s corps, repulsed the attack with great slaughter. Hill’s corps (now under command of General Early) did not arrive until the next morning, May 9th. General Lee’s line now covered Spotsylvania Court House, with its left (Long-street’s corps) resting on the Po River, a small
BRIGADIER-GENERAL MICAH JENKINS, C. S. A. Killed May 6, 1864. (From a tintype.)
16*