BATTLE OF THE WILDERNESS. 301 exhibited. Military skill was of little account, and Grant knew it, and so he gave but the single general order, Attack along the whole line at five o'clock. Lee was not quite ready at Grant's appointed hour, for he had made arrangements to strike the left of his antagonist a terrible and fatal blow, by which he hoped to drive him back to the Rapid Anna. It was for this purpose that Longstreet was ordered to the right of Hill. That general's force was not in position so early as Lee had hoped it would be, and therefore, to distract attention until Longstreet should be in position, and possibly to pen etrate the National line at some weak point, he made a demonstration against Meade's right. This was done, at a little before five o'clock, by a fierce musketry attack upon Seymour's brigade, on the extreme right, which involved first Ricketts's division, and then Wright's. The assailants made desperate attempts to break through the lines, but were easily thrown back, when Sedgwick advanced his corps a little. At the same time Warren and Hancock made a simultaneous attack upon the foe on their front. The latter opened the battle on the left by advancing two divisions under Birney, with Getty's command, supported by the brigades of Owen and Carroll, of Gibbon's division. At the same time Wadsworth moved from his bivouack, and, gallantly fighting his way entirely across the portion of the Second Corps posted on the north of the plank road, wheeled up that highway, and commenced driving the Confederates, for Longstreet had not yet come into position, and Anderson's division was absent. Heth and Wilcox were driven a mile and a half back upon their trains and artillery, and nearly to Lee's head-quarters. The Confederate rifle-pits were captured, with many prisoners, and five battle-flags. A speedy and substantial triumph seemed to be promised for the Nationals, when, for some unexplained reason, the victors paused. It was a halt fatal to their hopes of success. During that interval Anderson came up and checked Hill's confused retreat, and at the same time the van of Longstreet's column, which had been marching to flank Hancock, appeared in front. • May 6, 1864. It was now about nine o'clock in the morning." Hancock re-formed his somewhat broken line, which had been re-enforced by Stevenson's division of Burnside's corps in addition to that of Wadsworth, and resumed his advance, when he found his way blocked by an unexpectedly large and determined force. Lee had recalled Longstreet from his flanking march to the assistance of Hill, and it was a greater portion of the Confederate army which Hancock had before him. He had been informed of Longstreet's flanking march, and was expecting him from another quarter. For awhile the noise of guns where Sheridan, at eight o'clock, encountered Stuart's cavalry far on Hancock's left, was supposed to be the sounds of Longstreet's contest with National skirmishers, but while Hancock was looking for him on his flank, his van, as we have seen, had taken position on his front. Ignorant of this, the latter resumed the attack most vigorously, but could make no headway. Finally, after losing heavily, he found himself compelled, at about 11 o'clock, to fall back before an overwhelming force, sent, according to Lee's original plan, to double up the National left, and drive the whole army back to the Rapid Anna. Wadsworth was then fighting gallantly, and pushing into a weak part of the Confederate line, when his own gave way. While trying to rally his flying 302 BATTLE OF THE WILDERNESS. troops, who were hard pressed, he had two horses shot under him, and soon afterward a bullet pierced his brain, and he fell to the earth. The Confederates seized the dying man and sent him to their rear, where he expired the next day; but it was several days before his fate was known to his friends.' This was a critical moment for the Army of the Potomac, for the superior mind of Longstreet was then evidently the chief director of the move ment for executing Lee's plan for giving a deadly blow to the National left. He had sent a heavy force to seize the Brock road, on Hancock's left, while pushing him back on the front, when one of those incidents which some call "Providence," and others "accident," occurred, which doubtless saved the Army of the Potomac from great disaster. Longstreet, with his staff, was riding in front of his pursuing column, when he came suddenly upon the van of his flanking force. The latter, mistaking him and his attendants for National cavalry, fired upon them. Longstreet was severely wounded and disabled, when Lee took the immediate direction of the important movement. With less executive skill than his able lieutenant possessed, he occupied four hours in getting ready to carry it out. This caused a lull in the battle on that portion of the field, and enabled Hancock, who had been pressed back to his abatis and intrenchments on the Brock road, to make dispositions for meeting another attack, then evidently impending. JAMES S. WADSWORTH. Meanwhile Sedgwick's corps, on the right, had lost heavily in unsuccessful attempts to carry Ewell's intrenched positions. Warren's had remained mostly on the defensive, but at almost every part of the line there was more or less skirmishing throughout the day. Finally, at four o'clock, when Lee had the troops of Hill and Longstreet well in hand, he hurled them heavily, in four columns, upon Hancock's intrenched position. They pushed up to within a hundred yards of the first line, when a sharp musketry battle ensued, without decisive results, until a fire in the woods was communicated to the logs of the breastworks, and soon enveloped them in flames. The smoke and ashes of the conflagration were driven by the wind directly in 1 The death of General Wadsworth produced the most profound sorrow. He was a man of large wealth, of the first social position in the State of New York, and universally known as a model of a Christian gentleman. At the breaking out of the rebellion he at once offered his person, and his wealth and influence, in defense of the Republic.. He was a patriot in the highest sense of the term. He had been brought prominently before the public as a candidate for Governor of his State. Such was his high character, and his rank in the army, that the Governor of New York (Horatio Seymour) felt constrained, in deference to public feeling, to take notice of his death. Being opposed to the war, Mr. Seymour could not consistently commend him as a patriot; so, after speaking of him highly as a man and citizen, he said: "From the outset an ardent supporter of the war, to him belongs the merit of freely periling his own person in upholding the opinions he advocated." It is proper to say that this low view of General Wadsworth's motives in taking up arms was entirely unjust. He was actuated by aims higher than the vulgar aspirations of the mere politician, who cannot easily comprehend unselfishness. He was fighting for his country and the rights of man, not for the "opinions" of himself or a party. END OF THE BATTLE OF THE WILDERNESS. 303 the face of the Nationals. Taking advantage of this, the Confederates swept forward, driving back a body of the troops at the first line, and then striking Stevenson's division of Burnside's corps, which had taken position between Warren and Hancock. These, too, were thrown back toward Chancellorsville in great disorder, and the assailants, pressing through the gap they had formed, planted their flag on the breastworks. At that critical moment Colonel J. W. Hoffman, with parts of nine broken regiments (less than five hundred men), struck the assailants a blow that made them recoil, and thus saved the day on the left, as Hancock then declared. Thus ended the struggle on the National left, where the heaviest of the fight had been carried on, and it was supposed that the battle was over for the day. But Lee made another desperate effort to achieve a victory, by swiftly massing his troops on the National right, and directing Ewell to attempt to turn it. At sunset a heavy column, led by General Gordon, moved swiftly from Ewell's extreme left, and in the twilight fell suddenly upon the brigades of Seymour and Shaler, of Ricketts's division, driving them back in much confusion, and capturing both commanders and nearly four thousand of their officers and men. It was a complete surprise for those wearied troops, who had cast themselves on the ground for rest; and for a little while the entire right wing of the army seemed to be in great peril. General Sedgwick prevented further confusion by promptly checking the advance of the Confederates, and the darkness made it impossible for them to do any thing more. Both armies rested that night, the Nationals holding precisely the ground they had occupied in the morning. So ended THE BATTLE OF THE WILDERNESS, with heavy losses on both sides.' • May, 1864. Lee was evidently satisfied that he could not maintain a further contest with his antagonist on the ground he (Lee) had chosen for the struggle, so he retired behind intrenchments, where he was found standing on the defensive by the skirmish line of the Nationals sent out at daybreak on Saturday morning, the 7th." Grant had no desire to renew the conflict there, and at an early hour he determined to resume his march southward, and get out of The Wilderness and its entanglements as soon as possible. He chose for his immediate destination the village of Spottsylvania Court-House, about thirteen miles southeast of the battle-ground in The Wilderness, and proceeded to plant his army, according to his original plan, between that of Lee and Richmond. Warren was directed to lead in the movement, which was to be along the Brock road, by way of Todd's Tavern. Hancock was to follow him, and Sedgwick and Burnside were to take a little more indirect route, by way of Chancellorsville. The army trains were to be parked at Chancellorsville toward evening, ready to follow the troops. Warren moved at nine o'clock in the evening,' his column preceded by cavalry. He pushed vigorously on, with the hope and expectation of reaching Spottsylvania Court-House before Lee should May 7. 1 According to the most careful estimates, the National loss in this sanguinary battle of two days' duration was nearly, if not quite, 18,000 men, of whom 6,000 were made prisoners. The Confederate loss was probably about 11,000. Among the wounded of the Nationals were Generals Getty, Gregg, Owen, Bartlett, and Webb, and Colonel Carroll. The Confederates lost in killed, Generals Sam. Jones and A. G. Jenkins; and the wounded were Generals Longstreet, Stafford (mortally), Pickett, Pegram, and Hunter. Longstreet was disabled for sev eral months. 2 See page 24. 304 THE UNION ARMY OUT OF THE WILDERNESS. be apprised of the movement. He was foiled by delays. Tavern (where Gregg had fought and defeated Fitz Hugh Lee that day), He was foiled by delays. First, at Todd's General Meade's cavalry escort blocked his way for nearly two hours. Two miles farther on, in the midst of a magnificent woods, and near a little tributary of the River Po, he was again impeded by the cavalry division of Merritt, which the day before had been fighting Stuart's cavalry, whom Lee had sent to hold the Brock road. There he was detained almost three hours, and when he was ready to advance it was daylight. The road was barricaded by heavy trees, which had been cut and felled across it, and it was about eight o'clock on Sunday morning before the head of Warren's column, composed of two brigades under General Robinson, emerged from the woods in battle order at Alsop's farm, upon the high open plain two or three miles from Spottsylvania Court-House. There the road from Todd's Tavern forks, one branch leading toward the court-house, and the other to Laurel Hill. Beyond this plain was a slight depression, and where the road ascended to Spottsylvania Ridge the slope was covered with woods. May 8, 1864. SPOTTSYLVANIA COURT-HOUSE.1 a Up to this time Warren had met with no resistance, excepting from Stuart's dismounted cavalry, but now, as Robinson advanced over the plain toward the wood, he was met by a cannonade from the ridge and a murderous musket-fire from the forest. Robinson returned the cannonade promptly, but was soon severely wounded, when his troops, wearied by the night's hard march and toil, and depressed by their terrible experience in The Wilderness, were made to recoil. They would have fled in wild. confusion back upon the main body, had not Warren appeared at their head at a timely moment. He rallied and re-formed them in the open wood on the edge of the plain, and so prevented a sad disaster. Later in the day Griffin's division, which advanced on the road to the right of Robinson's march, had a similar experience, and, after gallantly fighting, fell back of the second line, when the divisions of Crawford and Wadsworth (the latter now commanded by General Cutler) came up and drove the Confederates from the woods on the right. Warren's entire corps then formed a battle-line, and the troops, without waiting for orders to do so, fell to intrenching. The foe thus encountered by Meade's advance was the head of Longstreet's corps (then commanded by General Anderson), and was there by seeming accident. The withdrawal of the trains of the Army of the Poto 1 This is a view of the county building of the shire of Spottsylvania, around which grew up a village that derived its name from the edifice. This county received its name from Alexander Spottswood, Governor of Virginia, who owned and worked iron mines in that region, and at what is now known as Germania Ford, he founded a town, the inhabitants of which being chiefly German miners, it was called Germania. The last syllable of Spottswood's name, wood, was Latinized, and hence the name of Spottsylvania. SKIRMISHES NEAR SPOTTSYLVANIA COURT-HOUSE. 305 mac from the battle-field of The Wilderness apprised Lee of the fact that the army was about to move,' but whither he knew not. It might be to Spottsylvania, or it might be back to Fredericksburg. So he ordered Anderson to take his corps from the breast works and encamp that night in a position to move on Spottsylvania in the morning. Finding no suitable place for bivouacking, on account of the burning woods, Anderson marched that night, simultaneously with Warren, each ignorant of the other's movement. The former arrived in time to throw the head of his column across the latter's path, to confront him with cannon and intrenchments, and to foil his attempt to seize Spottsylvania Court-House. Such were the events which produced the situation we have just considered. Warren did not feel strong enough to encounter the troops on his front, who were continually increasing in numbers and industriously intrenching on Spottsylvania Ridge, so he awaited the arrival of Sedgwick. He reached the front in the afternoon, and took command of the field in the absence of Meade, who, with all of Hancock's corps but Gibbon's division, had remained at Todd's Tavern, in anticipation of an attack by Lee on the rear of the Army of the Potomac. Sedgwick felt strong enough with the two corps to attempt to drive the Confederates from their advantageous position, but it was nearly sunset before his dispositions for attack were finished. Then a fruitless assault was made by a New Jersey brigade of Neill's division. General Crawford again advanced, when he was unexpectedly struck upon his flank by a part of Ewell's corps that was coming up, and was driven a full mile, with a loss of about one hundred men made prisoners. When night closed in, nearly the whole of Lee's army was in the vicinity of Spottsylvania Court-House, and holding the ridge in front of it, with strong intrenchments, growing more formidable every hour. During the day Wilson had penetrated to the village with his cavalry, but, being unsupported, was compelled to retire. On the same day the brigade of General Miles was thrown out by Hancock on the Catharpin road, with a brigade of Gregg's cavalry and a battery of artillery, to meet any hostile approach from that direction. Near Corbyn's Bridge they were attacked, when the assailants were repulsed and driven. On Sunday night, the 8th of May," Lee stood squarely and firmly across the path of the southward march of the Army of the Potomac, and he held that army in check there for twelve days. • 1864. On the morning of the 9th, Meade's army was formed in battle order before the Confederate lines. Hancock came up from Todd's Tavern at an early hour, and two divisions of Burnside's corps, on the left, pushed to the Fredericksburg road, driving the Confederates across the little River Ny. In the arrangement of the line, Hancock occupied the right, Warren the center, and Sedgwick the left, with Burnside on his left. General Sheridan 1 Speaking of this event, a late writer (Professor Henry Coppée) observes: "Spies and traitors were all around our head-quarters. Our signals were discovered and repeated; and with a rapidity which savored of magic and diabolic arts, no sooner had an order been issued by Grant than it was known at Lee's head-quarters. On the other hand, we had no such information. There were not in the rebel ranks, wicked as they were, men as vile as Northern traitors, who, while wearing the uniform of the Republic, living on its bounty, and sworn to protect its glorious banner, were in secret league with the enemy, and doing more to defeat Grant's plans than did the men who were arrayed in battle against him."-Grant and his Campaigns, by Henry Coppée, page 802. It is well understood that emissaries of the Peace Faction, professing loyalty, were at this time in Government employment in the Department at Washington and in the armies in the field, secretly giving aid, in every possible way, to the enemies of the Republic VOL. III.-98 |