Battle of the Wilderness

E160992

The Battle of the Wilderness was a brutal, inconclusive 1864 Civil War clash in dense Virginia woods between Ulysses S. Grant’s Union forces and Robert E. Lee’s Confederate army, marking the start of Grant’s Overland Campaign.

All labels observed (3)

How this entity was disambiguated

Statements (50)

Predicate Object
instanceOf American Civil War battle
battle
alsoKnownAs Wilderness
belligerent Confederate States of America
United States (Union)
campaign Overland Campaign
casualties tens of thousands combined casualties
category Battles of 1864 in the United States
Battles of the Overland Campaign
linked to: Overland Campaign
characteristic brush fires that burned wounded soldiers
close-quarters fighting
confused engagements due to smoke and woods
commander George G. Meade
Robert E. Lee
Ulysses S. Grant
ConfederateCasualtiesApprox about 7,500 total casualties (approximate)
ConfederateCommanderRank General Robert E. Lee
linked to: Robert E. Lee
ConfederateForce Army of Northern Virginia
conflict American Civil War
country United States
date May 5–7, 1864
endDate 1864-05-07
followedBy Battle of Spotsylvania Court House
front Eastern Front of the American Civil War
historicalSignificance demonstrated Grant’s determination to maintain pressure on Lee
marked shift to war of attrition in the Eastern Theater
location Orange County, Virginia
Spotsylvania County, Virginia
notableFor beginning of continuous combat in the Overland Campaign
dense forest terrain that limited visibility and maneuver
first battle between Ulysses S. Grant and Robert E. Lee in Virginia
high casualties on both sides
partOf Overland Campaign
precededBy Mine Run Campaign
result inconclusive
tactically indecisive
startDate 1864-05-05
state Virginia
strategicOutcome Union continued offensive toward Spotsylvania Court House
terrain dense second-growth forest
thick underbrush
theater Eastern Theater of the American Civil War
UnionCasualtiesApprox about 17,000 wounded
about 2,200 killed
about 3,400 missing or captured
UnionCommanderRank Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant
linked to: Ulysses S. Grant

Major General George G. Meade
linked to: George G. Meade
UnionForce Army of the Potomac
Ninth Corps (Army of the Ohio)
year 1864

How these facts were elicited

Referenced by (24)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Army of Northern Virginia notableBattle Battle of the Wilderness
Fredericksburg, Virginia siteOf Battle of the Wilderness (nearby)
subject linked to: Fredericksburg
linked to: Battle of the Wilderness
Spotsylvania County, Virginia historicalEvent Battle of the Wilderness
Gouverneur Kemble Warren participantIn Battle of the Wilderness
1st Texas Infantry engagement Battle of the Wilderness
83rd Pennsylvania Infantry notableEngagement Battle of the Wilderness
II Corps (Union Army of the Potomac) engagedIn Battle of the Wilderness
Richard S. Ewell participatedIn Battle of the Wilderness
Francis Channing Barlow notableBattle Battle of the Wilderness
Richard H. Anderson participatedIn Battle of the Wilderness
Battle of Spotsylvania Court House precededBy Battle of the Wilderness
1st Massachusetts Cavalry participatedIn Battle of the Wilderness
Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park significantEvent Battle of the Wilderness
Wilderness (Virginia woodland) knownFor Battle of the Wilderness
Wilderness (Virginia woodland) usedDuringConflict Battle of the Wilderness
Wilderness (Virginia woodland) notableEvent Battle of the Wilderness (May 5–7, 1864)
linked to: Battle of the Wilderness
First Corps, Army of Northern Virginia engagedIn Battle of the Wilderness
Battle of the Monongahela alsoKnownAs Battle of the Wilderness
Rapidan River associatedWithBattle Battle of the Wilderness
Kershaw's Brigade (Confederate) participatedIn Battle of the Wilderness
Wilderness Battlefield siteOf Battle of the Wilderness
Wesley Merritt participantIn Battle of the Wilderness