Posted on May 16, 2017
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Following two days of intense fighting in Virginia’s Wilderness forest, the Army of the Potomac, under the command of Union General Ulysses S. Grant, moves south. Grant’s forces had clashed with Confederate General Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia in a pitched and confused two-day battle in which neither side gained a clear victory. Nonetheless, Lee could claim an advantage, since he inflicted more casualties and held off the Yankees, despite the fact that he was outnumbered.
When Lee halted Grant’s advance, Grant proved that he was different than previous commanders of the Army of the Potomac by refusing to fall back. Many of his veteran soldiers expected to retreat back across the Rapidan River, but the order came down through the ranks to move the army south. The blue troops had just suffered terrible losses, and the move south lifted their spirits. “We marched free. The men began to sing,” recalled one Yankee.
In some ways, warfare would never be the same. Grant had promised President Abraham Lincoln that there would be no turning back on this campaign. He would aggressively pursue Lee without allowing the Confederates time to retool. But the cost was high: Weeks of fighting resulted in staggering casualties before the two armies dug in around Petersburg, Virginia, by the middle of June.
When Lee halted Grant’s advance, Grant proved that he was different than previous commanders of the Army of the Potomac by refusing to fall back. Many of his veteran soldiers expected to retreat back across the Rapidan River, but the order came down through the ranks to move the army south. The blue troops had just suffered terrible losses, and the move south lifted their spirits. “We marched free. The men began to sing,” recalled one Yankee.
In some ways, warfare would never be the same. Grant had promised President Abraham Lincoln that there would be no turning back on this campaign. He would aggressively pursue Lee without allowing the Confederates time to retool. But the cost was high: Weeks of fighting resulted in staggering casualties before the two armies dug in around Petersburg, Virginia, by the middle of June.
Grant leaves the Wilderness for Spotsylvania - May 07, 1864 - HISTORY.com
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Thanks for reminding us TSgt Joe C. that on May 7, 1864 the CSA Army of Northern Virginia led by General Robert E. Lee and the Federal Amy of the Potomac led by Maj Gen George Mead under the overall Army leadership of Lt Gen U.S. Grant disengaged under pressure from the Wilderness battlefield. Grant was pressing towards Richmond even while William Tecumseh Sherman was working to defeat Joe Johnson in Georgia.
Protecting the flank and screening it was a job for seasoned cavalry. Both the CSA and Federal Army had capable and less than capable cavalry leaders.
As Grant pressed South, Lee worked to turn his flank and succeeded so that by May 8, 1864 the two forces would be fighting at Spotsylvania beginning the following day.
The vast majority of major battles were fought as "chance" engagements at crossroads such as Antietam, Gettysburg, Spotsylvania, etc.
As in many engagements the leaders of both sides were West Point graduates; CSA Robert E. Lee [USMA 1829]; USA Ulysses S Grant [USMA 1939]; USA George G. Meade [USMA 1935]; USA William T. Sherman [USMA 1840]; CSA Joseph E. Johnston [USMA 1842]; James Longstreet [USMA 1842]; USA Winfield Scott Hancock [USMA 1844];
Many of these leaders fought alongside each other in the Mexican-American War and the Seminole wars. The Civil War made enemies of brothers, cousins and West Point classmates.
By definition, Civil Wars are the most uncivil of conflicts.
Image: 1864 Virginia.; Spotsylvania Courthouse 1864
COL Mikel J. Burroughs LTC Stephen C. Maj William W. "Bill" Price Capt Seid Waddell Capt Tom Brown 1stSgt Eugene Harless SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL SFC William Farrell SSgt Robert Marx SGT John " Mac " McConnell SP5 Robert Ruck SrA Christopher Wright SGT Robert George CPL Eric Escasio SPC (Join to see) MSG Andrew WhiteSGT Michael Thorin SP5 Dave (Shotgun) Shockley LTC Bill Koski
Protecting the flank and screening it was a job for seasoned cavalry. Both the CSA and Federal Army had capable and less than capable cavalry leaders.
As Grant pressed South, Lee worked to turn his flank and succeeded so that by May 8, 1864 the two forces would be fighting at Spotsylvania beginning the following day.
The vast majority of major battles were fought as "chance" engagements at crossroads such as Antietam, Gettysburg, Spotsylvania, etc.
As in many engagements the leaders of both sides were West Point graduates; CSA Robert E. Lee [USMA 1829]; USA Ulysses S Grant [USMA 1939]; USA George G. Meade [USMA 1935]; USA William T. Sherman [USMA 1840]; CSA Joseph E. Johnston [USMA 1842]; James Longstreet [USMA 1842]; USA Winfield Scott Hancock [USMA 1844];
Many of these leaders fought alongside each other in the Mexican-American War and the Seminole wars. The Civil War made enemies of brothers, cousins and West Point classmates.
By definition, Civil Wars are the most uncivil of conflicts.
Image: 1864 Virginia.; Spotsylvania Courthouse 1864
COL Mikel J. Burroughs LTC Stephen C. Maj William W. "Bill" Price Capt Seid Waddell Capt Tom Brown 1stSgt Eugene Harless SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL SFC William Farrell SSgt Robert Marx SGT John " Mac " McConnell SP5 Robert Ruck SrA Christopher Wright SGT Robert George CPL Eric Escasio SPC (Join to see) MSG Andrew WhiteSGT Michael Thorin SP5 Dave (Shotgun) Shockley LTC Bill Koski
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Bruce Catton wrote that when Grant sat on his horse at that junction and watched as his men marched south vice retreat marked the end of the CSA.
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