The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-07-10
WILDERNESS CAMPAIGN
MADE NORTH DESPONDENT
Lees Brilliant Achievements at Spotsylvania
Courthouse and on Rapidan Sent SILVER
Ihrnugh EederaIs
Through Federals.

1t was an. interesting incident OF
history. wrote the editor of the New
Orleans Picayune recently. that the
Confederate Memorial Day celebrated
by the veterans of Louisiana was an
anniversary also of the close Of the
Wilderness campaign in Virginia.
made by General r. E. Leo against
General U. S. Grant In the spring OF
1864.
ter fighting tremendous odds under
such Northern leaders as Mcclellan.
Pope. Burnside and Hooker, and sue
cessively subjecsing them to defeat
and RELOCATING them TO displacement
and suppression, was now pitted
against Grant. who had been placed in
supreme command of all the Northern
armies. and who had undertaken,
where so many others had failed. to
beat his great adversary in a single
campaign and march triumphantly
into the Confederate capital.
Few of the Northern commanders
had the hardihood to attack Lee in the
open field. and they did 1t to their
most grievous undoing. Mcclellan hid
his army in the swamps Of the Chtcka-
hominy, where he could not be routed,
but only defeated and driven deeper
into cover. Hooker, in May, 1863, had
approached Lee through the Jungle
and dense and gloomy forests on the
west bank of the Rapidan River.
The country had been broken UP by
extensive but unproductive mining OPP
erations many years before. and had
been allowed to grow up in tangle
of trees and vines and thickets almost
! impossible. save where the woods
were penetrated by few ill-kept
roadways. 1t was through this cover
! that General Hooker cautiously adj
vanced on Lee, and before he could
| emerge with his army into the open
| country he had been frightfully beat
en- by flank attack by Stonewall
Jackson, only the impossibility of any
swift and tumultous rush through this
tangled region saving the Northern
army from wild rout.
Grant Crosses Rapidau,
General Grnt, realizing the advantage
OF such a cover for his movements. on
the night of May 8. 1854. with an army
of over 100000 men and more than
500 cannon, crossed the Rapidan River
and buried himself in that same fate.
full region, known as Me Wilderness
Lee had $4,000 men and 224 field pieces
Then commenced one OF the most tire,
mendous campaigns OF the Civil War
or, indeed, OF any war.
| Lee never waited for his adversary
but took the initiative, and on the btt
to the 7th Of May the lighting In thu
| Wilderness was frighttul. But Grant
repulsed at every point, but al
ways seeking to turn Lees left and
cut him Off from Richmond. after ever,
reooil moved always farther south, hui
was always met by the impossible
4 barrier of the thin Confederate line,
From May to the 9Th were tough
i the tremendous battle OF Spotsylvanit
and the lesser engagements on til,
Fredericksburg Road. Laurel and tn,
Nye River While on the nth and 1atl
Lees cavalry. under Wade Hnmpto,
and, Fltzhugh Lee, met and defeatet
Y sheridan's cavalry at Trevilian's sta
tlon,, on the Richmond and Fredericlss
!. burg Railroad, and prevented his at
tempted raid I'm Lees rear.
Flights on the North Anna.
j On May 90 toS27 were fought the &C
!, tlons at North Anna River, On Jun
rs occurred the bloody fight at Coll
4 Harbor. battle which Grant in hi
/ own memoirs regretted that he ha'
ever fought. 9. battle In which III
!, troops, after rushing to a CORY slaugh
!, ter pen, refused to respond to the thar
4 order for assault. This was the las
event IN the Wild erness canapaisu