The Washington herald., 1914-05-05

| Fifty years ago today the bloody Bat
tie of the Wilderness began. on one OF
the most remarkable fields in history.
The army OF the Potomac under
Grant and Meade, which had progressed
one days march from its winter camps
north of the RapIdan River toward Rich
mond, encountered the army OF North
ern Virginia, under Lee, in the tangled
woods and thickets of q rough and brok-
en- region in Spottsylyania County.
| Lee sought to strike Grants columns
while they were in motion. Grant, d.
vinIng his purpose, FASTENED TO strike
| first
The Federals were proceeding south
across the Wilderness from Germanna
Ford and Elys Ford when they learned
| that Lee was marching his army at
right angles toward their line OF march,
by the Orange Turnpike road, and an
other, the Plank road, two miles south
Of II.
The chief road followed by Grants ad-
vance from Germanna Ford ran little
east of south. Four miles from the
Rapidan it was crossed, at Old Wilder
ness Tavern. by the Orange Turnpike.
running east to fredericksburg. Grant $
advance column, the Fifth Corps, Gen.
G.. K. Warren. had bivOuacked here on
the night OF May l. Hancock's Corps,
the second, which had taken a more
easterly road. had reached Chancellors-
willie, four miles southeast Sedgwick, with
the Sixth Corps. had camped near the
Rapidan to cover the trains. Two corps
of Grants forces were now In the So
called Wilderness tract, about hfteer
miles square.
Most of this region was clothed in
low and bristling pines. intermingled
with scrub oak and hazels, laurel ana
/ sweet gum and tangles OF tough vines,
relieved only at distant intervals by
scanty clearings and scrubby openings, in
which were numerous abandoned mine
shafts The face OF the country is un-
dulating, and here and there cut deeply
by winding brooks which flow into old
Wilderness Run. an affiuent of the Rap
idan. The roads were narrow, poor and
| few.
Wars strangest Battle.
Here was fought the strangest battls
OF the war-a battle in which neither
army was in view OF the other. in which
men did not know the position OF the
enemy until they encountered him in
dense woods or clinging underbrush, In
which only the roar OF musketry and
smoke rising above the woods told the
watching generals where a clash OF arms
was taking place.
While infantry could scarcely force Its
way through the tangled underbrush,
| the use OF artillery and cavalry here
were out of the question. except when
opportunity occurred to move them by
| the roads. No tactics. except those OF
the skirmisher. could avail. The Union
generals must direct the battle by the
ear or compass. Lee, on the other hand.
having fought over the same ground.
was familiar with its peculiarities.
History has often represented that Lee
.L - In n
ness. He had indeed thrust forward
two of his three army corps on the two
roads named. that II followed would
bring those corps into collision with the
marching Federals. but Lees generals
in the advance were under orders not
to bring on a general engagement until
the other corps. Longstreets. could
reach the field and on the morning of
May LonGstreet was still nearly a
days march short OF his goal.
Thus, in a battle which was OF Lees
seeking. the Federal general was to have
the opportunity OF striking the first blow,
because Of the delay OF Longstreet in
reaching the field and the rapidity with
which Grant brought his own troops into
position.
on May Grant had heard that Lees
army was on the march from its win
ter camps. now no longer tenable. and
Grant had changed his plans for his
movement 70 conform TO the situation.
His orders for May provided for a
continuance Of the march. but also for
an edging toward the enemy. and the
presentation to him Of front and not a
flank Thus. at dawn fifty years ago
today. the army. though moving south.
was ready to face west toward Lee
"PItching In"
The cavalry was sent well out to south
and west. to srour the country and find
the snemy's cavalry. Warren's corps was
ordered to move south from Wilderness
Tavern to the Plank road. Sedgwick' S
Sixth Corps was to fall into Warren s
old position Hancock was to march
southwestward from Charlottesville to
Shady Grove Church. where. connecting
with Warren's left. he would form the
army's left wing.
BY these dispositions Grant had pre-
pared for instant action il opportunity
offered.
The wisdom OF these plans was early
apparent. Lee had sent Ewelrs corps
forward on the Orange turnpike and A.
p. Hills on the Plank road, on May l.
The advanced columns Of the two armies
had bivouacked within five miles Of each
other.
hour. About a. m. Gen. Meade. who
was at Wilderness Tavern, learned that
the enemy CEwelrs Corpsl was about two
miles OFF on the Orange Turnpike.
Though Warren's corps already was in
motion south toward the Plank road.
Meade ordered an attack upon the Con-
federates in his front He sent the news
to Grant. who had remained at the Rap
idan 10 hurry forward the Ninth Corps.
which was coming up from the rear and
was not under Gen. Meade.
on receiving Meade's message Grant
wrote this order to Gen. Meade, timed
S:24 a. M: "If an opportunity presents
itself for pitching into a part of Lees
army. do so without waiting for DISPOSE
tons
Lee was not ready to begin fighting
His troops were moving forward to feel
the position of the Federals. They were
under orders TO invite no general engage
ment until Longstreets men should ar
rive, and that would not be until the next
morning.
So the order which Grant sent to Meade
sustaining the latter's order to attack the
Confederates. took the initiative from Lee
and disarranged his plans.
Grant at the Front.
After writing this order. Grant mounted
and rode rapidly toward the front Four
miles from the river he halted at $50 at
the crossing of the Gedmanna road with
the Orange plank road. This was to be
the center of his line. II was the axis on
which was TO turn the army in action.
Gen. Meade was already there. After
consulting with him and learning the
situation, Grant. accompanied by Gen.