Marker Logo HMdb.org THE HISTORICAL
MARKER DATABASE
“Bite-Size Bits of Local, National, and Global History”
“Bite-Size Bits of Local, National, and Global History”
Near Locust Grove in Orange County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
 

Battle of the Wilderness

Wilderness Exhibit Shelter

— East Wall —

 
 
Battle of the Wilderness Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Craig Swain, February 16, 2008
1. Battle of the Wilderness Marker
Inscription. The Armies

The Army of the Potomac
Throughout the winter of 1863-1864, the armies rested and refitted on opposite sides of the Rapidan River. The ranks of the Union army swelled with thousands of new draftees and recruits - soldiers whose commitment to the cause many questioned.

"Never in a war...did the rank and file feel a more resolute earnestness for a just cause, and a more invincible determination to succeed...."
Wilbur Fisk, 2nd Vermont Infantry, April 7, 1864

Commander: Major General George Gordon Meade
Strength: 120,000 men and 275 cannon

The Army of Northern Virginia
The Confederates struggled to keep their existing regiments full. In the Wilderness they would bring to the battle 13,000 fewer men than they had fielded at Gettysburg the year before.

"The troops are all in excellent spirits, and eager for the fray. Gen. Grant's glory will soon vanish away, and his great name buried along with those of his unfortunate predecessors."
Samuel Clyde, 2nd South Carolina Infantry, April 28, 1864

Commander: General Robert E. Lee
Strength: 60,000 men and 226 cannon
 
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: War, US Civil. In addition, it is included in the Battlefield Trails - Civil War series list. A significant historical date for this entry is April 7, 1864.
 
Location.
Paid Advertisement
Click on the ad for more information.
Please report objectionable advertising to the Editor.
Click or scan to see
this page online
38° 19.053′ N, 77° 45.378′ W. Marker is near Locust Grove, Virginia, in Orange County. Marker is on Constitution Highway (State Highway 20), on the right when traveling west. Located at stop two of the driving tour of Wilderness Battlefield. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Locust Grove VA 22508, United States of America. Touch for directions.
 
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Clash on the Orange Turnpike (here, next to this marker); Struggle on the Orange Plank Road (here, next to this marker); The Fighting Ends in Stalemate (here, next to this marker); Collision of Giants (here, next to this marker); The Wilderness (a few steps from this marker); The Capture of Winslow's Battery (a few steps from this marker); Saunders Field (a few steps from this marker); a different marker also named The Battle of the Wilderness (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Locust Grove.
 
More about this marker. This panel contains two maps showing positions of the armies during the fighting on May 5 and May 6, 1864.
 
Regarding Battle of the Wilderness. Fifty-nine historical markers detail the Battle of the Wilderness. For ease of navigation, these are broken down into related sets based on the Park tour stops and proximity to battlefield landmarks. Links (starting
East Wall of the Exhibit Shelter image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Craig Swain, February 16, 2008
2. East Wall of the Exhibit Shelter
The Battle of the Wilderness exhibit is flanked by exhibits titled "Clash on the Orange Turnpike" and "Struggle on the Orange Plank Road."
with number 2) for the separate "virtual tours by markers" are included below.
 
Also see . . .
1. Wilderness Battlefield - Federal Rear virtual tour by markers. (Submitted on June 1, 2008, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia.)
2. Virtual tour of the Gordon Flank Attack Trail by markers. (Submitted on June 1, 2008, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia.)
3. Wilderness Battlefield - Hill-Ewell Drive virtual tour by markers. (Submitted on June 1, 2008, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia.)
4. Wilderness Battlefield - Widow Tapp Fields virtual tour by markers. (Submitted on June 1, 2008, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia.)
5. Wilderness Battlefield - Brock Road/Orange Plank Road Intersection virtual tour by markers. (Submitted on June 1, 2008, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia.)
6. Wilderness Battlefield Preservation Efforts. The Wilderness battlefield has been in the news recently due to proposed development adjacent to the National Park. This Civil War Preservation Trust site details not only the preservation issues, but provides outstanding resources (maps and documents) regarding the battle itself. (Submitted on September 11, 2008, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia.) 
 
 
Credits. This page was last revised on March 11, 2024. It was originally submitted on April 27, 2008. This page has been viewed 2,933 times since then and 16 times this year. Last updated on September 5, 2020, by Bradley Owen of Morgantown, West Virginia. Photos:   1, 2. submitted on April 27, 2008, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia. • J. Makali Bruton was the editor who published this page.

Share this page.  
Share on Tumblr
m=155689

CeraNet Cloud Computing sponsors the Historical Marker Database.
This website earns income from purchases you make after using our links to Amazon.com. We appreciate your support.
Paid Advertisements
Mar. 19, 2024