Lake of the Woods in Orange County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
Battle of the Wilderness
May 5th, 1864
Regiments from Nine States in Lake of the Woods
May 5, 1864
Union Infantry
Maine 5th, 6th, 7th
New Jersey 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 10th, 15th
New York 43rd, 49th, 77th, 121st
Ohio 126th
Pennsylvania 49th, 61st, 95th, 96th
Wisconsin 5th
Confederate Infantry
Louisiana 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th
Virginia 2nd, 4th, 5th, 13th, 25th
Cavalry
North Carolina 1st
10:00 A.M. - The First Battle inside of Lake of the Woods
Sedgwick's skirmishers encountered the 1st NC Cavalry in the area of Mt. Pleasant Dr. to Beachside Cr.
12:00 P.M. - Sedgwick established the 1st Division Field Hospital at Spotswood's Farm.
Sedgwick's 1st Division headed down Culpeper Mine Road toward Saunder's Field.
The 49th Pennsylvania Volunteers chased a number of the 1st NC dismounted troopers in the vicinity of the #1 fairway. Pvt. Westbrook stated, "We drove the rebels in our front like a lot of sheep."
2:00 P.M. - Ewell deployed skirmishers in front of his regiments that had moved up the Culpeper Mine Road.
The 33rd Virginia Infantry rifles formed a line near the 5th green to the Lake. Ewell placed some artillery near Lee Cir. Their solid shot crashed through the tree tops along the 6th and 7th fairways.
Sedgwick's line stretched from Mansion Ct. back to Germanna Plank Road.
The 5th Wisconsin Infantry attacked Ewell's 1st Division in the area near LOW Church.
Sedgwick's Corps, some 24,163 troops, passed down Culpeper Mine Road and through the Wilderness.
During the next 36 hours of intense combat, 3,660 wounded walked or were carried back up the road to the Field Hospital; another 1,375 were killed or captured.
By midnight of May 6th, the rest had retreated to behind Keaton Lake.
Erected 2011 by Civil War Study Group and Lake of the Woods, Virginia.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: War, US Civil. A significant historical month for this entry is May 1876.
Location. 38° 20.2′ N, 77° 45.062′ W. Marker is in Lake of the Woods, Virginia, in Orange County. Marker is on Fairway Drive, on the left when traveling east. Marker is located at a park in Lake of the Woods Community, a gated community. Visitors must register to visit the marker. . 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 one mile of this marker, measured as the crow flies. A different marker also named Battle of the Wilderness (approx. half a mile away); Captain John Spotswood (approx. half a mile away); Orange Grove 1865 - 1967 (approx. half a mile away); Orange Grove 1728 - 1864 (approx. half a mile away); Spotswood Family Cemetery (approx. 0.6 miles away); Gordon's Flank Attack (approx. 0.9 miles away); The Federals Fall Back (approx. one mile away); a different marker also named Gordon's Flank Attack (approx. one mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Lake of the Woods.
Credits. This page was last revised on May 4, 2017. It was originally submitted on May 12, 2013, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia. This page has been viewed 778 times since then and 12 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on May 12, 2013, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia. 4. submitted on May 2, 2017, by Pete Payette of Orange, Virginia.