Near Fredericksburg in Spotsylvania County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
The Wilderness of Spotsylvania County
Photographed By Craig Swain, February 16, 2008
1. The Wilderness of Spotsylvania County Marker
Inscription.
The Wilderness of Spotsylvania County. . The armies fought the Battle of Chancellorsville in the heart of a 70-square-mile region of tangled undergrowth known locally as the Wilderness. This inhospitable terrain added a new dimension of horror to the fighting on May 3. Fires erupted from muzzle blasts of rifles and cannon and spread rapidly through the thick woods. Some wounded soldiers, unable to escape the flames, faced a gruesome fate. Union general John C. Caldwell described the scene: "It was pitiful to see the charred bodies hugging the trees, or with hands outstretched, as if to ward off the flames. We saw around some of them little cleared circles where they had evidently raked away the dead leaves and sticks to stay the progress of the fire."
The armies fought the Battle of Chancellorsville in the heart of a 70-square-mile region of tangled undergrowth known locally as the Wilderness. This inhospitable terrain added a new dimension of horror to the fighting on May 3. Fires erupted from muzzle blasts of rifles and cannon and spread rapidly through the thick woods. Some wounded soldiers, unable to escape the flames, faced a gruesome fate. Union general John C. Caldwell described the scene: "It was pitiful to see the charred bodies hugging the trees, or with hands outstretched, as if to ward off the flames. We saw around some of them little cleared circles where they had evidently raked away the dead leaves and sticks to stay the progress of the fire."
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: War, US Civil. A significant historical month for this entry is May 1830.
Location. 38° 18.761′ N, 77° 39.047′ W. Marker is near Fredericksburg, Virginia, in Spotsylvania County. Marker can be reached from Bullock Road. Located at trail stop two on the Chancellorsville History Trail, at the Chancellorsville Battlefield. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 9108 Ranger Ln, Fredericksburg VA 22407, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Civil War Earthworks (within shouting distance of this marker); Chancellorsville Campaign
More about this marker. The upper portion of the marker contains a drawing of "Rescuing the wounded on Sunday, May 3rd, from the burning woods, from a war-time sketch."
Also see . . . Battle of Chancellorsville. National Park Service site. (Submitted on February 17, 2008, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia.)
Photographed By Craig Swain, February 16, 2008
2. Trail Stop Two
Photographed By Craig Swain, February 16, 2008
3. The Wilderness
Typical of the wooded undergrowth in the Wilderness today.
Credits. This page was last revised on February 2, 2023. It was originally submitted on February 17, 2008, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia. This page has been viewed 1,113 times since then and 13 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3. submitted on February 17, 2008, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia.
