ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY: May 6, 1864 Battle of the Wilderness
As the Union Army began its march towards Richmond, Confederate General Robert E. Lee chose the Wilderness area to stop them, knowing the woods would decrease the North’s numerical advantage of men and artillery. The Union Army, under the command of Major General George Gordon Meade, had 101,898 soldiers. Lee’s army had only 62,000 men.
At noon on May 5th, the lead Union regiment entered a clearing and the first shots of the Battle of the Wilderness were fired. For the next two days, the fighting ebbed and flowed, often dissolving into isolated combat between small units confused by the bewildering forest. Units were scattered and confused, unable to find their bearings. Some fired on their own men. Organized attacks were difficult. One participant called it “a blind and bloody hunt to the death, in bewildering thickets, rather than a battle.” Flash fires raged throughout the area, often killing the wounded trapped in the forest.
After dark on May 6th, Grant’s forces withdrew and both armies began to maneuver towards their next engagement, Spotsylvania. The Union suffered an estimated 17,666 casualties; the Confederates lost a total of 7,750.
The bravery exhibited by both sides resulted in 20 Medal of Honors, including Leopold Karpeles and Abraham Cohn. Among the dead on both side were Jewish soldiers of all ranks, including, Lt. Colonel Aaron Meyer of the 125th New York Infantry, Private Jacob Rice of 7th Wisconsin and Private Joseph Frank of the 15th Georgia. Confederate General J.B. Kershaw mourned the loss of his orderly, Marcus Baum, who was killed while delivering a message to him in battle.
