Battle of the Wilderness
Oliver Edwards
At last, May 4th, Greg’s cavalry crossed the Rapidan at Ely’s Ford, followed by Hancock’s Corps, Wilson’s cavalry followed by the 5th Corps, and then the 6th Corps crossed at Germanna Ford. The 2nd Corps advanced to Chancellorsville and the 5th to Wilderness Tavern, while the 6th laid on their arms along the plank road for the night. The advance had but commenced on the 5th when the enemy was found advancing to the attack and struck the 5th Corps moving by the [blank] flank. The 5th came into line and repulsed the advance of Ewell. Hancock had advanced to south of Todd’s Tavern and was ordered to return and go into position at the junction of the Brock road the Orange plank road, to meet the advance of Hill’s Corps. Getty’s Division of 6th Corps advanced on the Brock road toward Orange plank road to unite with the 2nd Corps.
Nearly all the ground fought over in this three days battle of the Wilderness was a wilderness indeed of trees and nearly impenetrable undergrowth of bushes and saplings. It was impracticable to form regular lines of any great extent, and connections were very uncertain, while off the roads movements could only be made by aid of the compass. As soon as connections were made the 2nd Corps with Getty’s 2nd Div. of the 6th advanced and struck the enemy partially entrenched, and so covered by the underbrush that we could not see them fifty yards away. We were unable to break their lines and darkness ended the first day’s fight.
We were to attack all along our front at daybreak, but the
[page 74]rebels were ahead of us and attacked our right in front of the 6th Corps, but the attack under Ewell was quickly repulsed. The enemy had during the night fortified their lines with breastworks, and the union lines were again and again repulsed in their attacks. The second Corps advancing on the Plank road defeated Hill’s Corps and Wadsworth’s Division drove them in confusion, when Longstreet, who had come up to the support of Hill, attacked Wadsworth’s Div. Wadsworth’s splendid division was badly broken up in its victorious attack on Hill, as his lines had to force their way through thick underbrush. They were in consequence in no condition to successfully meet the fierce onset of Longstreet’s veterans, and they were in their confusion driven in disorder. It was at this time, when our 4th Brigade was advancing support of Wadsworth in a column of regiments with the 37th Mass. in front, that Wadsworth rode to the head of our brigade and ordered our Brigade to charge the enemy. It was evident that he hoped to so repulse Longstreet’s advance, by hurling a brigade in four lines against him and breaking through his lines, that he, Wadsworth, would have time rally and reform his Division. Our Brigade Commander disobeyed Wadsworth’s order, and dismounting, halted his brigade, save the 37th, which advanced alone without support, to the attack of an advancing Corps. As we sighted the enemy’s skirmish line I gave the order “fix bayonet, charge!” and this regiment of heroes went through the enemy’s advanced line and struck their second line, and would have gone through it, but Gen. Wadsworth, who had charged with us, observing that we were receiving a deadly flank fire from our right and left, ordered me to face by the rear rank and fight our way out, saying “You have done all I expected a Brigade to do, and I will go now to reform my Divisions”. He left us, riding toward the Plank Road on our left, and I learned later that as he struck the road he met the enemy at close quarters, and, refusing to surrender, was shot from his horse. In his death we lost one of the grandest gentlemen and most knightly men in the Union Armies.
The 37th in pursuance to Gen. Wadsworth’s orders charged to
[page 75]the rear until we had extricated ourselves from the embrace of the enemy, when we marched to the point where we had left the Brigade.
Though the history of modern war cannot show a more heroic charge, though color bearers fell dead and men dropped like dead forest leaves, though the charge was so determined that it was difficult to save the regiment, so reluctant were they to retreat,- yet it was only an episode of the three terrible days struggle in the Wilderness, and it has never been duly chronicled save by “Bowen” in his masterly history of the war, entitled “History of the 37th Regiment Mass. Vols”. The enemy out of respect to the dead hero sent his body into our lines under a flag of truce.
After the charge we formed on the left of Owen’s Brigade, our left connecting with Mott’s Div. Owing to the surprise and shock of the charge of the 37th the enemy did not attack in front of Owen’s Brigade, or of our brigade, and the brigade on our left, but the lines further to our left were broken and Hancock changed front to his rear on his left and resumed his position on the plank road. This left our Brigade and Owen’s isolated, and the enemy were moving so as to cut us entirely off. I urged our Brigade Commander to move our brigade through he woods to join Hancock on the plank road, but he seemed paralyzed and asked me to command the brigade, which I did, retiring the brigade by the right of Companies to the rear until the enemy pressed too close on our rear, when we reformed and repulsed the enemy. Owens then assumed command by virtue of seniority and asked me if I would communicate with Gen. Hancock, who ordered us to report at once to him on the plank road. Gen. Hancock mounted Capt. Tyler and also sent one of his staff with him. On their way to us Hancock’s aide was captured and Tyler, ordered to surrender, charged through the enemy and reported to me. The two brigades then moved in line towards the plank road. The enemy gave way before us and we
[page 76]reported to Hancock without further loss.
Ewell now attacked on our right, striking the front of the 1st and 3rd Divisions of the 6th Corps and their right flank. Sedgwick’s right was doubled up and generals Seymour and Shaler were captured with many other prisoners. Gen. Sedgwick placing himself in the thick of them melee, called on his men to rally, and when the voice of our loved and revered Commander was heard, all signs of panic quickly disappeared. The lines were reformed and their old positions regained. Getty’s Div. was ordered to return to the 6th Corps and strengthen its right flank.
The “Battle of the Wilderness” was now ended, both armies having suffered severely. Most of the fighting was done without seeing the enemy, so close and dense was the underbrush in the woods. This underbrush was fired in places by the continuous musketry fire; the dead and wounded were many of them burned in the flames, though heroic attempts were made to save them.