Confederate Armies & Departments in the Eastern Theater
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The Army of Northern Virginia commanded by General Robert E. Lee had wintered south of the Rapidan River near Culpeper, facing Grant’s assembled Federal forces.
On May 5 Grant’s troops ground into motion, heading south. Lee sent his men north to meet them, and the two armies collided in the area of tangled second growth forest known as The Wilderness. After two days of brutal but inconclusive fighting Grant disengaged. But unlike previous Federal offensives which pulled back after a battle, Grant moved around Lee’s flank and continued south Lee caught up and another series of battles erupted around around Spotsylvania Court House, some of the most brutal fighting seen during the war. And then the process repeated, resulting in another fight along the North Anna River. And then again, finally resulting in Lee’s army entrenched just outside of Richmond as Grant prepared for yet another attack centered at Cold Harbor. |