Wilderness Campaign Flashcards
When did the Wilderness Campaign begin?
1864
Who led Union forces during the Wilderness Campaign?
General Ulysses Grant
What was Grant’s strategic objective in the Wilderness Campaign?
To destroy Lee’s forces (rather than capturing Richmond)
What were the sizes of the opposing forces at the start of the Wilderness Campaign?
Grant- 118,000 men
Lee- 64,000 men
What battles followed the initial Wilderness engagement?
Battles at North Anna and Cold Harbor (before Lee fell back to Petersburg)
How long did the siege of Petersburg last?
9 months
How did the force ratio in the Wilderness Campaign change by 1865?
Lee’s forces decreased to 50,000
Grant maintained 125,000
Where did Lee ultimately surrender to Grant?
Appomattox Court House in April 1865
What type of warfare did the conflict evolve into by 1865?
A war of attrition with trench warfare and deliberate economic targeting of civilian resources
What kind of tactics was Davis forced to call for in desperation?
Guerrilla tactics
Grant was willing to absorb more casualties during the Wilderness Campaign and relentlessly attack- what were Union casualties like compared to Confederate?
Union casualties double that of Confederacy
Was the Wilderness Campaign popular with northerners?
No- took nearly a year and heavy casualties
When did the Union forces capture Richmond?
Following the final attack on Petersburg in April 1865
