Confederate Losses in Wilderness

[Blockaderunner]

After studying the Battle of the Wilderness and visiting the field, I am a little suprised at the low figures given for Confederate losses. I know accurate casualties are difficult to determine, but some accounts give figures of under 8000. The highest estimate I have seen is just over 12000. With Union figures of 17000+, I just can not understand the discrepancy. This was a very evenly fought battle, with both sides having the advantage at one time or another. The initial fight on the Plank Road was evenly fought, with heavy losses on both sides. The fighting on the Orange Plank Road lead to the retreat of Hills Corps and later a repulsed attack by Longstreets Corps. Surely the casualty figures for both sides must have been closer?

[Nico_Davout]

I have a question which can be put here too. ANV had regiments from all CSA states. There was for sure Texas brigade with four TX regiments and one from AR (as I remember from memory). I am interested how were those regiments reinforced from their native staties after Mississippi was closed for Confederacy in middle 1863?

[FSPowers]

Let me take a stab at this;

The area known as the Wilderness was heavily forested with thick underbrush. Also, Lee and most of his commanders were Virginians who knew the area, so they could use that knowledge to their advantage.

Nico: after the Mississippi River became a Yankee river, is would have become very difficult to gat any large units across in order to reinforce the ANV. Any units formed west of the Mississippi after 1863 would have fought locally.

After 1863, the only reinforcements Lee would be getting would either be conscripts or returning wounded.

The others on this forun could refine it down further.

[Blockaderunner]

The Confederate knowledge of the area sounds like one good reason. Having read a lot more about the battle since my first post, I think the Confederates also had much the better of the fight. So figures of 12,000 and 17,000 are probably about right.

[Blockaderunner]

Just noticed I got the road names wrong in the first post. For Plank Road, I should have said Orange Turnpike.

[gary]

Reinforcements? Well, every now and then an officer would be detailed to round up deserters and to recruit and while the Mississippi was controlled by los federales, the corn-feds could still slip men across. Sorry but I can't give you the numbers of reinforcements/replacements/recruits that reached the Texas Brigade (or the 3rd Arkansas), but there are unit histories for the Texas Brigade and the 3rd Arkansas.

[samgrant]

Why don'tcha just put this in the "Grant and Meade In the Wilderness thread?


Well, as seen at the Chancellorsville battle, the Rebs did have a most advantageous knowledge of the terrrain, etc., so if the Federals did not get through unubstructed, it was a good spot for the ANV to attack. (But not for the AOP)

[gary]

Actually, the Wilderness was a good place for defensive operations for either side. Attacking is only viable there if the enemy could be flanked as Jackson did at Chancellorsville and Gordon did with partial success during The Wilderness.

[gary]

Actually, the Wilderness was a good place for defensive operations for either side. Attacking is only viable there if the enemy could be flanked as Jackson did at Chancellorsville and Gordon did with partial success during The Wilderness.

[samgrant]

Horace Porter's impression of The Wilderness:

"It was a battle fought with the ear, and not with the eye. All circumstances seemed to combined to make the scene one of unutterable horror. At times the wind howled through the tree-tops, mingling its moans with the groans of th dying, and heavy branches were cut off by the fire of the artillery, and fell crashing upon the heads of the men, adding a new terror to battle. Forest fires raged; ammunition trains exploded; the dead were roasted in the conflagration;the wounded, roused by its hot breath, dragged themselves along, with their torn and mangled limbs, in the mad energy of despair, to escape the ravages of the flames;and every bush seemed hung with shreds of blood-stained clothing. It was as though Christian men had turned to fiends, and hell itself had usurped the place of earth .."

Horace Porter -Campaigning With Grant

Great book, by the way.