Regular print version previously published by: Pegasus Books. Includes bibliographical references (pages 393-407)
Contents:
Fathers and sons. Private William Reeves -- Confederates on the turnpike -- The elephant appears -- Raging fire at Saunders Field -- Confederates on the Orange Plank Road -- Nighttime in the wilderness -- Lee to the rear -- High noon on the Orange Plank Road -- Robert E. Lee's enticing opportunity -- Grant's night march -- "The great army of the wounded" -- The bloody angle -- Arlington -- Gen. Wadsworth's body -- Fathers and sons.
Summary:
"In the spring of 1864, President Lincoln feared that he might not be able to save the Union. The Army of the Potomac had performed poorly over the previous two years, and many Northerners were understandably critical of the war effort. Lincoln assumed he'd lose the November election, and he firmly believed a Democratic successor would seek peace immediately, spelling an end to the Union. A Fire in the Wilderness tells the story of that perilous time when the future of the United States depended on the Union Army's success in a desolate forest roughly sixty-five miles from the nation's capital. At the outset of the Battle of the Wilderness, General Lee's Army of Northern Virginia remained capable of defeating General Grant's Army of the Potomac. But after two days of relentless fighting in dense Virginia woods, Lee was never again able to launch offensive operations against Grant's army. The impenetrable forest and gunfire smoke made it impossible to view the enemy. Officers couldn't even see their own men during the fighting. The incessant gunfire caused the woods to catch fire, resulting in hundreds of men burning to death. The alarming casualties do not begin to convey the horror of this battle, one of the most gruesome in American history"-- Provided by publisher.
This resource is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by State Library of Iowa.