by Colin

Ulysses S Grant was promoted to LT GEN and leader of the Union Army in March 1964.  His plan was to fire at the Confederates from all sides, so that the Confederacy would have to spread out.  Grant told Sherman to attack Atlanta, Georgia.  He told his other Generals to attack in the West.  Grant stayed in Virginia to attack Robert E Lee, the General of the Confederate Army, during the Overland Campaign.

The Battle of the Wilderness was the initial battle in the Overland Campaign.  Lee’s goal was to go back into the Wilderness where Grant’s powerful artillery could not be used.  Even though Grant knew that he would probably lose the battle, his goal was to take the first punch at Lee’s Army.  Grant was ready to fight a bloody war, because he knew that the Union could replace their troops more quickly than the Confederates.  Grant’s plan was to keep going at Lee’s Army, until it was defeated.

On May 5, 1864 Grant had about 110,000 troops to Lee’s 61,000.  Lee decided to attack first, without waiting for all of his reinforcements.  Lee’s left side fought to a draw, but the right side was weakened by Grant.  The next day, Grant got his reinforcements and really started to beat Lee’s right side.  Later that day, Lee got reinforcements too and was able to get back at Grant.  Then, night came and the battle stopped.  Many woundedsoldiers died in brush fires, because no one could get to them to help. The battle was undecided.  Lee’s side lost 8,000-10,000 troops, while Grant lost about 15,000 troops.  Grant retreated at the end of the battle.  But Grant did not turn around and go to Washington, like most Generals had done.  He continued to head towards Richmond.  Why Grant did this was because Grant could afford to lose more troops, while Lee had no time to rest and regain troops. 

Bibliography
http://www.thenagain.info/Webchron/USA/Wilderness.html
http://www.nps.gov/frsp/wilder.htm
http://www.sonofthesouth.net/leefoundation/battle-wilderness.htm
http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/battles_wilderness.html