the most popular officers of the army. He had more than once been offered command of the Army of the Potomac, but his modesty caused him to decline it. His corps had won a position second to none in the army, and fully deserved the epithet which it received as the " Bloody Sixth." He was ably assisted by Generals Wright, Getty and Prince as division commanders, with Generals Torbert, Shaler, Wheaton, Neill, Eustis and Russell, and Colonels Upton, Burnham and Grant, in command of brigades. Brigadier-General Henry J. Hunt was Chief of Artillery. General James C. Duane commanded a brigade of engineer troops and pontoon trains. The quartermaster's department and immense pack of supply wagons was directed by Brigadier-General Rufus Ingalls. The whole, under the command of Major General George G. Meade.

GEORGE G. MEADE.

The latter part of April the Ninth Corps, commanded by General A. E. Burnside, joined the Army of the Potomac at Culpepper. This corps was composed in part of colored troops, who were now for the first time sent to the front. Reinforcements had been pouring in during the month of April. Everything was now in readiness for the given to advance. of May, 1864, the tents night the troops began

crossing the Rapidan at Germania and Ely's Fords. Before the close of the following day, over one hundred thousand men had crossed the river and were marching toward the Wilderness. This is a wild, desolate tract of country, situated in Spottsylvania County, about five miles broad and ten miles long. It is an immense jungle, covered with a thick, almost impenetrable underbrush, cut up with ravines, preventing the movement of artillery and cavalry.

General Lee, ever watchful, had purposely allowed the Union forces to advance without giving battle, having determined to attack Grant in the Wilderness, where he and his men were perfectly familiar, hoping to be able to destroy his army in the opening of the campaign. Hidden in the forests, Lee could mass his troops and hurl them on any point of the Union line which he chose to attack.

About noon May 5, Warren, who held the advance of Grant's army, was furiously attacked by the enemy, fighting with the most determined bravery. The Union forces, largely outnumbered at this point, slowly fell back, contesting every foot of ground. Receiving reinforcements, they rallied and drove the rebels back with great slaughter. Before night, the enemy having been repulsed at all points, General Grant ordered an immediate advance along the entire line, but darkness intervened before the final arrangements were completed. The losses during this bloody conflict had been terrible, and the hospitals were crowded. Orders were sent out for a renewal of the battle at daylight. "Attack along the whole line at 5 in the morning." Lee had made similar preparations, and at a quarter before 5 in the morning of Friday, made a furious onset on Sedgwick, who held the extreme right. Undismayed by this attack, Grant's entire line advanced precisely at the

time he had ordered, and steadily drove the enemy in confusion nearly two miles. The contest was desperate, the rebels fighting with reckless heroism, yet unable to resist the valor of our soldiers.

The attack on Sedgwick had proven only a feint, the real attack being made by Longstreet on Hancock, who held our left. All efforts to dislodge him proved ineffectual. Again and again were these columns flung upon our lines with terrific power, occasionally pressing back our men some distance. In seeking to stem the tide, the beloved General Wadsworth, of New York, was shot in the

ROBERT E. LEE.

heart. Amid fearful car

nage our men again rallied, forcing the enemy back with heavy loss, taking up their former position. Night closed upon the bloody scene; neither party had gained a decided triumph; the Confederate leader had found a foe who had come out to fight, and one that would take no step backward. The Union commander was

at his headquarters, calm and determined. To a member of his staff he had remarked: "I notice that these Southerners fight desperately at first; yet, when we hang on for a day or two, we whip them awfully."

On Saturday morning there was some slight skirmishing, but neither party seemed willing to attack. It had not been Grant's intention to fight in the Wilderness.

It

was Lee who had chosen this as a battlefield, and in leaving it he confessed that he had been defeated in his attempt to prevent the advance of the army under General Grant.

In the two days' terrible slaughter in the Wilderness, Grant had lost nearly 18,000 men. Among the National killed were Generals Wadsworth and Hays; and Generals Getty, Gregg, Owen, Bartlett and Webb, wounded. Lee had lost fully 12,000 men-Generals Jenkins and Jones killed, and Generals Longstreet (severely), Stafford (mortally), Pickett, Pegram and Hunter, wounded.

At noon it was reported to Grant that Lee was in full retreat toward Spottsylvania Court House, thirteen miles

Spottsylvania Court House.

distant. Having several hours the start, and inside line of march, he was able to secure the high ground that surrounds the Court House before the Union forces could arrive, though the pursuit was immediate and by forced marches. Arriving on Sunday, the Confederates were

found strongly entrenched. The greater part of the day, and that of the next, was spent in bringing up the Union forces and assigning them to their proper places, and locating batteries. While employed on Monday in giving directions to some of his artillerymen, the Union General Sedgwick was shot dead by a rebel sharpshooter. His loss was an irreparable one to the army, and caused sincere mourning throughout the entire army, for he was beloved

by his soldiers. Headley, in his History, speaks of his death in these words:

"Words of eulogium, which would seem like flattery if spoken of other men, are inadequate to express his virtues. A thorough soldier, a skillful general, and one of the very best of men, he was at once respected and beloved by all who knew him. Simple in heart and manner; modest as a youth; very generous to all around him; never seeking his own aggrandizement to the detriment of others, but rather preferring theirs to his own; he was the modern example of Chaucer's 'very parfit, gentil knight.' Forever green be the turf above his quiet grave at Cornwall Hollow, watered by the tears of friendship, and cherished by the pious care of patriot pilgrims."

In these movements for position, the Confederates had been unceasing in their attacks upon the advance lines, and disputed every inch of ground.

By the morning of the 10th everything was in readi ness for battle, and an attack on the enemy's line to carry his entrenchments was ordered, but failed. Assault upon assault followed. Late in the afternoon a successful and memorable charge was made by the Second Brigade of the Sixth Corps. Springing over the enemy's works, they captured upward of a thousand prisoners and several cannon, but were compelled to retire from their perilous position, owing to non-support on their left

In no previous battle of the war had there been such fearful carnage. Fully ten thousand men on each side had fallen, with no decisive results. Thus ended the first day's battle of Spottsylvania. At midnight Lee withdrew to his inner line of defense.

On the 11th the battle was renewed, and was but a repetition of that of the preceding day. Assaults and counter-assaults were made with unsurpassed heroism, and met by the most stubborn resistance. By a singular coincidence,