This may be more than you want to know, but "The Complete Idiots' Guide to American History" (Alan Axelrod) Has the following about the Battle of the Wilderness which took place in May-June 1864: "The Wilderness Campaign (May-June 1864) was the first test of the strategy of attrition. Grant directed Meade, leading a force of 100,000, to attack 70,000 men of Lee's Army of Northern Virginia in the tangled woodlands just 50 miles northwest of Richmond. The Battle of the Wilderness (may 5-6) cost some 18,000 Union lives. Undaunted, 'The Butcher' (General GRANT) then ordered Meade southeast to Spotsylvania Court House, where more than 14,000 Union soldiers were killed between May 8 and 18." When the battle ended, there was no clear victor. Hundreds of wounded from both sides burned to death in the brush fires during the night. Hope this helps. Donna (Surnames being researched in Western PA- BOOK, CUNNINGHAM, GLENN, HENNON, MOORE, MORROW, MCCONAHY, MCKAY, MOHNEY, NELSON, PLATER/PLATTER; RIDDLE, RODGERS, VAN EMAN, WILLIAMS, WILSON)