Spotsylvania Court House, VA

[Battle of Spotsylvania--Engagements at Laurel Hill & NY River, Va.
by Kurz & Allison - Courtesy of Wikipedia]
 

Date(s): May 8-21, 1864

Location: Please click on link below for map.

Campaign(s): Grant’s Overland Campaign (May-June 1864)

Battles in Campaign:

• Wilderness, VA - May 5-7, 1864 A

• Spotsylvania Court House, VA - May 8-21, 1864 A

• Yellow Tavern, VA - May 11, 1864 C¹

• Wilson's Wharf, VA - May 24, 1864 D¹

• Haw's Shop, VA - May 28, 1864 C¹

• North Anna, VA - May 23-26, 1864 B

• Totopotomoy Creek/ Bethesda Church, VA - May 28-30, 1864 B

• Old Church, VA - May 30, 1864 C¹

• Cold Harbor, VA - June 3-12, 1864

A

• Trevilian Station, VA - June 11-12, 1864 B

• Saint Mary's Church, VA - June 24, 1864 D¹

Situation:

Commanders:

• Union: Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant and Maj. Gen. George G. Meade

• Confederate: Gen. Robert E. Lee

Principal Forces:

• Union: 100,000

• Confederate: 52,000

Description:

• After the Wilderness battle, Grant’s and Meade’s advance on Richmond by the left flank was halted at Spotsylvania Court House on May 8.

• This two-week battle was a series of engagements along the Spotsylvania front.

• The Union attack against the Bloody Angle at dawn, May 12-13, captured nearly a division of Lee’s army and nearly cut the Confederate army in half until Confederate counterattacks filled the gap.

• Fighting continued for nearly 20 hours in some of the most ferocious combat of the Civil War.

• On May 19, a Confederate attempt to turn the Union right flank at Harris Farm was repulsed with severe casualties.

• On May 21, Grant disengaged and continued his advance on Richmond.

Photo Gallery:²

Massaponax Church	Massaponax Church	Spotsyvania Campaign - May 8, 1864	The Battle of Spotsylvania Court House Tour Map
		Spotsyvania Campaign - May 9-14, 1864	Spotsyvania Campaign Situation Map - May 8-10, 1864
Spotsyvania Campaign - May 10, 1864	Upton's Attack - 6 pm - May 10, 1864
Exploitation of the "Mule Shoe" - Spotsyvania Campaign - May 12, 1864	The Bloody Angle - Spotsyvania Campaign - May 12, 1864	The Bloody Angle - Spotsyvania Campaign - May 12, 1864	Site of 22-inch oak tree felled by small arms fire
	Monument to 15th regiment of the New Jersey Volunteers		Monument to 128th Ohio Regiment
	Generals Hancock and Wright Fighting for the Enemy's Rifle-pits	Confederate rifle pits
	Picture of Union Attack on Cofederate Position	Trail to Bloody Angle
		West Face of the Mule Shoe - Spotsyvania Campaign - May 10, 1864
Harrison House - Spotsyvania Campaign - May 12, 1864	Mayhem in the Mule Shoe	The McCoull House - Spotsyvania Campaign - May 12, 1864	The McCoull House
Site of the McCoull House	Confederate Trenches - Spotsyvania Campaign - May 12, 1864	Hancock's Attack on Ewell's Confederate Trenches	Federal Attack - Spotsyvania Campaign - May 12, 1864
Burnside Fails to Dent Eastern Face of Confederate Saliant Held by Early's Corps

Classification²: A

Casualties³:

• Union: 18,000

• Confederate: 12,000

Results: Inconclusive

Battlefield Websites:

• Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Monument Park - National Park Service

• Battle of Spotsylvania Court House - Wikipedia

• Overland Campaign - Wikipedia

• The 1864 Overland Campaign Tour - CivilWarTraveler.com

Recommended Resources:

¹ National Park Service summary.

² Please click on the image to enlarge it. You may copy the images if you include the following note and link with each image: "Courtesy of civil-war-journeys.org."

³ Classification:

• A - having a decisive influence on a campaign and a direct impact on the course of the war

• B - having a direct and decisive influence on their campaign

• C - having observable influence on the outcome of a campaign

• D - having a limited influence on the outcome of their campaign or operation but achieving or affecting important local objectives

⁴ Casualties are someone killed, injured, wounded, captured or missing.

Revised 06/05/2008