Battlefield: The Gordon Flank Attack Trail begins on VA 20, seventeen miles west of Fredericksburg. To reach the trailhead, turn left from the Fredericksburg Battlefield Visitor Center onto Lafayette Boulevard. Follow Lafayette Boulevard for three blocks. Turn left on Littlepage Street. Follow Littlepage six blocks to William Street (VA 3). Follow VA 3 west for fifteen miles to VA 20. Turn left on VA 20 and proceed about two miles to the Wilderness Battlefield Exhibit Shelter on the right.
 

History: The premier Civil War generals produced by each side -- Confederate General Robert E. Lee and Union Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant -- fought their first battle here in the dense second-growth vegetation called the Wilderness. Early on May 4, 1864, Grant's troops began moving south, toward Richmond, through the Wilderness. The Union army's line of march led it past two parallel east-west roads, the Orange Turnpike and the Orange Plank Road. When Union soldiers encountered Confederates moving toward them along the two thoroughfares, they suspended their southward movement and Grant issued orders for the army to strike Lee.

Fighting began along the Orange Turnpike at about mid-day on May 5. The Confederates selected a position bordering the western edge of Saunders Field, the clearing around the Wilderness Exhibit Shelter. Union forces attacked across Saunders Field and the fighting spread into the neighboring woods. During one phase of the fight, the Confederate line broke, but a determined counterattack enabled the Southerners to re-establish their position.

After some sharp fighting north of the Orange Turnpike early on May 6, the area remained relatively quiet until late in the afternoon, when Brigadier General John B. Gordon led an attack against the Union right flank. The assault drove two Union brigades from their positions before darkness caused confusion among the Confederates, bringing the battle to a close.

The bitter fighting resulted in more than 17,000 Federal casualties and perhaps as many as 11,000 Confederate losses. During the evening of May 7, Grant again rushed his men southward. The next struggle began on May 8 near Spotsylvania Court House.

Questions:

1.  Confederate General John M. Jones was killed when Federals broke General ________________ lines on May 5, 1864.

2. The ________________ Road was typical of woods trails that comprised the primitive transportation network in the Wilderness.

3. On May 6th, 1864, the Confederates began battle first at ________________ in the morning.

4. On the morning of May 6, 1864, Confederate General ________________ proposed a flank attack, but his superiors hesitated to authorize an advance until they were sure it would not threaten the security of the Confederate lines.

5. Union General ________________ recalled that "the enemy moved against us in front, on the flank, and in the rear, completely enveloping us in fire.

_____________________ ___________ _______________________ ____________

Hiker's Signature                 Date                Leader's Signature                   Date
 
 
 
 

Taken from the old BSA Troop 847 web site http://users.gamma4.com/troop847/
Troop 847 has since moved to a new web site and no longer has these pages on-line.
http://www.1bigred.com/troop847/