Civil War Riker Case The Battle of the Wilderness
Item #: WR164
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This is a riker case with three Civil War bullets, a depiction of General Grant on horse back in the Wilderness, and images of Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant and General Robert E. Lee. The three bullets, one a .52 caliber Sharps bullet, one a melted .69 caliber Minie bullet and the other a .58 caliber Minie bullet, were all recovered at The Wilderness, Virginia. The parchment style paper has been labeled "The Battle of The Wilderness", along with the identification of each bullet and a summary of the Battle of the Wilderness. The Battle of The Wilderness was fought on 5-6 May, 1864. It is considered the first battle of Lieutenant General Ulysses Grant's 1864 Virginia Overland Campaign against the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia and General Robert E. Lee. General Grant, commanding approximately 125,000 of the Army of the Potomac, was attempting to move through the dense underbrush of the Wilderness area of Spotsylvania in an attempt to get between Lee's army and the Confederate capital of Richmond, Virginia. General Lee, commanding approximately 65,000 soldiers of the Army of Northern Virginia, has anticipated Grant's movements and sent two of his Corps to intercept Grant. On the morning of 5 May, the Union 5th Corps, commanded by Major General Gouverneur K. Warren, attacked the Confederate 2nd Corps, commanded by Lieutenant General Richard S. Ewell on the Orange Turnpike. That afternoon the Confederate 3rd Corps, commanded by Lieutenant General A.P. Hill, encountered the division commanded by Brigadier General George W. Getty and the Union 2nd Corps commanded by Major General Winfield S. Hancock on the Orange Plank Road. Fierce fighting occurred throughout the day and lasted until dark, as both armies tired to maneuver in the dense woods. Dawn on 6 May began with Hancock attacking along the plank road, driving Hill's corps back in confusion. The Confederate 1st Corps, commanded by Lieutenant General James Longstreet, arrived in time to support Hill and prevent the collapse of the Confederate right flank. Longstreet launched a surprise flank attack from an unfinished railroad bed that drove Hancock's men back to the Brock Road. During the attack Longstreet was wounded by his own men, and the attack lost momentum. On the evening of 6 May Brigadier General John B. Gordon launched an attack against the Union right flank that caused quite a commotion at Union headquarters, but the fighting died down at dark and the lines stabilized. On 7 May Grant disengaged from the fight and moved southeast, intending to leave the Wilderness and put his army between Lee and Richmond. The battle was considered indecisive, but Lee had stopped the Union advance on Richmond for the time being. Casualties were high on both sides, with the Union reporting 2246 killed, 12 037 wounded and 3383 captured or missing. Confederate casualties were reported as 1477 killed, 7866 wounded and 1690 captured or missing. The riker case measures 12 1/4" wide and 8 1/4" high. It has been provisioned on the back to hang from two nails or screws. This will make an inexpensive birthday or Christmas present for the Civil War collector in the family.
Your Price $50.00 USD
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