In the spring of 1864, the 100,000-strong Union Army of the Potomac led by General Ulysses S. Grant marched in the direction of Richmond, Viginia, thereby beginning it's offensive against General Robert E. Lee's Confederate Army of Northern Virginia. Both sides encountered difficulties maneuvering around the woods where the fighting occurred, giving the Battle of the Wilderness its name. The intense fighting from May 5-7, 1864 led to no decisive conclusion. The Union and Confederacy suffered about 17,666 and 11,000 casualties, respectively.
