Valuable Crossroads
Battle of the Wilderness
Just after noon on May 5, 1864, Union troops raced toward this intersection. With Confederates from General A.P. Hill's corps sweeping down the Orange Plank Road from the west, blue-clad troops under George W. Getty arrived here just moments before the Confederates. The Federals immediately started building earthworks to defend the crossroads. The remnants of those works are still visible along the Brock Road.
Later on May 5, men of the Union Second Corps launched attacks westward from these earthworks. They did not get far. About 200 yards behind you, they crashed into Hill's line, entrenched among the leaves. For the next five hours, fighting raged in these woods. Neither side gained an advantage. Thousands fell. May 6 promised a bloody renewal of the contest for the Plank Road-Brock Road intersection.
Marker can be reached from the intersection of Orange Plank Road (County Route 621) and Brock Road (County Route 613), on the right when traveling east.
Courtesy hmdb.org
