I really contest that Lee lost systematically more men, the here under revolution of Grants Overland campaign mid '64 reveals this. Make the sum,
on the contrary I believe Grant was known for his bloody record.
I have to agree on the fact that Lee lost the most decisive battles on Union ground with an enormous body count,
source = acw game "from Sumter to Appotomax"
Grant's Overland Campaign [May-June 1864]
Wilderness
Other Names: Combats at Parker's Store, Craig's Meeting House, Todd's Tavern, Brock Road, the Furnaces
Location: Spotsylvania County
Campaign: Grant's Overland Campaign (May-June 1864)
Date(s): May 5-7, 1864
Principal Commanders: Lt. Gen. U.S. Grant and Maj. Gen. G.G. Meade [USA]; Gen. Robert E. Lee [CSA]
Forces Engaged: 162,920 total (USA 101,895; CSA 61,025)
Estimated Casualties: 29,800 total (USA 18,400; CSA 11,400)
Description: The opening battle of Grant's sustained offensive against the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia, known as the Overland Campaign, was fought at the Wilderness, May 5-7. On the morning of May 5, 1864, the Union V Corps attacked Ewell's Corps on the Orange Turnpike, while A.P. Hill's corps during the afternoon encountered Getty's Division (VI Corps) and Hancock's II Corps on the Plank Road. Fighting was fierce but inconclusive as both sides attempted to maneuver in the dense woods. Darkness halted the fighting, and both sides rushed forward reinforcements. At dawn May 6, Hancock attacked along the Plank Road, driving Hill's Corps back in confusion. Longstreet's Corps arrived in time to prevent the collapse of the Confederate right flank. At noon, a devastating Confederate flank attack in Hamilton's Thicket sputtered out when Lt. Gen. James Longstreet was wounded by his own men. The IX Corps (Burnside) moved against the Confederate center, but was repulsed. Union generals James S. Wadsworth and Alexander Hays were killed. Confederate generals John M. Jones, Micah Jenkins, and Leroy A. Stafford were killed. The battle was a tactical draw. Grant, however, did not retreat as had the other Union generals before him. On May 7, the Union advanced by the left flank toward the crossroads of Spotsylvania Courthouse.
Outcome: Inconclusive (Grant continued his offensive.)
Spotsylvania Court House
Other Names: Combats at Laurel Hill and Corbin's Bridge (May 8); Ni River (May 9); Laurel Hill, Po River, and Bloody Angle (May 10); Salient or Bloody Angle (May 12-13); Piney Branch Church (May 15); Harrison House (May 18); and Harris Farm (May 19)
Location: Spotsylvania County
Campaign: Grant's Overland Campaign (May-June 1864)
Date(s): May 8-21, 1864
Principal Commanders: Lt. Gen. U.S. Grant and Maj. Gen. G.G. Meade [USA]; Gen. Robert E. Lee [CSA]
Forces Engaged: 152,000 total (USA 100,000; CSA 52,000)
Estimated Casualties: 30,000 total (USA 18,000; CSA 12,000)
Description: After the Wilderness, Grant's and Meade's advance on Richmond by the left flank was stalled at Spotsylvania Courthouse on May 8. This two-week battle was a series of combats 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 came near to cutting the Confederate Army in half. Confederate counterattacks plugged the gap, and fighting continued unabated for nearly 20 hours in what may well have been the most ferociously sustained combat of the Civil War. On May 19, a Confederate attempt to turn the Union right flank at Harris Farm was beaten back with severe casualties. Union generals Sedgwick (VI Corps commander) and Rice were killed. Confederate generals Johnson and Stuart were captured, Daniel and Perrin mortally wounded. On May 21, Grant disengaged and continued his advance on Richmond.
Outcome: Inconclusive (Grant continued his offensive.)
Yellow Tavern
Location: Henrico County
Campaign: Grant's Overland Campaign (May-June 1864)
Date(s): May 11, 1864
Principal Commanders: Maj. Gen. Philip Sheridan [USA]; Maj. Gen. J.E.B. Stuart [CSA]
Forces Engaged: Divisions
Estimated Casualties: 800 total
Description: As the battle between Grant and Lee raged at Spotsylvania Court House, the Union cavalry corps under Maj. Gen. Philip Sheridan embarked on a cavalry raid against Richmond. After disrupting Lee's road and rail communications, Sheridan's cavalry expedition climaxed with the battle of Yellow Tavern on May 11. The outnumbered Confederate cavalry was defeated, and Maj. Gen. J.E.B. Stuart was mortally wounded. Sheridan continued south to threaten the Richmond defenses before joining Butler's command at Bermuda Hundred. After refitting, Sheridan rejoined the Army of the Potomac for the march to the southeast and the crossing of the Pamunkey on May 25.
Outcome: Union victory
Wilson's Wharf
Location: Charles City
Campaign: Grant's Overland Campaign (May-June 1864)
Date(s): May 24, 1864
Principal Commanders: Brig. Gen. Edward Wild [USA]; Maj. Gen. Fitzhugh Lee [CSA]
Forces Engaged: Brigades
Estimated Casualties: 165 total
Description: On May 24, Fitzhugh Lee's cavalry division (about 3,000 men) attacked the Union supply depot at Wilson's Wharf and was repulsed by two black regiments under Brig. Gen. Edward Wild (about 1,800 men).
Outcome: Union victory
Haw's Shop
Other Names: Enon Church
Location: Hanover County
Campaign: Grant's Overland Campaign (May-June 1864)
Date(s): May 28, 1864
Principal Commanders: Brig. Gen. David M. Gregg [USA]; Maj. Gen. Fitzhugh Lee and Maj. Gen. Wade Hampton [CSA]
Forces Engaged: Divisions
Estimated Casualties: 744 total (USA 344; CSA 400)
Description: Gregg's cavalry division, supported by Torbert's division, advanced to cover the Army of the Potomac's crossing of the Pamunkey River and movement toward Totopotomoy Creek. Fitzhugh Lee's and Hampton's cavalry divisions, later reinforced by Butler's South Carolina brigade, met the Union at Enon Church. After seven hours of mostly dismounted cavalry fighting, the Union advance was stopped. Both Confederate and Union infantry began arriving in the vicinity as the cavalry fighting raged.
Outcome: Inconclusive
North Anna
Other Names: Telegraph Road Bridge, Jericho Mill (May 23), Ox Ford, Quarles Mill, Hanover Junction (May 24)
Location: Caroline County and Hanover County
Campaign: Grant's Overland Campaign (May-June 1864)
Date(s): May 23-26, 1864
Principal Commanders: Lt. Gen. U.S. Grant and Maj. Gen. G.G. Meade [USA]; Gen. Robert E. Lee [CSA]
Forces Engaged: Armies
Estimated Casualties: 4,000 total
Description: After the fighting at Spotsylvania Court House, Grant continued his Overland Offensive against Lee's Army of Northern Virginia. He was brought up short on the North Anna River by Lee's widely studied hog snout line," which forced Grant to divide his Army into three parts in order to attack. On May 23, 1864, one of A.P. Hill's divisions assaulted the V Corps which had crossed the river at Jericho Mill, resulting in bloody see-saw fighting. On the 24th, Union infantry was repulsed at Ox Ford (the snout") but advanced to near the Doswell House on the Confederate right. Lee hoped to strike an offensive blow, but he was ill, and the opportunity for defeating an isolated part of the Union Army passed. Once the threat of Lee's position was revealed, Grant withdrew both wings of the Army back across the North Anna River. Grant outflanked the position by moving downstream and continued his advance on Richmond.
Outcome: Inconclusive
Totopotomoy Creek
Other Names: Bethesda Church, Crumps Creek, Matadequin Creek,
Location: Hanover County
Campaign: Grant's Overland Campaign (May-June 1864)
Date(s): May 28-30, 1864
Principal Commanders: Lt. Gen. U.S. Grant and Maj. Gen. G.G. Meade [USA]; Gen. Robert E. Lee [CSA]
Forces Engaged: Corps
Estimated Casualties: 2,200 total (USA 1,100; CSA 1,100)
Description: Operations along Totopotomoy Creek opened with cavalry combats at the Pamunkey River crossing at Dabney's Ferry (Hanovertown) and at Crump's Creek on May 27. During the cavalry fight at Haw's Shop on May 28, Union and Confederate infantry arrived in the vicinity. The Confederates entrenched behind Totopotomoy Creek. On the 29th, the Union II, IX, and V Corps probed Lee's position along the creek, while the VI Corps felt its way toward Hanover Court House. Early on the 30th, the VI Corps turned south to come in on the far right flank of the Union line (II Corps) but bogged down in swampy Crump's Creek without getting into position. The II Corps forced a crossing of Totopotomoy Creek in two places, capturing the first line of Confederate trenches, but the advance was stopped at the main line. The IX Corps maneuvered into position on the left of the II Corps, driving back Confederate pickets on the Shady Grove Road. In the meantime, the V Corps, moving near Bethesda Church on the far left flank of the Union Army, was attacked by Early's corps. The Union soldiers were driven back to Shady Grove Road after heavy fighting. Confederate Brig. Gen. George Doles was killed by a sharpshooter near Bethesda Church on June 2.
Outcome: Inconclusive
Old Church
Other Names: The Crossing
Location: Hanover County
Campaign: Grant's Overland Campaign (May-June 1864)
Date(s): May 30, 1864
Principal Commanders: Brig. Gen. Alfred Torbert [USA]; Maj. Gen. Wade Hampton [CSA]
Forces Engaged: Brigades
Estimated Casualties: 900 total
Description: With the armies stalemated along the Totopotomoy Creek line, the Union cavalry began probing east and south. On May 30, Torbert's Division attacked and defeated Hampton's Division near Old Church. Hampton's troopers were driven steadily back on the road to Old Cold Harbor, opening the door for Sheridan's capture of the important crossroads the next day.
Outcome: Union victory
Cold Harbor
Other Names: Second Cold Harbor
Location: Hanover County
Campaign: Grant's Overland Campaign (May-June 1864)
Date(s): May 31-June 12, 1864
Principal Commanders: Lt. Gen. U.S. Grant and Maj. Gen. G.G. Meade [USA]; Gen. Robert E. Lee [CSA]
Forces Engaged: 170,000 total (USA 108,000; CSA 62,000)
Estimated Casualties: 14,500 total (USA 12,000; CSA 2,500)
Description: On May 31, Sheridan's cavalry seized the vital crossroads of Old Cold Harbor. Relying heavily on their new repeating carbines and shallow entrenchments, Sheridan's troopers threw back several attacks by Confederate cavalry. Both sides dug in during the night. Confederate reinforcements arrived from Richmond and from the Totopotomoy Creek lines. On June 1, the Union VI and XVIII Corps reached Cold Harbor and assaulted the Confederate works with some success. By June 2, both armies were on the field, forming on a five-mile front that extended from Bethesda Church to the Chickahominy River. At dawn June 3, the II, VI, and XVIII Corps assaulted along the Bethesda Church-Cold Harbor line and were slaughtered at all points. Grant commented in his memoirs that this was the only attack he wished he had never ordered. The armies confronted each other on these lines until night of June 12, when Grant again advanced by his left flank, marching to James River at Windmill Point. On June 14, the II Corps was ferried across the river at Wilcox's Landing by transports. On June 15, the rest of the Army began crossing on a 2,200-foot-long pontoon bridge. Abandoning the well-defended approaches to Richmond, Grant sought to shift his Army quickly south of the river to threaten Petersburg.
Outcome: Confederate victory
Trevilian Station
Other Names: Trevilians
Location: Louisa County
Campaign: Grant's Overland Campaign (May-June 1864)
Date(s): June 11-12, 1864
Principal Commanders: Maj. Gen. Philip Sheridan [USA]; Maj. Gen. Wade Hampton [CSA]
Forces Engaged: Divisions
Estimated Casualties: 1,600 total
Description: To draw off the Confederate cavalry and open the door for a general movement to the James River, Maj. Gen. Philip Sheridan mounted a large-scale cavalry raid into Louisa County, threatening to cut the Virginia Central Railroad. On June 11, Sheridan with the Gregg's and Torbert's divisions attacked Hampton's and Fitzhugh Lee's cavalry divisions at Trevilian Station. Sheridan drove a wedge between the Confederate divisions, throwing them into confusion. On the 12th, fortunes were reversed. Hampton and Lee dismounted their troopers and drew a defensive line across the railroad and the road to Gordonsville. From this advantageous position, they beat back several determined dismounted assaults. Sheridan withdrew after destroying about six miles of the Virginia Central Railroad. Confederate victory at Trevilian prevented Sheridan from reaching Charlottesville and cooperating with Hunter's Army in the Valley. This was one of the bloodiest cavalry battles of the war.
Outcome: Confederate victory
