Central Virginia Battlefields Trust Preserves Significant Spotsylvania Battlefield Land
Originally published May 2018 · pp. 1–10
May 7, 1864, after intense fighting in the Wilderness, both Generals Lee and Grant faced each other, neither having accomplished their goals. Grant failed to destroy Lee; Lee had failed to drive Grant away. A Union aide wrote, “There lay both armies, each behind its breastworks, panting and exhausted, and scowling at each other.” That morning Grant ordered Meade to make “all preparations for a night march to Spotsylvania.” The battle of Spotsylvania
Court House would incur over 29,000 casualties amongst both armies and encompass some of the most intense hand-to-hand combat of the war. In the early morning of May 9, while inspecting his dispositions near Brock Road, Union Major General John Sedgwick would exclaim to his men who were dodging Confederate sniper fire, “What! What! Men dodging this way for single bullets. They couldn’t hit an elephant at this distance.” Just then he was hit in the head by a rebel round and fell dead. The Central Virginia Battlefields Trust has just closed on 14.4 acres, three adjoining parcels, of important land on the Spotsylvania battlefield. The property south of Brock Road and immediately above Hancock Drive, now referred to as the “Fifth Corps Brock Road Tract,” played a significant role in the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House (May 8–21, 1864). While the battle saw numerous attacks over multiple days, across a broad shifting front, the property along Brock Road played an important part in five phases of the battle:
- It served as a staging area for the Army of the Potomac’s initial attacks on May 8, 1864. 2. It became the rallying point for the Union’s Fifth Army Corps when their attacks collapsed on May 8, 1864 3. It served as a staging and rallying point for Union Fifth Corps attacks on May 10 and May 12, 1864. 4. It became the defensive cornerstone for the Army of the Potomac’s right flank May 12, 1864. 5. It shifted into an avenue of Confederate movement, probing the Union defenses on May 14, 1864.
The Fifth Corps’ hold on the Brock Road was vital in determining the focus of combat for the first half of the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House. This property played a pivotal role in allowing the Fifth Corps to hold Brock Road and use it for both offensive and defensive maneuvering. The site offered a commanding ridge with a good view of the battlefield, as well as a stream and ravine that compartmentalized the Union defenses. The parcel drew a number of officers and artists to the site; it also drew fire. Quite a few Union soldiers fell on the property, particularly artillerymen. Although much of the Spotsylvania battlefield has been preserved by the National Park Service, there remain important pieces to the puzzle that rarely become available for preservation and interpretation. This purchase will add much more to the engagement’s story as well as insulate the battlefield park from modern encroachment. With over 1,200 acres of local battlefield land saved since its inception in 1996, this important piece of our history now adds to that impressive total. The CVBT has preserved this significant piece of our history with an investment of $205,000.00; this is the fundraising goal. It is becoming more challenging to preserve significant ground in the Spotsylvania battlefield area and especially along Brock Road, an area that CVBT board member, noted Civil War preservationist and reenactor, Robert Lee Hodge calls “One of the most historical roads in America.” For more information visit www.cvbt.org.
Period photograph of the Sedgewick Monument.