Battle of the Wilderness order of battle: Confederate explained

The following Confederate States Army units and commanders fought in the Battle of the Wilderness (May 5–7, 1864) of the American Civil War. The Union order of battle is listed separately. Order of battle compiled from the army organization^[1] May 5–6, 1864,^[2] the army organization at beginning of the Campaign,^[3] the army organization during the Campaign^[4] and the reports.^[5]

Abbreviations used

Military rank

• Gen = General
• LTG = Lieutenant General
• MG = Major General
• BG = Brigadier General
• Col = Colonel
• Ltc = Lieutenant Colonel
• Maj = Major
• Cpt = Captain

Other

• (w) = wounded
• (mw) = mortally wounded
• (k) = killed in action
• (c) = captured

Army of Northern Virginia

See main article: Army of Northern Virginia. Gen Robert E. Lee

General Staff:

• Chief Engineer: MG Martin L. Smith
• Chief of Artillery: BG William N. Pendleton
• Assistant Adjutant General: Ltc Walter H. Taylor
• Aide de Camp: Ltc Charles Marshall
• Aide de Camp: Maj Charles S. Venable

First Corps

See main article: First Corps, Army of Northern Virginia. LTG James Longstreet^[6] (w)
MG Charles W. Field
MG Richard H. Anderson^[7]

width=25%	Division	width=25%	Brigade	Regiments and Others
McLaws' (old) Division     BG Joseph B. Kershaw[8]	Kershaw's Brigade   Col John D. Kennedy (w)   Col John W. Henagan	2nd South Carolina 3rd South Carolina 7th South Carolina 8th South Carolina: Col John W. Henagan 15th South Carolina 3rd South Carolina Battalion
	Wofford's Brigade   BG William T. Wofford	16th Georgia 18th Georgia 24th Georgia Cobb's (Georgia) Legion Phillips' (Georgia) Legion 3rd Georgia Battalion Sharpshooters
	Humphreys' Brigade   BG Benjamin G. Humphreys	13th Mississippi 17th Mississippi 18th Mississippi 21st Mississippi
	Bryan's Brigade   BG Goode Bryan	10th Georgia 50th Georgia 51st Georgia 53rd Georgia
Field's Division     MG Charles W. Field	Jenkins' Brigade   BG Micah Jenkins (k)   Col John Bratton	1st South Carolina (Volunteers) 2nd South Carolina Rifles 5th South Carolina 6th South Carolina: Col John Bratton Palmetto (South Carolina) Sharpshooters
	Law's Brigade[9]   Col William F. Perry	4th Alabama 15th Alabama 44th Alabama 47th Alabama 48th Alabama
	Anderson's Brigade   BG George T. Anderson	7th Georgia 8th Georgia 9th Georgia 11th Georgia 59th Georgia
	Gregg's Brigade   BG John Gregg[10] (w)	3rd Arkansas 1st Texas 4th Texas 5th Texas
	Benning's Brigade   BG Henry L. Benning (w)   Col Dudley M. Du Bose	2nd Georgia 15th Georgia: Col Dudley M. Du Bose 17th Georgia 20th Georgia
Artillery     BG Edward P. Alexander	Huger's Battalion   Ltc Frank Huger	Fickling's (South Carolina) Battery Moody's (Louisiana) Battery Parker's (Virginia) Battery J. D. Smith's (Virginia) Battery Taylor's (Virginia) Battery Woolfolk's (Virginia) Battery
	Haskell's Battalion   Maj John C. Haskell	Flanner's (North Carolina) Battery Garden's (South Carolina) Battery Lamkin's (Virginia) Battery[11] Ramsay's (North Carolina) Battery
	Cabell's Battalion   Col Henry C. Cabell	Callaway's (Georgia) Battery Carlton's (Georgia) Battery McCarthy's (Virginia) Battery Manly's (North Carolina) Battery

Second Corps

See main article: Second Corps, Army of Northern Virginia. LTG Richard S. Ewell

General Staff:^[12]

• Assistant Adjutant General: Ltc Alexander S. Pendleton
• Assistant Adjutant General: Maj Campbell Brown
• Assistant Inspector General: Col Abner Smead
• Engineer: Maj Benjamin H. Greene
• Aide de Camp: Lt Thomas T. Turner
• Chief of Ordnance: Ltc William Allan
• Medical Director: Dr. Hunter H. McGuire
• Quartermasters: Maj John D. Rogers and Maj A. M. Garber
• Commissaries and subsistence: Maj Wells J. Hawks and Cpt J. J. Lock

width=25%	Division	width=25%	Brigade	Regiments and Others
Early's Division[13]     MG Jubal A. Early	Hays' Brigade   BG Harry T. Hays	5th Louisiana 6th Louisiana 7th Louisiana 8th Louisiana 9th Louisiana
	Pegram's Brigade   BG John Pegram (w)   Col John S. Hoffman	13th Virginia 31st Virginia: Col John S. Hoffman 49th Virginia 52nd Virginia 58th Virginia
	Gordon's Brigade   BG John B. Gordon	13th Georgia 26th Georgia 31st Georgia 38th Georgia 60th Georgia 61st Georgia
Johnson's Division     MG Edward Johnson	Stonewall Brigade   BG James A. Walker	2nd Virginia 4th Virginia 5th Virginia 27th Virginia 33rd Virginia
	Jones' Brigade   BG John M. Jones (k)   Col William A. Witcher	21st Virginia: Col William A. Witcher 25th Virginia 42nd Virginia 44th Virginia 48th Virginia 50th Virginia
	Steuart's Brigade   BG George H. Steuart	1st North Carolina 3rd North Carolina 10th Virginia 23rd Virginia 37th Virginia
	Stafford's Brigade   BG Leroy A. Stafford (mw)   Col Zebulon York	1st Louisiana 2nd Louisiana 10th Louisiana 14th Louisiana: Col Zebulon York 15th Louisiana
Rodes' Division     MG Robert E. Rodes	Daniel's Brigade[14]   BG Junius Daniel	32nd North Carolina 45th North Carolina 53rd North Carolina 2nd North Carolina Battalion
	Doles' Brigade[15]   BG George P. Doles	4th Georgia 12th Georgia 44th Georgia
	Ramseur's Brigade   BG Stephen D. Ramseur	2nd North Carolina 4th North Carolina 14th North Carolina 30th North Carolina
	Battle's Brigade[16]   BG Cullen A. Battle	3rd Alabama 5th Alabama 6th Alabama 12th Alabama 61st Alabama
	Johnston's Brigade[17] [18]   BG Robert D. Johnston	5th North Carolina 12th North Carolina 20th North Carolina 23rd North Carolina
Artillery[19]     BG Armistead L. Long	Brown's Division   Col J. Thompson Brown (k)	Hardaway's Battalion: Ltc Robert A. Hardaway Dance's (Virginia) Battery Graham's (Virginia) Battery C. B. Griffin's (Virginia) Battery Jones' (Virginia) Battery B. H. Smith's (Virginia) Battery Braxton's Battalion: Ltc Carter M. Braxton Carpenter's (Virginia) Battery Cooper's (Virginia) Battery Hardwicke's (Virginia) Battery Nelson's Battalion: Ltc William Nelson Kirkpatrick's (Virginia) Battery Massie's (Virginia) Battery Milledge's (Georgia) Battery
	Carter's Division   Col Thomas H. Carter	Cutshaw's Battalion: Maj Wilfred E. Cutshaw Carrington's (Virginia) Battery A. W. Garber's (Virginia) Battery Tanner's (Virginia) Battery Page's Battalion: Maj Richard C. M. Page W. P. Carter's (Virginia) Battery Fry's (Virginia) Battery Page's (Virginia) Battery Reese's (Alabama) Battery

Third Corps

See main article: Third Corps, Army of Northern Virginia. LTG Ambrose P. Hill

width=25%	Division	width=25%	Brigade	Regiments and Others
Anderson's Division     MG Richard H. Anderson     BG William Mahone	Perrin's Brigade   BG Abner M. Perrin	8th Alabama 9th Alabama 10th Alabama 11th Alabama 14th Alabama
	Harris' Brigade   BG Nathaniel H. Harris	12th Mississippi 16th Mississippi 19th Mississippi 48th Mississippi
	Mahone's Brigade   BG William Mahone   Col David A. Weisiger	6th Virginia 12th Virginia: Col David A. Weisiger 16th Virginia 41st Virginia 61st Virginia
	Wright's Brigade   BG Ambrose R. Wright	3rd Georgia 22nd Georgia 48th Georgia 2nd Georgia Battalion 10th Georgia Battalion[20]
	Perry's Brigade   BG Edward A. Perry (w)   Col David Lang[21]	2nd Florida 5th Florida 8th Florida: Col David Lang
Heth's Division     MG Henry Heth	Davis' Brigade[22]   Col John M. Stone	1st Confederate Battalion[23] 2nd Mississippi 11th Mississippi 26th Mississippi 42nd Mississippi 55th North Carolina
	Cooke's Brigade   BG John R. Cooke	15th North Carolina 27th North Carolina 46th North Carolina 48th North Carolina
	Kirkland's Brigade   BG William W. Kirkland	11th North Carolina 26th North Carolina 44th North Carolina 47th North Carolina 52nd North Carolina
	Archer's and Walker's Brigade[24]   BG Henry H. Walker	Archer's Brigade 13th Alabama 1st Tennessee (Provisional Army) 7th Tennessee 14th Tennessee Walker's Brigade 40th Virginia 47th Virginia 55th Virginia 22nd Virginia Battalion
Wilcox's Division     MG Cadmus M. Wilcox	Lane' s Brigade   BG James H. Lane	7th North Carolina 18th North Carolina 28th North Carolina 33rd North Carolina 37th North Carolina
	Scales' Brigade   BG Alfred M. Scales	13th North Carolina 16th North Carolina 22nd North Carolina 34th North Carolina 38th North Carolina
	McGowan's Brigade   BG Samuel McGowan	1st South Carolina (Provisional Army) 1st South Carolina Rifles 12th South Carolina 13th South Carolina 14th South Carolina
	Thomas' Brigade   BG Edward L. Thomas	14th Georgia 35th Georgia 45th Georgia 49th Georgia
Artillery     Col Reuben L. Walker	Poague's Battalion   Ltc William T. Poague	Richards' (Mississippi) Battery Utterback's (Virginia) Battery Williams' (North Carolina) Battery Wyatt's (Virginia) Battery
	Pegram's Battalion   Ltc William J. Pegram	Brander's (Virginia) Battery Cayce's (Virginia) Battery Ellett's (Virginia) Battery Marye's (Virginia) Battery Zimmerman's (South Carolina) Battery
	McIntosh' s Battalion   Ltc David G. McIntosh	Clutter's (Virginia) Battery Donald's (Virginia) Battery Hurt's (Alabama) Battery Price's (Virginia) Battery
	Cutts' Battalion   Col Allen S. Cutts	Patterson's (Georgia) Battery Ross' (Georgia) Battery Wingfield's (Georgia) Battery
	Richardson's Battalion   Ltc Charles Richardson	Grandy's (Virginia) Battery Landry's (Louisiana) Battery Moore's (Virginia) Battery Penick's (Virginia) Battery

Cavalry Corps

See main article: Cavalry Corps, Army of Northern Virginia. MG J.E.B. Stuart

width=25%	Division	width=25%	Brigade	Regiments and Others
Hampton's Division[25]     MG Wade Hampton	Young's Brigade[26] [27]   Col Gilbert J. Wright[28]	Cobb's (Georgia) Legion Phillips' (Georgia) Legion Jeff. Davis (Mississippi) Legion
	Rosser's Brigade   BG Thomas L. Rosser	7th Virginia 11th Virginia 12th Virginia 35th Virginia Battalion
Fitzhugh Lee's Division     MG Fitzhugh Lee	Lomax's Brigade   BG Lunsford L. Lomax	5th Virginia 6th Virginia 15th Virginia
	Wickham's Brigade   Col Thomas T. Munford[29]	1st Virginia 2nd Virginia 3rd Virginia 4th Virginia
William H. F. Lee's Division     MG William H. F. Lee	Chambliss' Brigade   BG John R. Chambliss	9th Virginia 10th Virginia 13th Virginia
	Gordon's Brigade   BG James B. Gordon	1st North Carolina 2nd North Carolina 5th North Carolina
Horse Artillery     Maj R. Preston Chew	Breathed's Battalion   Maj James Breathed	Hart's (South Carolina) Battery Johnston's (Virginia) Battery McGregor's (Virginia) Battery Shoemaker's (Virginia) Battery Thomson's (Virginia) Battery

Strengths

The following table shows total strengths of each of the major formations at the start of the battle.^[30]

First Corps

McLaws' Division	width=80px; style="text-align: right;"	Strength
Kershaw's Brigade	1.590
Wofford's Brigade	1.615
Humphreys' Brigade	940
Bryan's Brigade	1.025
Field's Division	width=80px; style="text-align: right;"	Strength
Jenkins' Brigade	1.590
Law's Brigade	1.255
Anderson's Brigade	1.390
Gregg's Brigade	850
Benning's Brigade	995
First Corps Total	width=80px; style="text-align: right;"	Strength
McLaws' Division	5.170
Field's Division	6.080
Artillery	1.595
Total	12.845

Second Corps

Early's Division	width=80px; style="text-align: right;"	Strength
Hays' Brigade	900
Pegram's Brigade	1.520
Gordon's Brigade	2.270
Johnson's Division	width=80px; style="text-align: right;"	Strength
Stonewall Brigade	1.320
Jones' Brigade	1.850
Steuart's Brigade	1.610
Stafford's Brigade	705
Rodes' Division	width=80px; style="text-align: right;"	Strength
Daniel's Brigade	1.500
Doles' Brigade	1.365
Ramseur's Brigade	1.440
Battle's Brigade	1.810
Johnston's Brigade	1.320
Second Corps Total	width=80px; style="text-align: right;"	Strength
Early's Division	4.960
Johnson's Division	5.485
Rodes' Division	7.435
Artillery	1.700
Total	19.580

Third Corps

Anderson's Division	width=80px; style="text-align: right;"	Strength
Perrin's Brigade	1.635
Harris' Brigade	1.395
Mahone's Brigade	1.805
Wright's Brigade	1.685
Perry's Brigade	610
Heth's Division	width=80px; style="text-align: right;"	Strength
Davis' Brigade	1.690
Cooke's Brigade	1.960
Kirkland's Brigade	2.150
Archer's Brigade	755
Walker's Brigade	895
Wilcox's Division	width=80px; style="text-align: right;"	Strength
Lane' s Brigade	2.350
Scales' Brigade	1.735
McGowan's Brigade	2.230
Thomas' Brigade	1.600
Third Corps Total	width=80px; style="text-align: right;"	Strength
Anderson's Division	7.130
Heth's Division	7.450
Wilcox's Division	7.915
Artillery	1.910
Total	24.405

Cavalry Corps

Cavalry Corps	width=80px; style="text-align: right;"	Strength
Hampton's Division	2.475
Fitzhugh Lee's Division	3.450
William H. F. Lee's Division	2.905
Horse Artillery	470
Total	9.300

Total Army of Northern Virginia

Total Army of Northern Virginia	width=80px; style="text-align: right;"	Strength
First Corps	12.845
Second Corps	19.580
Third Corps	24.405
Cavalry Corps	9.300
Total	66.130

See also

• Spotsylvania Court House Confederate order of battle
• Cold Harbor Confederate order of battle

References

• Boyd, Charles E. The Devil's Den: A History of the 44th Alabama Volunteer Infantry Regiment, Confederate States Army, 1862-1865. Birmingham, AL: Banner Press, 1987. .
• Eicher, John H., and Eicher, David J. Civil War High Commands. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press, 2001. .
• Rhea, Gordon C. The Battle of the Wilderness May 5–6, 1864. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1994.
• Rhea, Gordon C. To the North Anna River: Grant and Lee, May 13–25, 1864. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 2000.
• Rhea, Gordon C. Cold Harbor: Grant and Lee, May 26-June 3, 1864. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 2002
• Sibley, Jr., F. Ray, The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1, The Army of Northern Virginia, Shippensburg, Pennsylvania, 1996.
• U.S. War Department, The War of the Rebellion: a Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, U.S. Government Printing Office, 1880 - 1901.
• Wise, Jennings C., The Long Arm of Lee, Volumen 2: Chancellorsville to Appomattox, University of Nebraska Press, Lincoln and London, 1991
• Wittenberg, Eric J. Glory Enough For All: Sheridan's Second Raid and the Battle of Trevilian Station. Washington, DC: Brassey's, Inc, 2001.
• Young, Alfred C., III. Lee's Army during the Overland Campaign: A Numerical Study. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 2013. .

Notes and References

1. Multiple commander names indicate command succession of command during the battle or the campaign.
2. Gordon C. Rhea, The Battle of the Wilderness May 5–6, 1864, The Order of Battle
3. Official Records, Series I, Volume XXXVI, Part 1, pages 1021–1027
4. F. Ray Sibley, Jr., The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1, The Army of Northern Virginia, pages 66-76
5. Official Records, Series I, Volume XXXVI, Part 1, pages 1162–1168
6. [George Pickett|Pickett's]
7. Assigned to command of the First Corps on May 7, 1864 (see: Official Records, Series I, Volume XXXVI, Part 2, page 967)
8. Brigadier General Kershaw was not assigned to permanent command of McLaws' old Division until June 4, 1864 (see: Official Records, Series I, Volume XXXVI, Part 3, page 873). Kershaw was promoted to Major General on June 1, 1864 with date of rank from May 18, 1864 (see: John H. Eicher and David J. Eicher, Civil War High Commands, page 331).
9. Brigadier General Evander M. Law was under arrest and absent from the battle.(see Charles E. Boyd, The Devil's Den: A History of the 44th Alabama Volunteer Infantry Regiment, Confederate States Army, 1862-1865, page 99.)
10. Gregg's was wounded on May 6, 1864 but did not leave the field (see: John H. Eicher and David J. Eicher, Civil War High Commands, page 267)
11. Until the army went into the Richmond-Petersburg lines, Lamkin's Battery served as Sharpshooters (see: F. Ray Sibley, Jr., The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1, The Army of Northern Virginia, page 285/Note 84; Pendleton's report)
12. For composition of Ewell's staff see: Ewell's report
13. [Robert F. Hoke|Hoke's]
14. The 43rd North Carolina was detached with Hoke's Brigade in the Department of North Carolina and Southern Virginia (see: F. Ray Sibley, Jr., The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1, The Army of Northern Virginia, page 288/Note 156; Sketch of the 43rd Regiment, North Carolina troops, pages 11-15; Official Records, Series I, Volume XXXIII, pages 1202 and 1321; Official Records, Series I, Volume XXXVI, Part 3, pages 80 and 175; Official Records, Series I, Volume LI, Part 2, page 885). Gordon C. Rhea in The Battle of the Wilderness May 5–6, 1864, The Order of Battle and the Official Records lists the 43rd North Carolina in Daniel's Brigade.
15. The 21st Georgia was detached with Hoke's Brigade (see: Ewell's report; Official Records, Series I, Volume XXXIII, pages 1202 and 1321; Official Records, Series I, Volume LI, Part 2, page 885)
16. The 61st Alabama was assigned on February 12, 1864 in place of the 26th Alabama (see: Battle's report; Official Records, Series I, Volume XXXIII, pages 1176). The 26th Alabama was reported on May 12, 1864 at Macon, Georgia (see: Official Records, Series I, Volume XXXVIII, Part 4, page 704). Gordon C. Rhea in The Battle of the Wilderness May 5–6, 1864, The Order of Battle and the Official Records lists the 26th Alabama instead of the 61st Alabama in Battle's Brigade.
17. Johnston's Brigade arrived on May 6, 1864 from Hanover Junction (see: Ewell's report; Gordon C. Rhea, The Battle of the Wilderness May 5–6, 1864, page 410)
18. Gordon C. Rhea in The Battle of the Wilderness May 5–6, 1864, The Order of Battle lists this Brigade in Early's Division, but the Brigade was not transferred to Early's Division until May 8, 1864 (see: Ewell's report; Official Records, Series I, Volume XXXVI, Part 2, page 974; Official Records, Series I, Volume LI, Part 2, pages 902-903)
19. The Artillery of the Second Corps was organized into two Divisions on April 7, 1864 (see: Pendleton's and Long's report; Jennings C. Wise, The Long Arm of Lee, Volumen 2: Chancellorsville to Appomattox, pages 738-739; Official Records, Series I, Volume XXXIII, page 1267)
20. The 10th Georgia Battalion was assigned to Wright's Brigade before the Battle of the Wilderness (see: Alfred C. Young III, Lee's Army during the Overland Campaign: A Numerical Study, pages 162-163 and 306)
21. For Lang in command see: F. Ray Sibley, Jr., The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1, The Army of Northern Virginia, page 72
22. Brigadier General Joseph R. Davis was absent sick (see: 2nd Mississippi Infantry Regiment, Chapter 6; Gordon C. Rhea, The Battle of the Wilderness May 5–6, 1864, page 193)
23. The 1st Confederate Battalion and the 26th Mississippi joined Davis' Brigade before the Battle of the Wilderness (see: Official Records, Series I, Volume XXXII, part 3, pages 672, 674 and 676; Official Records, Series I, Volume XXXIII, page 954; F. Ray Sibley, Jr., The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1, The Army of Northern Virginia, page 291/Note 230; 2nd Mississippi Infantry Regiment, Chapter 5, Note 113). Gordon C. Rhea in The Battle of the Wilderness May 5–6, 1864, The Order of Battle and the Official Records lists none of the two commands.
24. Archer's and Walker's Brigade were consolidated under Brigadier General Walker (see: Gordon C. Rhea, The Battle of the Wilderness May 5–6, 1864, The Order of Battle; F. Ray Sibley, Jr., The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1, The Army of Northern Virginia, page 292/Note 250)
25. Gordon C. Rhea in The Battle of the Wilderness May 5–6, 1864, The Order of Battle and the Official Records lists Butler's Brigade (4th, 5th and 6th South Carolina Cavalry) in Hampton's Division, but the first elements from Butler's Brigade arrived not before May 20, 1864 (see: Gordon C. Rhea, To the North Anna River: Grant and Lee, May 13–25, 1864, page 197 and The Order of Battle; Gordon C. Rhea, Cold Harbor: Grant and Lee, May 26-June 3, 1864, pages 16, 66, 67 and 111; F. Ray Sibley, Jr., The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1, The Army of Northern Virginia, page 295/Note 251).
26. Gordon C. Rhea in The Battle of the Wilderness May 5–6, 1864, The Order of Battle, F. Ray Sibley, Jr. in The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1, The Army of Northern Virginia, page 75 and the Official Records lists the 7th Georgia Cavalry in Young's Brigade, but the 7th Georgia Cavalry was not assigned until June 7, 1864 (see: Eric J. Wittenberg, Glory Enough For All, page 14)
27. Gordon C. Rhea in The Battle of the Wilderness May 5–6, 1864, The Order of Battle, F. Ray Sibley, Jr. in The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1, The Army of Northern Virginia, page 75 and the Official Records lists the 20th Georgia Cavalry Battalion in Young's Brigade, but the 20th Georgia Cavalry Battalion was not ordered to join the Army of Northern Virginia until May 25, 1864 (see: Official Records, Series I, Volume XXXVI, Part 3, pages 831-832). The 20th Georgia Cavalry Battalion arrived on May 28, 1864 (see: Gordon C. Rhea, Cold Harbor: Grant and Lee, May 26-June 3, 1864, page 67) and was assigned to Young's Brigade on June 7, 1864 (see: Eric J. Wittenberg, Glory Enough For All, page 14).
28. Brigadier General Young was not present, Colonel Wright (Cobb's Legion) was in command (see: Eric J. Wittenberg, Glory Enough For All, page 14; Official Records, Series I, Volume XXXVI, Part 2, page 961)
29. Brigadier General Williams C. Wickham was in Richmond, Virginia on May 4, 1864, and was not back in command of his brigade until May 9, 1864 (see: F. Ray Sibley, Jr., The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1, The Army of Northern Virginia, page 296/Note 358)
30. Alfred C. Young III, Lee's Army during the Overland Campaign: A Numerical Study, pages 232 and 244-246