Fighting in the Wilderness

“The Wilderness” was perhaps the worst site for a major battle between two large armies. The miles of scrub oak and pine made all maneuvering and communication difficult. When the dry trees caught fire during battle, smoke made seeing the enemy impossible and fires killed many soldiers.

The 20th Indiana Volunteer Infantry Regiment, of which Erasmus Corwin Gilbreath was a member, suffered 19 killed and 105 wounded in “The Wilderness.”