ine passing through
Richmond and Washington. It was about 120 miles long, from the Potomac
on the north to the James on the south, and from 30 to 60 miles wide,
intersected by several rivers flowing into Chesapeake Bay. The
headquarters of the Union army were at Culpeper Court House, about 70
miles southwest of Washington, with which it was connected by railroad.
This was the starting point. Lee's army was about fifteen miles away,
with the Rapidan, a river difficult of passage, in front of it, the
foothills of the Blue Ridge on its left, and on its right a densely
wooded tract of scrub pines and various low growths, almost pathless,
known as "the Wilderness."

Two courses were open to Grant,--to march by the right, cross the upper
fords, and attack Lee on his left flank, or march by the left, crossing
the lower fords, and making into the Wilderness. Grant chose the latter
way, as, on the whole, most favorable to keeping open communications.
For General Grant, as commander of all the armies, was bound to avoid
being shut up or leaving Washington imperiled. And it may properly be
said here that his plan contemplated leaving General Meade free in his
tactics, giving him only general directions regarding what he desired to
have accomplished, the actual fighting to be done under Meade's orders.

The official reports to the Adjutant-General's office in Washington show
that on the 20th of April the Army of the Potomac numbered 81,864 men
present and fit for duty. Burnside's corps, which joined in the
Wilderness, added to this force 19,250 men, making a total of 101,114
men. After the Wilderness, a division numbering 7000 or 8000 men under
General Tyler joined it. When the Chickahominy was reached, a junction
with Butler's army, 25,000 strong, was made. Lee had on the 20th of
April present for duty, armed and equipped, 53,891. A few days later he
was reinforced by Longstreet's corps, which on the date given numbered
18,387, making a total of 72,278. Grant's army outnumbered Lee's, but he
was to make an offensive campaign in the enemy's country, operating on
exterior lines, and keeping long lines of communication open. Defending
Richmond and Petersburg there were other Confederate forces, under
Beauregard, Hill, and Hoke, estimated to amount to nearly 30,000 men,
and Breckenridge commanded still another army in the Shenandoah Valley.
In Grant's command, but not of the Army of the Potomac, were the
garrison of Washington and th