William Swinton, Campaigns of the Army of the Potomac

But the like reasons made Grant equally little minded to renew the assault. Yet the situation was such, that it was necessary either to go forward or to go backward.

Had General Grant chosen to adopt the latter course, he would not have been without precedents. But this step was not only unbefitting his position—it was altogether contrary to his bent of mind. There is much in that commander's temper that recalls that old marshal whom his soldiers named ‘Marshal Forwarts;’ and as Blucher, in the great campaign in France, that ended in the capitulation of Napoleon, would hear of nothing but marching straight on Paris, so Grant, his eyes fixed immovably on Richmond as the goal of all his efforts, the prize he resolved to seize, through whatever seas of blood he might have to wade, pronounced the magisterial word, ‘Forward!’ When darkness came, the columns began their march for Spottsylvania.

The battle of the Wilderness is scarcely to be judged as an ordinary battle. It will happen in the course as in the beginning of every war, that there occur actions in which ulterior purposes, and the combinations of a military programme play very little part; but which are simply trials of strength. The battle of the Wilderness was such a mortal combat—a combat in which the adversaries aimed each, respectively, at a result that should be decisive: Lee to crush the campaign in its inception, by driving the Army of the Potomac across the Rapidan; Grant to destroy Lee.

Out of this fierce determination came a close and deadly grapple of the two armies—a battle terrible and indescribable