On the morning of May 6, 1864, Confederate Gen. Robert Lee faced disaster on the Wilderness battlefield along Orange Plank Rd. as Gen. Winfield Hancock's Union troops assaulted and drove back the exhausted Confederate soldiers of Gen. A.P. Hill. Only a line of artillery remained as sole protection, which temporarily stalled the attack but would not stop it.
When all hope seemed lost, the Texas Brigade, under the command of Gen. James Longstreet, rode out from the woods to assist the Rebel troops. Gen. Lee, himself, rode out to lead the Texans into battle. Hancock's advance was successfully halted and the Confederate army would go on to win the Battle of the Wilderness.
Near the edge of the field known as the Widow Tapp's Field along Plank Rd. stands a memorial to the Texas Brigade. It was placed here by the state of Texas in 1964, during the centennial of the Civil War. The inscription on the monument reads:
Front
TEXAS
Remembers the valor and devotion of
her sons who served at the Wilderness
May 6, 1864
From near this spot the Texas Brigade
pleaded with General Lee not to
expose himself to Federal fire and
then after seeing him to safety,
launched a vigorous counterattack
that stemmed the advance of Hancock's
Corps and saved the right flank of
the Confederate army. Of approximately
800 troops involved the Texas Brigade
counted over 500 casualties.
Texas troops at the Wilderness were
1st Texas Infantry Regiment, Lt. Col.
E.S. Bass, 4th Texas Infantry Regiment,
Col. J.P. Bane; 5th Texas Infantry
Regiment, Lt. Col. K. Bryan, the Texas
Brigade included the Third Arkansas
Infantry Regiment.
(Brig. Gen. John Gregg's Texas Brigade
Maj. Gen. Charles W. Field's Division,
Lt. Gen. James Longstreet's Corps).
A memorial to Texans
who served the Confederacy
Erected by the state of Texas - 1964
Back
Texans
At the Wilderness
"Who are you my boys?" Lee cried as he
saw them gathering.
"Texas boys," they yelled, their number
multiplying every second.
The Texans - Hood's Texans, of
Longstreet's Corps, just at the right
place and at the right moment! After
the strain of the dawn, the sight of
these grenadier guards of the South
was too much for Lee. For once the
dignity of the Commanding General was
shattered for once his poise was shaken.
"Hurrah for Texas," he shouted, waving
his hat, "Hurrah for Texas."
The willing veterans sprang into
position...He would lead them in the
countercharge...He spurred... Traveller
...on the heels of the infantry men.
..."Go back, General Lee. Go back!"
They cried
..."we won't go on unless you go back!"
-Douglas Southall Freeman
Nearby is the Lee To The Rear marker. When Gen. Lee attempted to lead the Texans, they stopped and begged him to return to safety. Only when he returned to the rear did the attack proceed. Unfortunately, the Texans lost 500 of 800 men.
There is no parking along Plank Rd. at the location of the monument. There are two alternative parking areas at:
- N 38° 17.344 W 077° 43.608
- N 38° 17.661 W 077° 43.483
This section of the Wilderness Battlefield is a part of the Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park.
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