Saunders Field - The Wilderness Tour | Overland 160

This video is part of our series commemorating the 160th Anniversary of The Overland Campaign. You can view the full series here: • The Overland Campaign ... #thewildernesstour
The Battle of the Wilderness begins at Saunders Field, a rare clearing in the local landscape.
The American Battlefield Trust preserves America’s hallowed battlegrounds and educates the public about what happened there and why it matters. We permanently protect these battlefields for future generations as a lasting and tangible memorial to the brave soldiers who fought in the American Revolution, the War of 1812, and the Civil War.

[@chrismiller8046]

I have an ancestor who fought in Saunders field with the 12th US infantry. I got to walk in his footsteps a few years ago. He was captured and taken to Andersonville prison: he survived.

[@citizenbobx]

"I had a division of regulars once. I buried half of them at Gettysburg and the other half in the Wilderness. There's no regulars left." -Romeyn B. Ayres

[@shanestahl8788]

Great quote, I am going to use that in the future!

[@VloggingThroughHistory]

Really enjoying these Wilderness videos. Keep up the great work everyone!

[@richardglady3009]

Wow…as a person in a wheelchair who will never visit these sites again (I did so in the 1980’s), I can not thank you enough for these videos. The combination of description and visuals brings this part of the battle to life. Thanks for all the hard work. This is actually the first time I have been able to watch the videos, as released, the numbers in the upper right corner in the beginning are helpful. I find it interesting something commented on…the improper placement of the trenches. There is the myth that in the Overland Campaign, trench warfare was already perfected and attacking trenches was pure suicide. In fact, there was a learning curve…although the end was still the same. Oh man, I can hardly wait for #3!

[@AmericanBattlefieldTrust]

Thanks for the kind words!

[@MarkKanaster-ev6pq]

Went to Saunders field yesterday took the walk into the woods heard birds and hammers they are coming up to the very borders of the national park so sad the developers will win you too can have your backyard where men died 160 years ago 😢

[@danswolley9822]

Chris has a fine talent for presentation. Bravo.

[@2210courtney]

140th NY “Rochester Racehorses”, the real heroes of Little Round Top and in the vanguard at the Wilderness, across that killing field and for a time took that trench line. Who know what could have happened with proper flank support

[@drdouglas36541]

My 4th great grand father was one of the soldiers of the 61st Alabama. He died on the 1st day of battle. The Civil War not only claimed him but 2 of his son's also.

[@jimmyherring2007]

Hey drove right by you guys today!!! Great place

[@johnpowers3947]

I think this was shot a few weeks ago. Not many leaves on the trees.

[@sethgraves4572]

Seeing the new Overland series has made my day!

[@DavidHowell-dq7vj]

Great job!I went last spring and walked Ewell’s line at Saunders field.. stunning battlefield.looking forward to more videos

[@JasonAlexander-uz4ns]

Great job as always. I really like the interpretation with the map .Google view at the beginning was really good

[@vickistevens423]

Another outstanding video. Great job, Kris White and Sarah Kay Bierle. A wealth of information.

[@GuyPipili]

You forgot Dan Davis 😮

[@vickistevens423]

@@GuyPipili yes I did. Dan Davis, you did a great job as well. Thank you to the whole ABT crew for a job well done.

[@Edward-qy4dp]

Gr Gr Grandfather wounded here. 4th NY Heavy Artillery.

[@TimDavis-gr5jn]

Honestly this was one of the best episodes I think you have done. The time spent on just a small slice of this hectic battle had me “glued “. I started my day May 4th at Bacon Race Church in Prince William county and had all intentions of heading back home (Newton NC) through the Wilderness but chickened out after looking at the weather radar. Made a quick stop at Five Forks instead. Thanks for keeping the intricacies of our history alive.

[@AmericanBattlefieldTrust]

Thanks for the kind words!

[@blakebufford6239]

I liked Garys lone charge across the bridge, past Chris and up the hill of death.

[@bigsarge2085]

Incredible history.

[@derekrupert2013]

NY got it tough that day. Rhea’s Wilderness study is a good read. Saunders fields trail winds through the woods and finishes with some explanation of JB Gordon’s flank attack.

[@ryanillanne4095]

YES! I was hoping we would get wilderness 160 since the chancelorsville series last summer. Are we getting Spotsylvania as well? I hope so i have to see the bloody angle. You guys are the best 😊

[@AmericanBattlefieldTrust]

Indeed, we're covering the entire campaign.

[@sbishop6450]

😂 love the way you all walk at Garry speed! Great video guys. 🇬🇧

[@michaelhoffman5348]

Thanks Guys! Excellent job as always.

[@robertvirtue]

Great work guys and you Sara. Very informative and well documented.

[@georgewilkes02]

Would love to see a tour of Gordon’s flank attack on the 6th. They have a nice trail just North of Saunder’s Field here. I had several ancestors who fought in the 61st Georgia and took part in the attack.

[@Tomatohater64]

Fabulous, folks; very interesting. I keep getting this tough feeling that the Rebs were just better at this than we were.

[@slicksouth5773]

I hope yall do this for the 1864 Valley campaign. That was such an interesting series of battles.

[@AmericanBattlefieldTrust]

It's on the calendar!

[@Heystraw]

It was maybe back in 1995 when I was at Saunders field. My memory might be warped a little, but I thought there was an interpretive sign that talked about an intense fist fight between a reb and yank where everyone in the immediate area paused to watch the fight and the reb won.

[@brianjennings7644]

I'll never understand why Grant didn't burn that place to the ground, BEFORE he went in there. It wasn't an insurmountable idea..Sherman's pyros could have had a ball.

[@Stew-kv8nw]

From a member- Outstanding as always. I don’t know what equipment the production crew is using but it’s right on. I know some networks that can take a lesson from you. .

[@AmericanBattlefieldTrust]

Awesome to hear. Thanks!

[@bobbyblizzard8488]

Great video!

[@jamsineath]

You do an excellent narrative !

[@markleach116]

Another excellent video! Thanks!!

[@garys.4789]

Your videos are always interesting 😎👍

[@Maximoootom]

Awesome. More!

[@TermiteUSA]

Duane Allman always reminded me of AP Hill.

[@garneroutlaw1]

Confusing and savage battle. I'm still confused how this battle unfolded. This was no doubt one of the best fought battles by the AotP. A huge blow to Lee's army. That account from Battle about the 16 year old soldier should be taken with a grain of salt the size of a bulldozer.

[@VSdrummer010]

25:27 Garry on a mission! 🏃💨 😆

[@TermiteUSA]

At around 8-10 minutes when Chris and others are talking in front of the map, Garry's reflection in the glass is the best ghost-"like" image ever. It would be appropriate if the park service could preserve him pacing back and forth looking at his phone, save it for future generations to see.

[@Bodiddley788]

I may have missed it, but wasn't Stonewall wounded here and wound later die? Last summer I watched one video saying that Stonewall and also A.P. Hill were both out in the middle of the night and their own men didn't know they were out scouting.

[@AmericanBattlefieldTrust]

Stonewall was wounded at Chancellorsville, this is the same area but a year later

[@Bodiddley788]

@@AmericanBattlefieldTrust Wow! I didn't know that. It seems like both sides would have had a wealth of experience with that area in regards to topography and such. Especially after having already fought there before. I live close to Shiloah National Park and may visit it this weekend. My GG Grandfather fought with the Mississippi 7th Company I under Chalmers there.

[@philkaiser6025]

Pretty sure the Army of the Potomac was led by General George Gordon Meade at that time, and the overall commander of the entire Union army was General Hiram Ulysses Grant ("Ulysses S. Grant" was a mistaken and not real name, and it's weird that Kris, who takes so much pride in being able to know all these general's middle names, doesn't call Grant by his real given name), who chose to attach himself to the Army of the Potomac. Yes, he ordered Meade to do things, but he also ordered the other Union armies to do things as well, like Sherman's, to give one example. I agree with other posters on your initial Overland 160 video that we should not forget the actual General who was in charge of that army, nor should we disregard Grant's actual name for a made-up moniker.

[@GatorTTailAllain]

🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸💪💪💪💪💪💪💪💪

[@edwil111]

this must have been video'd in April or march. No tree foliage.

[@AmericanBattlefieldTrust]

Indeed. We got welcomed by a 40 degree week in late March.

[@jorgemartinpaez4376]

The Wilderness the battle mostly fighting in the heavily thick woods, (on the second Anniversary of the Mexicano Juarista battle of Puebla 1862) Is Saunders Field near the area where in the Blue and the Grey, elements of the Union Army of the Potomac and the Rebel Army of Northern VA see each other and then deploy into the woods and roads, the Battle of the Wilderness had begun, So Longstreet is back after Chattanooga? and Chickamauga? and being wounded? The Army of the Potomac came in piecemeal? The history of the CCC in the 1930s does impact the preservation and conversation of the parks, and battle sites this is interesting? The federal 18th Mass Vol Inf, 83rd Pa Vol INF and others units of the V Corps engage the confederates /Rebels? the 140th NSVInF, were they now a zouave regt ?155th PA vol INF, 146NYSVINF Little rnd top troops, and the 20th Maine is there, the professor /soldado Col J LChamberlain , the indirect friendly fire incident is tragic and traumatic,

[@EthiopianAndAmericanTradFamily]

There needs to be a proper visitor center

[@choctawone8266]

I wonder if the Confederates dug their works over the brow of ridge and into the woods intentionally? For good reasons, they might have wanted to be unmolested by enemy fire and observation as they dug their works. Additionally, the discussion about how dense the woods were, lends credence to a theory that they wanted to have the fight in the woods because they were so outnumbered initially. Chaos might favor those who are outnumbered, so long as they are in place at the start of the fight. Just curious.

[@MrFrostings]

Jeez Dan. Should have taken a second take

[@burrellbikes4969]

Yeah, that story she told of Battle and the young soldier, sounds pretty apocryphal to me. Midst of legit, intense battle, with bullets and cannonballs everywhere. Leadership responsibility to hundreds of soldiers with the Union troops pressing on their position - and he takes the time to have what amounts to a therapy session? Yeah, that seems a bit far fetched to me. I’m not saying there was zero interaction - just probably not to this level of detail and therapeutic sympathy.

[@griffinclary61]

I have a possible relivtive that was in the 5th Corp and went on the 5th Charles griffin