The battle is called Wilderness. In May 1886 Lee, outmanned and outgunned, pinned his hopes on forcing Grant to meet him in the woods on central Virginia. Cushman (English, U. of Virginia) describes the combat at close quarters and the inability to see the whole field of engagement that resulted in one of the most brutal battles of the war. After 26,000 casualties on both sides, Grant's advance was only briefly stemmed. Stories and poems about the battle, detailed maps, and contemporary drawings are part of the account.