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The Battle of the Wilderness Trivia Quiz

This quiz covers the Civil War Battle of the Wilderness. There is a mix of questions - some easy, some hard. Hope you enjoy. Good Luck

A multiple-choice quiz by whi1400. Estimated time: 5 mins.

Author
whi1400

Time
5 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
250,105

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
20

Difficulty
Tough

Avg Score
11 / 20

Plays
1147

Awards
Top 10% Quiz

Last 3 plays: Guest 207 (10/20), Guest 107 (13/20), Guest 174 (18/20).

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 20

1. The Battle of the Wilderness was fought on which two days? Hint

May 5-7, 1864

May 10-12, 1864

May 1-2, 1862

May 21-22, 1863

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Question 2 of 20

2. Ulysses S. Grant was the field commander of the Army of the Potomac at the Battle of the Wilderness.

True

False

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Question 3 of 20

3. How many INFANTRY divisions did Lee have with him at the Battle of the Wilderness? (Hint: One fewer than at Gettysburg.) Hint

NEXT>

Question 4 of 20

4. Which farm served as Lee's headquarters during the battle of the Wilderness? Hint

Chewning Farm

Tapp Farm

Saunders Farm

Higgerson Farm

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Question 5 of 20

5. Which Union Cavalry Division failed to picket the roads west of Wilderness Tavern the evening of May 4, 1864? (Hint: He's new to the East.) Hint

Torbert's

Merritt's

Wilson's

Gregg's

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Question 6 of 20

6. What Fifth Corps regiment made first contact with the Confederates on the Orange Turnpike, May 5, 1864? Hint

1st Michigan

91st Pennsylvania

20th Maine

140th New York

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Question 7 of 20

7. Which Confederate brigade commander was killed while trying to rally his broken lines along the Orange Turnpike on May 5, 1864. (Hint: He likes rum.) Hint

Junius Daniel

Robert D. Johnston

George Doles

John M. Jones

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Question 8 of 20

8. Who commanded the 9th Corps for the Union Army at the Battle of the Wilderness? Hint

Warren

Sedgwick

Burnside

Hancock

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Question 9 of 20

9. Which house was used by the 5th Corps as their headquarters?
(Hint: A famous arm is buried there.) Hint

Chatham

Tapp Farm

Carter House

Ellwood

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Question 10 of 20

10. This Second Corps (AOP) brigade commander was killed instantly while taking a drink of whiskey May 5, 1864. Hint

Alexander Webb

Alexander Hays

Gordon Granger

Absolom Baird

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Question 11 of 20

11. This Confederate Corps commander was wounded on the Orange Plank Road on May 6, 1864. Hint

Longstreet

Ewell

Hill

Anderson

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Question 12 of 20

12. What regiment shot the the Confederate army's 1st Corps commander? Hint

1st Texas

12th Virginia

55 North Carolina

44th Virginia

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Question 13 of 20

13. What Confederate general was shot by his own men, May 6, 1864? Hint

Micah Jenkins

Jubal Early

Stonewall Jackson

Robert E. Lee

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Question 14 of 20

14. The Union Army's 2nd Corps spent the night of May 4th around and on the old Chancellorsville battlefield.

True

False

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Question 15 of 20

15. What Tavern gave the battle its name? Hint

Cheers

Todd's Tavern

Wilderness Tavern

Robertson's Tavern

16. On May 6, 1864 the battle was not going well for Lee and his men began to buckle when Longstreet's column arrived. What famous brigade lead the way into the fight, and helped to stabilize Lee's line? Hint

The Orphan Brigade

The Excelsior Brigade

The Texas Brigade

The Virginia Brigade

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Question 17 of 20

17. Longstreet's men realized Lee was advancing with them. What did these men begin to chant? Hint

Lee to the front!

Fredericksburg! Fredericksburg!

Get out of the way!

Lee to the rear!

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Question 18 of 20

18. General James Wadsworth was wounded by his own men.

True

False

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Question 19 of 20

19. The woods in the Wilderness caught fire.

True

False

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Question 20 of 20

20. Who was the Union General that commanded the 6th corps during the battle? Hint

Warren

Hancock

Burnside

Sedgwick

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. The Battle of the Wilderness was fought on which two days?

Answer: May 5-7, 1864

The Battle of the Wilderness was fought a year after the Battle of Chancellorsville, in nearly the same location in Virginia.

2. Ulysses S. Grant was the field commander of the Army of the Potomac at the Battle of the Wilderness.

Answer: False

Grant was the overall commander of all Union forces in the field. The Army of the Potomac was still under the command of George Meade. Meade commanded the Army of the Potomac from Gettysburg till the surrender at Appomattox Court House.

3. How many INFANTRY divisions did Lee have with him at the Battle of the Wilderness? (Hint: One fewer than at Gettysburg.)

Answer: 8

Although Lee was slated to have 9 divisions with him, George Pickett's Division was still regaining its strength from their losses at Gettysburg. Later in the Overland Campaign some of Pickett's brigades rejoined the army.

4. Which farm served as Lee's headquarters during the battle of the Wilderness?

Answer: Tapp Farm

Lee moved from his winter headquarters at the Rhodes House in New Verdiersville, to the Widow Tapp Farm on May 5, 1864.

5. Which Union Cavalry Division failed to picket the roads west of Wilderness Tavern the evening of May 4, 1864? (Hint: He's new to the East.)

Answer: Wilson's

Wilson was new to field command. For 10 weeks he had served as Chief of the Cavalry Bureau in Washington. This campaign was the first he would command cavalry in the field. Prior to this he was a staff officer with McClellan, Grant, and Sherman.

6. What Fifth Corps regiment made first contact with the Confederates on the Orange Turnpike, May 5, 1864?

Answer: 1st Michigan

Col. William Throop of the 1st Michgan made contact with the lead elements of Richard Ewell's 2nd Corps ANV.

7. Which Confederate brigade commander was killed while trying to rally his broken lines along the Orange Turnpike on May 5, 1864. (Hint: He likes rum.)

Answer: John M. Jones

Known as "Rum Jones" John Marshall Jones was killed while attempting to bring his shattered lines back together. Killed in close proximity to Jones was Jubal Early's nephew.

8. Who commanded the 9th Corps for the Union Army at the Battle of the Wilderness?

Answer: Burnside

Ambrose Burnside was brought east with his 9th Army Corps. Burside was under the direct command of Grant, since he outranked Meade. Therefore Burnside's command was considered independent.

9. Which house was used by the 5th Corps as their headquarters? (Hint: A famous arm is buried there.)

Answer: Ellwood

Warren established his headquarters at Ellwood. On May 3rd 1863 Stonewall Jackson's arm was buried in the cemetery there, you can still visit the arm today.

10. This Second Corps (AOP) brigade commander was killed instantly while taking a drink of whiskey May 5, 1864.

Answer: Alexander Hays

Hays was shot in the head. His canteen strap was tangled and as he threw his head back it caught a bullet.

11. This Confederate Corps commander was wounded on the Orange Plank Road on May 6, 1864.

Answer: Longstreet

Longstreet was shot mistakenly by troops of the 3rd Corps.

12. What regiment shot the the Confederate army's 1st Corps commander?

Answer: 12th Virginia

Like the 18th North Carolina a year before, the 12th Virginia was credited with knocking another high ranking Confederate officer out of action.

13. What Confederate general was shot by his own men, May 6, 1864?

Answer: Micah Jenkins

Micah Jenkins was shot as well. Although he was ill he went into the fight and would be killed.

14. The Union Army's 2nd Corps spent the night of May 4th around and on the old Chancellorsville battlefield.

Answer: True

The 2nd Corps described skeletons from the Battle of Chancellorsville that had been dug out of the ground by animals and washed out by rain.

15. What Tavern gave the battle its name?

Answer: Wilderness Tavern

Wilderness Tavern was not much of a tavern. It was at the intersection of the Germanna Turnpike and the Orange Turnpike. It is no longer standing.

Answer: The Texas Brigade

Now commanded by John Gregg, the Texas Brigade lunged forward and helped drive back the Union efforts on the Orange Plank Road.

17. Longstreet's men realized Lee was advancing with them. What did these men begin to chant?

Answer: Lee to the rear!

The men of the Texas brigade refused to allow Lee to advance with them, they refused to go until Lee went to the rear. A few days later a similiar scene would occur at Spotsylvania.

18. General James Wadsworth was wounded by his own men.

Answer: False

Wadsworth was shot by Confederates, he was stuck in the head. He was not killed instantly. He died in a Confederate field hospital, he never awoke after the wounding.

19. The woods in the Wilderness caught fire.

Answer: True

The woods caught fire along the Orange Plank Road. Even Union fortifications caught fire during the battle. Also in Saunders Field fires would erupt.

20. Who was the Union General that commanded the 6th corps during the battle?

Answer: Sedgwick

John Sedgwick would lead the 6th Corps into the Overland Campaign, but he would fall a few days later at the Battle of Spotsylvania Courthouse.

Source: Author whi1400

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor bloomsby before going online.
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