Wilderness Battlefield

The Battle of the Wilderness was fought on May 5-6, 1864. It was the beginning of the Overland Campaign, the bloodiest campaign in American history and the turning point in the war in the Eastern Theatre.Directions: To reach an exhibit shelter on the Wilderness Battlefield, from I-95 take exit 130 (Route 3) west for approximately eleven miles. Turn left at the traffic light at the intersection with Route 20. Proceed two miles. The shelter is on the right. It is an open air shelter without water or rest rooms.Hours: The battlefield is open daily from sunrise to sunset. There is no visitor center on this battlefield. Historians at the Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville Visitor Centers are available daily to orient visitors and answer questions about the Wilderness when the shelter is not manned.