Editing Battle of the Wilderness (section)

===Getty and Hancock at Orange Plank Road===
[[File:Battle of the Wilderness - May 5 Orange Plank.png|thumb|upright=1.75|Getty kept Union control of the vital intersection of Orange Plank Road and Brock Road]]
Visibility was limited near Orange Plank Road, and officers had difficulty controlling men and maintaining formations. Attackers would move blindly and noisily forward, becoming targets for concealed defenders.<ref name="Esposito122"/> Unable to duplicate the surprise that was achieved by Ewell on the turnpike, A.P. Hill's approach was detected from the Chewning farm location of Crawford's 3rd Division of the V Corps. Crawford notified Meade, and his message arrived at Meade's headquarters around 10:15{{nbsp}}am.<ref name="Eicher664-665">{{harvnb|Eicher|2001|pp=664–665}}</ref>

Crawford sent the [[13th Pennsylvania Reserve Regiment]] (a.k.a. the Bucktails) as skirmishers toward Hill, but Hammond's line was falling apart before the Bucktails arrived near the Orange Plank Road.  Crawford did not support his Pennsylvanians, and instead worked to solidify his position at the Chewning Farm and get ready to assist in the Orange Turnpike fighting. By the time this was accomplished, Hammond was beyond helping.<ref name="Rhea117">{{harvnb|Rhea|2004|p=117}}</ref> Meade's army was in danger if Hill could push Hammond beyond Brock Road and take control of the intersection (Orange Plank and Brock roads). That would cause Warren's V{{nbsp}}Corps to have large enemy forces on two sides, and Hancock's II{{nbsp}}Corps could get isolated from the rest of Meade's army.<ref name="Schaff136">{{harvnb|Schaff|1910|p=136}}</ref>

Although Hancock was not far from the intersection of Orange Plank Road and Brock Road, he would have to move {{convert|4|mi|km|spell=in}} on a twisting road that was a narrow wagon route.<ref name="Rhea109">{{harvnb|Rhea|2004|p=109}}</ref><ref name="Rhea133">{{harvnb|Rhea|2004|p=133}}</ref> The VI Corps's lead division of Brigadier General [[George W. Getty]] was waiting at Wilderness Tavern, so at 10:30{{nbsp}}am Meade sent it to defend the important intersection until Hancock could get there.<ref name="Rhea133"/> Hammond's 500-man cavalry force, employing repeating carbines and fighting dismounted, succeeded in slowing Hill's approach.<ref name="Starr89"/> However, Hammond's small force was vastly outnumbered and continued to gradually retreat east.<ref name="Starr90">{{harvnb|Starr|2007|p=90}}</ref>

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|quote=Lee established his headquarters at the Widow Tapp farm. Lee, Jeb Stuart, and Hill were meeting there when they were surprised by a party of Union soldiers entering the clearing. The three generals ran for safety and the Union men, who were equally surprised by the encounter, returned to the woods, unaware of how close they had come to changing the course of history.<ref name="Rhea128">{{harvnb|Rhea|2004|p=128}}</ref>}}By noon, Hill had the division of Major General [[Henry Heth]] past the Widow Tapp farm, and the division of Major General [[Cadmus M. Wilcox]] followed near Parker's Store.<ref name="Eicher665">{{harvnb|Eicher|2001|p=665}}</ref>{{#tag:ref|A widow named Catharine Tapp lived in a small cabin with a 40-acre (16 ha) field, called the Widow Tapp farm, that was one of the few clearings near the battlefield's Orange Plank Road.<ref name="Gallagher160"/> The house is several hundred yards (180 m) from the road, and partially obscured by trees.<ref name="Schaff171">{{harvnb|Schaff|1910|p=171}}</ref> From the Orange Plank Road, the farm is located about {{convert|1|mi|km|spell=in}} west of Brock Road.<ref name="Rhea127">{{harvnb|Rhea|2004|p=127}}</ref>|group=Note}} Hammond was nearly out of ammunition and was eventually pushed back to the vital intersection around noon, but was relieved by Getty's advance brigade just before Hill's forces arrived.<ref name="Gallagher118-119">{{harvnb|Rhea|1997|pp=118–119}}</ref> Hammond's force moved further east behind Getty, and was done fighting.{{#tag:ref|The official report lists Hammond's 5th New York Cavalry as having 50 casualties.<ref name="Scott1891b-129">{{harvnb|Scott|1891b|p=129}}</ref>|group=Note}} Because of Hammond's repeating rifles, the Confederate prisoners stated that they believed they had been fighting an entire brigade.<ref name="Starr89"/> Getty's men skirmished briefly with Heth's advance, and held the intersection.<ref name="Eicher665"/>

Getty held the intersection for hours waiting for Hancock's II Corps to arrive. By 3:30{{nbsp}}pm, initial elements of Hancock's corps were arriving, and Meade ordered Getty to assault the Confederate line.<ref name="Scott1891b-677">{{harvnb|Scott|1891b|p=677}}</ref> Getty attacked at 4:15{{nbsp}}pm while elements of Hancock's II Corps began arriving shortly thereafter. Getty was reinforced by Hancock's men, while Confederate commander Heth was reinforced by Wilcox's division.<ref name="Esposito122">{{harvnb|Esposito|1959|p=122}}</ref> The fighting was fierce, with casualties for the brigade commanded by Brigadier General [[Alexander Hays]] particularly high—including Hays who was killed while addressing the [[63rd Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment]]. Hays was an old friend of Grant, having attended West Point with him and served with him in the [[Mexican–American War|Mexican War]], and Grant was saddened to hear the news, remarking that he wasn't surprised to learn he'd died in battle as "It was just like him."<ref name="Rhea202-203">{{harvnb|Rhea|2004|pp=202–203}}</ref> Attacks and counterattacks continued into the night as casualties grew while neither side gained an advantage.<ref name="Eicher667">{{harvnb|Eicher|2001|p=667}}</ref> Getty's division was relieved by the II Corps after dark, and Getty's horse was killed in the day's fighting.<ref name="Scott1891b-677-678">{{harvnb|Scott|1891b|pp=677–678}}</ref>