8th Ohio at Wilderness
4-6 May 1864
"Carroll's Brigade came up to the cross roads about four o'clock, and as we passed into the woods on the north side of the plank road, we came upon the battle field. Trees were scarred and splintered and a good many dead and wounded lay in our path."
Carroll's Brigade would deploy to the north (left) and south (right) of the Orange Plank Road (the paved road in the picture). The 8th Ohio would deploy to the right of the road initially but would also deploy to the left side of the road later.
"The Second Division of the Sixth Corps under Gen. Getty, had here been engaged in a desperate encounter with the rebels under the Hill. A few hundred yards up the plank road, were a couple of guns that he had lost, now turned on us by the captors. Col. Carroll ordered the Eighth Ohio and the Seventh Virginia of his brigade to retake them; this was spiritedly done. The Seventh Virginia moved up on the north side, and the Eighth Ohio on the south side of the plank road with skirmishers in front, until the guns had been passed about one hundred yards, when Lieut. McKesson of the eighth, and a few men with drag ropes sprung unto the road and dragged back the guns. ...We were so much protected by the woods and the movement was instantaneous, that we had the guns and were back out of reach, before the rebel supports at the guns could be reinforced, and they were taken prisoners."
The 8th Ohio was deployed on the left of the road in the picture. However, later events would have the 8th deployed on the right as well.
"In a few minutes, we heard the opening shots from our front, which were promptly replied to by the enemy. We moved on rapidly over the ground fought over yesterday...We soon passed the line where the rebels had rested during the night We were now driving the enemy rapidly, keeping up a running fire and cheering lustily as we supposed we were having the battle all our own way."