Grants Overland Campaign, May-June, 1864:The Union Armyof the Potomac’s hard-fought campaign from the tangledforest of the Wilderness just south of the Rapidan River tothe James River in the spring and summer of 1864 was theclimatic struggle in Virginia during the American Civil War.Hard fought military operations such as the Wilderness (May5-6), Spotsylvania (May 7-12), the North Anna (May 13-25),and Cold Harbour (May 26-3) traced the bloody path that wouldultimately lead Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia todefend the Confederate capital of Richmond, thus forfeiting theadvantage of maneuver to counter the Army of the Potomac’ssuperiority in numbers and material.