Battle of Spotsylvania • Tour the Battlefield • Monuments & Markers • The Armies

The Containing the Enemy, Reclaiming the Works wayside marker is on the south side of Gordon Avenue between Tour Stops 5 and 6.

This view looks south from Gordon Avenue toward the earthworks of Lane’s North Carolina Brigade. This was roughly the point of the deepest penetration of the Union breakthrough at the Muleshoe. The counterattack by Gordon’s Brigade pushed Union forces back and led to a day of the most intense fighting of the Civil War while the Confederates hastily prepared a fallback position at the base of the Muleshoe.

From the marker

Containing the Enemy,
Reclaiming the Works

 The trenches in front of you belonged to General James H. Lane’s North Carolina brigade. Shortly after dawn, May 12, Union forces captured the East Angle, one-half mile behind you, and bore down on Lane’s men in this part of the Muleshoe Salient. Acting quickly, Lane curled back the left end of his line to meet the threat, checking the progress of the Union troops moving down the Salient’s eastern face.

Meanwhile General John B. Gordon was hastily forming his Confederate division at the Harrison house, just over one-quarter mile to your right. As soon as his troops were in line, Gordon ordered a charge. Sweeping through the woods behind you, his men drove back the disorganized Union attackers arid reclaimed the eastern side of the Salient. With this part of the Muleshoe secure, General Robert E. Lee could focus his efforts on retaking the Bloody Angle.

With the fury of a cyclone, and almost with its resistless power, [my division] rushed upon Hancock’s advancing column. With their first onset…his leading lines were shivered and hurled back….Hancock was repulsed and driven out.

General John Gordon, CSA

Location of the marker

The ‘Containing the Enemy’ wayside marker is on the south side of Gordon Avenue about halfway between Tour Stops Five and Six. (38.217837° N, 77.596567° W)