Battle of Spotsylvania • Tour the Battlefield • Monuments & Markers • The Armies
Upton’s Road is Stop 2 on the Spotsylvania Battlefield Auto Tour. It is on the south side of Grant Drive about 0.6 mile east of the Spotsylvania Battlefield Exhibit Shelter.
The start of the Upton’s Road trail at Stop Two on the Spotsylvania Battlefield Auto Tour.
Upton’s Road was the route used by Union Colonel Emory Upton to launch an attack at dusk on May 10, 1864. The attack itself was successful in breaking the Confederate lines, although the failure of supporting troops forced it to withdraw. But it showed that Upton’s tactics worked, and they were repeated on a larger scale two days later against the Mule Shoe, causing a devastating breakthrough in the Confederate lines.
Upton’s Road (currently a footpath) is about a quarter mile one way. It connects through the woods with a pull-off on Anderson Drive in between Tour Stops 3 and 4 that ties into Upton’s attack and the Confederate defenses.
Wayside and historical markers next to the pull-off at Stop Two:
Upton’s Trail wayside marker
Spotsylvania Campaign May 10 6 p.m.
Wayside marker and monument along the trail:
Forming for the Attack wayside marker
Upton’s Charge monument
Two wayside markers at the Confederate defenses:
Upton’s Assault and Confederate Counterattack wayside markers
Map and directions to Stop 2
Tour Stop 2 is on the south side of Grant Drive about 0.6 mile east of the Spotsylvania Battlefield Exhibit Shelter. (38°13’25.0″N 77°36’22.3″W)
Directions to the next stop on the Auto Tour:
Continue east on Grant Drive about 0.25 mile. The parking area for Stop 3 is on the left.
(return to the main Battle of Spotsylvania Auto Tour page)