During the Winter of 1863/64, Union General George Meade’s Army of the Potomac occupied Culpeper Courthouse, Virginia, while Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia was encamped near Mine Run in Northeastern Orange County, Virginia. These armies were approximately 25 miles apart, separated by the Rapidan River. This short National Park Service video gives a good start to one’s understanding of how the Battle of the Wilderness unfolded. This was the first battlefield confrontation between Union General Ulysses S. Grant and Confederate General Robert E. Lee.