Mule Shoe salient

E636591

The Mule Shoe salient was a prominent, vulnerable bulge in the Union–Confederate lines at Spotsylvania whose intense, close-quarters fighting—especially at the “Bloody Angle”—made it one of the most brutal focal points of the Overland Campaign in the American Civil War.

All labels observed (1)

Label Occurrences
Mule Shoe salient canonical 2

How this entity was disambiguated

Statements (42)

Predicate Object
instanceOf battlefield position
salient
associatedPlace Bloody Angle
associatedWith Union–Confederate trench warfare
evolution of field fortifications in the Civil War
attackedBy Army of the Potomac
belligerent Confederate States Army
campaign Overland Campaign
characterizedBy hand-to-hand fighting
high casualties
commandedBy Robert E. Lee
conflict American Civil War
country United States
currentUse historic battlefield site
date May 1864
defendedBy Army of Northern Virginia
era 19th century
fortifications earthen works
log revetments
frontLineType salient in defensive line
hasFeature interpretive markers
traces of earthworks
locatedIn Spotsylvania County, Virginia
militarySignificance one of the most brutal focal points of the Overland Campaign
namedAfter its horseshoe-like shape
notableEvent assault on the Bloody Angle
intense close-quarters combat
notableFor continuous musketry fire over many hours
prolonged combat in heavy rain and mud
opposedBy United States Army
opposedCommander Ulysses S. Grant
partOf Battle of Spotsylvania Court House
Overland Campaign
Spotsylvania Court House battlefield
preservedAs part of Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park
relatedBattle Battle of Cold Harbor
Battle of the Wilderness
relatedConcept salient (military)
shape horseshoe-shaped
strategicRole vulnerable bulge in Confederate defensive line
timePeriod 1864
tourism Civil War heritage tourism site

How these facts were elicited

Referenced by (2)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Bloody Angle partOf Mule Shoe salient