General Grant and General Meade led the Union Army, and General Lee led the Confederate Army during the Battle of Wilderness. The Union Army started with 101,000 troops and suffered 18,000 casualties, and the Confederate Army started with 61,000 troops and suffered 11,400 casualties. Grants strategy was to keep attacking and it paid off with a victory for the Union. This victory was just the start for Grant in his stategic plan.