Globe Tavern, VA

Date(s): August 18-21, 1864

Campaign(s): Richmond-Petersburg Campaign [June 1864-March 1865]

Battles in Campaign:

• Petersburg, VA I - June 9, 1864 D¹

• Petersburg, VA II - June 15-18, 1864 A

• Jerusalem Plank Road, VA - June 21-24, 1864 B¹

• Staunton River Bridge, VA - June 25, 1864 C¹

• Sappony Church, VA - June 28, 1864 D¹

• Ream's Station, VA I - June 29, 1864 C¹

• Deep Bottom, VA I - July 27-29, 1864 C¹

• Crater, VA - July 30, 1864 A

• Deep Bottom, VA II - August 13-20, 1864 B

• Globe Tavern, VA - August 18-21, 1864 B

• Ream's Station, VA II - August 25, 1864 B

• Chaffin's Farm/New Market Heights, VA - September 29-30, 1864 B

• Peebles' Farm, VA - September 30-October 2, 1864 B

• Darbytown and New Market Roads, VA - October 7, 1864 C¹ 

• Darbytown Road, VA - October 13, 1864 D¹  

• Fair Oaks and Darbytown Road, VA - October 27-28, 1864 C¹  

• Boydton Plank Road, VA - October 27-28, 1864 B

Situation:

Commanders:

• Union: Maj. Gen. G. K. Warren

• Confederate: Gen. Robert E. Lee, Lt. Gen. A. P. Hill, Maj. Gen. Henry Heth, and Maj. Gen. William Mahone

Principal Forces: Corps (34,300 total)

• Union:

• Confederate:

Description:

• While Hancock’s command demonstrated north of the James River at Deep Bottom, the Union V Corps and elements of the IX and II Corps under command of Maj. Gen. G. K. Warren were withdrawn from the Petersburg entrenchments to operate against the Weldon Railroad.

• At dawn August 18th, Warren advanced, driving back Confederate pickets until reaching the railroad at Globe Tavern.

• In the afternoon, Maj. Gen. Henry Heth’s division attacked driving Ayres’s division back toward the tavern.

• Both sides entrenched during the night.

• On August 19th, Maj. Gen. William Mahone, whose division had been hastily returned from north of James River, attacked with five infantry brigades, rolling up the right flank of Crawford’s division.

• Heavily reinforced, Warren counterattacked and by nightfall had retaken most of the ground lost during the afternoon’s fighting.

• On the 20th, the Federals laid out and entrenched a strong defensive line covering the Blick House and Globe Tavern and extending east to connect with the main Federal lines at Jerusalem Plank Road.

• On August 21st, Hill probed the new Federal line for weaknesses but could not penetrate the Union defenses.

• With the fighting at Globe Tavern, Grant succeeded in extending his siege lines to the west and cutting Petersburg’s primary rail connection with Wilmington, North Carolina.

• The Confederates were now forced to off-load rail cars at Stony Creek Station for a 30-mile wagon haul up Boydton Plank Road to reach Petersburg.

Slide Presentation: None

Classification²: B

Casualties³:

• Union: 4,279

• Confederate: 1,600

Results: Union Victory

Battlefield Websites: 

• Battle of Globe Tavern - Wikipedia

• Second Deep Bottom, Globe Tavern, and Reams Station -  The Siege of Petersburg

Recommended Resources:

¹ National Park Service summary.

² Classification:

• A - having a decisive influence on a campaign and a direct impact on the course of the war

• B - having a direct and decisive influence on their campaign

• C - having observable influence on the outcome of a campaign

• D - having a limited influence on the outcome of their campaign or operation but achieving or affecting important local objectives

³ Casualties are someone killed, injured, wounded, captured or missing.

Revised 08/04/2008