Petersburg, VA II

Date(s): June 15-18, 1864

Location: Please click on link below for map.

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

Battles in Campaign:

Situation:

Commanders:

• Union: Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant and Maj. Gen. George G. Meade

• Confederate: Gen. Robert E. Lee and Gen. P.G.T. Beauregard

Principal Forces:

• Union: 62,000

• Confederate: 42,000

Description:

• Marching from Cold Harbor, Maj. Gen. George C. Meade’s Army of the Potomac crossed the James River on transports and a 2,200-foot long pontoon bridge at Windmill Point.

• Butler’s leading elements (XVIII Corps and Kautz’s cavalry) crossed the Appomattox River at Broadway Landing and attacked the Petersburg defenses on June 15.

• The 5,400 defenders of Petersburg under command of Gen. P.G.T. Beauregard were driven from their first line of entrenchments back to Harrison Creek.

• After dark the Union XVIII Corps was relieved by the II Corps.

• On June 16, the II Corps captured another section of the Confederate line, and on the 17th, the IX Corps gained more ground.

• Beauregard stripped the Howlett Line (Bermuda Hundred) to defend the city, and Lee rushed reinforcements to Petersburg from the Army of Northern Virginia.

• The II, XI, and V Corps from right to left attacked on June 18 but was repulsed with heavy casualties.

• By now the Confederate works were heavily manned and the greatest opportunity to capture Petersburg without a siege was lost.

Slide Presentation:

Classification¹: A

Casualties²:

• Union: 8,150

• Confederate: 3,236

Results: Confederate Victory

Battlefield Website:

• Petersburg National Battlefield - National Park Service

• Siege of Petersburg - Wikipedia

Recommended Resources:

• Books

• Computer and Video Games

• DVDs

• VHSs

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 06/05/2008