Petersburg, VA III

Date(s): April 2, 1865

Location: Please click on link below for map.

Campaign(s): Appomattox Campaign [March-April 1865]

Battles in Campaign:

• Lewis's Farm, VA - March 29, 1865 C¹

• White Oak Road, VA - March 31, 1865 B

• Dinwiddie Court House, VA - March 31, 1865 C

• Five Forks, VA - April 1, 1865 A

• Petersburg, VA III - April 2, 1865 A

• Sutherland's Station, VA - April 2, 1865 C¹

• Namozine Church, VA - April 3 1865 D¹

• Amelia Springs, VA - April 5, 1865 C

• Sayler's Creek, VA - April 6, 1865 B

• Rice's Station, VA - April 6, 1865 D¹

• Cumberland Church, VA - April 7, 1865 C¹

• High Bridge, VA - April 6-7, 1865 C

• Appomattox Station, VA - April 8, 1865 B

• Appomattox Court House, VA - April 9, 1865 A

Situation:

Commanders:

• Union: Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant

• Confederate: Gen. Robert E. Lee

Principal Forces:

• Union: 97,000

• Confederate: 45,000

Description:

• With Confederate defeat at Five Forks on April 1, Grant and Meade ordered a general assault against the Petersburg lines by II, IX, VI and XXIV Corps on April 2nd.

• A heroic defense of Fort Gregg by a handful of Confederates prevented the Federals from entering the city that night.

• After dark, Lee ordered the evacuation of Petersburg and Richmond.

• Grant had achieved one of the major military objectives of the war: the capture of Petersburg, which led to the fall of Richmond, the Capitol of the Confederacy.

Slide Presentation²: Appomattox Campaign

Classification³: A

Casualties⁴:

• Union: 3,500

• Confederate: 4,250

Results: Union Victory

Battlefield Website:

• Petersburg National Battlefield - National Park Service

• Battle of Petersburg III - Wikipedia

Recommended Resources:

¹ National Park Service summary.

² Slide Presentation Published on 6/23/07. Click on link to view as web-based slide show.

³ 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

⁴ Casualties are someone killed, injured, wounded, captured or missing.

Revised 06/05/2008