Timeline of the civil war siege of petersburg, virginia. Grant, situated just north of the city of richmond, decided to change tactics. These versions were pieced together from the 81 mile sheets that were begun during the siege and finished afterwards. Where is the petersburg museums in petersburg virginia located. The siege at petersburg, the battles of chaffins bluff and poplar spring church, september 29 october 2, 1864 at. This article uses the classification maintained by the u. Entries are listed below by dateofoccurrence ascending firsttolast.
Finally, on april 2, with lees forces spread thinner than ever and starving, union general philip sheridans cavalry broke through lees right flank and grant. Michlerweyss, siege of petersburg the petersburg project. Beginning after the unsuccessful attack of the city of petersburg by ulysses s. Lees well entrenched army just a few miles from his goal of richmond, capital of the confederacy. Although it is more popularly known as the siege of petersburg, it was not a classic military siege, in which a city is usually surrounded and all supply lines are cut off, nor was it strictly limited to actions against.
Grant tried to capture the city of petersburg, virginia, which would have cut off supplies to the confederate army of northern virginia and the confederate capital of richmond. As the organizations tourism chair, i planned to spotlight a few new petersburg publications to illustrate how scholarship on the campaign has. Siege of petersburg timeline june 9th, 1864 march 25th. The location is extremely important because the city is built along the neva river, which quickly leads to expansion of the city due to the waterway access, but also causes problem within the city. Butler to bring reinforcements in a timely manner ended the union hope for a quick victory. Home exhibition overview exhibition items public programs learn more timeline biographies acknowledgments. Grant, having sustained heavy losses in the initial assault on the city, decided to set up a siege. On june 1417, the army of the potomac crossed the james river and began moving towards petersburg to support and renew butlers assaults marching from cold harbour, meades army of the potomac the siege of petersburg crossed the james river on transports on june 15th 1864 and a 2,200foot long pontoon bridge at windmill point. Mounted on cardboard, sectioned to 4 parts, and mounted on cloth. Attempts to break the siege, notably the battle of the crater, were routed. Siege of petersburg definition of siege of petersburg by. In an attempt to draw union troops away from the ongoing siege of petersburg and richmond, a. The richmondpetersburg campaign was a series of battles around petersburg, virginia. The initial assault on petersburg was nearly successful, but the failure of benjamin f.
For twoandahalf years, the citizens of leningrad suffered chronic privations and constant bombardment. Timeline leading to the war antebellum era bleeding kansas border states compromise of 1850. Siege of petersburg june 9, 1864march 25, 1865 summary. Showing the captured works and the part of the city near the river. The confederates are winning nearly every battle, but the union is winning the war effort. The rebel loss led to the fall another vastly important rebel town, richmond. The siege of petersburg, also known as the breakthrough at petersburg, was a decisive yankee victory and sent the great general lee into hiding.
His head on attack on those earthworks in the battle of cold harbor saw grants men slaughtered with. The richmond petersburg campaign was, rather than a true siege, a series of nine offensives by the union forces against the confederates defending petersburg and richmond, virginia. This lack of progress is such that by august, there is a very real possibility that lincoln will not be reelected as president. The richmondpetersburg campaign was, rather than a true siege, a series of nine offensives by the union forces against the confederates defending petersburg and richmond, virginia. The siege of petersburg was a nine and a half month campaign of the american civil war. The officer commanding the union force which also included cavalry was major general william f. Sage accounting and business management software sage us. The battle of petersburg aka siege of petersburg was a series of battles around the cities of richmond and petersburg, virginia, fought from june 15, 1864, to april 2, 1865, during the civil war. Lees army of northern virginia collide for the last time as the first wave of union troops attacks petersburg, a vital southern rail center 23 miles south of the confederate capital of richmond, virginia. Brady, the veteran photographer, obtained permission to take a picture of coopers battery, in position for battle.
Chronology of the siege of richmond and petersburg, 186465. Siege of petersburg timeline june 9th, 1864 march 25th, 1865 the siege of petersburg was the final stop before richmond the confederate capital city for the general grant and the union army. An intensified war and coping mechanisms utilized, 1864 ca. After eight grueling months under siege in petersburg, general lee formulated a strategy that might allow most of his army to break through union lines and join general joseph johnstons army in north carolina in an effort to create a more formidable opponent for grant. The civil war trusts battle of petersburg page includes maps, photos, history articles, facts, and the latest preservation news for this 1864 civil war battle in virginia. Advance of the union on the right, near the appomatox river, on the morning of june 18th, 1864. Timeline the civil war in america exhibitions library of congress. National park services american battlefield protection program. As the overland campaign concluded, the strategic goals of lieut.
It is about the siege of petersburg in the civil war. Grant, grant then constructed trenches around the eastern portion of richmond to. The battle of petersburg was part of the american civil war 18611865 and was fought between june 9, 1864 and april 2, 1865. Army of the potomac june 30, 1864, weitzels map of xviii corps lines july 1864, map of xviii corps lines native american perspective of the. Includes names of some residents in outlying areas.
By april, petersburg had been under siege for 10 months. Grant made the most of the opportunity this time, ordering a heavy artillery bombardment on petersburg at 4 a. The siege of petersburg was the final stop before richmond the confederate capital city for the general grant and the union army. For the contribution history and old versions of the redirected page, please see. It started in early june 1864, when union forces commanded by u. Union troops under general grant set up fortifications outside.
The siege of petersburg begins after the botched assault at cold harbor in early june 1864, union gen. Grant continued pressing south towards the confederate capital at richmond. Lincolns stirring gettysburg speech cannot cover the stalemate that characterises the civil war. Sage accounting and business management software sage us we use cookies on our website to provide you with the best experience. Union soldiers in trenchesunion soldiers in trenches, petersburg, virginia, 1864. The first attempt provoked the fire of the confederates. Smith and some of his men had been temporarily transferred to the army of the potomac in early june and saw service at cold harbor. Fought during the american civil war, it is more popularly known as the siege of petersburg. Nine and a half months, 70,000 casualties, the suffering of civilians, thousands of u. While the rest of the army rolls through russia, hitler orders that leningrad isnt to be directly attacked but trapped without food, water, or any other living supplies. In the wake of his defeat at the battle of cold harbor in early june 1864, lieutenant general ulysses s. Colored troops fighting for the freedom of their race, and the decline of gen.
If you need the atlas i have one a dear friend gave me you can borrow. The sides settled to a tenmonth siege, digging trenches to shelter from the incessant artillery. Civil war timeline gettysburg national military park u. With the red army much to outflanked, the germans plow through with the blitzkrieg. The richmondpetersburg campaign was a series of battles around petersburg, virginia, fought from june 9, 1864, to march 25, 1865. Grants overland campaingn had reached the end of the line. As lees army headed west into the appomattox campaign, union troops occupied the small city that had been the heart and namesake of a nine month siege. For example, the city is vulnerable to flooding due to the wind driving the currents upstream. The contents of the african americans at the siege of petersburg page were merged into siege of petersburg on 06 december 2018. This web page is offered to the interested public as a resource of information on the siege. Confederate soldiers in the siege of petersburg and. The campaign for petersburg lasted from june 15, 1864 until april 2, 1865, claiming 50,000 union soldiers and 32,000 confederates.
For a list of sources on the siege of richmond and petersburg, see the bibliography. Siege of petersburg synonyms, siege of petersburg pronunciation, siege of petersburg translation, english dictionary definition of siege of petersburg. This is another photograph taken under fire and shows us battery b, first pennsylvania light artillery, in action before petersburg, 1864. Map of the siege of petersburg, 18645 library of congress. Siege of petersburg simple english wikipedia, the free. What were the reasons behind the siege of petersburg. But it was not a classic military siege, in which a city is usually surrounded and all supply lines are cut off. Museum of the defense and siege of leningrad this small but extremely moving museum commemorates perhaps the most harrowing period of the citys history the 900day blockade of leningrad which lasted from 8 september 1941 to 17 january 1944. Although referred to as the siege of petersburg, the union attack against this small southern city was not a full encirclement. There are a total of 6 siege of petersburg timeline june 9th, 1864 march 25th, 1865 events in the database. Welcome to the siege of petersburg online, an information compilation site focusing on the siege of petersburg during the american civil war. Confederate soldiers in the siege of petersburg and postwar. Inconclusive after retreating, the union army laid siege to petersburg until april 2, 1865 inconclusive after retreating, the union army laid siege to petersburg until april 2, 1865 casualties. On april 1, 1865, the union achieved victory at the battle of five forks just south of petersburg.
That operation is excellently covered in john horns the siege of petersburg. The ors would have the complete timeline, units and guns. Although it is more popularly known as the siege of petersburg, it was not a classic military siege, in which a city is usually surrounded and all supply lines are cut off, nor was it strictly limited to actions against petersburg. These two maps were part of the postwar survey of petersburg and richmond, directed by nathaniel michler and conducted by john e. Lees army of northern virginia, was planted firmly between him and richmond. Where is the petersburg museums foundation in petersburg virginia located. Subcategories this category has the following 10 subcategories, out of 10 total. Whatever the case, this was a long, complex, bloody and protracted effort that wore on from june, 1864 to the end of march, 1865. Most historians dont separate the siege of petersburg from the drive toward richmond, and so it is often referred to as the siege of richmondpetersburg. September 2930 as part of the siege of petersburg, the union army launches a surprise attack on confederate troops at fort harrison in the battle of chaffins. Show your understanding with this quiz and printable worksheet.
Many of the wounded brought off the field came to one of the field hospitals that had been established at city point. The richmond petersburg campaign was a series of battles around petersburg, virginia, fought from june 15, 1864, to april 2, 1865, during the american civil war. Grants fourth offensive at petersburg proved one of his two most successful offensives of the entire siege, prior to finally capturing that city and richmond in april, 1865. Lee arrived and took up a defensive position in the city. Part of the elaborate confederate works outside petersburg, after their evacuation in april 1865. A once thriving river port that was well in decline when it was occupied by federal troops in early may, city point had become the logistical hub for all operations against petersburg and richmond.
The richmondpetersburg campaign was a series of battles around petersburg, virginia, fought from june 9, 1864, to march 25, 1865, during the american civil war. Historian richard sommers talks about the siege of petersburg, virginia, which lasted from june 1864 to march 1865. Take control of your business with accounting software from sage. Union forces under grant besieged and finally defeated confederate forces under. Lees army in the field to eliminating the supply and communication routes. In this lesson, we will explore the siege of petersburg, which lasted 10 months. Timeline of the battle of petersburg fought during the american civil war in virginia. Names of surveyors and draftsmen have been added by hand in the lower left corner. The siege of petersburg, virginia june 15, 1864 april 2, 1865 is one of the least studied campaigns of the civil war.
Siege of petersburg date june 9, 1864 march 25, 1865 location petersburg, virginia victor union victory contenders united states union confederate states military leaders ulysses s. The siege of petersburg was a series of battles around petersburg, virginia, fought from june 9, 1864, to march 25, 1865, during the american civil war. Siege of petersburg timeline june 9th, 1864 march 25th, 1865. It starts out in a classroom and goes back in time to the siege of petersburg. The campaign consisted of nine months of trench warfare in which union forces commanded by lt. The richmondpetersburg campaign was a series of battles around petersburg, virginia, fought from june 15, 1864, to april 2, 1865, during the american civil war. The great and longlasting assault on the severely dugin trenches of the rebel horde, made the siege of petersburg, important. The petersburg battlefields foundation hosted its first stakeholders meeting yesterday to present its strategic plan to potential partners. Petersburg campaign the final campaign of the american civil war. Petersburg east southeast west monuments markers facts timeline by the beginning of june 1864 ulysses s. The confederate lines around petersburg, virginia, broke in the first days of april 1865.