January 2007
PETERSBURG AND
APPOMATTOX
by Jim Walker
as presented to the
American Civil War History Chat room
on AOL back in 1997
For our "Fireside" this evening, I am going to tell you about the events at Petersburg, culminating in the surrender at Appomattox Courthouse. We can't really tell the story of Petersburg without going back to the month of June in 1864. As most of the railroads which served Lee's army and Richmond, passed through Petersburg, in June of 1864, the city became the target of for General Grant's Army of the Potomac.
Brigadier General R.E. Colston, C.S.A., reported that when he was reassigned to the Department of Virginia in late April 1864, the lines covering Petersburg, on the southern side of the Appomattox River, formed a semi-circle of about 8 miles of development with each end terminating at the river. With the exception of a few lunettes and redoubts at the most commanding positions, they were barely established, and a horseman could ride over them without the least difficulty almost everywhere. They were completely different than the shortened and formidable works constructed later by General Lee's army.
The Federal plan for the capture of Petersburg called for General William Smith's XVIII Corps to advance from its enclave at Bermuda Hundred, and assault the city's defenses from the east. The plan called for Smith to be supported by the II Corps of the Army of the Potomac.
At the time of this June planning, the Petersburg lines were entirely stripped of regular troops, with the exception of Wise's brigade on the extreme left and Sturdivant's battery of four (4) guns. Every other southern regiment had been ordered across the James River to aid General Lee on the north side of the river.
The first attempt to capture Petersburg occurred 9 June, 1864. The Federal X Corps, led by General Gillmore positioned itself on the City Point Road and awaited a calvary contingent led by General Kautz and Colonel Spear to attack and breach the Petersburg line at the Jerusalem plank-road. General Gillmore did arrive at their designated place on the City Point Road but due to delays with the cavalry, grew impatient and returned to the Bermuda Hundred. In the mean time General Kautz and the cavalry arrived and carried the line at the City Point Road and got as far as the water-works but with only 1,300 men had to withdraw without Gillmore's infantry to support them. General Gillmore was relieved from the command of the Tenth Corps shortly after.
About a week later, although only 2,200 of General Beauregard's 5.400 troops were in the Petersburg lines, Smith delayed his attack until late on June 15. The 16,000 Federals rapidly broke through the Confederate fortifications, causing the defenders to withdraw back to Harrison's Creek. Another push at this time, would probably have secured Petersburg, but Smith simply replaced his tired troops the II Corps units, and consolidated his gains.
While the Federals rested, Beauregard abandoned the Bermuda Hundred lines, and rushed his remaining units to Petersburg. On the following day, these units lost additional ground in assaults by the II, IX, and XVIII Corps, but again managed to keep the Federals out of Petersburg.
With the arrival of the V Corps, the Federal attacks counterattacks regained some of the lost ground before the day ended. During that night, Beauregard withdrew slightly to a hastily constructed defensive line. Meanwhile Lee had begun to shift part of the Army of Northern Virginia southward to Beauregard's aid.
When the Federal's resumed their advance on the morning of the 18th, their attacks were disorganized and uncoordinated. By evening, as Lee's army poured into the Petersburg defenses, the Federal assault stalled. That night, Grant ordered an end to the frontal attacks on Petersburg, and briefly resumed trench warfare east of the city.
From his report on this phase, General G.T. Beauregard, C.S.A says on June 18th "I shall hold as long as practicable, but without reinforcements I may have to evacuate the city very shortly."
On the Federal side, this extract from the diary of a Michigan volunteer; "Our officers are, during this temporary quiet, freely indulging in those refined tastes which army life is so well calculated to develop, but engaging in such innocent amusements... as horse racing, gambling, and their usual accompaniments, commissary whisky, midnight revels, and broken noses."
Grant was still unwilling to abandon all movement against Petersburg, so on 22 June, he sent II and VI Corps southwest to extend the Federal lines beyond the Confederate flank and sever the railroad to Weldon, North Carolina. An immediate Confederate counterattack caused the Federals to recoil on June 23 with 2,962 men lost.
Again temporarily suspending troop movement against Petersburg, Grant permitted the IX Corps to dig a tunnel that would undermine the Confederate works. The resulting mine, an impressive engineering achievement, performed on July 30 as expected by blowing a hugh crater 30ft deep and 70ft wide in the Confederate defenses. The direct assault that followed the explosion was an abject failure, costing another 3,798 Federal casualties but only 1,500 Confederate. Burnside had originally intended that this assault be carried out by one of the Black Regiments in the IX Corps, but at the last minute, Grant countermanded the order and relatively unprepared troops were used instead.
A Union Captain's journal gives this vision of the explosion; "A slight tremor of the earth for a second, then... a vast column of earth and smoke shoots upward to a great height... having paused for a moment in mid-air, and then, hurtling down with a roaring sound, showers of stones, broken timbers and blackened human limbs, subsides."
Later in August, in an effort to stretch Lee's forces to breaking point, Grant developed the strategy of extending both his flanks simultaneously. On the Petersburg front, August 18th, he sent the V Corps westward in another attempt to break the railroad to Weldon. Federal infantry struck the tracks around Globe Tavern and began to wreck them. Immediate Confederate counterattacks forced the Federals to relinquish some ground, but they maintained their hold on the railroad. Federal losses were 4,455, while Confederate casualties numbered 1,600. Repeated Federal efforts to damage the railroad south of Globe Tavern resulted in another defeat for the II Corps at Reams Station on the 25th of August. This action cost Grant an additional 2,742 to Lee's 720.
On the 30th of September, Grant again extended both flanks, gaining on the Petersburg front a salient around the Popular Springs Church. As part of that same operation, on the Richmond front, the Federals captured Fort Harrison. Considering the fort a vital part of the Richmond defenses, Lee ordered an assault the next day to recapture it, but the Federals held on. These actions dented, but didn't break the left of Lee's line. In this action, 2,889 Federals fell as well as 900 Confederates.
A month later, a similar Federal thrust near Hatcher's Run fell short of it's goal, but again extended the federal line westward in exchange for 1,758 men. Winter weather now caused a "stoppage" in major operations until the following year.
On February 5th, General Grant sent a cavalry and infantry force to disrupt Confederate traffic on the Boydton Plank Road near Hatcher's Run. A few wagons were intercepted, but the movement provoked Confederate counterattacks on the 6th of February. Following this action, the Federal trenches were extended another 2 miles.
Finally realizing, that this gradual expansion of the Federal lines would ultimately doom his defense, "Marse Robert" orchestrated a final desperate attempt to cripple Grant's army. Lee believed that a break in the Federal lines near their City Point base would cause them to shrink their lines, and permit Confederate movement to North Carolina. On the 25th of March, Confederate forces attacked close to Fort Stedman and momentarily achieved success. However massive Federal counterattacks soon restored the Federal position, ending the last offensive movement of the Army of Northern Virginia.
Grant now took action and mounted a new thrust southwest of Petersburg with Sheridan's cavalry and two infantry corps. On March 31st, Confederate counterattacks forced Sheridan back to Dinwiddie Court House, but were unable to prevent the Federal infantry from extending westward along the White Oak Road. The next day, Sheridan's cavalry and the V Corps advanced to Five Forks where they destroyed George Pickett's command. This action sealed Petersburg's fate. On April 2nd, Grant directed a massive assault on the Petersburg lines, breaking through in several places. By sacrificing several detachments in rear guard actions, Lee was able to evacuate both Richmond and Petersburg the evening of April 2nd with most of his forces.
The Confederate forces moved on multiple routes toward a junction at Amelia Court House on the Richmond and Danville railroad. There General Lee hoped to be resupplied before marching south into North Carolina to join up with General Joe Johnston's forces. Reaching Amelia Court House on April the 5th, Lee united his columns but found no rations. He also learned that Grant's swift pursuit had placed large forces across his path near Jetersville, eight miles west of Amelia.
Looping around the Federal concentration in an exhausting night march, Lee continued westward toward Farmville on the South Side Railroad. There he hoped to be supplied by rail from Lynchburg. Grant followed, sending the II and VI Corps behind the Confederates while the cavalry and the V Corps, plus elements of the Army of the James, attempted to turn Lee's southern flank. On April 6th, at Sayler's Creek, east of Farmville, Lee's rear guard was destroyed by the II and VI Corps. This action cost the Confederates more than 7,000 casualties and many of their wagons; the Federals lost 1,180.
Lee found rations at Farmville, but the rapid Federal pursuit prevented him from turning south toward North Carolina. Instead, he was forced to cross to the north bank of the Appomattox River and continue his retreat westward. Unable to prevent his pursuers from also crossing the stream, he was forced to halt briefly at Cumberland Church to hold off attacks by the II Corps. Although necessary, this delay allowed Sheridan's cavalry and the Army of the James to gain ground unhindered south of the river. By the evening of April 8th, Federal cavalry had reached Lee's rear at Appomattox Station and captured several trains filled with rations. On the following morning, Lee attempted to break through Sheridan's blockade, but failed when elements of the Army of the James arrived to support the cavalry. Simultaneously, units of the II Corps pressed the rear of Lee's dwindling army. Surrounded at last by overwhelming forces, Lee opened negotiations with Grant which resulted in the surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia at Appomattox Court House on the afternoon of April 9th, 1865. This brought an end to the war in Virginia.
This has been an "emotional" journey for me tonight as my Great Great Grandfather, William Lee Edwards, "lived" in this story with the 47th North Carolina Infantry of the Army of Northern Virginia, until his capture at Petersburg on 2 April 1865. He was moved to City Point, Virginia on 4 April, and released on the 12th of April following the surrender at Appomattox Court House. He was only 90 miles from "Home" in Almanance County, North Carolina. He rejoined Julia, his wife of 4 years, and two daughters, Mary aged 3, and my great grandmother Annah aged 2 after his release. As a "youngun" in the 1950's, my grandmother, Fern Lee (Edwards) Walker, who was raised by William Lee, and I spent many a Missouri evening talking about him. I'm most thankful he survived, so I could tell this story.
I have to say this before I wrap this up. As a "firmly hooked hunter of family lore", being able to relive the history of an ancestor through books, journals, diaries, "anything" that brings to light their "time" and "place" brings such a sense of belonging and continuity to me, that it's very difficult to describe. "Part of them resides in US"!!!!!!!!!! Right or Wrong, Big or Small, Good or Bad; they're family :) JUST collecting the genealogy of ancestors WITHOUT the History is like a "Silent Black and White Movie" compared to Eastman Color with Wraparound Sound on Bose Speakers.
The sources for the story are:
"Battles and Leaders
of the Civil War" published by Castle Press
"The Civil War Day by
Day" by E.B. Long with Barbara Long
"The Atlas of the
Civil War" edited by James M. McPherson
The Walker Family
Bible and a few evenings by the "Fireside".
Thanks for allowing me to be the "Storyteller"
