Siege of Petersburg

Facts about the Siege of Petersburg
After General Grant's devastating loss at Cold Harbor he knew a direct assault on Richmond would be fruitless and began to move his main army across the James River to Petersburg. Petersburg was an extremely important supply center of the Confederacy and its capital of Richmond. Petersburg had five railroads and several key roads and its capture would result in a huge tactical success for the Union.  Petersburg was tactically important as it guarded the roads leading from the Confederate capital of Richmond and was, in reality, a part of the defenses of Richmond. Grant believed that if he could capture Petersburg it would lead to the fall of Richmond. The Confederate defenders of Petersburg were led by General P.G.T. Beauregard who was joined by General Lee with his army. The Petersburg campaign took on the form of not so much a siege (supply lines to the town were intact as Union forces were unable to manage a complete blockade of the city) but rather a conflict involving trench warfare , meaning supplies and troops could come and go, including by train. If Petersburg, and its railroads and roads fell into Union hands, the Confederate capital would have to be abandoned. The opposing sides continuously lengthened their battle lines, but this process could not go on forever.

Facts about the Siege of Petersburg: The End of the Siege
The Confederacy was becoming weaker and there were no more men to be sent to General Lee. Sooner or later his line would become so weak that General Ulysses Grant would be able to break through. Hundreds of individual battles and skirmishes were fought during the Siege Of Petersburg and the Confederates were eventually completely worn down by the relentless assaults of the Union forces. The end of the Siege of Petersburg came in sight on April 1, 1865 when General Grant ordered General Phillip Sheridan to attack the southern section of the Confederate lines and the South Side Railroad which was the last remaining railroad into the city of Petersburg. General Sheridan defeated Confederate General George Pickett at Five Forks. On April 2, 1865 General Ulysses S. Grant ordered an all out Union attack and General Lee's right flank was crushed. General Robert E. Lee had no alternative but to evacuate Petersburg the night of April 2. The brave defense of Fort Gregg, a Confederate fort located near Petersburg, enabled General Lee and his remaining troops to escape. The siege of Petersburg was over. The Confederacy capital of Richmond was also finally abandoned.  - and the end of the Civil War was in sight. General Lee and his remaining starving Confederate soldiers would soon be forced to surrender at Appomattox Court House.

Facts about the Siege of Petersburg
The following short fact sheet provides interesting facts and information about the Siege of Petersburg, one of the major battles that was fought during the American Civil War (April 12, 1861 and continued until May 10, 1865).