Ulysses S. Grant sends two Federal cavalry divisions to destroy Confederate supply lines outside Petersburg, Virginia. The raid does not go as planned.
Category: Virginia
Early Takes the Fight to the North
Jubal Early’s Confederate army reaches Staunton after repelling Federal forces in the Shenandoah Valley. Hoping to capitalize on northern war weariness, Early plans a new offensive intended to clear the Valley of Federals weaken the Federal siege of Petersburg.
Petersburg: The Tunneling Expedition Begins
A Federal colonel proposes opening a gap in the Confederate siege lines by digging a tunnel under them and detonating explosives.
The Battle of the Weldon Railroad
As the Federal armies prepare to surround Petersburg, Ulysses S. Grant aims to cut off the city’s supply lines by capturing the two main railroads south and west of town.
The Siege of Petersburg Begins
Ulysses S. Grant announces his intention to use two Federal armies to starve the city of Petersburg into submission. But Grant’s tactics come into question, and President Abraham Lincoln visits Grant to see for himself the progress he has made.
The Second Battle of Petersburg: Day Four
Federal forces launch yet another assault on the Petersburg defenses, but by this time Robert E. Lee’s Confederate Army of Northern Virginia is arriving to resist.