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Siege of Petersburg
The Siege of Petersburg refers to a group of battles that took place from June 9, 1864, to March 25, 1865 near Petersburg, Virginia. Ask questions about these famous US Civil War battles here.
95 Questions
What was the purpose of the siege of petersburg?
The purpose was that of keep Lee pinned down to defend the defensive system Richmond-Petersburg, depriving him of his freedom of movement and managing to make his army collapse.
The goal was reached as follows:
1 - by starting a war of position characterized by a slow, slight but continuous lengthening of the entrenchments south and then westward:
the Northerners attempting to outflank the enemy defense system and aiming to interrupt the vital railroads securing the flux of supply, indispensable to maintain the Confederates' war effort;
the Southerners managing to stop the menace, extending their net of entrenchments.
Every prolongation of the entrenchment was marked by violent fighting or local battles which cost heavy casualties to both sides, with but no decisive outcome.
2 - It was also a war of attrition consciously carried forward by Grant, regardless of how heavy the losses of men and materials could be.
Indeed that was the right way to go to annihilate Lee's Army, because the Union casualties, though generally higher than those of the Confederates who mainly fought on the defensive, were much easier to replace than Lee's.
This situation was getting worse after Sherman's "March to the Sea" had been carried out, interrupting the reinforcements from the Carolinas, and led to the collapse of the Army of the Northern Virginia.
On April 2, 1865, Lee was forced to evacuate Richmond and, in the following day, Petersburg, whose siege was over after about nine months of bloody struggle.
Is Appomattox court house in Richmond?
Appomattox Court House is located about 190 kilometers west of Richmond.
When did the battle of petersburg begin?
The Battle of Petersburg began on June 15, 1864, with the investment of the city by the Union's XVIII Corps, which managed to cross undetected over the River James, soon followed by the bulk of the Army of the Potomac.
Thanks to the excessively cautious way with which the assault of general Smith's 13,700 men was carried on, the 3,000 Confederate defenders under Beauregard were able to repulse the attack.
Petersburg was then increasingly reinforced by the Confederate units and its siege, which lasted about 9 months, began.
What was the battle stratagies of the south in the battle of petersburg?
They were on the defensive. Grant had got them pinned down, and was simply batering away at their lines till they grew too thin to hold.
How was the battle of Petersburg different and same as other battles?
The Battle of Petersburg was different as other Civil War battles because, after the Union 's failed attempt to take the town by assault on June 15, 1864, it became a siege that started a trench and attrition warfare like that carried out during the WW1 on the Western Front after the Germans failed to carry out the Schlieffen Plan.
At the same time it was same as other battles, because, during the offensives, the attacking infantries were exposed to the destructive enemy's fire exactly in the same way as was happening during the war of movement, that is: shock against fire.
Both sides attempted to bypass such an unavoidable, tactical forced path, by mining a short sector of the enemy trenches to break through the front and gain a decisive local result, which would have been theoretically exploited to reach a major strategic outcome. But, after an initial success, all these initiatives were beaten back, because of the lack of experience and drilling of commanders and troops in developing the actions in progress.
What happened nine months after the battle of petersburg began?
On March 29, 1865 was fought the Battle of Five Forks, in which the Confederates were decisively defeated, thus allowing the Union Army to outflank and then break through their defensive line seizing Petersburg on April 2, 1865.
That led to the fall of Richmond on april 3rd and the hastily retreat westward of the remnant of Lee's army, which encircled by Grant's Army, surrendered on April 9, 1865, at Appomattox Court House.
Who were the leaders for the battle of petersburg?
For the Confederates Robert E. Lee, for the Union Ulysses S. Grant.
Who was the confederate general of the battle of petersburg?
General Robert E. Lee was in overall command of the Confederate forces at the battle of Petersburg.
What was the battle strategy of the south in the battle of Petersburg?
The south used strategies like trying to cut off the railroad. Also the trench welfare.
When did the Siege of Petersburg end?
It actually ended April 2nd. Not 3rd.
The Siege of Petersburg ended in the early morning hours of April 3, 1865 with the capture of Petersburg and Richmond, Virginia. Union forces had finally broken through the Confederate entrenchments southwest of Petersburg on April 2, 1865, but fierce Confederate resistance at Fort Gregg prevented the fall of the city until the early morning of April 3.
When did the battle of petersburg take place?
It started on June, 15, 1864 and ended on Apr., 2, 1865.
Answer:
Following routes were followed from the Battle of The Wilderness:
From the Wilderness up to Spotsylvania:
A - Union Army:
V Corps (Warren) and II Corps (Hancock) - The Wilderness - Todd's Tavern - Spotsylvania;
VI Corps (Sedgwick) and IX Corps (Burnside) - The wilderness - Chancellorsville -Aldrich - Spotsylvania;
B - Confederate Army :
Cavalry divisions Fitzhugh Lee and Hampton, Cavalry brigade Rosser and I Corps (R.C. Anderson) - The Wilderness - Corbin Bridge - Blockhouse Bridge - Spotsylvania;
II Corps (Ewell) and III Corps (Early) - The Wilderness - White Hall - Shady Grove Church - Blockhouse Bridge - Spotsylvania.
From Spotsylvania up to Cold Harbor:
A) from May 20 through May 26, 1864 Spotsylvania - Milford Station - crossed over the Mattapony River - Chesterfield - North Anna River - crossed the Pamunkey River - Totopotomoy - Cold Harbor.
B) - Spotsylvania - North Anna River - Totopotomoy River - Cold Harbor.
From Cold Harbor up to Petersburg:
A) From June 12 up to June 14, 1864. By means of a feint towards Richmond, carried on by the V Corps and Wilson's cavalry division , which crossed over the Chickahominy River, Grant managed to make the bulk of his army cross over unopposed both the Chickahominy and the James Rivers, deploying his units for the investment of Petersburg, south of the James.
B) Lee, cheated by Grant's manoeuvre, make the Confederate Army cross the Chickahominy River and deploy about 10 kilometers north of the James, facing east, to cover Richmond.
Is the battle of petersburg also called the seven days battle?
No, its not called the Seven Days Battle because the Battl of Petersburg started earlier than The Seven Days Battle.
Who won at the battle of petersburg?
The Siege of Petersburg was a decisive Yankee victory and sent General Lee into hiding. This battle lasted 10 months.
What body of water did the troops cross to get to the Siege of Petersburg?
to get to the investment and siege of Petersburg Union Army of the Potomac had to cross the River James.
How many troops did Petersburg have?
When, on June 14, 1864 Grant succeeded in deploying undetected the bulk of the Army of the Potomac south of the River James, cheating Lee who deployed his army north of that river, Petersburg and its fortifications called Dimmock line, were virtually undefended. The only Confederate units manning the lines were: the infantry brigade Wise, the cavalry brigade Dearing and a handful of militia men for a total of about 3,500 men, who, in the evening of 15th were reinforced by the infantry division Hoke (6,753 men) and the division Bushrod Johnson (6,300 men) for a total of about 16,000 men.
In the same evening of 15th the Federals had already deployed about 40,000 men, ready to invest Petersburg.
What is the significance of the battle of petersburg?
The siege of Petersburg was an example of "Trench Warfare", with two armies facing each other in an endless battle of attrition, like those which would have been fought during the WW1 on the European western front.
