Appomattox, Virginia: Campaign Battles of the Civil War
"Nations, like individuals, are punished for their transgressions. We got our punishment in the most sanguinary and expensive war of modern times."
- Ulysses S. Grant
The American Civil War, a conflict that irrevocably shaped the nation, reached its crescendo in the spring of 1865 with the Appomattox Campaign. This series of battles, fought from March 29 to April 9 in the rolling landscapes of Virginia, marked the final, desperate struggle between the Union and Confederate forces. It was here, amidst the fields and forests of Appomattox, that Confederate General Robert E. Lee surrendered his Army of Northern Virginia to Union Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant, effectively ending the Civil War and ushering in a new era for the United States.
A Crucible of Conflict: The Battles
The Appomattox Campaign was not a single, decisive battle, but a series of engagements, each a critical piece in the unfolding drama that led to Lee’s surrender.
Lewis’s Farm (March 29, 1865)
Also known as the Battle of Quaker Road, Military Road, and Gravelly Road, the initial clash occurred in Dinwiddie County. As Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant initiated his spring offensive, General Philip Sheridan spearheaded the advance, leading the Union cavalry and the V Corps towards Dinwiddie Court House. Their objective was to outflank General Robert E. Lee’s formidable Petersburg defenses. The V Corps, under the command of Major General G.K. Warren, crossed Rowanty Creek and proceeded along Quaker Road towards the crucial intersection with Boydton Plank Road. Here, they encountered the Confederate brigades led by Major General Bushrod Johnson. A fierce firefight ensued, compelling the Confederates to retreat to their entrenched positions along White Oak Road. The Union victory at Lewis’s Farm, though costly with an estimated 380 Union and 370 Confederate casualties, set the stage for further engagements.
White Oak Road (March 31, 1865)
Known by various names, including the Battles of Hatcher’s Run, Gravelly Run, Boydton Plank Road, and White Oak Ridge, this engagement unfolded in Dinwiddie County. Confederate General Robert E. Lee, anticipating the Federal movement, reinforced his right flank by positioning Major General W.H. Fitzhugh Lee’s cavalry divisions at Five Forks and transferring General George Pickett’s division from the Bermuda Hundred front. Union Major General G.K. Warren advanced the V Corps, establishing a line to safeguard the Boydton Plank Road from its junction with Dabney Mill Road southward to Gravelly Run. Major General Romeyn B. Ayres’ division pushed northwest towards White Oak Road. The Union advance faced a fierce counterattack led by Major General Bushrod Johnson, stalling their progress. Despite the setback, Warren’s forces stabilized their position, inching closer to the road by day’s end. This struggle set the stage for the Confederate defeat at Five Forks on April 1. The engagement resulted in estimated casualties of 1,870 Union and 800 Confederate.
Dinwiddie Court House (March 31, 1865)
In Dinwiddie County, Major General Philip Sheridan initiated a flank march on March 29 to breach Confederate General Robert E. Lee’s Petersburg defenses. Persistent downpours transformed the roads into muddy quagmires, impeding progress. On March 31, Confederate Major General W.H. Fitzhugh Lee’s cavalry and General George Pickett’s infantry division intercepted the Union vanguard north and northwest of Dinwiddie Court House. They drove the Union forces back, temporarily halting Sheridan’s advance. As Union infantry approached from the east, Pickett strategically withdrew before dawn to fortify the critical road junction at Five Forks. Lee ordered Pickett to defend this intersection at all costs. The Confederate victory resulted in a total estimated 821 casualties.
Five Forks (April 1, 1865)
The fighting persisted in Dinwiddie County as Confederate General Robert E. Lee directed Generals George Pickett, Thomas Munford, Fitzhugh Lee, and Thomas Rosser to hold the vital crossroads of Five Forks at all hazards. On April 1, while Union General Philip Sheridan’s cavalry pinned the Confederate force in position, the V Corps, led by Major General G.K. Warren, launched an attack, overwhelming the Confederate left flank and capturing numerous prisoners. Sheridan personally oversaw the assault, pushing General Robert E. Lee’s Petersburg lines to their breaking point. The loss of Five Forks jeopardized Lee’s last supply line, the South Side Railroad. General Lee informed Confederate President Jefferson Davis that Petersburg and Richmond would need to be evacuated the following day.
Union General Frederick Winthrop was killed, and "Willie" Pegram, a beloved Confederate artillery officer, was mortally wounded. Dissatisfied with his performance at Five Forks, General Sheridan relieved Warren of command of the V Corps. The Union victory resulted in an estimated 830 Union and 2,950 Confederate casualties.
Petersburg III (April 2, 1865)
Following the Confederate defeat at Five Forks, Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant and Major General George G. Meade ordered a coordinated assault on the Petersburg lines by the II, IX, VI, and XXIV Corps on April 2. A heroic defense of Fort Gregg by a handful of Confederates prevented the Federals from entering the city that night. Confederate Lieutenant General A.P. Hill was killed trying to reach his troops in confusion. After dark, General Lee ordered the evacuation of Petersburg and Richmond. General Grant had achieved one of the primary military objectives of the war: the capture of Petersburg, which led to the fall of Richmond, the Capitol of the Confederacy. The Union victory resulted in estimated casualties of 3,500 Union and 4,250 Confederate.
Sutherland’s Station (April 2, 1865)
On the same day as the Third Battle of Petersburg, Major General Nelson A. Miles marched north from White Oak Road in Dinwiddie County. General Miles encountered elements of four Confederate brigades under Generals John Cooke, Alfred Scales, Dandridge MacRae, and Samuel McGowan attempting to defend the South Side Railroad. The Confederates positioned their left flank on Ocran Methodist Church, where it was overrun by three Union brigades commanded by General Miles. The Confederate defenders were scattered and driven northwestward. With this victory, the Federals possessed the South Side Railroad, General Robert E. Lee’s last supply line into Petersburg. The Union victory resulted in estimated casualties of 370 Union and 600 Confederate soldiers.
Namozine Church (April 3, 1865)
This rearguard cavalry action took place in Amelia County when a brigade of Union cavalry under Colonel William Wells attacked General Fitzhugh Lee’s cavalry near Namozine Church on April 3. Confederate General Rufus Barringer was captured nearby. The inconclusive battle resulted in a total estimated casualties of 75.
Amelia Springs (April 5, 1865)
Confederate cavalry under Generals Fitzhugh Lee and Tomas Rosser assaulted the Union cavalry under General George Crook as they returned from burning Confederate wagons at Painesville. This running fight started north of Amelia Springs and pushed through and beyond Jetersville. The inconclusive battle resulted in a total estimated casualties of 250.
Sailor’s Creek (April 6, 1865)
Also known as Sayler’s Creek, Hillsman Farm, or Lockett Farm, this engagement occurred southwest of Petersburg, Virginia. It was the last significant engagement between the armies of General Robert E. Lee and Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant before the capitulation of Lee’s Confederate army at Appomattox Court House three days later. On April 6 at Sayler’s Creek, nearly one-fourth of the retreating Confederate army was cut off by Major General Philip Sheridan’s Cavalry and the II and VI Corps elements. Most surrendered, including Confederate Generals Richard S. Ewell, Seth, Barton, James Simms, Joseph Kershaw, Custis Lee, Dudley Du Bose, Eppa Hunton, and Montgomery Corse. This action was considered the death knell of the Confederate army. Upon seeing the survivors streaming along the road, General Robert E. Lee exclaimed, "My God, has the army dissolved?" The Union victory resulted in a total estimated casualties of 9,980.
"We were attacked… front and rear by overwhelming numbers; the battle degenerated into a confused melee of brutal personal conflicts."
- Major Robert Stiles, Richmond Howitzers, Army of Northern Virginia, C.S.A., recalling the fighting at Sailor’s Creek, April 6, 1865
Rice’s Station (April 6, 1865)
Also Called the Battle of Rice’s Depot, General James Longstreet’s command reached Rice’s Station in Prince Edward County on April 6 but found it blocked by Union XXIV Corps. After some skirmishing, Longstreet withdrew over the High Bridge during the night toward Farmville. The Union victory resulted in only a few casualties.
Cumberland Church (April 7, 1865)
Also called the Battle of Farmville, this engagement occurred in Cumberland County. Near 2 pm on April 7, the advance of the Union II Corps encountered Confederate forces entrenched on high ground near Cumberland Church. The Union forces attacked twice but were repulsed, and darkness halted the conflict. Union General Thomas Smythe was mortally wounded nearby, and Union General John Gregg was captured north of Farmville. The Confederate victory resulted in estimated casualties of 655 Union and 255 Confederate soldiers.
High Bridge (April 6-7, 1865)
With the Civil War in its final days, this engagement was fought in Prince Edward and Cumberland Counties. On April 6, the Confederate cavalry fought stubbornly to secure the Appomattox River bridges. Confederate General James Dearing was mortally wounded. On April 7, elements of the II Corps came up against Confederate General James Longstreet’s rearguard, attempting to fire the High Bridge and wagon bridge. Union forces could save the wagon bridge over which the II Corps crossed to pursue General Lee’s army. Failure to destroy this bridge enabled Union forces to catch up with the Confederates at Farmville. The inconclusive battle resulted in a total estimated 1,200 casualties. Of these, some 800 Union soldiers were captured.
Appomattox Station (April 8, 1865)
Major General George A. Custer’s division captured a supply train and 25 guns, driving off and scattering the Confederate defenders. This unique action pitted artillery against cavalry without infantry support. Custer captured and burned three trains loaded with provisions for Lee’s army. The number of casualties in the Union victory is unknown.
Appomattox Court House (April 9, 1865)
Early on April 9, the remnants of General John Broun Gordon’s corps and General Fitzhugh Lee’s cavalry formed a line of battle at Appomattox Court House. General Robert E. Lee determined to make one last attempt to escape the closing Union pincers and reach his supplies at Lynchburg. At dawn, the Confederates advanced, initially gaining ground against General Philip Sheridan’s cavalry. However, the arrival of Union infantry stopped the advance in its tracks. The Confederate army was now surrounded on three sides, and General Robert E. Lee surrendered to Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant. This was the final engagement of the war in Virginia. The Union victory resulted in an estimated 700 total casualties, and 27,805 Confederate soldiers were paroled.
A Nation Forged Anew
The Appomattox Campaign stands as a pivotal moment in American history. It marked the end of a brutal and divisive conflict, paving the way for the reunification of the nation and the abolishment of slavery. The battles fought in the fields and forests of Virginia served as a crucible, forging a new American identity and shaping the course of the nation’s future.
Visiting Appomattox Court House National Historical Park
For those seeking to delve deeper into this transformative period, the Appomattox Court House National Historical Park offers a wealth of information and historical sites.
Address:
Hwy. 24, P.O. Box 218
Appomattox, Virginia 24522
434-352-8987 x 226