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“Bite-Size Bits of Local, National, and Global History”
Near Rice in Prince Edward County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
 

Lockett House

Battle of Sailor’s Creek

— Lee’s Retreat —

 
 
Lockett House Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Bill Coughlin, April 26, 2007
1. Lockett House Marker
Inscription. Here, around the home of James S. Lockett, desperate fighting occurred near sundown on April 6, 1865, when the Union corps commanded by Gen. Andrew A. Humphreys almost overwhelmed Gen. John B. Gordon’s Confederate corps. The house, just across the road, still bears the scars of battle.

Gordon’s corps, which served as the rear guard for the Army of Northern Virginia, also protected the Confederate wagon train. To avoid the fighting near the Hillsman House, the train was rerouted first to the northwest and then south on this road. At the bottom of this hill, where double bridges crossed Little Sailor’s Creek and Big Sailor’s Creek, the wagon train bogged down. Humphreys first drove Gordon from his position here then pressed him across the creek. By the end of the battle, as the sun was setting, the Confederates had lost some 1,700 men – most of them as prisoners – to the Federals’ 536. The remnant of Gordon’s corps continued its march to Farmville, but about 300 wagons and seventy ambulances fell into Union hands.

After the fighting ended for the night, the Lockett House became a field hospital.

Gen. Robert E. Lee, after witnessing the rout of his army here at the Hillsman House and at the Marshall Farm with eight generals and about 7,700 men captured, exclaimed, “My God! Has the army been dissolved?”
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Erected by Virginia Civil War Trails.
 
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Notable BuildingsNotable EventsNotable PlacesWar, US Civil. In addition, it is included in the Virginia Civil War Trails series list. A significant historical month for this entry is April 1870.
 
Location. 37° 19.817′ N, 78° 14.89′ W. Marker is near Rice, Virginia, in Prince Edward County. Marker is on Virginia Route 619, on the right when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Rice VA 23966, United States of America. Touch for directions.
 
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Sailor’s Creek (within shouting distance of this marker); a different marker also named Lockett House (within shouting distance of this marker); Double Bridges (approx. half a mile away); a different marker also named Double Bridges (approx. 0.6 miles away); Battle of Sailor's (Sayler's) Creek (approx. 2 miles away); Hillsman House (approx. 2 miles away); Overton / Hillsman House (approx. 2 miles away); Crossing Little Sailor's Creek (approx. 2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Rice.
 
More about this marker. The top of the marker contains portraits of Gen. Andrew Humphreys and Gen John Gordon. A map of troop movements
Battle Map from Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Bill Coughlin, April 26, 2007
2. Battle Map from Marker
during the Battle of Sailor’s Creek is on the right of the marker.
 
Also see . . .
1. Lee's Retreat to Appomattox. Virginia Civil War Trails. (Submitted on September 26, 2008, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey.) 

2. Sailor’s Creek. CWSAC Battle Summaries. (Submitted on September 26, 2008, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey.) 

3. Sailor's Creek State Park. Virginia State Parks website. (Submitted on September 26, 2008, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey.) 

4. Lee's Retreat. Virginia's Retreat guide. (Submitted on September 27, 2008, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey.) 
 
Markers on the Lee's Retreat Trail image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Bill Coughlin, April 26, 2007
3. Markers on the Lee's Retreat Trail
Lockett House image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Bill Coughlin, April 26, 2007
4. Lockett House
The Lockett House is located across the street from the markers. At the time of the photo, it was undergoing extensive renovation.
Lockett House image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Bernard Fisher, May 31, 2008
5. Lockett House
Bullet holes from the battle evident in the Lockett House. image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Bernard Fisher, May 31, 2008
6. Bullet holes from the battle evident in the Lockett House.
Lockett House image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Roger Miller, April 26, 2018
7. Lockett House
Lockett House Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Roger Miller, April 26, 2018
8. Lockett House Marker
Gen. Andrew Humphreys image. Click for full size.
Library of Congress
9. Gen. Andrew Humphreys
Gen. John Gordon image. Click for full size.
Library of Congress
10. Gen. John Gordon
 
 
Credits. This page was last revised on April 23, 2019. It was originally submitted on September 26, 2008, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey. This page has been viewed 2,948 times since then and 55 times this year. Photos:   1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on September 26, 2008, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey.   5, 6. submitted on March 1, 2010, by Bernard Fisher of Richmond, Virginia.   7, 8. submitted on April 27, 2018, by Roger Miller of Pulaski, Virginia.   9, 10. submitted on April 22, 2019, by Allen C. Browne of Silver Spring, Maryland.

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Mar. 29, 2024