Near Farmville in Cumberland County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
Cumberland Church
Union Closes In
— Lee’s Retreat —
Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), April 22, 2021
1. Cumberland Church Marker
Inscription.
Cumberland Church. Union Closes In. Here at Cumberland Church, in the afternoon of April 7, 1865, part of the Army of Northern Virginia entrenched to protect the route west to Appomattox Station, where supplies awaited the men. The Confederate line, across the road behind you, stretched a third of a mile to the north, where it then curled around to the west. After repulsing several Union assaults, the Confederates also turned back an attack on their left flank, where Gen. William Mahone held the line. The Federals dug in as evening fell. Under cover of darkness, the Confederate army slipped away but had lost valuable time as the Union army closed in., It was here that evening, Gen. Robert E. Lee declined a request for surrender sent to him by Gen. Ulysses S. Grant. From Cumberland Church, Lee could see the Blue Ridge Mountains; he still hoped to move west and then escape to North Carolina.
Here at Cumberland Church, in the afternoon of April 7, 1865, part of the Army of Northern Virginia entrenched to protect the route west to Appomattox Station, where supplies awaited the men. The Confederate line, across the road behind you, stretched a third of a mile to the north, where it then curled around to the west. After repulsing several Union assaults, the Confederates also turned back an attack on their left flank, where Gen. William Mahone held the line. The Federals dug in as evening fell. Under cover of darkness, the Confederate army slipped away but had lost valuable time as the Union army closed in.
It was here that evening, Gen. Robert E. Lee declined a request for surrender sent to him by Gen. Ulysses S. Grant. From Cumberland Church, Lee could see the Blue Ridge Mountains; he still hoped to move west and then escape to North Carolina.
Erected by Virginia Civil War Trails.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Churches & Religion • War, US Civil. A significant historical date for this entry is April 7, 1898.
Location. 37° 20.738′ N, 78° 23.127′ W. Marker is near Farmville, Virginia, in Cumberland County. Marker is on Cumberland Road (Virginia Route 45), on the left when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Farmville VA 23901, United States of America. Touch for directions.
More about this marker. The top of the marker features a portrait of Gen. William Mahone, and three battle maps showing troop positions at 1:00 P.M., 4:15 P.M. and Evening.
Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), April 22, 2021
2. Cumberland Church Marker
Photographed By Bill Coughlin, April 26, 2007
3. Cumberland Church
On April 7, 1865, Union troops encountered Confederates entrenched around this church. Despite several attacks the Confederate line held.
Photographed By Bill Coughlin, April 26, 2007
4. Cumberland Church Battle Map - Evening
Credits. This page was last revised on April 28, 2021. It was originally submitted on September 27, 2008, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey. This page has been viewed 2,028 times since then and 30 times this year. Last updated on April 25, 2021, by Bradley Owen of Morgantown, West Virginia. Photos:1, 2. submitted on April 24, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. 3, 4. submitted on September 27, 2008, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey. • J. Makali Bruton was the editor who published this page.
