Petersburg, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)

Battle of Petersburg

25 April 1781

— Artillery Position —

Battle of Petersburg Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Bill Coughlin, April 23, 2006

1. Battle of Petersburg Marker

This photo looks north, in the direction in which the British artillery fired on von Steuben's forces.

Inscription. On 25 Apr. 1781, Maj. Gen. Friedrich von Steuben’s 1,000 Virginia militiamen, driven from the eastern edge of Blandford, established a strong defensive line along the western summit (now Madison Street) above Lieutenant Run valley. Maj. Gen. William Phillips’s British force occupied this ridge from here to the Appomattox River. After several unsuccessful infantry attacks, Phillips placed four artillery pieces here and fired on the American line. Facing this threat, and with American ammunition running low, von Steuben decided that any further defense of Petersburg would be futile and ordered a general retreat toward the Pocahontas Bridge to the north.

Erected 2005 by Department of Historic Resources. (Marker Number QA-20.)

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Notable Events • Notable Places • War, US Revolutionary. In addition, it is included in the Virginia Department of Historic Resources (DHR) series list. A significant historical date for this entry is April 25, 1781.

Location. 37° 13.806′ N, 77° 23.608′ W. Marker is in Petersburg, Virginia. It is at the intersection of S Little Church Street and E Washington Street (U.S. 301), on the left when traveling north on S Little Church Street. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Petersburg VA 23803, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Central Virginia.

It is also in the American South

and specifically in the Upper South.

Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region,

North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the original Thirteen Colonies,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers.

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At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: A different marker also named Battle of Petersburg (approx. ¼ mile away); a different marker also named Battle of Petersburg (approx. ¼ mile away); East Hill (approx. 0.4 miles away); a different marker also named Battle of Petersburg (approx. 0.4 miles away); War of 1812 Veterans Memorial (approx. 0.4 miles away); Revolutionary War Patriots Memorial (approx. 0.4 miles away); a different marker also named Battle of Petersburg (approx. 0.4 miles away); a different marker also named Battle of Petersburg (approx. 0.4 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Petersburg.

Another marker is no longer nearby. Blandford Church (was approx. 0.4 miles away but has been replaced with another marker now near it).

Related markers. Click here for a list of markers that are related to this marker.

Also see . . . Battle of Blanford, also called the Battle of Petersburg. “It was not until the British artillery was in position to rake the American line more than an hour later that von Steuben finally ordered the retreat.” (Submitted on April 23, 2016.)

Grave of British Gen. Phillips image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Bill Coughlin, April 23, 2006

2. Grave of British Gen. Phillips

British Maj. Gen. William Phillips, who occupied this site on April 25, 1781, died in Petersburg shortly after the battle. He is buried in Blandford Cemetery, located about ½ mile south of the marker.

Credits. This page was last revised on February 2, 2023. It was originally submitted on December 20, 2008, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey. This page has been viewed 1,642 times since then and 38 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on December 20, 2008, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey.