1864-1865: The Bombardment of Petersburg

1864-1865: The Bombardment of Petersburg. . , A Unique History , A local historian once wrote that "during its siege Petersburg endured an ordeal of shelling which was extraordinary in the history of the world." It was estimated that more than 800 buildings were struck during the nine and a half month campaign beginning on June 19, 1864. Although it appears that "fewer than half a dozen residents were killed by the deadly missiles," property damage to the buildings in the city was considerable., The Graham Map (Left) , After Robert E. Lee's Army surrender at Appomattox Court House on April 9, 1865, Northern occupation forces in Petersburg took it upon themselves to assess the damage from the bombardment. Assisted by a local guide named Mr. Bowden, Captain Graham surveyed each street and determined which structures were hit by enemy artillery and who lived there, and plotted these buildings on a large map of Petersburg. The map was completed by U.S. Engineers Graham and Lieutenant Lydecker at the scale of 8 inches to a mile. It is shown on the left with the Old Town area highlighted. Numbers next to buildings on the map indicate that they were struck by shells.