Near Petersburg in Prince George County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
Opportunity Lost
Photographed by Bradley Owen, October 20, 2021
1. Opportunity Lost Marker
At 7 p.m. on June 15, 1864, the boom of Union cannons to the east foreshadowed a Union attack on the Dimmock Line. Minutes later, soldiers of the Union Eighteenth Corps broke through the undermanned Confederate line and swarmed over the works here at Battery 5. In two hours the Federals captured 1.5 miles of Petersburgs defenses.
Though few Confederates stood between the Federals and the streets of Petersburg, Union Maj. Gen. William F. Smith stopped his advance to await reinforcements. Nine months of tedious, deadly siege would pass before the Federals would again have such an opportunity to capture Petersburg.
(Photo Captions)
At that hour, Petersburg was clearly at the mercy of the Federal commander, who had all but captured it.
Gen. P.G.T. Beauregard, CSA
Confederate Commander, June 15, 1864
Deeming that I held important points of the enemys line of works, I thought it prudent to make no farther advance.
Maj. Gen. William F. Baldy Smith, USA
Union Commander, June 15, 1864
Union attack on Battery #5 by A. Waud
Erected by Petersburg National Battlefield, National Park Service, Department
this page online
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: War, US Civil. A significant historical date for this entry is June 15, 1864.
Location. 37° 14.742′ N, 77° 21.419′ W. Marker is near Petersburg, Virginia, in Prince George County. It can be reached from Petersburg Tour Road, on the left when traveling north. The marker is in the Petersburg National Battlefield on the Battery 5 Trail. The trailhead is located at the Visitor Center. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 5001 Siege Road, Prince George VA 23875, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Coastal Virginia. It is also in the American South, specifically in the Upper South, and in the Tidewater. 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. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of
Photographed by Bradley Owen, October 20, 2021
2. Opportunity Lost Marker
Other markers no longer nearby. Opportunity Lost (has been replaced with this marker); Battery 5 of the Dimmock Line (was within shouting distance of this marker but has been replaced with another marker now near it); Uprooted by War (was about 500 feet away but has been replaced with another marker now near it); Battery 5 Trail (was about 700 feet away but has been replaced with another marker now near it).
Regarding Opportunity Lost. Like many others in Petersburg National Battlefield, this marker has a Petersburg Time Line along the bottom of the marker with this event highlighted.
Related marker. Click here for another marker that is related to this marker. Old Marker At This Location also titled "Opportunity Lost".
Also see . . . Petersburg National Battlefield. National Park Service (Submitted on November 15, 2021.)
Credits. This page was last revised on October 21, 2024. It was originally submitted on November 11, 2021, by Bradley Owen of Morgantown, West Virginia. This page has been viewed 284 times since then and 7 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on November 11, 2021, by Bradley Owen of Morgantown, West Virginia. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.
