Near Petersburg in Dinwiddie County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)

The Campaign for Petersburg

Petersburg Battlefields

Photographed by Bradley Owen, October 21, 2021

1. The Campaign for Petersburg Marker

Inscription.

The Campaign for Petersburg. Petersburg Battlefields. , “The charge of Major-Gen. Wright’s veterans under cover of the darkness and mist … will forever live in history as one of the grandest and most sublime actions of the war.”, Sgt. Newton J. Terrill, 14th New Jersey Infantry, USA, “The Army of Northern Virginia got whipped badly. The killed and wounded was large. An awful sad day in the Army and I reckon all over the country.”, Lt. James E. Phillips, 12th Virginia Infantry, CSA, The ground before you witnessed one of the most decisive attacks of the entire Civil War. Early on the morning of April 2, 1865, some 14,000 Union soldiers crossed eight hundred yards of open ground and attacked about 2,800 Confederates manning a line of earthworks protecting access to Petersburg. The Federal victory here broke Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee’s previously impenetrable defenses and, along with other Union gains, prompted Lee to order the evacuation of Petersburg and Richmond., This breakthrough came after months of effort. In September and October 1864, the Federals made key terrain gains at the Battle of Peebles’ Farm. For six months thereafter, troops in blue and gray occupied opposing picket lines, exchanging shots, coffee, and tobacco. On March 25, 1865, the Battle of Jones Farm set the stage for ultimate Union success., This trail connects the Union works preserved by Petersburg National Battleﬁeld with the Confederate works within Pamplin Historical Park and crosses the ground saved by the Civil War Trust. The trail covers approximately two miles round trip and takes about 90 minutes to walk. Please note that Pamplin Historical Park charges an entrance fee, which is payable at the park’s Battleﬁeld Center or at the National Museum of the Civil War Soldier., (captions) , Gen. Horatio G. Wright commanded the Union Sixth Corps, whose troops made the attacks here on March 25 and April 2, 1865. Courtesy Library of Congress, Confederate Gen. Ambrose Powell Hill commanded the Third Corps of the Army of Northern Virginia, which bore responsibility for the Confederate defenses immediately southwest of Petersburg. From Miller's Photographic History of the Civil War

“The charge of Major-Gen. Wright’s veterans under cover of the darkness and mist … will forever live in history as one of the grandest and most sublime actions of the war.”—Sgt. Newton J. Terrill, 14th New Jersey Infantry, USA

“The Army of Northern Virginia got whipped badly. The killed & wounded was large. An awful sad day in the Army & I reckon all over the country.”—Lt. James E. Phillips, 12th Virginia Infantry, CSA

The ground before you witnessed one of the most decisive attacks of the entire Civil War. Early on the morning of April 2, 1865, some 14,000 Union soldiers crossed eight hundred yards of open ground and attacked about 2,800 Confederates manning a line of earthworks protecting access to Petersburg. The Federal victory here broke Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee’s previously impenetrable defenses and, along with other Union gains, prompted Lee to order the evacuation of Petersburg and Richmond.

This breakthrough came after months of effort. In September and October 1864, the Federals made key terrain gains at the Battle of Peebles’ Farm. For six months thereafter, troops in blue and gray occupied opposing

Paid Advertisement

Click or scan to see
this page online

picket lines, exchanging shots, coffee, and tobacco. On March 25, 1865, the Battle of Jones Farm set the stage for ultimate Union success.

This trail connects the Union works preserved by Petersburg National Battleﬁeld with the Confederate works within Pamplin Historical Park and crosses the ground saved by the Civil War Trust. The trail covers approximately two miles round trip and takes about 90 minutes to walk. Please note that Pamplin Historical Park charges an entrance fee, which is payable at the park’s Battleﬁeld Center or at the National Museum of the Civil War Soldier.

(captions)
Gen. Horatio G. Wright commanded the Union Sixth Corps, whose troops made the attacks here on March 25 and April 2, 1865. Courtesy Library of Congress

Confederate Gen. Ambrose Powell Hill commanded the Third Corps of the Army of Northern Virginia, which bore responsibility for the Confederate defenses immediately southwest of Petersburg. From Miller's Photographic History of the Civil War

Erected 2015 by Civil War Trust and Virginia Civil War Trails.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic

Photographed by Bradley Owen, October 21, 2021

2. The Campaign for Petersburg Marker

The marker is on the left.

list: War, US Civil. In addition, it is included in the Virginia Civil War Trails series list. A significant historical date for this entry is April 2, 1865.

Location. 37° 11.005′ N, 77° 27.947′ W. Marker is near Petersburg, Virginia, in Dinwiddie County. It can be reached from the intersection of Church Road (Virginia Route 672) and Flank Road, on the right when traveling south. Marker is located at the end of the Civil War Trust Breakthrough Trail (See Map on Marker). Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 6125 Boydton Plank Rd, Petersburg VA 23803, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Virginia’s Piedmont,

in Southside Virginia,

and specifically 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. At

Closeup of Trail Map on the Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Bradley Owen, October 21, 2021

3. Closeup of Trail Map on the Marker

least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: The Confederate Picket Line (here, next to this marker); The Confederate Counterattack (approx. ¼ mile away); “A Great Struggle is Now Impending” (approx. 0.3 miles away); Battle of Jones Farm, March 25, 1865 (approx. 0.3 miles away); A Mysterious Historic Feature (approx. 0.3 miles away); The Breakthrough (approx. 0.3 miles away); The Headwaters Trail (approx. 0.3 miles away); The Attack Begins (approx. 0.3 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Petersburg.

More about this marker. The marker is located on property owned by Pamplin Historical Park.

Also see . . .
1. Petersburg Breakthrough: The Fall of Petersburg. American Battlefield Trust (Submitted on October 24, 2021.)

2. Pamplin Historical Park. (Submitted on October 24, 2021.)

Credits. This page was last revised on February 17, 2025. It was originally submitted on October 23, 2021, by Bradley Owen of Morgantown, West Virginia. This page has been viewed 446 times since then and 15 times this year. Last updated on February 16, 2025, by Evan Dwyer of Richmond, Virginia. Photos: 1. submitted on October 23, 2021, by Bradley Owen of Morgantown, West Virginia. 2, 3. submitted on October 24, 2021, by Bradley Owen of Morgantown, West Virginia. • J. Makali Bruton was the editor who published this page.