Petersburg in Dinwiddie County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
The Breakthrough
| | [Pamplin Historical Park] | |
Photographed by Bill Coughlin, April 23, 2007
1. Sergeant John E. Buffington Marker
Sergeant John Ezra Buffington, with five other men of his regiment, stormed the ramparts of the Confederate works near this position during the attack on April 2, 1865. The commander of the brigade that included the 6th Maryland wrote after the battle, I have made a full investigation as to who was in fact the first man from this brigade to enter the works and am fully satisfied that Sergeant John E. Buffington, Co. C 6th Maryland Volunteers was the first man to pass over the works. It was not until March 4, 1908 that Buffington was awarded the Medal of Honor for conspicuous gallantry in carrying the lines of the enemy at Petersburg, Virginia, April 2, 1865.
Sergeant John E. Buffington
6th Maryland Infantry, 2nd Brigade,
3rd Division (Seymour), Sixth Corps
Resident: Carroll County, Maryland
Enlisted: August 1862
Erected by Pamplin Historical Park.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: War, US Civil. In addition, it is included in the Medal of Honor Recipients series list. A significant historical date for this entry is April 2, 1865.
Location. 37° 10.708′ N, 77° 28.529′ W. Marker is in Petersburg, Virginia, in Dinwiddie County. It can be reached from Duncan
this page online
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 least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Sixth Maryland Infantry Monument (within shouting distance of this marker); The Cannons Flashes Lit Up the Terrible Scene (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); The Strongest Line of Works Ever Constructed (about 500 feet away); The Battle of Harmon Road (about 500 feet away); The Hart Farm (about 500 feet away); McGowans South Carolina Brigade (about 600 feet away); The Hart House (about 600 feet away); a different marker also named The Breakthrough (about 700 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Petersburg.
More about this marker. The bottom left of the marker contains a photograph of Sergeant John Buffington. Above that is a battle map of the Breakthrough, indicating the approach of the Union troops and the location of the marker.
Also see . . .
1. Breakthrough at Petersburg. The American Civil War website. (Submitted on January 17, 2009, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey.)
2. The Final Assault. The Civil War Siege of Petersburg.
Photographed by Bill Coughlin, April 23, 2007
2. Marker on the Breakthrough Trail
The Confederate fortifications stormed by Sergeant Buffington and his men on April 2, 1865 can be seen in the photo behind the marker.
Photographed by Bill Coughlin, April 23, 2007
3. Breakthrough Battle Map from Marker
Photographed by Evan Dwyer, July 4, 2025
4. Sergeant John E. Buffington's Medal of Honor
It is displayed in the Battlefield Center at Pamplin Historical Park.
Credits. This page was last revised on October 2, 2025. It was originally submitted on January 17, 2009, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey. This page has been viewed 1,558 times since then and 22 times this year. Last updated on September 30, 2025, by Evan Dwyer of Richmond, Virginia. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on January 17, 2009, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey. 4. submitted on September 30, 2025. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.
