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

The Battle of Dinwiddie Court House

Photographed by Bernard Fisher, June 8, 2024

1. The Battle of Dinwiddie Court House Marker

Inscription.

The Battle of Dinwiddie Court House. .

"I'm ready to strike out tomorrow and go to smashing things."

, Sheridan moves to cut Lee's last supply lines , Early spring, 1865, Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant, formulating his nineth and ultimate offensive of the Petersburg Campaign to break the nine-month siege of General Robert E. Lee's Confederate Army of Northern Virginia, planned to cut the two remaining supply lines, the Boydton Plank Road and the Southside Railroad. Grant intended to utilize his superior resources and stretch the Confederate right to a "breaking point," forcing Lee to fight in the open to save these vital supply lines and the cities of Richmond and Petersburg., Major General Phil Sheridan, who had recently rejoined Union forces around Petersburg with his formidable cavalry corps from the Shenandoah Valley, was given the task of outflanking Lee's army and reaching the Southside Railroad while the II Corps and V Corps of the Army of the Potomac pressed for the Boydton Plank Road. On March 29, 1865, Sheridan reached the strategic crossroads of Dinwiddie Court House (13 miles southwest of Petersburg, 7 miles from the Southside Railroad) with 10,000 well-equipped cavalrymen. Lee, to counter this move, set in motion Major General George Pickett's newly formed mobile force consisting of his 5,000 Confederate infantrymen gathered from the Richmond defenses. In addition, approximately 5,000 Confederate cavalrymen under Major General Fitzhugh Lee were ordered to concentrate at Five Forks, blocking the route to the Southside Railroad. The stage was now set for the final campaign. On March 30th at Dinwiddie Court House, Sheridan, while waiting out torrential rains that began on the 29th, announced to his staff, "I tell you I'm ready to strike out tomorrow and go to smashing things" and pacing up and down, he "chafed like a hound on a leash.", For more information on tours, preservation efforts and the history of the battlefields in and around Petersburg, visit the Petersburg Battlefields Foundation at www.petebattlefields.org, (captions) , Maj. Gen. Phil Sheridan , Maj. Gen. George Pickett , Troop movements March 29-30, 1865 Prelude to the Battle of Dinwiddie Court House

"I'm ready to strike out tomorrow and go to smashing things."

Sheridan moves to cut Lee's last supply lines
Early spring, 1865, Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant, formulating his nineth and ultimate offensive of the Petersburg Campaign to break the nine-month siege of General Robert E. Lee's Confederate Army of Northern Virginia, planned to cut the two remaining supply lines, the Boydton Plank Road and the Southside Railroad. Grant intended to utilize his superior resources and stretch the Confederate right to a "breaking point," forcing Lee to fight in the open to save these vital supply lines and the cities of Richmond and Petersburg.

Major General Phil Sheridan, who had recently rejoined Union forces around Petersburg with his formidable cavalry corps from the Shenandoah Valley, was given the task of outflanking Lee's army and reaching the Southside Railroad while the II Corps and V Corps of the Army of the Potomac pressed for the Boydton Plank Road. On March 29, 1865, Sheridan reached the strategic crossroads of Dinwiddie Court House (13 miles southwest of Petersburg, 7 miles from the Southside Railroad)

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with 10,000 well-equipped cavalrymen. Lee, to counter this move, set in motion Major General George Pickett's newly formed mobile force consisting of his 5,000 Confederate infantrymen gathered from the Richmond defenses. In addition, approximately 5,000 Confederate cavalrymen under Major General Fitzhugh Lee were ordered to concentrate at Five Forks, blocking the route to the Southside Railroad. The stage was now set for the final campaign. On March 30th at Dinwiddie Court House, Sheridan, while waiting out torrential rains that began on the 29th, announced to his staff, "I tell you I'm ready to strike out tomorrow and go to smashing things" and pacing up and down, he "chafed like a hound on a leash."

For more information on tours, preservation efforts and the history of the battlefields in and around Petersburg, visit the Petersburg Battlefields Foundation at www.petebattlefields.org

(captions)
Maj. Gen. Phil Sheridan
Maj. Gen. George Pickett
Troop movements March 29-30, 1865 Prelude to the Battle of Dinwiddie Court House

Erected 2024 by Petersburg Battlefields Foundation.

Topics. This historical marker is listed

Photographed by Evan Dwyer, November 28, 2025

2. The Battle of Dinwiddie Court House Marker

in this topic list: War, US Civil. A significant historical date for this entry is March 29, 1865.

Location. 37° 4.648′ N, 77° 35.24′ W. Marker is in Dinwiddie, Virginia, in Dinwiddie County. It is at the intersection of Sycamore Drive and Boydton Plank Road (U.S. 1), on the right when traveling north on Sycamore Drive. Marker is on the grounds of the historic Dinwiddie County Courthouse. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 14101 Boydton Plank Road, Dinwiddie VA 23841, 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 least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Dinwiddie Court House

The Battle of Dinwiddie Court House Markers image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Bernard Fisher, June 8, 2024

3. The Battle of Dinwiddie Court House Markers

This is a photo of the marker in its prior position on the grounds of Bonneville Farm. It was moved in 2025.

(here, next to this marker); a different marker also named Early Education in Dinwiddie County (here, next to this marker); Dinwiddie Confederate Monument (a few steps from this marker); a different marker also named Battle of Dinwiddie Court House (a few steps from this marker); The War of 1812 / Winfield Scott (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); Scott's Law Office (about 400 feet away); Dinwiddie Courthouse (about 500 feet away); Vaughan Road (approx. 0.4 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Dinwiddie.

Another marker is no longer nearby. Early Education in Dinwiddie County (was here, next to this marker but has been replaced with another marker now near it).

More about this marker. The marker was originally positioned on the driveway for the Bonneville Farm in 2024 until it could be placed on the courthouse lawn the following year.

Related markers. Click here for a list of markers that are related to this marker. This marker is one of five that comprise the Battle of Dinwiddie Courthouse Driving Tour (4 Stops):

Also see . . .
1. Petersburg Battlefields Foundation. (Submitted on June 8, 2024.)
2. Petersburg Battlefields Foundation Facebook Page.

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(Submitted on June 8, 2024.)
3. Petersburg National Battlefield. National Park Service (Submitted on June 8, 2024.)

Credits. This page was last revised on January 11, 2026. It was originally submitted on June 8, 2024, by Bernard Fisher of Richmond, Virginia. This page has been viewed 424 times since then and 43 times this year. Last updated on January 9, 2026, by Evan Dwyer of Richmond, Virginia. Photos: 1. submitted on June 8, 2024, by Bernard Fisher of Richmond, Virginia. 2. submitted on January 9, 2026, by Evan Dwyer of Richmond, Virginia. 3. submitted on June 8, 2024, by Bernard Fisher of Richmond, Virginia. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.