Petersburg, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
Blandford Church
In Harm’s Way
After the explosion of a Union mine at The Crater July 30, 1864, Confederate Gen. William Mahone rushed three brigades through here to blunt the Federal advance. Months later, in the early morning of March 25, 1865, Confederate Gen. John B. Gordon formed his assaulting columns to attack nearby Union Fort Stedman, opposite Colquitt’s Salient.
After the war, many of the Confederate dead from area battlefields and hospitals were reinterred here in a special section. Of approximately 30,000 soldiers buried here, only 2,025 are known; all are in mass graves. A small section south of the churchyard wall contains the remains of members of the famous New Orleans Washington Artillery who were killed during the siege. After the war, three Confederate generals were buried here: William Mahone, David Weisiger and Cullen Battle.
Between 1904 and 1912, Louis Comfort Tiffany installed fifteen windows in the church, eleven representing states in the former Confederacy, two for border states and the last for the Ladies Memorial Association.
Erected by Virginia Civil War Trails.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Cemeteries & Burial Sites • Churches & Religion • Notable Buildings • War, US Civil. In addition, it is included in the Virginia Civil War Trails series list. A significant historical date for this entry is March 25, 1865.
Location. 37° 13.586′ N, 77° 23.295′ W. Marker is in Petersburg, Virginia. Marker is on Crater Road (U.S. 460), on the right when traveling north. Marker is located at the north end of the parking lot of the Blandford Church Visitor Center. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Petersburg VA 23803, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Blandford Church and Cemetery (within shouting distance of this marker); Battle of Petersburg (within shouting distance of this marker); a different marker also named Battle of Petersburg (within shouting distance of this marker); People's Memorial Cemetery (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); a different marker also named Battle of Petersburg (approx. 0.4 miles away); Battle of the Crater - Covered Way (approx. 0.4 miles away); a different marker also named Battle of Petersburg (approx. 0.6 miles away); a different marker also named Battle of Petersburg (approx. 0.6 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Petersburg.
More about this marker. The top center of the marker features a photograph of the church, with the caption Blandford Church and Cemetery as it appeared after the fall of Petersburg. - National Archives.
The upper right of the marker contains a map showing Blandford Church in relation to the Confederate and Union lines during the siege of Petersburg. Blandford Church, located just behind the Confederate lines, was a Union objective following the explosion at The Crater. Southern troops formed in the cemetery prior to the attack on Fort Stedman.
Also see . . .
1. Old Blandford Church. (Submitted on March 23, 2008, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey.)
2. Civil War Traveler. Central Virginia - Petersburg. (Submitted on March 23, 2008, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey.)
Credits. This page was last revised on November 30, 2023. It was originally submitted on March 23, 2008, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey. This page has been viewed 2,993 times since then and 36 times this year. Last updated on June 11, 2021, by Bradley Owen of Morgantown, West Virginia. Photos: 1. submitted on March 23, 2008, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey. 2. submitted on December 21, 2008, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia. 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on March 23, 2008, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey. 7. submitted on March 24, 2008, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey. 8. submitted on July 25, 2015, by Brandon Fletcher of Chattanooga, Tennessee. 9, 10. submitted on June 11, 2021, by Bradley Owen of Morgantown, West Virginia. 11. submitted on March 23, 2008, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey. 12. submitted on October 12, 2015. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.