Bryce
Corporal
- Joined
- Jun 2, 2011
- Location
- Washington, D.C.
Let’s begin part one by making four points clear. This will help you understand the siege better.
first point, the the siege of Petersburg lasted from June 15, 1864 through April 2, 1865. This was the longest siege in American history. During this time Grant launched eight offenses in his attempt to capture Petersburg.
Second point, the Petersburg defenses consisted of a horse shoe shaped ring of forts called the Dimmock line. The open part of the horseshoe faced on the Appomattox River. The fighting from June 15, 1864 to August 25, 1864 took place along the eastern front of the horseshoe and the Southern front of the horseshoe. Each of these Confederate defense lines was approximately 3 miles long.
Of Grant‘s eight offensives, the first four took place along the eastern and southern Fronts of the horseshoe.
Third point, out of these eight offenses, only three of them were aimed at breaking through the Confederate lines and seizing the city of Petersburg. The first attempt is known as the first offensive. It lasted from June 15 through June 18, 1864. The federals carried Most of the eastern face of the Dimmock line, but the Confederates under Beauregard fell back and build a second line only a short distance east of the city. This was called the Harris line and the federal failed to capture it. The first offensive left the federals holding a line of fortifications east of the city. This line stretched from the Appomattox River on the north to the point where the Southern face of the Democrat line began
The second attempt to seize the city took place on July 30, 1864. It was part of the third offensive and It is known as the battle of the Petersburg crater.
The third and final attempt To carry the fortifications took place on April 2, 1865. This was the part of the eighth offensive and it resulted in the breaking of the Confederate lines west of Petersburg. Lee was forced to evacuate the city that night.
The other five Unionoffensives were aimed at cutting Lee’s supply lines by seizing the railroads supplying Petersburg. There were two railroads. The one closest To the federal entrenchments was the Weldon railroad. It ran south a short distance west of the Dimmock line. The southside railroad was north west of the city and was located near the Appomattox River.
Fourth point, with the exception of the three assaults, all of the battles around Petersburg took place in the heavily wooded areas south and west of the city. In other words they were fights in the open field.
This terrain around Petersburg resembled the famous wilderness where the battles of Chancellorsville and the wilderness took place. There were only a few farms scattered about the area. Everywhere else there was forest. The only roads in the region were narrow dirt roads that the farmers used to take their produce and tobacco to market.
fifth and final point, during the siege grant also established siege lines outside of Richmond for reasons which I will describe later. between Richmond and Petersburg is Chesterfield County. The northern boundary is the Appomattox and the southern boundary is the James river. There were union entrenchments along This front which is known as Bermuda hundred. This is the area that Benjamin butler seized in May 1864.
This is the end of part one Of my presentation. In part two I will tell the story of the two offensive aimed at capturing the Weldon railroad. In part tBree I will describe in general terms what happened after the federals seized the Weldon Railroad on August 21, 1864.
feel free to ask questions and to make requests
first point, the the siege of Petersburg lasted from June 15, 1864 through April 2, 1865. This was the longest siege in American history. During this time Grant launched eight offenses in his attempt to capture Petersburg.
Second point, the Petersburg defenses consisted of a horse shoe shaped ring of forts called the Dimmock line. The open part of the horseshoe faced on the Appomattox River. The fighting from June 15, 1864 to August 25, 1864 took place along the eastern front of the horseshoe and the Southern front of the horseshoe. Each of these Confederate defense lines was approximately 3 miles long.
Of Grant‘s eight offensives, the first four took place along the eastern and southern Fronts of the horseshoe.
Third point, out of these eight offenses, only three of them were aimed at breaking through the Confederate lines and seizing the city of Petersburg. The first attempt is known as the first offensive. It lasted from June 15 through June 18, 1864. The federals carried Most of the eastern face of the Dimmock line, but the Confederates under Beauregard fell back and build a second line only a short distance east of the city. This was called the Harris line and the federal failed to capture it. The first offensive left the federals holding a line of fortifications east of the city. This line stretched from the Appomattox River on the north to the point where the Southern face of the Democrat line began
The second attempt to seize the city took place on July 30, 1864. It was part of the third offensive and It is known as the battle of the Petersburg crater.
The third and final attempt To carry the fortifications took place on April 2, 1865. This was the part of the eighth offensive and it resulted in the breaking of the Confederate lines west of Petersburg. Lee was forced to evacuate the city that night.
The other five Unionoffensives were aimed at cutting Lee’s supply lines by seizing the railroads supplying Petersburg. There were two railroads. The one closest To the federal entrenchments was the Weldon railroad. It ran south a short distance west of the Dimmock line. The southside railroad was north west of the city and was located near the Appomattox River.
Fourth point, with the exception of the three assaults, all of the battles around Petersburg took place in the heavily wooded areas south and west of the city. In other words they were fights in the open field.
This terrain around Petersburg resembled the famous wilderness where the battles of Chancellorsville and the wilderness took place. There were only a few farms scattered about the area. Everywhere else there was forest. The only roads in the region were narrow dirt roads that the farmers used to take their produce and tobacco to market.
fifth and final point, during the siege grant also established siege lines outside of Richmond for reasons which I will describe later. between Richmond and Petersburg is Chesterfield County. The northern boundary is the Appomattox and the southern boundary is the James river. There were union entrenchments along This front which is known as Bermuda hundred. This is the area that Benjamin butler seized in May 1864.
This is the end of part one Of my presentation. In part two I will tell the story of the two offensive aimed at capturing the Weldon railroad. In part tBree I will describe in general terms what happened after the federals seized the Weldon Railroad on August 21, 1864.
feel free to ask questions and to make requests