Civil War: The Siege of Petersburg begins

In my rush to get things posted for the 150th anniversary of the Siege of Petersburg at my Siege of Petersburg site, I neglected to come check out the good discussion at the usual Civil War message boards. Today I finally had a chance to take a look, and I'm glad I did.

For those of you interested in learning more about the Siege of Petersburg, I've got the following list of books (not complete, there are others) for the overall siege and the main offensives. I'll post more in this thread as time allows...

Siege of Petersburg Resources at Google Books (collected by me over the last 6 or so years)

Books on the Siege of Petersburg

Siege of Petersburg Overviews

Other Petersburg Related Materials

Butler’s Offensive

First Offensive

Second Offensive

Third Offensive

Fourth Offensive

Fifth Offensive

Sixth Offensive
Eighth Offensive

Ninth Offensive

Great site! I peruse it often.
 
In my rush to get things posted for the 150th anniversary of the Siege of Petersburg at my Siege of Petersburg site, I neglected to come check out the good discussion at the usual Civil War message boards. Today I finally had a chance to take a look, and I'm glad I did.

For those of you interested in learning more about the Siege of Petersburg, I've got the following list of books (not complete, there are others) for the overall siege and the main offensives. I'll post more in this thread as time allows...

Siege of Petersburg Resources at Google Books (collected by me over the last 6 or so years)

Books on the Siege of Petersburg

Siege of Petersburg Overviews

Other Petersburg Related Materials

Butler’s Offensive

First Offensive

Second Offensive

Third Offensive

Fourth Offensive

Fifth Offensive

Sixth Offensive
Eighth Offensive

Ninth Offensive

By the way, I bet you would be able to help us make sense of these old maps and Petersburg today over here: http://civilwartalk.com/threads/fun...mberlain-highway-marker-at-petersburg.101111/
 
Well I'll be danged; my name is Bill Schulte, too. Except I outrank you by a smidge. My ancestors come from near Hanover, Germany. Yours?

Bill, my first name is Brett, not Bill, but you've got the rest. As far as I know, mine also come from near Hanover. We're probably related, if not here, then definitely over there.
 
The NPS E History Website backs up your contention that this statement is incorrect:

"By morning on June 14..... Lee remained baffled. Most of his cavalry was pursuing Sheridan, making it difficult for him to reconnoiter Grant's movements. Grant had disappeared, and Lee could only speculate about where he might emerge. Shortly after noon, he informed President Davis that he thought Grant "must be preparing to move south of James River." A few hours later, he spoke with greater certainty. "As far as I can judge from the information I have received," he wrote, Genl. Grant has moved his army to James River." Most likely, Lee surmised, he intended to cross and move on Petersburg. Acting on that probability, Lee hurried Hoke toward Drewry's Bluff, where he could cross on a pontoon bridge and aid Beauregard in defending Petersburg. Lee held the remainder of his army in readiness near Malvern Hill, waiting for definitive information about Grant's objective."

The entire entry can be read at:
http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/civil_war_series/11/sec16.htm


I think Billo means Lee new Grant was moving but was not sure where to. Lee new the James River was where Grant was heading but just didn't know where. Lee baffled? Not!
 
Baldy Smith was relieved from command of the 18th Corps 150 years ago today. I utilized sources mostly from the 19th Century for the linked post. However, I haven't read and don't own any books on Baldy Smith. Does anyone who is more familiar with this cantakerous general have any thoughts on what modern authors have written about this event? I'd love to hear more and maybe even post a follow-up.
 
Wow, I've really, really dropped the ball at keeping this thread going. I've been busy, busy, busy over the last few months blogging on an almost daily basis about the Siege. One of my goals was to do some posts on the lesser actions and skirmishes during the Siege, the fights you've really NEVER heard of. On my Siege of Petersburg site, I've got a page up which lists each one of these actions and links when I've got one or more posts covering them. I'll post the contents here too in case anyone is interested in checking out what I've been up to since June.

List of Skirmishes and Actions During the Richmond-Petersburg Campaign
JUNE 13-JULY 31, 1864. – The Richmond (Virginia) Campaign.

June 13, 1864.
-Skirmish at White Oak Swamp.
-Skirmish at Riddell’s Shop.

June 14, 1864.
– Skirmish near Harrison’s Landing.

June 15, 1864.
– Skirmish at Malvern Hill.
-Skirmish near Smith’s Store.

June 16, 1864.
Action on the Bermuda Hundred front.

June 16-17, 1864.
– Actions at Fort Clifton.+

June 17, 1864.
– Skirmish on the Bermuda Hundred front.

June 18, 1864.
Skirmish at King and Queen Court-House.++

June 20, 1864.
Skirmish at White House.
Skirmish at King and Queen Court-House.++

June 21, 1864.
-Action at Howlett’s Bluff.*
-Skirmish at White House or Saint Peter’s Church
-Skirmish at Black Creek, or Tunstall’s Station.+
-Skirmish at Davis Farm.

June 22, 1864.
– Skirmish at Reams’ Station

June 23, 1864.
– Skirmish at Jones’ Bridge.+
-Skirmish at Black and White’s.

June 24, 1864.
Action at Hare’s Hill.

June 25, 1864
– Skirmish at Staunton River Bridge, or Roanoke Station (25th)

June 28, 1864. – Action at Howlett’s Bluff.*

June 30-July 1, 1864.
Actions on Four-Mile Creek, at Deep Bottom.*

July 12, 1864.
– Skirmish at Warwick Swamp.
– Skirmish at Turkey Creek (and Lee’s Mill).*

July 14, 1864.
Action at Malvern Hill.*

July 16, 1864.
– Action at Four-Mile Creek.*
– Action at Malvern Hill.*

July 17, 1864.
– Skirmish at Herring Creek.

July 27, 1864.
Skirmish near Lee’s Mill.

July 28, 1864.
Action at Four-Mile Creek.*

July 30, 1864.
Skirmish at Lee’s Mill.

—————

* Of some of the minor conflicts noted in this Summary no circumstantial reports are on file.

+ For Union naval reports, see Annual Report of the Secretary of the Navy, December 5, 1864.

++ For reports, see Vol. XXXVI, Part I.

—————

AUGUST 1-DECEMBER 31, 1864.-The Richmond (Virginia) Campaign.+

August 1, 1864.
-Skirmish at Deep Bottom.

August 3, 1864.
-Action near Wilcox’s Landing.+

August 4, 1864.
-Action near Harrison’s Landing.+

August 5, 1864.
-Explosion of Confederate mine in front of the Eighteenth Army Corps.
-Skirmish at Cabin Point.

August 9, 1864.
-Explosion at City Point.
-Affair near Sycamore Church.

August 13, 1864.
-Action at Four-Mile Creek+ and Dutch Gap

August 22, 1864.
-Skirmish on the Vaughan Road.

August 23, 1864.
-Action on the Dinwiddie Road, near Reams’ Station.

August 24, 1864.
-Skirmish near Reams’ Station.
-Action on the Vaughan Road, near Reams’ Station.

August 31, 1864.
-Skirmish near the Davis House.

September 2, 1864.
-Reconnaissance beyond Yellow Tavern, on Weldon Railroad.

September 3, 1864.
-Affair near Sycamore Church.

September 5-6, 1864.
-Reconnaissance to Sycamore Church.

September 10, 1864.
-Assault on Confederate work at the Chimneys.

September 13, 1864.
-Scout to Poplar Spring Church.

September 15, 1864.
-Reconnaissance toward Dinwiddie Court-House, and skirmish.

September 16-17, 1864.
-Affair at Coggins’ Point (16th) and pursuit of the Confederates.

September 19, 1864.
-Scout to Lee’s Mill and Proctor’s House.

September 27, 1864.
-Action at McDowell’s Farm. (not in Offical Records)

October 1, 1864
-Skirmish at New Market Road. (Not in Official Records)

October 8, 1864.
-Reconnaissance on the Vaughan and Squirrel Level Roads.

October 11-12, 1864.
-Scout toward Stony Creek Station.

October 16-18, 1864.
-Federal expedition from City Point into Surry County.

October 22, 1864.
-James River skirmish near Fort Brady.


October 27, 1864.
-Skirmish in front of Fort Morton and Fort Sedgwick.

October 29, 1864.
-Skirmish at Johnson’s Farm.

October 30, 1864.
-Capture of Union Pickets at Fort Davis.


November 1- 5, 1864.
-Scout from Bermuda Hundred into Charles City County.

November 5, 1864.
-Skirmishes in front of Forts Haskell and Morton.

November 7, 1864.
-Reconnaissance toward Stony Creek.

November 16, 1864.
-Skirmish near Lee’s Mill.

November 17, 1864
-Skirmish at Bermuda Hundred.


November 18, 1864.
-Federal scout to Disputanta.


November 24, 1864.
-Skirmish near Prince George Court-House.

November 27, 1864.
-Explosion of the Federal vessel, Greyhound, Maj. Gen. Benjamin F. Butler’s
floating headquarters on the James River, possibly by Confederate agents
.


November 28, 1864.
-Scout toward Stony Creek Station.

November 29, 1864.
-Engagement of Federal ironclads with Howlett’s Battery.

December 1, 1864.
-Expedition to Stony Creek Station, and skirmish.

December 4, 1864.
-Skirmish near Davenport Church.

December 5-6, 1864.
-Engagement of Federal ironclads with Howlett’s Battery.

December 8, 1864.
-Skirmish at Hatcher’s Run.

December 9-10, 1864.
-Reconnaissance to Hatcher’s Run, and skirmishes.

December 10, 1864.
-Skirmish in front of Fort Holly.

—————

+ For Union naval reports, see Annual Report of the Secretary of the Navy, December 5, 1864.

—————

JANUARY 1-APRIL 3, 1865.-The Richmond (Virginia) Campaign.

January 1, 1865.
-Blowing Up of the Bulkheads of Dutch Gap Canal.

January 9, 1865.
-Skirmish near Disputanta Station.

January 23-24, 1865.
-Action at Fort Brady, James River. (Attempted Passage by the Confederate Squadron of the Obstructions in Trent’s Reach.)

January 25, 1865.
-Skirmish near Powhatan.

January 30, 1865.
-Scout to Long Bridge and Bottom’s Bridge.

February 9, 1865.
-General Robert E. Lee, C. S. Army, assumes command of the Confederate armies.

March 25, 1865.
-Action at the Watkins House.
-Action at Fort Fisher.

March 29, 1865.
-Skirmish at the junction of the Quaker and Boydton Roads.
-Skirmish on the Vaughan Road, near Hatcher’s Run.

March 30, 1865.
-Skirmish on the line of Hatcher’s Run and Gravelly Run.
-Skirmish near Five Forks.

March 31, 1865.
-Action at Hatcher’s Run, or Boydton Road.

April 1, 1865.
-Skirmish at the White Oak Road.

April 2, 1865.
-Skirmish at Gravelly Ford, on Hatcher’s Run.
-Action at Scott’s Cross-Roads.

April 3, 1865.
-Occupation of Richmond and Petersburg by the Union forces.
 
Didn't wanna start a new thread for this. This looked like at an appropriate thread to hitch onto. Read last night that from June 15-18,1864,the Union forces lost 9,964 men killed,wounded or missing at Petersburg and the Confederate numbers were somewhere around 4,000. After the casualty numbers of the Overland Campaign battles that seems small but only in comparison. And that was just the beginning of the Petersburg Campaign. You never hear about those casualties unless you are an ACW buff in some way. Not gonna say where I read it because I'm gonna post a book review after I finish it.
 
Last edited:
Back
Top