Fall Of Petersburg

Fall of Petersburg 3rd Petersburg Began: April 2, 1865 Ended: Same day Location: Petersburg, Virginia Theater: Eastern Theater Campaign: Appomattox Campaign Outcome: Union victory Combatants Army of the Potomac Army of Northern Virginia Commanders Ulysses S. Grant Lieutenant General, USA Robert E. Lee General, CSA Strength 97,000 45,000 Casualties 3,500 4,250

With Confederate defeat at Five Forks on April 1, Grant and Meade ordered a general assault against the Petersburg lines by II, IX, VI and XXIV Corps on April 2. A heroic defense of Fort Gregg by a handful of Confederates prevented the Federals from entering the city that night. Lt. Gen. A.P. Hill was killed trying to reach his troops in the confusion. After dark, Lee ordered the evacuation of Petersburg and Richmond. Grant had achieved one of the major military objectives of the war: the capture of Petersburg, which led to the fall of Richmond, the Capitol of the Confederacy. (NPS summary)