The ‘Fight for the Weldon Railroad’ wayside marker is at Stop One of the Petersburg National Battlefield Western Front Auto Tour. It is next to the Siege of Petersburg – Grant’s Fourth Offensive orientation marker and the Fort Wadsworth wayside marker on the northeast corner of the fort. (see map)
The ‘Fight for the Weldon Railroad’ wayside marker on the Petersburg National Battlefield
From the marker:
Fight for the Weldon Railroad
After failing to bludgeon his way into Petersburg in June and July, Grant decided to strangle the city instead. His plan: cut the railroads into Petersburg – cut the Confederate’s lifelines.
On August 18, Maj. Gen. Gouverneur Warren’s Union Fifth Corps seized the Petersburg & Weldon Railroad here near Globe Tavern. The Confederates retaliated, but after three days of fighting, the Union grip on the railroad remained unshaken.
The Federals (facing north) fought from earthworks on August 21. The works shown here stood just a few yards south of (behind) you. The Buck House, on the left of the painting, was dismantled during the construction of Fort Wadsworth a few weeks later.
From the caption to the maps:
August 19: Confederates under Maj. Gen. William Mahone demolished Warren’s right – east of the railroad – and captured 2,500 Federals. Only timely reinforcements prevented Union disaster.
Two days later, after Warren had pulled back and entrenched around Globe Tavern, the Confederates attacked again. This time the Federals repulsed them easily – and bloodily.
The marker is with two others at the northeast corner of the fort.