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As Union forces threatened Richmond, fighting at Darbytown Road north of the James River, Grant tried one more flanking attack on the Petersburg defenses before winter. On October 27 Hancock’s Second Corps left the Union siege lines, marched down Vaughan Road and pushed back Confederate cavalry under Wade Hampton to occupy Boydton Plank Road at Hatcher’s Run. (The battle is sometimes called the First Battle of Hatchers Run, as well as the Battle of Burgess Mill).
A.P. Hill, in command of Confederate troops south of the Appomattox, quickly sent Heth’s and Mahone’s Divisions to counterattack and drive Hancock back. But Hill’s health failed him again as it had so often in the war, forcing him to relinquish command to Heth.
Warren’s Fifth Corps and Parke’s Ninth Corps had also moved out to support Hancock, but the thick woods around Hatcher’s Run prevented Crawford’s Division of the Fifth Corps from linking up with the Second. Meade and Grant were on the battlefield and realized the dangerous gap between the two corps would only grow larger if Hancock continued his advance toward the Southside Railroad. Realizing the strength of the Confederate response, they called off the attack.
This left Hancock’s Division isolated on the far side of Hatcher’s Run, with Confederates closing in from three sides – a repeat of the disaster in August at Reames Station. But this time the Second Corps stayed steady. Hancock launched attacks against both Confederate flanks, and Gregg’s cavalry joined in against Hampton. Mahone had successfully made his way into Hancock’s rear, but now had to fight his way out of encirclement himself. The Confederates retreated up Boydton Plank Road.
Hancock had won a tactical victory, but knew his position could not be held in the long run, and when Grant gave him the decision whether to hold at Hatcher’s Run or return to the Union lines he chose to withdraw. It was the last large scale fighting at Petersburg before winter. It was also the last of the Civil War for both Hancock and Gregg. Both resigned their commands within the next few weeks, Hancock to eventually hold department command in the Shenandoah Valley and Gregg to leave the army altogether.