Appomattox Campaign

The Appomattox Campaign lasted only twelve days and covered about eighty miles of southern Virginia. The Confederate Army of Northern Virginia faced the Federal Army of the Potomac and the Army of the James in ever-lengthening fortifications that were a foretaste of World War I. Two divisions of cavalry from the Federal Army of the Shenandoah had rejoined the Army of the Potomac on March 25, along with the army commander, Philip Sheridan.

At the end of the Appomattox Campaign General Robert E. Lee surrendered the remnants of his Army of Northern Virginia. It was not the end of the Civil War – fighting still continued elsewhere in the Confederacy for another month. But, combined with the loss of Richmond, it was an unmistakable sign that the war was unwinnable for the South.

Background

For nine and a half months Grant had manuevered his Union armies to cut off the railroads that fed into the Confederate transportation hub of Petersburg and then 20 miles north to the Confederate Capitol at Richmond. By the end of March, 1865, only the Southside Railroad remained open. Southern troops and the draft animals that pulled their artillery and wagons had starved all winter while Union troops had plentiful supplies delivered by military railroad to within a mile of their camps.

Confederate Forces

Robert E. Lee commanded between 56,000 – 58,000 men:

  • The Army of Northern Virginia, consisting of the First, Second, and Third infantry corps, each of three infantry divisions, the Fourth infantry corps of two infantry divisions, and the Cavalry Corps of three cavalry divisions.
  • The Department of Richmond, commanded by Lieutenant General Richard Ewell and consisting of an infantry division, the Drewry’s Bluff Garrison (heavy artillerymen fighting as infantry), and a Naval Brigade made up of sailors from the James River Squadron whose ships had been scuttled and burned.
  • Unattached battalions from the Department of North Carolina and Southern Virginia commanded by Brigadier General Henry Wise.

Union Forces

Ulysses S. Grant commanded over 115,000 men:

  • The Army of the Potomac, commanded by Major General George Meade, consisting of the Second, Fifth, Sixth and Ninth Corps, each with three infantry divisions, and the Second Cavalry Division
  • The Army of the James, commanded by Major General Edward O. C. Ord, consisting of the Twenty Forth and Twenty Fifth Corps, with a total of five infantry divisions, the division-sized Defences of Bermuda Hundred, and a cavalry division
  • The Army of the Shenandoah’s Cavalry Corps, consisting of two cavalry divisions.

 

Timeline of the Appomattox Campaign

March 29

Sheridan’s Cavalry Corps moved west to begin a flanking manuever around the Confederate line to Dinwiddie Court House in an effort to cut the Boydton Plank Road. It was supported by Warren’s Union Fifth Corps. which was to move west along the Boydton Plank Road, and the Second Corps, which was to cover the flank of the Fifth Corps from the Vaughan Road to Hatcher’s Run

Battle of Lewis’ Farm

Elements of the Union Fifth Corps encountered three brigades from Bushrod Johnson’s Confederate Division. In a seesaw battle the Confedreates were driven back to White Oak Road.

To the south, two of Sheridan’s Union Cavalry divisions entered Dinwiddie Court House. It began to rain heavily, turning the roads into muddy swamps.

Lee ordered Fitz Lee to take command of all three Confederate cavalry divisions and attack Sheridan at Dinwiddie Court House. He also directed George Pickett with three brigades to move to the critical Five Forks area, and joined Fitz Lee’s Cavalry in their attack on Dinwiddie.

March 30

Warren advanced the Union Fifth Corps to face the Confederate defensive line along White Oak Road. The Union Second Corps filled in the gap made by the Fifth Corps’ advance, moved up to the Confederate lines and entreched.

March 31

The heavy rains continued.

Battle of White Oak Road

As Ayres’ Union division advanced on the White Oak Road positions held by Confederate General Bushrod Johnson’s Division, the brigades of Stansel (Moody), McGowan and Hunton advanced to attack Ayres, whose left flank was in the air. Crawford’s Division then came to the support of Ayres. The Union divisions were forced to retreat, but the Confederate advance was stopped by Griffith’s Union Division with the Fifth Corps artillery under Wainwright.

On the right of the Fifth Corps, Hunphrey’s Second Corps launched spoiling attacks to prevent to prevent the Confederate attack from being supported. Johnson’s attack ran out of steam and, with no reinforcements, was forced to withdraw. They occupied the former Union trenches in front of the original Confederate line.

By 1 p.m. the lines had stabilized. Union Brigadier General Joshua Chamberlain, wounded from the fighting at Lewis Farm two days before, agreed to lead an attack. His assault broke the Confederate line, forced them out of the captured Union trenches and back to their original forces. It also advanced around the flank of the Confederate position, occupying White Oak Road beyond the Cnfederate trenches and breaking their contact with Pickett’s Division at Five Forks.

Battle of Dinwiddie Court House

Fite Lee’s Confederate cavalry along with three of Pickett’s infantry brigades pushed Sheridan’s Cavalry back from Five Forks to Dinwiddie Court House during the day. But when Pickett learned that Warren’s Fifth Corps was advancing west along the  White Oak Road he withdrew his division to the light field fortifications that had been erected around Five Forks.

April 1

Battle of Five Forks

Sheridan pinned down the Confederate defensive line with his cavalry and launched Warren’s Fifth Corps infantry in a crushing flank attack. A mistake worked to the Union’s advantage, as Crawford’s infantry division missed a vital turn into the Confederate flank, but marched deep behind the Confederate rear before Warren caught up with and redirected them to cut off the main Confederate line of retreat. An unfortunate result was that Sheridan accused Warren of not being involved in the battle and relieved him of his command. The major fighting was over in just a couple hours as the Confederate line collapsed. Nearly a third of Pickett’s army became casualties and the survivors scattered. Pickett had been unaware of the attack until it was almost over, having joined Fitz Lee behind the lines for a shad bake. It was in an acoustical shadow and he was unaware of the battle unfolding until Union Cavalry was seen approaching. Pickett made a daring ride through Union cavalry to return to his command, but by the time he returned it was broken and retreating.

Grant orders a general assault: Grant knew that Lee had thinned his defensive lines to come up with troops to attack Fort Stedman on March 25 and again to provide Pickett’s men to bolster his right flank at Five Folks. He ordered an attack all along the line for April 2, hoping that one or more weak spots would be found. Union artillery opened a four hour barrage from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m., after which the infantry would attack.

April 2

Third Battle of Petersburg (Breakthrough at Petersburg)

Sixth Corps Breakthrough: The Corps was formed into a giant wedge, led by Getty’s Second Division. The First Vermont Brigade led as the tip of the wedge, with Captain Charles G. Gould and Sergeant Jackson G. Sergeant of the 5th Vermont Infantry Regiment being awarded the Medal of Honor for being “first to scale the enemy’s works.” In half an hour the Confederate defenses were overwhelmed and a large and decisive breakthrough was in progress.

Death of A.P. Hill: Hill, commanding the Confederate Third Corps troops whose line had ruptured, left Lee’s headquarters and made his way toward the disaster to try to rally his men. He and his aide, Sergeant George W. Tucker, ran into Pennsylvanians in the woods. Hill tried to bluff them into surrendering, but was shot dead. Sergeant Tucker escaped to bring the news back to Lee.

Attack on Fort Mahone: Parke’s Ninth Corps overran parts of the Confederate trench system but faced bloody fighting at Fort Mahoney (known as “Fort Damnation”) and other places in the in-depth defences.

Battle of Sutherland Station

After Five Forks, Sutherland Station was now the far end of the flank of the Confederate defensive line. The South Side Railroad, the last supply line from outside, ran immediately behind the Confederate defensive line. A Federal division under Major General Nelson Miles intended to break through four badly depleted brigades of Confederates under Brigadier General John R. Cooke and cut the railroad link. Starting in the late morning, three Federal assaults were turned back. But around mid afternoon a fourth attack concentrated on the Confederate left flank, and the thin line collapsed. Cooke’s men withdrew to the northwest, leaving behind 600 dead and wounded and over 1,000 prisoners.

Battle of Fort Gregg and Fort Whitworth

Fort Gregg was part of a secondary defensive line on the west side of Petersburg connecting the main Confederate line with the Appomattox River. The fort was a backup if Union forces ever broke through or outflanked Confederate lines and tried to sweep around into Petersburg. This happened on April 2. When Union forces poured through a break in the lines two miles to the west the only defenses between them and the rear of Lee’s army in the defensive lines to the east was Fort Gregg and its sister Fort Whitworth.

Six hundred Confederate troops moved into the forts to buy time for the rest of Lee’s army to withdraw across the Appomattox. Over 5,000 Federal troops assaulted the forts. The battle went on for over two hours. It was a horrible carnage of hand to hand fighting that one participant described as worse in its ferocity than Spotsylvania. All of the Confederate defenders were killed, wounded or captured. The Federal attackers lost over 800 killed and wounded. But the sacrifice of Fort Gregg allowed the rest of Lee’s army to escape safely – for a few more days.

Lee’s Decision to Withdraw: After learning of the the loss of Five Forks Lee advised the Confederate government that it would be necessary to abandon Richmond and Petersburg. His plans were to concentrate his divided army at Amelia Court House and resupply, then continue to Danville. Lee sent a message to President Davis at Richmond: “I advise that all preparation be made for leaving Richmond tonight.” It reached him during Sunday service and set off frantic activity.

The contents of the Confederate Treasury were loaded into stongboxes and sent off on a train guarded by 60 cadets from the Naval Academy. Each of the departments of the government packed important documents and burned the rest. As government warehouses were set ablaze Davis boarded the last train to leave, at around 11 p.m, heading for Danville. The plan was that the Government would relocate to Danville. a new defensive line would be formed along the Dan and Roanoke Rivers, and Johnston’s and Lee’s armies would combine there.

April 3

Union occupation of Richmond and Petersburg

The last of the Richmond garrison pulled out during the night, leaving the city to drunken mobs of looters. Fires spread from the warehouses and ammunition dumps while explosions from the scuttled ironclads of the Confederate Navy blew out windows. About a third of the city was burning by sunrise.

President Davis reached Danville: He would remain there for a week before moving on, always close to capture by Union cavalry. They caught up with him on May 9 outside Dublin, Georgia.

The Confederate forces, scattered along 40 miles of defensive lines around Petersburg and Richmond, made their way to a planned rendezvous point at Amelia Court House. Supplies were being sent there, and from there Lee could follow the railroad south through Burkesville to Danville.

Battle of Namozine Church: Confederate cavalry held off pursuing Union cavalry from Custer’s Division until Bushrod Johnson’s Infantry Division could safely pass Namozine Church and make their way toward Amelia Court House. The Union pursuit continued until halted by a large number of Confederate infantry and approaching darkness at Sweathouse Creek.

Wells’ Union cavalry brigade continued to attack Fitzhugh Lee’s Confederate cavalry along Deep Creek after nightfall. Confederate Brigadier General Rufus Barringer and a number of his men were captured after being led into a trap by Union scouts wearing Confederate uniforms. Wells’ brigade captured 350 prisoners, 100 horses and an artillery piece while losing 95 men killed or wounded.

Confederate positions at the end of the day:

  • Lee and most of Longstreet’s First Corps had crossed to the west side of the Appomattox River over Goode’s Bridge during the day.
  • Ewell’s men from the Department of Richmond had been unable to cross the Appomattox at the site of the destroyed Genito Bridge because a pontoon bridge had not arrived. They were forced to march south and cross on the Richmond and Danville Railroad bridge after they placed planks between the rails.
  • Gordon’s Second Corps were east of the the Appomattox bridge at Scott’s Shop, waiting for Ewell’s men to catch up.
  • Mahone’s Third Corps was waiting at Goode’s Bridge for news that Ewell had arrived. 
  • Anderson’s Fourth Corps, with Pickett’s and Bushrod Johnson’s divisions, was able to move along the South side of the Appomattox without needing to cross. They built earthworks and formed a line of battle at Tabernacle Church Road.
  • Most of Lee’s army had moved about 21 miles during the day, but Union pursuers were already rounding up hundreds of hungry, exhausted and demoralized Confederates along the roads. 

April 4

In the morning Mackenzie’s Union Cavalry division was only a mile south of Amelia Court House, skirmishing with the 14th Virginia Cavalry.

Beaver Pond Creek (Tabernacle Church): Devin’s Union Cavalry Brigade skirmished with Confederate infantry from Heth’s, Johnson’s and Pickett’s Divisions. Devin withdrew after dark and moved to Jetersville.

Amelia Court House: When Lee reached Amelia Court House along with Longstreet’s First Corps he was disappointed to find only a small amount of supplies there. The supply train that was waiting carried only ammunition, and no food at all. Even though Union troops were closing in, Lee felt he had no option but to collect his still-scattered forces while sending foraging parties into the surrounding area.

At around 3 p.m. advanced elements of Major General George Crook’s Union division reached Burkesville Junction, threatening to cut off Lee’s direct escape route to Danville. By dark the rest of Crook’s command along with Chamberlain’s infantry brigade from the Union Fifth Corps arrived at Jetersville. The rest of the Fifth Corps arrived after dark and entrenched, completely blocking the Richmond and Danville Railroad.

Lincoln Visited Richmond: Some parts of Richmond were still burning as President Lincoln and his son, Tod, entered the city on foot, escorted by only a handful of high ranking officers. It was Tod’s 12th birthday. They walked through the streets, surrounded by crowds of ecstatic ex-slaves. Lincoln visited Davis’ office and sat in his chair.

April 5

Battle of Amelia Springs: Davies’ Brigade of Crook’s Union cavalry division was sent to scout north of Jetersville and west of Lee’s position at Amelia Court House. They found a Confederate wagon train about four miles out of Jetersburg, taking hundreds of prisoners and burning 200 wagons and their contents of food, and ammunition, and headquarters baggage. A second train of artillery arriving from Amelia Court House was also taken. After Davies began to return to Jetersville Lee sent Rosser’s and Munford’s divisions of Confederate cavalry to pursue him. A running fight ensued until Davies was within a mile of Jetersville and was joined by the rest of Crook’s division. Davies retainied his prisoners – over 300 Confederate soldiers and about the same number of Black teamsters – the captured guns, and 400 horses.

The retreat resumed: Lee started Longstreet’s First Corps (which included survivors from the Third Corps) toward Jetersville at around 1:00 p.m. He soon realized that the path was blocked by Union cavalry. Lee knew he would not be able to bring up enough men to fight their way through before Union infantry would arrive in strength, and gave up on the plan of taking the direct route south to Danville. Lee was promised by his Commissary General, Isaac St. John, that 80,000 rations could be brought by rail to Farmville on the South Side Railroad. Longstreet was redirected through Amelia Springs and west toward Farmville and eventually Lynchburg, where they would again be able to turn south. 

Following Longstreet in the line of march was Richrd Anderson’s Fourth Corps, Ewell’s Reserve Corps of the Richmond garrison, the army’s wagon train, and Gordon’s Second Corps along with Rooney Lee’s Cavalry Brigade as rear guard.

April 6

Battle of Sailor’s Creek

The head of Longstreet’s column reached Rice’s Station about sunrise. They waited there for the rest of the army to catch up, covering the escape route from Union infantry that was only eight miles to the southeast at Burkeville. The long Confederate columns had became spread out on the rain soaked, muddy roads. The bridges over flooded Sailor’s Creek and Little Sailor’s Creek and the climb up the high bluffs on the far side caused delays and congestion. Lee’s army was now stretched out over 13 miles of road from Amelia Springs to Rice’s Station. A gap opened between parts of Lee’s army about four miles northeast of Rice’s Station as the exhausted, strung out columns were struggling across the bottleneck of the Sailor’s Creek bridge crossings. Mahone’s former Third Corps division, now attached to Longstreet’s First Corps, took the right hand branch at Deatonville. They would be the last to make it to Rice’s Station without trouble.

The Battle of Sailor’s Creek developed as three different nearby but disconnected battles:

The Battle of Lockett’s Farm: Humpreys’ Union Second Corps took on Gordon’s Confederate Second Corps in a running fight until Gordon was stopped by the stalled Confederate wagon train. The Confederates were driven back to a hilltop position, which was charged by DeTrobriand’s Union division. The 17th Maine Infantry Regiment captured about 300 prisoners and the battle flag from the 21st North Carolina Infantry Regiment. The rest of the division captured another hundred prisoners, then moved on into Deatonville, where they captured abandoned wagons, artillery pieces, and ammunition.

The running fight continued until the crossings of Little and Big Sailor’s Creek. Both bridges had broken down from the flood and the traffic, forcing Gordon to abandon the wagon train. His Second Corps withdrew across country through the rainy night to High Bridge, with Gordon reporting “many threw their guns away.” The Union Second Corps reported the capture of 4 pieces of artillery, 1,700 prisoners and 13 battle flags.

The Battle of Marshall’s Crossroads:  A brigade of Crook’s Union cavalry division launched a surprise attack against the column of Anderson’s Fourth Corps at Holt’s Crossroads. Anderson’s men were scattered and Crook burned a number of wagons until the Confederates counterattacked and drove them off. Bushrod Johnson’s Division formed a line of battle across Pride’s Church Road, and Crook moved on towards Marshall’s Crossroads. The delay to Anderson’s Corps opened a gap in the Confederate line of march. After Anderson crossed Little Sailor’s Creek he found Custer’s Union Cavalry Division had entered the gap, captured ten guns, and was now blocking Anderson’s advance. Anderson’s two divisions, along with Ewell’s Reserve Corps behind them, began to dig in.

Merrit’s and Crook’s Union Cavalry Divisions joined Custer, and the Union cavalry repeatedly charged the Confederate line until Davies’ Brigade of Crook’s Division broke through. The Confederate line collapsed and the survivors fled west.

The Battle of Hillsman’s House: Ewell and Anderson met to decide whether to try to attack the Union cavalry blocking the way or to avoid them by leaving the road to march through the woods. Before they reached a decision Wright’s Union Sixth Corps came up on Ewell’s rear, followed by the Union Second Corps. Ewell formed his Corps to face the Union threat from behind, while Anderson formed to meet the threat in the front, with the two Confederate corps almost encircled.

The Sixth Corps formed up and attacked around 6 p.m., crossing the muddy swamp formed by flooding Sailor’s Creek. A Confederate counterattack drove back the center of the Union line but found itself enveloped on both sides while twenty Union guns on Hillman Farm pounded them. After intense hand to hand fighting the surrounded Confederates surrendered, with the Naval battalion among the last organized Confederate forces to to give up. Only about 250 Confederates from Kershaw’s Division escaped.

Summary: During a day of desperate fighting about 8,800 Confederates – nearly a quarter of Lee’s army – became casualties. About 7,700 of those Confederate casualties were captured, including eight generals. Most of the Confederate wagon trains were captured or burned. Union forces lost 1,180 men killed and wounded.

Lee responded to reports of the disaster unfolding by leading Mahone’s Division back to Sailor’s Creek. Seeing the fugitives streaming from the field he exclaimed to Mahone, “My God, has the army dissolved?” Mahone’s Division covered the retreat then fell back to Farmville without engaging.

Skirmish at Rice’s Station: At the same time the fighting was going on at Sailor’s Creek, Longstreet’s First Corps skirmished with Gibbon’s Twenty-Forth Union Corps near Rice’s Station. The skirmishing died out around dusk, and Longstreet withdrew toward Farmville.

Battle of High Bridge

The High Bridge carried the tracks of the South Side Railroad across the Appomattox River Valley. It was one of the largest railroad bridges in the world at the time. A wagon bridge also crossed the Appomattox at a much lower level.

A Union raiding party of about 800 cavalry under the command of Union Brevet Brigadier General Theodore Read attempted to capture and burn the bridges to prevent retreating Confederates from escaping across the Appomattox. They were stopped by Thomas Rosser’s Confederate cavalry. Read was killed, as was Confederate Colonel Reuben B. Boston, and Confederate Colonel James Dearing was mortally wounded. Most of the 800 Union cavalry were killed or captured. The survivors of Gordon’s Second Corps from Sailor’s Creek were able to cross the Appomattox during the night.

April 7

Second Battle of High Bridge

After Confederate forces successfully retreated across the Appomattox a rear guard of Mahone’s men tried to burn the bridge to hold up Union pursuit. Part of the high railroad bridge was burned and became unusable, but troops from Humphreys’ Union Second Corps pushed back Mahone’s men, saved the wagon bridge, and continued to pursue towards Farmville.

Battle of Cumberland Church: In the early afternoon at Cumberland Church, three miles north of Farmville and five miles west of High Bridge, Humphreys’ Union Second Corps ran into Confederates entrenched on high ground across the road. Humphreys launched two unsuccessful attacks before darkness fell. Union Brigadier General Thomas A. Smyth was mortally wounded nearby. He was the last Union general killed in the Civil War.

Farmville: Fitzhugh Lee’s cavalry were able to hold off the Union Second Corps approaching from High Bridge while Longstreet’s infantry held back Union infantry moving up from Rice’s Station. But with Union forces hot on their heels most of Lee’s army was unable to cook and eat the 80,000 rations that had been delivered there.

Grant’s First Surrender Proposal: While at Farmville Lee received a letter from Grant proposing that Lee surrender the Army of Northern Virginia. Lee hoped that he could move the 26 miles to reach Appomattox Station and the trainloads of rations that would be waiting there before his army was trapped. His reply to Grant was noncommittal, only asking what terms Grand proposed.

Lee’s columns set out on their third night march in a row. Many men and horses were well beyond the limit of their endurance, and the countryside was full of stragglers, deserters, and men who had just dropped by the wayside out of exhaustion. Humprey’s Union Second Corps was hard on their heels and Sheridan’s cavalry paralleled their route to the south.

April 8

Battle of Appomattox Station

Four trains full of food waited for Lee’s army at Appomattox Station, about two and a half miles beyond Appomattox Court House. But the first troops to reach them were from Company K, 2nd New York Cavalry Regiment, from Pennington’s Brigade of Custer’s Union Cavalry division. They were the lead of Sheridan’s Cavalry who had also ridden through the night. The rest of the brigade quickly rode into town, and men from the ranks with railroad experience ran the captured trains 5 miles off to the east to where Union infantry was encamped. One engine with a couple of cars escaped toward Lynchburg, and at least one boxcar was burned.

A half mile north of the station was the artillery park of the Confederate reserve artillery, commanded by General R. Lindsay Walker. AbounThe 100 pieces of artillery were there, along with supply and hospital wagons. They were guarded by 500 cavalry under Confederate Brigadier General Martin Gary, reinforced by the men of two batteries now armed with muskets, armed engineers, and some stragglers that had been rounded up. Walker deployed 25 guns and began shelling the Union cavalry around the station. Custer quickly responded, but two attacks were unsuccessful. The Confederates began to slip away up the Lynchburg Stage Road. As their position was weakened Custer launched an attack at 9 p.m. by his entire diivision under a full moon and was able to break the Confederate line. Taking as many guns and wagons as they could, Walker’s men withdrew in a running battle both to the Lynchburg stage road as well as towards Appomattox Court House. Custer’s men pursued towards Appomattox Court House until they met Confederate infantry, when they established a defensive line to block the road and head off Lee’s retreat.

Union Lieutenant Colonel Augustus J. Root led his 15th New York Cavalry Regiment all the way into Appomattox Court House and was killed leading a charge through the village.

Crook’s Union cavalry division arrived and relieved Custer’s exhausted men, and not far down the road the Union 24th and 5th Corps were being hurried up to reinforce the cavalry.

Walker saved about 75 pieces of artillery. Custer captured around 1,000 prisoners, between 20 to 30 guns and 150 to 200 wagons filled with baggage and wounded, including Confederate Brigadier General Young Marshall Moody, who was ill in an ambulance.

April 9

Battle of Appomattox Court House

The loss of the supplies at Appomattox Station was a hard blow for Lee, but he hoped to open a path for his army and continue its withdrawal the twenty miles to Lynchburg, where more supplies were waiting. At dawn Gordon’s Confederate Second Corps attacked the Union cavalry’s defensive lines. They broke through and captured the ridge, only to see on the other side the Union 24th and 5th Corps drawn up in line of battle waiting for them. The 24th Corps had marched 30 miles in 21 hours and had arrived around 4 a.m. to reinforce the Union cavalry. Now they advanced on Gordon’s men. In the rear of the Confederate army the Union Second Corps was threatening Longstreet’s First Corps. 

Lee found his way blocked in every direction. Lee accepted the inevitable. The only acceptable path left was surrender.

Lee rode to meet Grant at the house of Wilber McLean. Grant offered generous terms, which Lee accepted and signed around 4 p.m. The Army of Northern Virginia had surrendered.