‘Breaking the Line’ is the sixth and last wayside marker along the Civil War Trust’s battlefield trail at White Oak Road. The marker was erected by the Civil War Preservation Trust.

From the marker:

Breaking the Line

The Battle of White Oak Road left the Federals in position to block Confederate reinforcements from reaching their comrades further west. Both the Battle of White Oak Road and the Battle of Dinwiddie Court House were preludes to the climactic April 1st Battle of Five Forks; the “Waterloo of the Confederacy.” A late-afternoon attack at Five Forks, coupled with poor communication among the Southern command, allowed the Union an easy victory. Upon hearing this news, General Grant ordered an all-out assault at various points along the weakened Confederate line for the following morning. On April 2, 1865, after almost ten months of siege, Federal forces finally broke the Confederate line around Petersburg and cut all supply lines to the city. The Army of Northern Virginia abandoned Petersburg and the Confederate government fled the capital in Richmond. Seven days later Robert E. Lee surrendered to Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Court House, eighty miles to the west.

From the text at the bottom of the marker:

The Federals blocking White Oak Road would seriously affect the outcome of the fighting at Five Forks, just four miles west of here. On April 1, 1865, Union Major General Philip Sheridan attacked Confederate Major General George Pickett’s division at Five Forks. With his troops cut off from the rest of the Confederate army and no hope for reinforcements, Pickett’s division was routed. Over 5,000 Confederate prisoners were captured at Five Forks (shown here) along with 13 flags and six guns. In a few short days the Confederates would surrender at Appomattox Court House (above right).

Part of this battlefield was saved through the efforts of the Civil War Trust You can help!