GPS Coordinates and physical addresses are just a click away. We asked about biking it and he said it was four miles one way with a good number of hills. If you cannot reach us by phone - please e-mail questions to the address listed. What attractions are near Petersburg National Battlefield Park? If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. I had fun, and I was discharged from the hospital in December. Overnight, the town and adjacent Appomattox Plantation became one of the busiest ports in the world as hundreds of ships delivered food, clothing and ammunition. Sign up for our quarterly email series highlighting the environmental benefits of battlefield preservation. The ultimate failure of the Union attack at the Crater is the result of woeful generalship and . What a great experience!!!! Petersburg, VA 23803. A full day is required to experience the entire battlefield park. Meet the Park Ranger for this free program at the flag pole outside the Eastern Front Visitor Center. from June of 1864 to April of 1865, Federal forces besieged the city, the longest such siege in United States Army history. were unable to penetrate Lee's entrenchments for 292 days, fighting several major battles before finally breaking Only twenty-five miles south of Richmond, Petersburg was an important supply center to the Confederate capital. You can park in a lot of places along the way and then at each stop as well. Show your pride in battlefield preservation by shopping in our store. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant was reluctant to mount a frontal attack against well-entrenched Confederates. Excellent interpretation throughout, it was easy to orientate ourselves. Petersburg National Battlefield - Facebook Page. Petersburg National Battlefield commemorates the nine and one-half month siege upon this city from June 1864 to April 1865. It's hard to imagine the ugly scene and hard combat that took place on this spot 150 years earlier. The Key to Richmond The fall of Richmond was assured. His objective was the South Side Railroad, the last rail line into Petersburg. Petersburg National Battlefield is a National Park Service unit preserving sites related to the American Civil War Siege of Petersburg (186465). The Visitor Center is temporarily limited due to Covid so there is no video available currently. Over 140,000 people visit the park annually. Before the battle and siege of Petersburg, both freedmen and slaves were employed in various war functions, including working for the numerous railroad companies that supplied the South. 22 Views Last Month . Throughout the year park staff present a variety of talks, tours, living history demonstrations and special events that commemorate the park's rich heritage. Petersburg National Battlefield. Petersburg National Battlefield is a vast park on which you could spend hundreds of hours and never do the same thing twice. Pricing starts at $65 per night and . Captain Charles Dimmock of the Confederate Corps of Engineers designed the impressive ten-mile trench line that stretched around Petersburg in a "U" shape and was anchored on the southern bank of the Appomattox River. Located just south of Richmond, Petersburg was a vital rail junction supplying the Confederate Some 264 enslaved peoplefrom Virginia'sEastern Shoreand more than 1,000 from North Carolina dug the fortifications. Petersburg, This park has an impressive network of trail. Fee: Free. The Five Forks Unit of Petersburg National Battlefield now has approximately eight miles of trails open to the public. Petersburg National Battlefield Park. After the crushing Union defeat at Cold Harbor, Grant uses stealth and deception to shift his army south of the James River. Batteries 3 through 8 also fall. Many people were walking the trails which are quite abundant. The American Battlefield Trust and our members have saved more than 131 acres at Petersburg Battlefield. Petersburg National Battlefield Park is a Civil War Battlefield, which was part of the campaign to take Richmond. To volunteerat the Petersburg National Battlefield (PNB), contact: Ann Blumenschine - pete_vip@nps.gov -(804)732-3571, x-203, Petersburg National Battlefield and PBF will host several, Petersburg National Battlefield - Facebook Page, Petersburg National Battlefield - Website. Stay up-to-date on our FREE educational resources & professional development opportunities, all designed to support your work teaching American history. It was early in the morning, and the park was not crowded. Thank you in advance for your help! Petersburg National Battlefield Park is located in south-central Virginia approximately 25 miles south of Richmond, Virginia. A highlight of the Eastern Front driving tour is the scene of one of the wars most spectacular events, the Battle of the Crater. 1539 Hickory Hill Road A Union infantry attack soon followed, but it immediately ran into trouble. The 292-day campaign for Petersburg began with four days of intense fighting between June 15-18, 1864. Tax identification number: 52-1086761. 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VISITING THE AREA? The First American President: Setting the Precedent, African Americans During the Revolutionary War, Help Save 125 Battlefield Acres in Virginia, Help Restore History at Gettysburg, Cold Harbor & More, Help Us Save Hallowed Ground in Tennessee and Kentucky, Help Save 820 Acres at Five Virginia Battlefields, Save 343 Acres at FIVE Battlefields in FOUR Western Theater States, Save 42 Historic Acres at the Battle of Chancellorsville, Support the American Battlefield Protection Program Enhancement Act, Stop the Largest Rezoning in Orange County History, Tour Civil War Richmond and Petersburg in One Day, Tour Richmond and Petersburg Battlefields in Three Days. Read our. Sign up to receive the latest NPF news, information, and ideas. This, the longest siege in American warfare, unfolded in a methodical manner. A notice in the April 1, 1865, Petersburg Daily Express read, "To the slave is offered freedom and undisturbed residences at their old homes in the Confederacy after the war. The visitor center has some great exhibits and nice gift store. This resulted in the Confederate loss at Fort Stedman and would be Lee's last grand offensive of the war. Prologue For several days Lee does not believe Grant's main target is Petersburg and so keeps most of his army around Richmond. By submitting my email, I agree to receive correspondence from the National Park Foundation. The Majority of our funds go directly to Preservation and Education. Theres a picnic area just past stop 3. Western Front Driving Tour Petersburg National Battlefield also includes portions of the Confederate defenses that were built by free and enslaved Blacks starting in the summer of 1862 and continuing until the June 15, 1864, Union Army assault on Petersburg. Colonel Joseph Kiddoo, commanding the Twenty-second U.S. Donations to the Trust are tax deductible to the full extent allowable under the law. It is the junction of Dinwiddie Courthouse Road, Ford's Road and White Oak Road. Interstate 95 enters the city of Petersburg 47.82 miles north of the North Carolina state line via Emporia. On the western end of the tour route is Five Forks Battlefield where Gen. Sheridan's victory over Gen. Pickett's forces ensured the collapse of Petersburg and Richmond. In September of that year, Confederate general Robert E. Lee asked for an additional 2,000 Blacks to be added to his labor force. The group played an outsize role in the campaign to take Bakhmut, Moscow's one major battlefield victory this year. Many local farms hired out their enslaved workers to the Confederate Army to construct the fortifications, making . Its hilly but wasnt a bad plan and that was around 3 miles round trip. Russia continued to project confidence that the failed armed uprising last weekend would not change the country's course. Petersburg National Battlefield5001 Siege Rd. Today, the site is quiet and peaceful. Self-Guided Tours at all Locations. The 850 men of the First Maine Heavy Artillery advance across a cornfield and straight into Confederate fire. Three days after an unsuccessful attack, Grant decided to surround the city and wear down the . I saw quite a few folks out walking or jogging along the park road. You are able to drive on the path but only one way. Throughout the 9.5 month siege of Petersburg, 70,000 soldiers became casualties in an event considered to be a precursor to World War I. Archeology ranges from searching for Civil War mines/tunnels to learning how people lived in this area during and before the Civil War. The last stop on the Eastern Front tour is an interesting piece of history. Two weeks after Union forces arrived to invest the Confederate defenders of Petersburg, the battle lines of both sides had settled into a stalemate. Begin with an eight-hour journey from the first Federal assaults east of the city, to the desperate struggle at the Crater, to the final shots at Fort Gregg. Did You Know? Only bad part was there were no garage bins open after you leave the visitors center; but they have signs that say "don't liter". The park is very peaceful and well done. The Siege What restaurants are near Petersburg National Battlefield Park? The American Battlefield Trust and our members have saved more than 56,000 acres in 25 states! Batteries 6 through 11 are captured by U.S. The one thing we missed because of the walking was the crater. For soldiers of both armies it was ten months of rifle bullets, artillery, and mortar shells, relieved only by rear-area tedium, drill and more drill, salt pork and corn meal, burned beans and bad coffee. About the Five Forks Battlefield The Five Forks Battlefield Unit of Petersburg National Battlefield is where the last major battle of the Siege of Petersburg was fought. VA Of those, the greatest concentration of United States Colored Troops (U.S.C.T.) Generally considered a moderately challenging route, it takes an average of 1 h 3 min to complete. General Grant said of the catastrophe at the Crater, It was the saddest affair I have ever witnessed in the war.. In the initial assault on the city on June 15, a division of U.S.C.T.s in the Eighteenth Corps helped capture and secure a section of the Dimmock Line. 804 732-3531 Cold Harbor was the last battle of this campaign and was a crushing Union loss. On March 29, 1865, Grant sent his forces on a westward movement to cut this major artery, knowing that it would cause Lee to abandon Petersburg and Richmond. You should give yourself at least 4 to 5 hours to be able to get a good view through the park. Join us online July 24-26! Petersburg National Battlefield is the site of a grueling Civil War siege that spelled the end of Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia. The Park has several sites scattered around the city of Petersburg. Apparently this is their off season. Explore what interests you! His troops begin crossing the river both on transports and a brilliantly engineered 2,200-foot-long pontoon bridge at Windmill Point on June 14. Sometimes called the "Waterloo of the Confederacy", Five Forks helped set in motion a series of events that led to Robert E. Lee's subsequent surrender at Appomattox Court House. From June 1518, 1864, Confederate general Beauregard and his troops, though outnumbered by the Federals, saved Petersburg from Union capture. If you cannot reach us by phone - please e-mail questions to the address listed. The Petersburg National Battlefield Park commemorates the ten month siege of Petersburg from June 1864 to April 1865. Bringing the Siege of Petersburg to Life. Federal troops gain the rear of Battery 5, throwing the defenders from the Twenty-sixth Virginia and a single battery of artillery into a panic. The tunnel to the crater was closed, but we were still able to see it. "Minefields don't beat an offense; they slow an offense," the U.S. military official said. for your next trip to the parks. The First American President: Setting the Precedent, African Americans During the Revolutionary War, Help Save 125 Battlefield Acres in Virginia, Help Restore History at Gettysburg, Cold Harbor & More, Help Us Save Hallowed Ground in Tennessee and Kentucky, Help Save 820 Acres at Five Virginia Battlefields, Save 343 Acres at FIVE Battlefields in FOUR Western Theater States, Save 42 Historic Acres at the Battle of Chancellorsville, Support the American Battlefield Protection Program Enhancement Act, Stop the Largest Rezoning in Orange County History, Petersburg: The Wearing down of Lee's Army. On April 1, 1865, General George Pickett and his Confederates were ordered to hold the junction "at all hazards" because it protected Lee's last . After four days of fighting with no success, Grant begins siege operations. The Confederates lose Batteries 12 through 14. The park includes 13 separate sites with three visitor centers along a 33 mile driving tour route. Visitors today can see a recreation of the entrance to the mine and the remnants of the actual crater. On April 2, Grant ordered an all-out assault, and Lee's right flank crumbled. Between May and mid-June of 1864 the Union army, under General Ulysses S. Grant, and the Confederate army, under General Robert E. Lee, engaged in a series of hard-fought battles in what is now called the Overland Campaign. The Petersburg National Battlefield Park commemorates the ten month siege of Petersburg from June 1864 to April 1865. Eastern Front Visitor Center and Park Tour Road, U.S. National Register of Historic Places, History of the National Register of Historic Places, List of U.S. National Historic Landmarks by state, List of jails and prisons on the National Register of Historic Places, University and college buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places, National Register of Historic Places portal, National Register of Historic Places listings in Virginia, Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, Virginia Department of Historic Resources, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Petersburg_National_Battlefield&oldid=1147321739, Battlefields of the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War, National Battlefields and Military Parks of the United States, National Register of Historic Places in Dinwiddie County, Virginia, Conflict sites on the National Register of Historic Places in Virginia, American Civil War on the National Register of Historic Places, Articles using NRISref without a reference number, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles with unsourced statements from June 2012, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 4.0, This page was last edited on 30 March 2023, at 05:42. The park commemorates the nine and one-half month siege of this city from June 1864 - April 1865. They had several special events on Saturday which highlighted the battle and the siege in general. It is located in the City Point Historic District. Its a short video but gives you a great background and visual before seeing it in person. Petersburg National Battlefield is a National Park Service unit preserving sites related to the American Civil War Siege of Petersburg (1864-65). Its free. The site, which is known as "The Crater," is a spot where the Union Troops tunneled beneath a Confederate battery, packed the tunnel with powder, and lit it off.