Tag Archives: Siege of Petersburg

No Bluffing the King of Spades: Digging in along Hatcher’s Run

Posted on February 3, 2015 by

The Army of Northern Virginia had a thirty-seven mile front to defend during the early months of 1865. Its commander wanted to guarantee the earthworks protecting Richmond and Petersburg were up to his standards. “Opinions seem to differ as to … Continue reading →

Posted in Battlefields & Historic Places, Leadership--Confederate, Preservation, Sieges | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

“I aimed a bullet at his heart”

Posted on December 4, 2014 by

The men filed out into an open field and formed a square with one opened end to it. A lone soldier slowly marched the length of the route and upon the completion of the circuit walked to a small stake in … Continue reading →

Posted in Common Soldier, Emerging Civil War, Sesquicentennial | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

The Joy and Sadness of Archibald Gracie

Posted on December 2, 2014 by

Brigadier General Archibald Gracie was an unlikely Confederate general: a New Yorker by birth and pedigree. Gracie’s family was prominent in New York City from the Colonial era on. Gracie received his education at West Point, graduating in 1854. His … Continue reading →

Posted in Antebellum South, Leadership--Confederate, Sieges | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

“Therefore we prefer bad weather at this time”

Posted on November 27, 2014 by

In the spirit of the holiday I thought I would highlight a curious item that a soldier in the trenches at Petersburg was thankful for. “We have had some very cold weather, the ground has been frozen hard but now the weather is … Continue reading →

Posted in Common Soldier, Emerging Civil War, Holidays, Sieges | Tagged , | Leave a comment

The Letters of William Child

Posted on November 1, 2014 by

Today, we are pleased to welcome back guest author Dan Welch. When we last left William Child, assistant surgeon in the 5th New Hampshire Veteran Volunteer Infantry, he had written a letter home to his wife in mid-October 1864.  From the … Continue reading →

Posted in Battlefields & Historic Places, Battles, Campaigns, Civil War Events, Common Soldier, Personalities, Politics | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Tenting Among the Dead

Posted on October 31, 2014 by

Many locations throughout Virginia witnessed multiple battles during the four years of civil war. The slope to Marye’s Heights in Fredericksburg that seemed so insurmountable in December of 1862 again felt the tramp of Union attackers the following spring in … Continue reading →

Posted in Common Soldier, Emerging Civil War, Sieges | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

How a Man Feels in Battle

Posted on October 8, 2014 by

“How a man feels when in battle is a question that our volunteers have doubtless frequently asked themselves,” wrote a columnist for the Philadelphia North American early in the war. Many on the home front undoubtedly shared that curiosity. The newspaperman published his account of meeting … Continue reading →

Posted in Battles, Common Soldier, Emerging Civil War, Newspapers | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

The Fourteen Medals of Honor at the Battle of New Market Heights

Posted on September 29, 2014 by

Today is the 150th Anniversary of the Battle of New Market Heights, an action in a larger series of battles that made up Ulysses S. Grant’s Fifth Offensive during the joint Siege of Petersburg and Richmond. New Market Heights is … Continue reading →

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Walking the Exposed Federal Line at Reams Station

Posted on August 25, 2014 by

Key to the Union failure at Reams Station is the poor tactical position they assumed around the tracks of the Weldon Railroad. This morning’s piece by Ryan Quint explores the previous exhaustive campaigning experienced by the Second Corps of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Battlefields & Historic Places, Emerging Civil War, Photography, Sesquicentennial | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

“A Hideous Dream”: The Federal Second Corps at the Second Battle of Ream’s Station

Posted on August 25, 2014 by

In the wake of the fighting around Globe Tavern, the Federal high command looked to expand on its success. The Weldon Railroad was firmly under the control of Warren’s Fifth Corps, but now George Meade wanted to negate the railroad … Continue reading →

Posted in Armies, Battlefields & Historic Places, Battles, Campaigns, Civil War Events, Emerging Civil War, Leadership--Confederate, Leadership--Federal, Sesquicentennial, Sieges | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment