Breakthrough at Petersburg

161 years ago today, after a grueling nine-month siege, the Union army broke through the Confederate lines outside of Petersburg.

Sometimes called 3rd Petersburg, it has a certain air of inevitability and onesidedness that means it is all too often overlooked, particularly in light of the subsequent Appomattox Campaign. 

But while it may not rank among the bloodiest days of the war, even the Union casualties were comparable to battles such as The Crater, Glendale and Perryville. 

With that in mind, here are a few of our favorite Emerging Civil War posts about the Breakthrough at Petersburg from over the years:

Breakthrough at Petersburg: First Man Over the Works

Mapping the Attack on Fort Mahone, April 2, 1865

The Superhuman Henry Recor at the Petersburg Breakthrough

A Thousand Words a Battle: Petersburg Breakthrough

One Medal of Honor Too Many at the Breakthrough

The Overlooked First Battle of the Retreat from Petersburg

Many of these posts were written by Edward Alexander, who also authored the Emerging Civil War Series book on the topic: Dawn of Victory: Breakthrough at Petersburg.