Seige Of Petersburg (Part 2) Darbytown and New Market Roads (October 7) Responding to the loss of Fort Harrison and the increasing Federal threat against Richmond, Gen. Robert E. Lee directed an offensive against the Federal far right flank on October 7. After routing the Federal cavalry from their position covering Darbytown Road, Field”s and Hoke”s divisions assaulted the main Federal defensive line along New Market Road and were repulsed. The Federals were not dislodged, and Lee withdrew into the Richmond defenses. Darbytown Road (October 13) On October 13, Federal forces advanced to find and feel the new Confederate defensive line in front of Richmond. While mostly a battle of skirmishers, a Federal brigade assaulted fortifications north of Darbytown Road and was repulsed with heavy casualties. The Federals retired to their entrenched lines along New Market Road. Fair Oaks and Darbytown Road (October 27–28) In combination with movements against the Boydton Plank Road at Petersburg, Benjamin Butler attacked the Richmond defenses along Darbytown Road with the X Corps. The XVIII Corps marched north to Fair Oaks where it was soundly repulsed by Field”s Confederate division. Confederate forces counterattacked, taking some 600 prisoners. The Richmond defenses remained intact. Of Grant”s offensives north of the James River, this was repulsed most easily. Boydton Plank Road (October 27–28) Directed by Hancock, divisions from three Federal corps (II, V, and IX) and Gregg”s cavalry division, numbering more than 30,000 men, withdrew from the Petersburg lines and marched west to operate against the Boydton Plank Road and South Side Railroad. The initial Federal advance on October 27 gained the Boydton Plank Road, a major campaign objective. But that afternoon, a counterattack near Burgess” Mill spearheaded by Henry Heth”s division, and Wade Hampton”s cavalry isolated the II Corps and forced a retreat. The Confederates retained control of the Boydton Plank Road for the rest of the winter. It marked the last battle for Hancock, who resigned from field command because of injuries sustained at Gettysburg. Hatcher”s Run (February 5–7, 1865) On February 5, 1865, Gregg”s cavalry division rode out to the Boydton Plank Road via Ream”s Station and Dinwiddie Court House in an attempt to intercept Confederate supply trains. Warren”s V Corps crossed Hatcher”s Run and took up a blocking position on the Vaughan Road to prevent interference with Gregg”s operations. Two divisions of the II Corps under Maj. Gen. Andrew A. Humphreys shifted west to near Armstrong”s Mill to cover Warren”s right flank. Late in the day, John B. Gordon attempted to turn Humphrey”s right flank near the mill but was repulsed. During the night, the Federals were reinforced by two divisions. On February 6, Gregg returned to Gravelly Run on Vaughan Road from his unsuccessful raid and was attacked by elements of Brig. Gen. John Pegram”s Confederate division. Warren pushed forward a reconnaissance in the vicinity of Dabney”s Mill and was attacked by Pegram”s and Mahone”s divisions. Pegram was killed in the action. Although the Federal advance was stopped, the Federals extended their siegeworks to the Vaughan Road crossing of Hatcher”s Run. Confederate breakout attempt at Fort Stedman (March 25) By March 1865, Lee”s army was weakened by desertion, disease, and shortage of supplies and he was outnumbered by Grant by about 125,000 to 50,000. Lee knew that an additional 50,000 men under Sheridan would be returning soon from the Shenandoah Valley and Sherman was marching north through the Carolinas to join Grant as well. Lee had Maj. Gen. John B. Gordon plan a surprise attack on the Federal lines that would force Grant to contract his lines and disrupt his plans to assault the Confederate works (which, unbeknownst to Lee and Gordon, Grant had already ordered for March 29). The attack would be launched with almost half of Lee”s infantry from Colquitt”s Salient against Fort Stedman, and Gordon had hopes that he could drive into the Federal rear area as far as City Point. Gordon”s attack started at 4:15 a.m. Lead parties of sharpshooters and engineers masquerading as deserting soldiers headed out to overwhelm Federal pickets and to remove obstructions that would delay the infantry advance. They were followed by three groups of 100 men assigned to storm the Federal works and stream back into the Federal rear area. Brig. Gen. Napoleon B. McLaughlen rode to Fort Haskell, just to the south of Battery XII, which he found to be ready to defend itself. As he moved north, he ordered Battery XII to open fire on Battery XI and a reserve infantry regiment briefly re-captured Battery XI. Assuming that he had sealed the only breach in the line, McLaughlen rode into Fort Stedman and began giving orders to the men. He suddenly realized that they were Confederates and they realized he was a Federal general, capturing him. Gordon soon arrived at Fort Stedman and found his attack had so far exceeded his "most sanguine expectations." Within minutes, Batteries X, XI, and XII and Fort Stedman had been seized, opening a gap nearly 1,000 feet (300 m) long in the Federal line. Gordon turned his attention to the southern flank of his attack and Fort Haskell. The Confederate artillery from Colquitt”s Salient began bombarding Fort Haskell and the Federal field artillery returned fire, along with the massive siege guns in the rear. Gordon”s attack began to founder. His three 100-man detachments were wandering around the rear area in confusion and many had stopped to satisfy their hunger with captured Federal rations. And the main Federal defense force was beginning to mobilize. Maj. Gen. John G. Parke of the IX Corps acted decisively, ordering the reserve division under Brig. Gen. John F. Hartranft to close the gap. Hartranft organized defensive forces that completely ringed the Confederate penetration by 7:30 a.m., stopping it just short of the military railroad depot. The Federal artillery, aware that Confederates occupied the batteries and Fort Stedman, launched punishing fire against them. By 7:45 a.m., 4,000 Federal troops under Hartranft were positioned in a semicircle of a mile and a half, and counterattacked, causing heavy casualties to the now-retreating Confederates. The attack on Fort Stedman had no impact on the Federal lines. The Confederate Army was forced to set back its own lines, as the Federal attacked further down the front line. To give Gordon”s attack enough strength to be successful, Lee had weakened his own right flank. The II and VI Corps seized much of the entrenched Confederate picket line southwest of Petersburg, but found the main line still well manned. This Federal advance prepared the ground for Grant”s breakthrough attack in the Third Battle of Petersburg on April 2, 1865. Federal casualties in the Battle of Fort Stedman were 1,044 (72 killed, 450 wounded, 522 missing or captured), Confederate casualties a considerably heavier 4,000 (600 killed, 2,400 wounded, 1,000 missing or captured).[84] But more seriously, the Confederate positions were weakened. After the battle, Lee”s defeat was only a matter of time. His final opportunity to break the Federal lines and regain the momentum was gone. Aftermath After nearly ten months of siege, the loss at Fort Stedman was a devastating blow for Lee”s army, setting up the Confederate defeat at Five Forks on April 1, the Federal breakthrough at Petersburg on April 2, the surrender of the city of Petersburg at dawn on April 3, and Richmond that same evening. After his victory at Five Forks, Grant ordered an assault along the entire Confederate line beginning at dawn on April 2. Parke”s IX Corps overran the eastern trenches but were met with stiff resistance. At 5:30 a.m. on April 2, Wright”s VI Corps made a decisive breakthrough along the Boydton Plank Road line. Wright”s initial breakthrough was halted mid-day at Fort Gregg. Gibbon”s XXIV Corps overran Fort Gregg after a heroic Confederate defense. This halt in the advance into the city of Petersburg allowed Lee to pull his forces out of Petersburg and Richmond on the night of April 2, and head for the west in an attempt to meet up with forces under the command of General Joseph E. Johnston in North Carolina. The resulting Appomattox Campaign led to Lee”s surrender on April 9 at Appomattox Court House. Richmond–Petersburg was a costly campaign for both sides. The initial assaults on Petersburg in June 1864 cost the Federal 11,386 casualties, to approximately 4,000 for the Confederate defenders. The casualties for the siege warfare that concluded with the assault on Fort Stedman are estimated to be 42,000 for the Federal, and 28,000 for the Confederates. This page comes from 118th Pennsylvania Volunteers: https://www.118thpvi.co.uk The URL for this page is: https://www.118thpvi.co.uk/resources .