The Siege of Petersburg Online
Welcome to The Siege of Petersburg Online, an information compilation site focusing on the Siege of Petersburg during the American Civil War. The Richmond-Petersburg Campaign was, rather than a true siege, a series of nine offensives by the Union forces against the Confederates defending Petersburg and Richmond, Virginia. The campaign for Petersburg lasted from June 15, 1864 until April 2, 1865, claiming 50,000 Union soldiers and 32,000 Confederates. The Siege of Petersburg has been criminally neglected in the study of the Civil War, and this site aims to partially rectify that lack of coverage.
Please consider signing up for The Siege of Petersburg Online’s RSS Feed, which will keep you updated on our progress over the years. I say years because the amount of data planned for this site is massive. Check out the Siege of Petersburg Resources link at the top of the page for just a glimpse of what is in store here.
We are always looking for submissions of information pertaining to the Siege of Petersburg. If you are a student of the Petersburg Campaign, please consider contributing as an author here. Use the Contact form at the top of the page if you have information we can use or if you are interested in writing here at The Siege of Petersburg Online.
We Need YOU to Contribute Siege of Petersburg Materials!
Note: If you currently have primary source materials of soldiers who fought in the Siege of Petersburg, we would like to feature those materials at Beyond the Crater. Don’t be shy! Many descendants of soldiers who fought around Richmond and Petersburg in 1864-65 have already contributed meaningful materials already published on this site. Please use the Contact form at the top of the screen to let us know about any materials you would be willing to share. Proper attribution and copyright protection will always be strictly enforced. Your materials WILL make The Siege of Petersburg Online a more useful resource for all students of the Civil War.
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{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
My great-great grandfather, Adj. William Beynon Phillips of the 2nd. Pa. Provisional Heavy Artillery was one of 6 officers of the regiment captured at the Battle of the Crater. The 2nd. Pa. Provisional “Heavies” were the first regiment to enter the Crater and emerge out of it as a unit. Prior to his capture he participated in the Union charge of June 17th. and the Siege of Petersburg. Following his capture he was imprisoned at Camp Asylum, Columbia , S.C. I have published 40 of his letters on my blog commemorating his service to his adopted country. Of particular interest is his letters of July 4, 1864 in which he describes the charge of June 17th. 1864 and June 20, 1864 in which he describes in very great detail a night artilley exchange. I invite you to read these great letters.
Greg Taylor
My 2 x great-grandfather, Confederate Corporal David Land, Company I 13th NC. Infantry served in the Petersburg trenches until his capture April 2,1865. Also serving were two of his nephews, Private John Land Co.B 11th NC. Infantry and Private James Jefferson Land Company D 63rd TN. Infantry. John was mortally wounded on April 2nd and captured while hospitalized in Richmond on April 3rd. He died while still in Federal custody on July 9,1865. James was surrendered and paroled at Appomattox. He was one of 28 remaining of the 63rd TN. One of only 7 remaining of Company D.
My great grandfather Luther Rice Blair of Pittsylvania Co. Virginia was with Capt. Sam Wright’s Company Halifax Va. Heavy Artillery(Also Young’s) and spent most of the war defending Richmond and Petersburg,Rockett’s Landing,Drewery’s Bluff,The Crater. He was on roll at Appomattox for the surrender,so he must have been fighting all the way from Petersburg retreating to Appomattox,one of his brothers,George W. Blair died at Five Forks with the 38th Pittsylvania Co. Vindicators Va. He had another brother Suter F Blair with the 38th that died at Gettysburg in Pickett’s Charge,George was a POW at Gettysburg also in Pickett’s Charge sent to Ft Delaware,then to Point Lookout and eventually exchanged back to Ft Lee. One other brother Samuel Brittain Blair jr. was with the 53rd Inf. Virginia,he and my great grandfather survived the war