  the battle of the crater was a battle of the american civil war, part of the siege of petersburg. it took place on july 30, 1864, between the confederate army of northern virginia, commanded by general robert e. lee and the union army of the potomac, commanded by maj. gen. george g. meade (under the direct supervision of the general-in-chief, lt. gen. ulysses s. grant). after weeks of preparation, on july 30 the federals exploded a mine in maj. gen. ambrose e. burnside's ix corps sector, blowing a gap in the confederate defenses of petersburg, virginia. from this propitious beginning, everything deteriorated rapidly for the union attackers. unit after unit charged into and around the crater, where soldiers milled in confusion. grant considered the assault "the saddest affair i have witnessed in the war." the confederates quickly recovered and launched several counterattacks led by brig. gen. william mahone. the breach was sealed off, and the federals were repulsed with severe casualties. brig. gen. edward ferrero's division of black soldiers was badly mauled. this may have been grant's best chance to end the siege of petersburg. instead, the soldiers settled in for another eight months of trench warfare. burnside was relieved of command for the last time for his role in the debacle, and he was never again returned to command.nps ==background== during the civil war, petersburg, virginia, was an important railhead, where four railroad lines from the south met before continuing to richmond, virginia, the capital of the confederacy. most of the supplies to lee's army and to the city of richmond funnele
1864_in_Virginia Battles_of_the_Eastern_Theater_of_the_American_Civil_War Confederate_victories_of_the_American_Civil_War Conflicts_in_1864 Petersburg,_Virginia Petersburg_Campaign Virginia_in_the_American_Civil_War