page_title: Siege of Petersburg
section_title: First battle of Petersburg
hierarchical_section_title: Siege of Petersburg / First battle of Petersburg
caption_attribution_description: English: Confederate fortification line protecting Petersburg
context_page_description: The Richmond–Petersburg Campaign was a series of battles around Petersburg, Virginia, fought from June 9, 1864, to March 25, 1865. Fought during the American Civil War, it is more popularly known as the Siege of Petersburg. But it was not a classic military siege, in which a city is usually surrounded and all supply lines are cut off. Nor was it strictly limited to actions against Petersburg. The campaign consisted of nine months of trench warfare in which Union forces commanded by Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant assaulted Petersburg unsuccessfully. Then the Union Army constructed trench lines that eventually extended over 50 miles. They ran from the eastern outskirts of Richmond, Virginia, to around the eastern and southern outskirts of Petersburg. Petersburg was critical to the supply of Confederate Lieutenant General Robert E. Lee's army and the Confederate capital of Richmond. Numerous raids were conducted and battles fought in attempts to cut off the railroad supply lines through Petersburg to Richmond. Many of these caused the lengthening of the trench lines, overloading dwindling Confederate resources.
context_section_description: Also called the "Battle of Old Men and Young Boys", it was fought on June 9, 1864 just outside Petersburg. The armies of Lee and Grant were deadlocked just outside of Richmond in their Cold Harbor defenses. Butler knew Grant would probably soon attack Petersburg since it was the key supply point for Richmond. By way of intelligence from slaves and Confederate deserters and a captured Confederate map, Butler realized Petersburg was not well defended. In Petersburg, Confederate generals Beauregard and Wise had only 2,200 militiamen guarding the city. One Petersburg citizen called them a collection of "greyhaired men, and beardless boys." Some were not even equipped with rifles. Butler saw an opportunity and sent a force of 3,400 infantrymen along with 1,300 cavalry to attack Petersburg before Grant could get there. The Union infantry attacked from the east while the cavalry attacked from the south using the Jerusalem Plank Road. The infantry attack was intended as a diversion while the cavalry entered the city from the south. But the 2,500 Confederate defenders fought off both attacks. The infantry was stopped by the Dimmock Line which had been constructed to stop any such attacks. After the attacks failed, Butler withdrew.
caption: Confederate fortifications at Petersburg
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