The Siege of Petersburg

General George G. Meade and General Ulysses S. Grant armies slipped away from Cold Harbor and started to head to Petersburg Virginia (the transportation hub of the confederacy)  on May 4 (1864). Grant thought if Petersburg was under Union control that Robert E. Lee (Confederate) would have to evacuate Richmond and potentially end the Civil War. Petersburg was very well protected by 2,200 Confederate troops and several artillery batteries. This made it challenging for Grant to attack the city. On June 15 Grant had his troops run along the ravine near battery five and successfully took it over. Confederate reinforcements came and continued the battle until Union soldiers took over the city 291 days later. There were 11,386 casualties from the battle; 8,150 from the Union and 3,236 from the Confederates. The siege on Petersburg resulted in a loss for the Union, but one step closer to Richmond.               

"Civil War Trust." The Battle of Petersburg Summary & Facts. Civil War We Trust, n.d. Web. 27 Jan. 2013. <http://www.civilwar.org/battlefields/petersburg.html?tab=facts>