The Siege of Petersburg drags on, having turned into a daily, dirt-filled slog in the trenches. Union General Ulysses S. Grant, having time on his hands, tries to dream up new ways to wreck havoc upon the Confederate rail infrastructure that Richmond depends upon. In the days ahead, attempts will be made to do just…
Today in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley, far from the Union offensive against Richmond, Confederate General Jubal Early‘s forces defeat Federal forces near Winchester in the Second Battle of Kernstown. While the Confederacy wins this battle, it proves to be the last Rebel victory in the Shenandoah Valley. The Union defeat this day marks the beginning of…
Soldiers in the Confederate armies by this time are spread about in seemingly haphazard fashion. Many of the defenders of the besieged city of Atlanta hail from far away, as do many of the soldiers engaged in the defense of Richmond that is currently playing out in the siege of nearby Petersburg. In the trenches…