Confederate Battery V was stormed on June 15, 1864 during the Union Army's opening attack on Petersburg.
Nine and a half months, 70,000 casualties, the suffering of civilians, U. S. Colored Troops fighting for freedom, and the decline of Gen. Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia all describe the Siege of Petersburg. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant cut off all of Petersburg's supply lines, ensuring the fall of Richmond on April 3, 1865. Six days later, Gen. Lee surrendered.
Tourism to Petersburg National Battlefield contributes $12.2 million to the local economy and a report shows visitor spending supports 177 jobs in nearby communities.
On September 14-15, living historians portraying the 26th North Carolina will be at Tour Stop 3 on the park’s Eastern Front Tour Road. Throughout the weekend, they will conduct demonstrations and programs depicting life in the trenches for the common soldiers.
On Saturday, July 27 and Sunday, July 28, the Petersburg National Battlefield will host a series of programs and tours to commemorate the Battle of the Crater, a major engagement of the Petersburg campaign, fought on July 30, 1864.