Battle of Amelia Springs facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Battle of Amelia Springs |
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| Part of the American Civil War | |||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 United States (Union) |
 Confederate States (Confederacy) |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| George Crook | Fitzhugh Lee Thomas L. Rosser |
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| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 158 | about 100 | ||||||
The Battle of Amelia Springs was a series of fights during the American Civil War on April 5 and 6, 1865. These battles happened in Amelia County, Virginia, as the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia was trying to escape after losing Petersburg, Virginia and Richmond.
The main fight involved Union cavalry led by Brig. Gen. Henry E. Davies, Jr. and Confederate cavalry under Maj. Gen. Fitzhugh Lee. Davies's men were returning from a mission where they destroyed Confederate supply wagons. The Confederates attacked them, leading to a running battle near Amelia Springs. This first fight was inconclusive, meaning neither side clearly won.
Later, on the night of April 5 and morning of April 6, Union forces chased the Confederate rear guard near Amelia Springs. This was a smaller fight, also without a clear winner. These battles happened just before the much larger Battle of Sailor's Creek and the final surrender of General Robert E. Lee's army.
Contents
Background to the Battle
The Long Siege of Petersburg
The American Civil War had been going on for four years. For 292 days, the Union Army, led by General Ulysses S. Grant, had been trying to capture Petersburg, Virginia and Richmond, Virginia. This was known as the Siege of Petersburg. Union soldiers built long trenches and slowly tried to wear down the Confederate forces. They also cut off Confederate supply lines.
By early 1865, the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia, led by General Robert E. Lee, was running out of soldiers and supplies. Their defensive lines were stretched too thin. Lee knew he had to move his army soon. He hoped to get food and supplies from places like Danville, Virginia or Lynchburg, Virginia. He also wanted to join forces with General Joseph E. Johnston's army in North Carolina to fight Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman's Union army.
Union Breakthrough and Confederate Escape
At the end of March 1865, General Grant launched a big attack. On April 1, the Union Army won the Battle of Five Forks. Then, on April 2, they broke through the Confederate defenses at the Third Battle of Petersburg. A Union division also cut off the South Side Railroad, which was a key supply route for the Confederates.
Because of these defeats, General Lee's army had to leave Petersburg and Richmond on the night of April 2–3. They began to retreat, hoping to reach Danville and meet up with Johnston's army. Confederate rear guard units fought bravely to delay the Union troops, giving Lee's main army a head start.
The Retreat and Early Skirmishes
Lee planned to gather his army's four groups at Amelia Court House, Virginia, about 39 miles southwest of Richmond. His soldiers had only one day's food when they left Petersburg and Richmond. Lee expected a supply train full of food to be waiting for them at Amelia Court House.
While Lee's army was retreating, Union cavalry and infantry, led by Maj. Gen. Philip Sheridan, chased them. Sheridan's forces moved on a path parallel to Lee's, keeping the Confederates to their north. Union cavalry constantly bothered and fought with Confederate units. On April 3, there was a fight at the Battle of Namozine Church. On April 4, smaller fights happened at Beaver Pond Creek and Amelia Court House. Meanwhile, Sheridan's troops took important positions at Jetersville and Burkeville Junction, blocking Lee's direct path southwest.
The Battles of Amelia Springs
First Fight: The Wagon Attack
When General Lee and his army arrived at Amelia Court House on April 4, they found a big problem. The supply train he expected was there, but it only had weapons, ammunition, and equipment—no food! Lee had to send out groups of soldiers to search for food, which wasted valuable time. Some historians also say that a delay in getting a bridge ready to cross swollen rivers added to the wait. This delay allowed more Union troops to catch up and even get ahead of Lee's hungry and tired army.
On April 5, Maj. Gen. Sheridan ordered Union Maj. Gen. George Crook to send cavalry patrols north of Jetersville. Brig. Gen. Henry E. Davies, Jr. led his brigade through Amelia Springs and then north to the Paineville area. About 4 miles from Jetersville, Davies's men attacked a Confederate wagon train. They destroyed the wagons, captured equipment and animals, and took more than 300 prisoners.
When General Lee heard about Davies's attack, he sent two divisions of cavalry, led by Maj. Gen. Fitzhugh Lee and Brig. Gen. Martin Gary, to chase Davies. These Confederate cavalry units fought Davies's rear guard in a running battle for 3 miles, all the way to Amelia Springs. The Confederates attacked with sabers, forcing Davies's men to retreat. They chased Davies's force almost to Jetersville. However, when Davies's men met up with other Union cavalry, they were able to keep their prisoners and equipment. The Confederates then returned to Amelia Springs for the night.
Confederate cavalry continued to fight with Union forces at Jetersville on April 5. The Confederates were trying to cover the movement of their main army as it headed west toward Farmville, Virginia.
Second Fight and Casualties
During the night of April 5 and the morning of April 6, General Lee began to march his army from Amelia Court House, through Amelia Springs, and toward Farmville. Two Union divisions, led by Brig. Gen. Nelson A. Miles and Maj. Gen. Gershom Mott, saw this movement and chased the Confederates. The Confederate rear guard, led by Maj. Gen. John B. Gordon, held off the Union attack. This allowed the rest of the Confederate army to continue their march west. The Union forces then stopped to rest for the night. During this fight, Maj. Gen. Mott was wounded.
In these fights at Amelia Springs, the Union forces had between 116 and 158 soldiers killed or wounded. The Confederate losses are not fully known but were likely fewer than 100. The Confederates also lost the soldiers and teamsters captured by Davies at Paineville.
What Happened Next
Union General George Meade initially thought the Confederate army was still gathered at Amelia Court House. Despite Grant and Sheridan thinking the Confederates had moved, Meade sent his infantry toward Amelia Court House on the morning of April 6. However, the Union forces soon found that Lee had already moved west. They quickly changed direction to continue their chase.
Later that afternoon, on April 6, a large part of the Confederate army was cut off at the Battle of Sailor's Creek. About 8,000 men, including several generals, were captured. This was about one-fifth of Lee's remaining army. After five more small battles over the next three days, with his army shrinking rapidly, General Lee surrendered the Army of Northern Virginia to General Grant. This happened on April 9, 1865, at Appomattox Court House, about 90 miles west of Richmond. This surrender effectively ended the American Civil War.
The Battlefield Today
The old resort town of Amelia Springs no longer exists. The land where the battles took place is mostly covered in woods. It is privately owned and not in danger of being built on.
Images for kids
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Davies captures the wagon train
