Petersburg National Battlefield

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Petersburg National Battlefield Welcome to the official page for Petersburg National Battlefield.
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Petersburg National Battlefield consists of four units spanning across 37 miles of land in South Side Virginia. From June, 1864 - April, 1865 Union forces sought to cut off all supply lines into the City in order to starve the Confederate troops who were protecting Richmond's main supply base. Four visitor centers, a park tour road, and self-guided trails provide an opportunity for visitors to learn more about the longest military event of the Civil War in which 70,000 soldiers became casualties.

The Annual Luminary Program at Poplar Grove National Cemetery allows us to honor our veterans and remember those who are...
10/16/2026

The Annual Luminary Program at Poplar Grove National Cemetery allows us to honor our veterans and remember those who are no longer with us. Join us Saturday, November 14, from 5:30-8:00 p.m. to reflect on those willing to sacrifice for their family, communities, and country. Parking and free shuttles will be available at Richard Bland College at 5:00 p.m. go.nps.gov/luminary2026

History comes alive at Petersburg National Battlefield! Join park staff and volunteers for our final artillery demonstra...
10/11/2026

History comes alive at Petersburg National Battlefield! Join park staff and volunteers for our final artillery demonstration of 2026. On Sunday, October 25, the park’s cannon crew will be interpreting the role of artillerymen in the Civil War and firing our reproduction Napoleon at the Eastern Front Visitor Center from 1:30 to 3:30 pm.

This demonstration is weather permitting. Petersburg National Battlefield’s interpretive programs are free to the public.

(NPS Photo)

Oyster season is here, and nothing sounds better than a fresh apple with a big scoop of… oysters?If that sounds good, th...
10/05/2026

Oyster season is here, and nothing sounds better than a fresh apple with a big scoop of… oysters?

If that sounds good, then the sutlers during the Siege of Petersburg had just the thing. Sutlers followed armies as they moved and sold goods to soldiers that may have been hard to come by, food included. One sutler with an entrepreneurial spirit is captured in this photo outside of a bombproof boasting a sign that says, “Fruit and Oyster House”.

The photo’s original caption asks, “Who but a ‘Yank’ would think of starting a ‘store’ or restaurant on the line of battle where shot and shell are constantly falling?” Although this sutler’s eatery could certainly provide a unique dining experience, sutlers sold things to help break the boredom of camp life, plus a variety of trappings that the army simply could not provide.

As a soldier, what item possibility offered by a sutler would you find most appealing or necessary?

Photo credit: https://www.loc.gov/item/2011649186/

The day after limited success near Richmond at the Battle of Chaffin’s Farm, the United States Army tried to sever Peter...
09/30/2026

The day after limited success near Richmond at the Battle of Chaffin’s Farm, the United States Army tried to sever Petersburg’s last two lines of supply: the Boydton Plank Road and the Southside Railroad.

By the start of Fall, the Confederates were partly done building defenses of these critical routes. On September 30, four divisions of the US Army marched through the fields of Peebles’ Farm and struck the Confederate earthworks along the Squirrel Level Road.

After overrunning this position, Federal momentum was slowed by poor coordination between Federal commanders. A Confederate counterattack later that day put an end to the US Army's hopes of reaching the Boydton Plank Road that day. The decision was made for Federal soldiers to dig in along the captured ground, extending their lines around Petersburg.

The Battle of Peebles’ Farm left the Confederate supply lines along the Boydton Plank Road to attach by the federals exposed. The autumn of 1864 promised more fighting over this critical supply route.

(Image courtesy of Library of Congress
https://www.loc.gov/item/sn86090491/resource/gdc.00519798608 )

On September 29, 1864, at 5:00 AM, a division of United States Colored Troops assaulted the Confederate lines at New Mar...
09/29/2026

On September 29, 1864, at 5:00 AM, a division of United States Colored Troops assaulted the Confederate lines at New Market Heights, capturing the outer works of the Richmond defenses after sustaining almost 900 casualties. For their valor during the Battle of New Market Heights, 14 African Americans would receive the Medal of Honor.

A little south of New Market Heights, another United States Army attack captured Confederate lines at Fort Harrison. Further Federal assaults that day failed to expand the breach in Confederate defenses. That evening, Federal soldiers reversed the fortifications at Fort Harrison to face towards Richmond. Confederate attempts to retake the fort on September 30 failed, and the US Army would maintain a permanent presence less than 10 miles from the Confederate capital. Collectively, the fighting at New Market Heights and Fort Harrison is named the Battle of Chaffin’s Farm.

After 3 and a half months of fighting near Petersburg, now Richmond was under sustained military pressure. Confederate General Robert E. Lee would have to use a significant portion of his army to protect Richmond, men he desperately needed to resist US Army offensives against Petersburg.

To learn more about the Petersburg Campaign and explore the battlefields, visit us at the Eastern Front Visitor Center.

(LOC Image/Alfred Waud)

September 15 through October 15 is National Hispanic Heritage Month. During this span, we celebrate the history, culture...
09/21/2026

September 15 through October 15 is National Hispanic Heritage Month. During this span, we celebrate the history, culture, and contributions of Hispanic Americans.

Their stories, including the story of Lt. Col. Henry Pleasants at Petersburg, are an important part of our nation’s history. Lt. Col. Henry Pleasants, who helped lead the Federal effort at the Battle of the Crater, was born in Argentina to a Hispanic mother and an American father. Pleasants became a mining engineer and used his knowledge to plan a mine under the Confederate lines.

During the Civil War, more than 20,000 Hispanic people served in either the U.S or Confederate militaries. After the Civil War, Hispanic Americans continued to face challenges concerning equal rights. The Anti-Peonage Act of 1867 helped end the system that trapped many workers including in debt. However, unfair labor practices continued in some places. It took many years, along with the civil rights movement, for Hispanic Americans to gain equality and access to the rights they had been promised.

Image from "Battles and Leaders of the Civil War" (published 1888)

General Ulysses S. Grant and his staff will once again set up their headquarters at the park’s City Point unit, just lik...
09/19/2026

General Ulysses S. Grant and his staff will once again set up their headquarters at the park’s City Point unit, just like they did back in 1864. Visitors will be able to interact with these living historians and learn more about what it took to run an army in the field. The event will run from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm on Saturday and 10:00 am to 2:00 pm on Sunday.

As always, programs at Petersburg National Battlefield are free to the public and weather permitting. The Grant’s Headquarters unit is located at 1001 Pecan Ave, Hopewell, Virginia.



(Photo: NPS)

The Beef Steak Raid: Between September 14 and 17, 1864, Confederate cavalry commander Wade Hampton launched a raid behin...
09/14/2026

The Beef Steak Raid: Between September 14 and 17, 1864, Confederate cavalry commander Wade Hampton launched a raid behind U.S. lines to seize a herd of 3,000 cattle. It was a move intended to ease their army’s worsening food shortage.

The herd, gathered near Coggin’s Point to supply Federal troops, was guarded by only a few hundred cavalry soldiers because were deployed in the Shenandoah Valley. Hampton advanced with a force of 3,000 and quickly overran the small Federal detachment.

After capturing several prisoners, Hampton’s men drove roughly 2,500 cattle back to Confederate lines. The haul provided nearly two weeks of fresh beef, offering a morale boost and a brief reprieve from the Confederacy’s worsening supply challenges.

LOC Image: "THE GREAT CATTLE RAID AT HARRISON'S LANDING, September 16, 1864". by Alfred Waud.

Ever wonder how a Civil War artillery crew worked a piece in the field? Come join us for an artillery demonstration on S...
09/13/2026

Ever wonder how a Civil War artillery crew worked a piece in the field? Come join us for an artillery demonstration on Sunday, September 27. Stop by the Eastern Front Visitor Center where the park’s living history crew will be firing our reproduction 12 pounder Napoleon and discussing artillery’s role in the Civil War. The program will run continuously from 1:30 to 3:30 pm.

This demonstration is weather permitting. Petersburg National Battlefield’s interpretive programs are free to the public.

(Photo: NPS)

This September, Petersburg National Battlefield joins people across the country in remembering those who sought freedom ...
09/08/2026

This September, Petersburg National Battlefield joins people across the country in remembering those who sought freedom from slavery. The Underground Railroad was a network of people, places, and routes that helped freedom seekers escape slavery. Some traveled by land. Others used rivers, roads, and ships.

During the years before the Civil War, Petersburg had a large and active free Black community. The Underground Railroad in Petersburg was a complex network of family members, friends, churches, workers, sailors, business owners, and other people who helped. Black churches were especially important places for communication.

The Eppes plantation at City Point adds another important layer to this story. A National Park Service study found no documented evidence that enslaved people at the site escaped to the North or Canada before the Civil War. However, the absence of documented escapes should not be interpreted as evidence that enslaved people were unaware of, or disconnected from, the networks and knowledge associated with the Underground Railroad. Enslaved people actively sought freedom in many ways, and the surviving historical record can never capture every attempt. The history of freedom-seeking at the Eppes plantation remains complex, with important questions that warrant continued research and exploration.

Today, the National Park Service's Network to Freedom helps preserve and share this history. The network includes over 800 sites across 41 states that have a connection to the Underground Railroad. These places help us connect with the people and communities who fought for freedom. We invite you to learn more about the Underground Railroad and the people connected to its story. https://go.nps.gov/NTFsites

Image: "The underground railroad / Chas. T. Webber." Library of Congress.

Address

Fort Lee, VA

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm
Saturday 9am - 5pm
Sunday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+18047323531

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