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General Description: This parcel contains 50 acres of wooded property, with an old timbering lane to provide access and off-road parking. A CWPT site sign, a Virginia highway historical marker, a small granite monument to Confederate General John Pegram, who was killed nearby, and two wayside signs interpret the battlefield at this time. Civil War History: The Battle of Hatcher's Run was a three day engagement occurring on February 5-7, 1865. The parcel owned by CWPT encompasses the main core of fighting on the 6th and 7th, which is located near Dabney's Sawmill (slightly to the west of the site) and south of the run. The fighting on the 5th was to the north of Hatcher's Run and east of Duncan Road. A 20th century mill is located on the site of Armstrong's structure. The two main objectives in General U.S. Grant's winter offensive at Petersburg were to cut the Boydton Plank Road, a wagon supply route for General Robert E. Lee's Army, along with the last remaining railroad furnishing Petersburg, the South Side RR. General David N. Gregg's Union cavalry division supported Andrew Humphreys's II Corps. General Henry Heth's Confederate division, along with John Gordon's Second Corps (Clement Evans's and John Pegram's divisions), recently returned from the Shenandoah Valley, opposed the Union forces. When Lee received word of the movement, he sent Heth's and Evan's divisions to attack the Federals. The next couple of days, General Humphreys entrenched his men into position. On the 6th, Gordon, supported by General W.H.F. Lee's cavalry, moved out to stop Warren's V Corps from moving toward the Boydton Plank Road. Fighting in wooded terrain similar to the CWPT property, the forces pushed each other back and forth between Dabney's Sawmill and the Vaughan Road. At some point during the fighting John Pregram was killed. William Mahone's division, commanded by General Joseph Finegan, now reinforced Gordon. Grant also sent help to this expedition in the form of reinforcements from the VI and IX Corps. That night snow, hail, and sleet fell on the troops as the men began erecting slight rail breastworks. Warren spent the 7th reconnoitering Gordon's position, but no major fighting took place. Confederate General Moxley Sorrel was wounded in the related skirmishing. The Southerners had stopped Grant's seventh offensive. Although the Federals did not achieve their goal, they were now able to extend their entrenchment lines to the Vaughan Road Crossing of Hatcher's Run. This put them three miles closer to the South Side Railroad. Grant sent 34,000 men on this expedition and was stopped by about 14,000 Southerners. The Confederates lost about 1,000 men in doing so, while the Federals lost 171 killed, 1,181 wounded and 187 missing. The battle was described by one Confederate soldier as ..."preliminary skirmishing on the 5th, a sanguinary on the 6th, followed up by the enemy feebly on the 7th." Instructions: There are no trails on the property at this time, so take proper precautions and walk with care if you intend to go over the ground. Any uses other than walking or simple visitation must receive prior written permission from the CWPT Director of Programs and Properties. Remember to respect our neighbors' property.
Directions: From I-85 Southwest of Petersburg, get off at the Route 1 South exit just past the Squirrel Level Road exit. Drive approximately 5 miles until you come to Dabney Mill Road (Route 613) on the left (you pass Rt. 613 on the right earlier which is called White Oak Road), turn. Proceed about two and a half miles, watching for the state historical marker on the right side of the road. Just past the sign, turn right into the parking area. Click here to get a map or driving directions. Be sure and put Dabney Mill Road/Squirrel Level Road as your intersection. For a print friendly brochure, please click here.
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