After weeks of relative quiet, on Thursday, October 27, 1864 seventeen thousand Union troops moved to the left of Petersburg, attacking toward the South Side Railroad. At Burgess’ Mill, Confederate troops stopped the Union advance. The Union force retired, insuring that the South Side Railroad and the Boydton Plank Road remained in Confederate hands for the winter. Union losses totaled 166 killed, 1028 wounded, and 564 missing, or 1758 casualties. Confederate losses are unknown. At the same time, Union forces also struck north of the James, skirmishing at Fair Oaks and on the Darbytown Road. The problem for Confederate forces was obvious; given that Grant’s army outnumbered Lee’s defenders, there was simply too much territory to be defended and not enough Confederate defenders. Nevertheless, the siege before Richmond and Petersburg continued.
00000174-b11b-ddc3-a1fc-bfdbb1a20000The Schreiner University Department of History is honoring the sesquicentennial of the American Civil War with a series of short vignettes focusing on events from 1861 through 1865. The Civil War was the most destructive conflict in American history, but it was also one of our most defining moments as a people and as a nation. Let us know what you think about "This Week in the Civil War." E-mail your comments to Dr. John Huddleston at jhuddles@schreiner.edu.Airs: Weekdays at 5:19 a.m., 8:19 a.m., 4:19 p.m. on KTXI and 4:49 a.m., 9:29 p.m. on KSTX.