On Saturday, March 25, 1865 at Fort Stedman on the Union right at Petersburg, Virginia Southerners claiming to be deserters approached Union lines at 3 am. In fact, they were advance men planning sabotage when, one hour later, Confederate General John Gordon’s troops attacked. The Confederates surprised the Union garrison, rushing into the fort’ and seizing about three fourths of a mile of Union lines. Union forces then rallied, confronting the Confederates and driving them from the fort. After overseeing the attack Robert E. Lee returned to his headquarters, knowing that little remained now for his forces but a humiliating withdrawal from both Petersburg and Richmond. At Fort Stedman, Gordon’s Confederates suffered approximately 4000 casualties, with most becoming prisoners of war; Union forces had fewer than 1500 casualties.
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.