American Civil War
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Five Forks
Battle · Eastern Theatre
Battle of Five Forks
April 1, 1865 · Dinwiddie County, Virginia
Narrative
Commanders
At a glance
Outcome
1
The last supply line
The crossroads that held Petersburg
Nine months of siege come down to one backwoods intersection. Cut the South Side Railroad here, and Petersburg falls.
2
March 31
A wet fight in the woods
Rain turns the roads to soup. Pickett (South) drives Sheridan’s cavalry back, then realizes he has pushed too far and digs in at Five Forks.
3
The afternoon
The shad bake
Pickett (South) and Fitzhugh Lee (South) ride to the rear for a fish fry. An acoustic shadow swallows the sound of their own line being destroyed.
4
The assault
The line comes apart
Sheridan rides into the confusion and turns a near-miss into a rout. Then, in the hour of victory, he relieves Warren (North).
5
What it meant
The week the war ended
Petersburg falls, Richmond burns, and a week later Lee surrenders at Appomattox. The blow that started the last week of the war.
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the American Civil War
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