The city of Petersburg, 24 miles south of Richmond, was the junction point of five railroads that supplied the entire upper James River region. Capturing this important transportation hub was key for Gen. Ulysses S. Grant as it would isolate the Confederate capital and force Gen. Robert E. Lee to either evacuate Richmond or fight Grant's larger army on open ground.

Although the Confederates held off the Federals in the Battle of Petersburg, Grant implemented a siege of the city that lasted for 292 days and ultimately cost the South the war. Co-founder of the American Battlefield Trust Will Greene describes these pivotal actions.

The American Battlefield Trust preserves America’s hallowed battlegrounds and educates the public about what happened there and why it matters. We permanently protect these battlefields for future generations as a lasting and tangible memorial to the brave soldiers who fought in the American Revolution, the War of 1812, and the Civil War.