Battle of Sutherland's Station

Other Names: None

Location: Dinwiddie County, Virginia

Campaign: Appomattox Campaign (March-April 1865)

Date: April 2, 1865

Principal Commanders: Maj. Gen. Nelson A. Miles [US]; Maj. Gen. Henry Heth and Maj. Gen. Cadmus Wilcox [CS]

Forces Engaged: 1,500[US]; 3,000[CS]

Casualties and losses: 970 total (US 370; CS 600)

Result(s): Union victory

Brief Description:

Union columns converged on Petersburg on April 2. part Mile's force struck north from White Oak Road meeting elements of four Confederate brigades (Cooke, Scales, MacRae, McGowan) attempting to defend the South Side Railroad. The Confedeerates placed their left flank on Ocran Methodist Church, where it was overun by three Union brigades commanded by Miles. The Confederate defenders were scattered and driven northwestward. With this victory, the Federals possessed the South Side Railroad, Gen. Robert E. Lee's last supply line into Petersburg. Grant had delayed the final attack on Fort Gregg while he awaited news regarding Miles' outcome, another delay that helped Lee evacuate more troops from Petersburg. By the time that the fort finally fell, Lee had bought enough time to successfully extricate the vast majority of his army. Humphreys's II Corps had been made to wander back and forth all morning and the general later contended that, had his whole corps been allowed to move against the Confederates, Heth's whole command would have been destroyed.