# 4980-81 - 2015 First-Class Forever Stamp - The Civil War Sesquicentennial, 1865
U.S. # 4980-81
2015 49¢ Civil War: 1865
Civil War Sesquicentennial
The spring of 1865 was a desperate time for the Confederacy. Rebel troops and civilians alike were next to starvation, desertions grew, and much of the South lay in ruins. Seeing an opportunity to crush Lee’s weakened army, Ulysses S. Grant launched his Appomattox Campaign.
Grant began a siege of Petersburg, Virginia, in the spring of 1864. Located south of Richmond, the city was strategically important as the Confederacy’s transportation hub.
On April 1, 1865, Grant’s men attacked Lee’s at a crossroads named Five Forks. The battle would be known as the Confederacy’s Waterloo – a defeat from which they could not recover.
Lee’s army moved quickly, hoping to unite with Joseph E. Johnston’s Army of Tennessee. With Grant in pursuit, the cities of Petersburg and Richmond fell. On April 4, Lee’s army paused to resupply. But there was little to scavenge in the Virginia countryside, and the day’s delay allowed Grant’s men to begin surrounding the Southern army.
After a brief battle at Appomattox Courthouse on April 9, 1865, Lee surrendered his army to Grant. The mutual respect and willingness to reconcile shown by the two generals helped set the tone for the nation, which reunited after four years of civil war.
The Second Battle Of Petersburg
In the spring of 1864, stinging from his failure to take the Confederate capital of Richmond, General Ulysses S. Grant set his sights on Petersburg. Just 23 miles south of Richmond, the city was a central rail hub essential to the Confederate war effort. If the Union took Petersburg it would cripple supply lines and choke the Confederate Army at Richmond. General Robert E. Lee would be forced to come out and fight in the open or flee the city.
On June 15, Major General William “Baldy” Smith was ordered to attack the city with his XVII Corps. He delayed the start until 7 p.m., but quickly defeated the small Confederate force that was manning the eastern portion of the defenses. Smith stopped his advance because of darkness, missing the opportunity to capture Petersburg that night.
That August, another attack was made on the Weldon & Petersburg line. This time, the Union soldiers were successful after three days of fighting. The Confederate Army now had to unload supplies farther south, then transport them by wagon to Petersburg.
By the spring of 1865, Lee’s forces were weakened by sickness, lack of supplies, and desertions. His lines of defense now stretched for 37 miles, far too long for his small army to defend. Knowing Grant would soon be reinforced with fresh troops, Lee planned a final attack in the hopes of reaching his opponent’s headquarters.
On March 25, Major General Gordon assaulted Fort Stedman in the northern part of the Union line. They overwhelmed the defenders and created a 1,000-foot hole in the Union line. But the enemy rallied and forced the Confederates back. Sensing the South’s weakness, Grant began attacking the Rebels. On March 31, Sheridan defeated Major General Pickett at Five Forks. The Union was now in control of the Southside Railroad, Lee’s best line of retreat. The following morning, he advised President Jefferson Davis to prepare to evacuate the capital.
U.S. # 4980-81
2015 49¢ Civil War: 1865
Civil War Sesquicentennial
The spring of 1865 was a desperate time for the Confederacy. Rebel troops and civilians alike were next to starvation, desertions grew, and much of the South lay in ruins. Seeing an opportunity to crush Lee’s weakened army, Ulysses S. Grant launched his Appomattox Campaign.
Grant began a siege of Petersburg, Virginia, in the spring of 1864. Located south of Richmond, the city was strategically important as the Confederacy’s transportation hub.
On April 1, 1865, Grant’s men attacked Lee’s at a crossroads named Five Forks. The battle would be known as the Confederacy’s Waterloo – a defeat from which they could not recover.
Lee’s army moved quickly, hoping to unite with Joseph E. Johnston’s Army of Tennessee. With Grant in pursuit, the cities of Petersburg and Richmond fell. On April 4, Lee’s army paused to resupply. But there was little to scavenge in the Virginia countryside, and the day’s delay allowed Grant’s men to begin surrounding the Southern army.
After a brief battle at Appomattox Courthouse on April 9, 1865, Lee surrendered his army to Grant. The mutual respect and willingness to reconcile shown by the two generals helped set the tone for the nation, which reunited after four years of civil war.
The Second Battle Of Petersburg
In the spring of 1864, stinging from his failure to take the Confederate capital of Richmond, General Ulysses S. Grant set his sights on Petersburg. Just 23 miles south of Richmond, the city was a central rail hub essential to the Confederate war effort. If the Union took Petersburg it would cripple supply lines and choke the Confederate Army at Richmond. General Robert E. Lee would be forced to come out and fight in the open or flee the city.
On June 15, Major General William “Baldy” Smith was ordered to attack the city with his XVII Corps. He delayed the start until 7 p.m., but quickly defeated the small Confederate force that was manning the eastern portion of the defenses. Smith stopped his advance because of darkness, missing the opportunity to capture Petersburg that night.
That August, another attack was made on the Weldon & Petersburg line. This time, the Union soldiers were successful after three days of fighting. The Confederate Army now had to unload supplies farther south, then transport them by wagon to Petersburg.
By the spring of 1865, Lee’s forces were weakened by sickness, lack of supplies, and desertions. His lines of defense now stretched for 37 miles, far too long for his small army to defend. Knowing Grant would soon be reinforced with fresh troops, Lee planned a final attack in the hopes of reaching his opponent’s headquarters.
On March 25, Major General Gordon assaulted Fort Stedman in the northern part of the Union line. They overwhelmed the defenders and created a 1,000-foot hole in the Union line. But the enemy rallied and forced the Confederates back. Sensing the South’s weakness, Grant began attacking the Rebels. On March 31, Sheridan defeated Major General Pickett at Five Forks. The Union was now in control of the Southside Railroad, Lee’s best line of retreat. The following morning, he advised President Jefferson Davis to prepare to evacuate the capital.