Battle of White Oak Road

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Battle of White Oak Road
Part of American Civil War
Date March 31, 1865 Location Dinwiddie County, Virginia Result Union victory
Combatants
United States of America	Confederate States of America
Commanders
Gouvenor K. Warren	Richard H. Anderson
Strength
V Corps	Anderson's Corps
Casualties
1,800	1,100

Appomattox Campaign
Lewis's Farm – White Oak Road – Dinwiddie Court House – Five Forks – 3rd Petersburg – Sutherland's Station – Namozine Church – Amelia Springs – Sayler's Creek – Rice's Station – High Bridge – Cumberland Church – Appomattox Station – Appomattox Courthouse

The Battle of White Oak Road set the stage for the Confederate defeat at the Battle of Five Forks the following day.

On March 30, 1865, Robert E. Lee shifted reinforcements to meet the Federal movement to turn his right flank, placing Maj. Gen. W.H.F. (Rooney} Lee’s cavalry divisions at Five Forks and transferring George Pickett’s division from the Bermuda Hundred front to the extreme right. Gouvenor K. Warren pushed the V Corps forward and entrenched a line to cover the Boydton Plank Road from its intersection with Dabney Mill Road south to Gravelly Run. Romeyn B. Ayres’ division advanced northwest toward White Oak Road. On March 31, in combination with Maj. Gen. Philip Sheridan’s thrust via Dinwiddie Court House, Warren directed his corps against the Confederate entrenchments along White Oak Road, hoping to cut Lee’s communications with Pickett at Five Forks. The Union advance was stalled by a crushing counterattack directed by Maj. Gen. Bushrod Johnson, but Warren’s position stabilized and his soldiers closed on the road by day’s end. This fighting set up the Confederate defeat at Five Forks on April 1.

[edit] Sources

• National Park Service battle description