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  1. Finish Siege of Calcutta
  2. Write Battle of Marion
  3. Expand Monte Berico
  4. Bring Battle of Appomattox Station to FA


Battle of Appomattox Station
Part of the American Civil War
Date April 8, 1865
Location Appomattox County, Virginia
Result Union victory
Belligerents
Flag of the United States United States (Union) Flag of Confederate States of America CSA (Confederacy)
Commanders
George Custer Lindsay Walker
v • d • e
Appomattox Campaign

The Battle of Appomattox Station (April 8, 1865) was fought during the Appomattox Campaign of the American Civil War. The battle occurred when Maj. Gen. George Armstrong Custer's Union cavalry, en route to Appomattox Station, clashed with the reserve artillery of the Confederate Third Corps, Army of Northern Virginia, under Colonel Lindsay Walker.[1]

The Union army was ordered to take control of the four supply trains that awaited General Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia. The supplies that were carried on the train were vital to the Confederates. The trains carried medical supplies, ammunition, and food for the under-equipped Confederate army. The small contingent of Confederate soldiers were vastly outnumbered, and fought to repulse the Union attack. Many of the Confederate army were artillery and engineers that were acting as infantry, and few had little hand to hand battle experience. The Union army was far better trained and much better organized, all which led to the Confederate demise.[2]

The Confederates failed to hold the oncoming Army of the Potomac back, and as a result, Custer’s division captured a supply train and twenty-five guns, driving off and scattering the Confederate defenders. This unique action pitted artillery without infantry support against cavalry. Custer then proceeded to burn three of the captured trains.[3]

Contents

[edit] Prelude

On the afternoon of April 8, 1865, four supply trains awaited Lee’s army at Appomattox Station. The news reached Federal Major General George A. Custer and he then pushed his division forward with the 2nd New York Cavalry in the lead. The trains were loaded with supplies—clothes, blankets, equipment, ordnance, medical supplies, and food. After moving along the wagon road beside the railroad, Custer’s men approached Appomattox Station from the southeast. The Station consisted of only a few houses with a squad of Confederate cavalry guarding the trains. The Confederates then surrendered to the large Union force. Just as the Union army were preparing to leave in the trains, artillery shells began to fall on their forces. [4]

These shells were fired by Confederate Brigadier General Rueben Lindsay Walker’s Reserve Artillery which had advanced to the head of Lee’s column in order not to impede the movement of the Army of Northern Virginia. With Walker was an approximate force of 100 cannons, 200 baggage wagons, and the army hospital wagons. These forces were unprepared and were not expecting to meet any Union resistance. [5]

A fourth train which had just arrived, started back for Lynchburg in a rush that it broke some of the couplings and left most of its cars behind. Walker drew his men into a semi-circle and was supported by the only troops in the area, Talcott’s Engineers (acting as infantry), General Martin Gary’s Cavalry Brigade, and 75 to 100 artillerymen also acting as infantry. Encounters developed as Federal skirmishers pushed northeast from the Station. [6]

The Confederates were hampered by the unexpectedness of the attack, lack of organization, and no central command, which resulted in mass confusion. Custer’s men were not sure what lay ahead and were ordered by him to charge, but the advance became disjointed probes and pushes through the unfriendly terrain toward the opposing force. [7]

[edit] The Battle

Martin’s battery fought aggressively on the Confederate left, continuously firing while moving forward. Custer’s men made two or three assaults, none very aggressive as the Union soldiers did not want to get too close the discharges of canister rounds from the Confederate lines. Meanwhile, the Confederate batteries that were not engaged did their best to escape west towards Lynchburg or north towards Oakville. As darkness was coming on, a final concerted charge was made. [8]

Custer’s men captured 25 or 30 guns. As for casualties from this fight, there are no Confederate reports, so the exact total will never be know—perhaps 100 men killed and wounded in some manner, but nearly 1,000 Confederate soldiers captured, including Brigadier General Young Moody, and about 100 wagons. Federal casualties totalled less than 50, but Union surgeons commented that they “had never treated so many extreme cases in so short a fight. The wounds were chiefly made by artillery, and were serious; many patients being badly mangled.” [9]

As the fighting at Appomattox Station subsided, elements of the 15th New York Cavalry, under the direction of Lieutenant Colonel Augustus Root, leapt the fence and gained the Lynchburg-Richmond Stage Road and charged into the village of Appomattox Court House, capturing wagons and teamsters along the way. The New Yorkers retreated back along the stage road, gathering prisoners and shooting mules as they went, thus concluding the engagements on April 8. [10]

[edit] Retreat

The Battle of Appomattox Station commenced 4 hours after it had started and lasted until dusk with varying intensity, although more fighting continued in the direction of Appomattox Court House for another 5 hours. The success of Custer’s troopers on the evening of April 8, dispersing and capturing Walker’s artillery and securing the Richmond-Lynchburg Stage Road were vital—the Federals now held the high ground west of Appomattox Court House, squarely across Lee’s line of march. With Lee’s line of retreat blocked, his only options on April 9, 1865, was to attack or surrender. Lee elected to attack. He held a Council of War the night of April 8, and it was determined that an assault would be made to open the road, believing that only Federal cavalry blocked the way. However, during the night parts of three Federal Corps had made a forced march and were close at hand to support the Federal cavalry in the morning. [11]

[edit] Consequences

It was the action on April 8, 1865 (the Battle of Appomattox Station), that determined the surrender would take place on April 9th in the village of Appomattox Court House. The advantage of position gained by the action on April 8, gave the Federals control of the strategic ground necessary to force Lee’s surrender. [12]

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ NPS Battle Summary (2003)
  2. ^ Williams (2005)
  3. ^ Swain (2004)
  4. ^ Howe (1998)
  5. ^ NPS Account of Battle (2001)
  6. ^ NPS Battle Summary (2003)
  7. ^ Blue and Gray Trails (2001)
  8. ^ Howe (1998)
  9. ^ Swain (2004)
  10. ^ NPS Battle Summary (2003)
  11. ^ Blue and Gray Trails (2001)
  12. ^ Swain (2004)

[edit] References



Threat made against high school on Wikipedia, student arrested (English). Wikipedia (April 21, 2008). Retrieved on 2008-05-09.

Day, Brian (April 18, 2008). Student arrested in suspected Web threats (English). Whittier Daily News. Retrieved on 2008-05-09.

Hennessy-Fiske, Molly (April 19, 2008). Hacienda Heights high school student arrested in online threats (English). Los Angeles Times. Retrieved on 2008-05-09.

Yunlong, Sun (April 19, 2008). School student arrested for making online threats (English). China View. Retrieved on 2008-05-09.