Battle of Petersburg

25 April 1781

On 25 Apr. 1781, American Brig. Gen. Peter Muhlenberg’s Virginia militia fell back west from Blandford, under heavy British fire, to a prepared line of defense here along the crest of this hill. This second line of Virginia ...

Battle of Petersburg

25 April 1781

On 25 Apr. 1781, American Brig. Gen. Peter Muhlenberg formed his first line of 500 Virginia militia here to meet the British. The line extended along East Street from the Appomattox River to present-day Washington Street and consisted ...

Battle of Petersburg

25 April 1781

To the west stood East Hill (Bollingbrook), home of the widow Mary Marshall Tabb Bolling. After the 25 Apr. 1781 Battle of Petersburg, British Maj. Gen. William Phillips and Brig. Gen. Benedict Arnold located their headquarters at the ...

Battle of Petersburg

From Blandford Heights

to Pocahontas Bridge

April 25, 1781

Here was fought the opening engagement of the decisive campaign of the revolution. 1000 American militia under Steuben, Muhlenberg, Dick and House opposed 2500 British under Phillips, Arnold and Abercrombie.

Erected by Frances Bland Randolph ...

Battle of Petersburg

Here was fought the Battle of Petersburg, April 25, 1781. The Southside Militia, 1000 strong and commanded by Baron Steuben and General Muhlenberg, made a brave resistance to 2500 British Regulars under Phillips and Arnold.

Marker is on Crater Road (U.S. ...

First Battle of Petersburg

Kautz’s Effort Stopped Here

In May 1864, Gen. Ulysses S. Grant launched attacks on Confederate armies across the South. He accompanied Gen. George G. Meade’s Army of the Potomac as it fought Gen. Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia from ...

Battle of Petersburg

25 April 1781

About midday on 25 April 1781, Maj. Gen. William Phillips discovered that the right flank of the American militia, on the edge of Blandford was vulnerable to attack from the south and rear. He ordered Lt. Col. John ...

Battle of Petersburg

25 April 1781

On 24 Apr. 1781, Maj. Gen. William Phillips’s force of 2,500 British regulars landed at City Point, 12 miles to the east on the James River, as part of a major campaign to disrupt the American force’s main ...