Sayler's Creek Battlefield, near

Farmville, Virginia Farmville is a town in Prince Edward and Cumberland counties in the U.S. state of Virginia. The population was 8,216 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Prince Edward County. Farmville developed near the headwaters of the Appomattox R ...

, was the site of the Battle of Sayler's Creek of the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...

. Confederate general

Robert E. Lee Robert Edward Lee (January 19, 1807 – October 12, 1870) was a Confederate general during the American Civil War, towards the end of which he was appointed the overall commander of the Confederate States Army. He led the Army of Nort ...

's army was retreating from the

Richmond Richmond most often refers to: * Richmond, Virginia, the capital of Virginia, United States * Richmond, London, a part of London * Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town in England * Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada * Richmond, California, ...

to the

Petersburg Petersburg, or Petersburgh, may refer to: Places Australia *Petersburg, former name of Peterborough, South Australia Canada * Petersburg, Ontario Russia *Saint Petersburg, sometimes referred to as Petersburg United States *Peterborg, U.S. Virg ...

line. Here, on April 6, 1865, Union general

Philip Sheridan General of the Army Philip Henry Sheridan (March 6, 1831 – August 5, 1888) was a career United States Army officer and a Union general in the American Civil War. His career was noted for his rapid rise to major general and his close as ...

cut off and beat back about a quarter of Lee's depleted army. Eight

Confederate Confederacy or confederate may refer to: States or communities * Confederate state or confederation, a union of sovereign groups or communities * Confederate States of America, a confederation of secessionist American states that existed between 1 ...

generals surrendered, and 7,700 men were lost. Confederate Major General George Washington Custis Lee, eldest son of Robert E. Lee, was forcibly captured on the battlefield by Private

David Dunnels White David Dunnels White (April 14, 1844 – February 9, 1924) was an American farmer who served as a Union soldier during the American Civil War. His "single-handed capture of Confederate Major General George Washington Custis Lee" in 1865 became wid ...

of the 37th Massachusetts Regiment. The battle was the last major engagement of the war in Virginia; Lee's surrender at Appomattox occurred three days later. A portion of the landmarked battlefield area is included in

Sailor's Creek Battlefield Historical State Park Sailor's Creek Battlefield Historical State Park is a state park near Rice, Virginia, located mostly in Amelia County with a small portion in Prince Edward County. It includes a portion of the landmarked Sayler's Creek Battlefield, an area of ...

. The Civil War Trust (a division of the

American Battlefield Trust The American Battlefield Trust is a charitable organization ( 501(c)(3)) whose primary focus is in the preservation of battlefields of the American Civil War, the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812 through acquisition of battlefield land. Th ...

) and its partners have acquired and preserved of the battlefield in five transactions since 1996. The battle was composed of three separate engagements, which may be termed the Battle of Hillsman's Farm, the Battle of Marshall's Cross Roads (or Battle of Harper's Farm), and the Battle of Lockett's Farm (or Battle of Double Bridges). The Hillsman House, which was owned by Capt. James Hillsman, served as a hospital for both Confederate and Union troops. Bloodstains still remain on the floor from when it served as a hospital after the battles. The Lockett house is in its original state. The Christian house is also there. (includes 6 maps describing the battle) and The park is located on

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...

routes 617, 618, and 619 between Farmville and Burkeville, in Amelia and Prince Edward counties. From 1865 to the area's nomination for the National Register of Historic Places in 1984, the area saw little development, and remained much as it was during the battles. It was declared a

National Historic Landmark A National Historic Landmark (NHL) is a building, district, object, site, or structure that is officially recognized by the United States government for its outstanding historical significance. Only some 2,500 (~3%) of over 90,000 places listed ...

in 1985. Areas in the National Historic Landmark site include four portions, of , , , and . These are indicated on topographical maps included in the version of the NRHP documents provided by the Virginia Department of Historic Resources. (includes 6 maps describing the battle, and topographical maps showing the four NHL site areas) The current state park covers only . Costumed interpreters station the park throughout the year.

Living history Living history is an activity that incorporates historical tools, activities and dress into an interactive presentation that seeks to give observers and participants a sense of stepping back in time. Although it does not necessarily seek to ree ...

performers are active in the park during the anniversary of the battle every April. The land was originally named in the 18th century for a farmer named Saylor. During the

Civil War A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...

, the name was changed to Sayler. Some official records called it Sailor, the spelling that the Commonwealth of Virginia uses in its name for the related park.

References

External links

*
Sayler's Creek Battlefield, Amelia County, one photo at Virginia DHR
{{National Register of Historic Places in Virginia Protected areas of Amelia County, Virginia National Historic Landmarks in Virginia Battlefields of the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War National Register of Historic Places in Amelia County, Virginia Protected areas of Prince Edward County, Virginia National Register of Historic Places in Prince Edward County, Virginia Virginia in the American Civil War American Civil War on the National Register of Historic Places Conflict sites on the National Register of Historic Places in Virginia

See also

References

External links