Sailor's Creek Battlefield

I hesitated putting this out here, because it wasn't really a hike. There was a short walk involved, and because it is an interesting historical event that not a lot of people know about, I decided to put a few photos out for people to look at. I took these on Sunday, 8/23 but didn't post it for a week.

In the next day or two (from 8/30), I will write a post on today's hike to Riprap Hollow.

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On April 3 of 1865, Lee's decimated army left Petersburg, VA after being besieged for nearly 10 months, and tried to get to Danville, VA. Grant's army pursued Lee vigorously, and 3 days later, Union cavalry caught up with the rearward part of the Army of Northern Virginia. At Sailor's Creek, east of Farmville, the United States scored a major victory, capturing one fifth of Lee's remaining starving troops. Three days later, Lee agreed to terms at Appomattox Court House and surrendered the rest of his Army, ending the Civil War in Virginia.

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The battlefield is now a state park, and has some pretty views.

The Hillsman House was used as a Union hospital. Blood stains are still visible in the wood floors, and the family never returned to the house after the battle. Inside, it is made up to look like a field hospital of the time.

These views of the battlefield are from the Hillsman house farm grounds. The Union defended this position, and the Confederate troops were down in the wooded area:

Monument to the two armies