March 14, 1865
Skirmish at the South Anna Bridge, VA, as Maj. Gen. Philip H. Sheridan, USA, and his cavalry move towards Petersburg, VA.
Ulysses S. Grant asks Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton to send the half of the 45th United States Colored Troops which is in Washington, D. C. forward to join the rest of their regiment at the Siege of Petersburg.
Grant orders Meade to keep the Army of the Potomac in condition to move at a moment’s notice indefinitely. The goal is to be able to follow Lee the moment it is definitively learned he is evacuating Petersburg and Richmond.
Meade sends out a detailed circular to his commanders in the Army of the Potomac detailing how they should prepare for the coming spring campaign.
Brigadier General Ranald S. Mackenzie is relieved from duty with Sixth Corps, Army of the Potomac and assigned to command the Cavalry division of the Army of the James.
Fifth Corps, Army of the Potomac holds a review near Humphreys’ Station on the United States Military Railroad.
Lieutenant General James Longstreet moves early in the morning with Pickett’s Division and three batteries of artillery to intercept Sheridan’s Union cavalry and prevent as much damage from occurring as possible. The force moves north in the direction of Hanover Junction via the Brook Road. Fitzhugh Lee’s Cavalry has been delayed by bad roads and has been unable to join him.
Note: All “Today In The Petersburg Campaign” blog entries are used with permission from Ronald A. Mosocco’s Chronological Tracking of the American Civil War per the Official Records of the War of the Rebellion. Order the book HERE.
Copyright © 1993, 1994 by Ronald A. Mosocco
Mentions of This Date at The Siege of Petersburg Online:
- LT: March 19, 1865 Luther Rice Mills (26th Virginia)
- NP: March 24, 1865 The Roman Citizen (Rome, NY): 50th NY Eng Letter, March 14, 1865
- OR XLVI P1 #4: Itineraries of the Army of the Potomac, Sheridan’s Cavalry Command, and the Army of the James, January-April 1865
- OR XLVI P1 #7: Report of Bvt. Lieutenant Col Nathaniel Michler, Acting Chief Engineer, AotP, March 11-18, 1865
- OR XLVI P1 #23: Reports of Asst. Surg. Charles Smart, Medical Inspector, II/AotP, Mar 1-Apr 30, 1865