Depot

Library of Congress

A depot was a place to store and ship supplies for the armies. A large supply depot was established at City Point, where General Ulysses S. Grant located his headquarters during the siege of Petersburg. From City Point, the Union army took advantage of the railroads to ship supplies to the Union soldiers fighting in Petersburg several miles away.

Dictator

Library of Congress

The 13-inch seacoast mortar used by Union soldiers in the siege of Petersburg. The largest of the mortars, the Dictator could fire a two hundred pound shell a maximum range of two and a half miles. The Dictator was used mainly by Union soldiers in the summer of 1864. Soldiers of both armies preferred the smaller coehorn mortar which proved much more effective on the Petersburg lines.

Division

A division is a unit of the army. A division is a military unit composed of three brigades led by a major general.