Railroads in the Siege

Railroads were what made Petersburg famous during the antebellum period. By 1860 Petersburg was the 2nd largest city in Virginia and the 7th largest city in the South. During the war, the supplies that powered Confederate armies and industries in Virginia flowed by rail through Petersburg. Throughout the 9-month Petersburg campaign, railroads were center stage for both armies.

Both armies fought, killed, and died over control of the railroads of Petersburg.

 

 

City Point Railroad

The 8-mile City Point Railroad was chartered in 1836 and opened in 1838. It connected the industrial hub of Petersburg to City Point, a deepwater port on the James River. Large cargo ships were unable to navigate up the Appomattox River safely. The railroad provided a critical link from Petersburg to outside maritime trade. The railroad suffered from high debt levels and was acquired by the Southside Railroad in 1854. During the Civil War, the Confederate army destroyed most of the track to prevent its potential use by Federal forces.

During the Siege

The City Point Railroad was rebuilt and used by U.S. Army forces to form the first leg of the U.S. Military Railroad (U.S.M.R.R.). The U.S.M.R.R. at Petersburg was a key supply line for the U.S. Army throughout the campaign, helping secure Federal victory. Learn more about the Petersburg Campaign.

 

Richmond & Petersburg Railroad

The 22-mile Richmond & Petersburg Railroad was chartered in 1836 and completed in 1838. Connecting the two largest cities in Virginia, with a branch to the Clover Hill coal pits, the track was bustling in the antebellum period. By way of other tracks at Petersburg, it connected Richmond to the rest of the Southern United States. Interestingly, the track actually ended on the opposite bank of the Appomattox River from Petersburg. It was disconnected from the other rail lines in the city that went further South. A direct connection was built in August 1861 following the outbreak of the Civil War. Throughout the war, it formed part of the greater Confederate rail network that supplied Confederate armies and industries in Virginia.

During the Siege

During the Petersburg campaign, the Richmond & Petersburg track was extensively used by Confederates. As the Federals attacked both Richmond and Petersburg, the Confederates used the track to shift their troops around. Like other Confederate rail lines, the track suffered from a generally poor condition and limited sidings. The track remained in Confederate control until their withdrawal from the area on April 2-3, 1865.

 

Southside Railroad

The 123-mile Southside Railroad was chartered in 1846 and completed in 1854. The track connected Petersburg to Lynchburg, with a branch line to City Point. The Southside line formed part of a "trunk line" that stretched across the entire South. Lynchburg was a transportation hub and supply center for the Confederate war effort. The Virginia & Tennessee Railroad brought industrial goods and food from Southwest Virginia. These critical wartime materials then rode the Southside tracks to the Richmond-Petersburg area.

During the Siege

During the Petersburg campaign, the Southside railroad formed one of the Confederate Army’s primary supply lines. The track was the frequent target of Federal cavalry raids, such as the Wilson-Kautz Raid in June 1864. When the U.S. Army captured the Weldon Railroad in August, the Southside railroad was the sole remaining rail supply line for the Confederate defenders at Petersburg. It remained open throughout the long winter of 1864-65, keeping the Confederate army alive. After the Battle of Five Forks, U.S. Army forces seized the Southside Railroad west of Petersburg. The next day, Confederate forces withdrew completely from the Richmond-Petersburg area.

 

United States Military Railroad

The United States Military Railroad was a Federal agency established in 1862. It gave the U.S. Army control and operation of railroads in occupied Confederate territory. Throughout the war, it actively reconstructed and refurbished Confederate tracks for Federal Use. At Petersburg, the U.S.M.R.R. constructed an entirely new rail line to supply the Federal troops.

The track started in City Point, which was the supply base and headquarters of the Federal army during the Petersburg Campaign. The railroaders rebuilt a section of the old City Point Railroad and constructed about 21 miles of new track. The track's path followed wherever the Federal Army’s trenches extended. It allowed the rapid movement of supplies from City Point to the U.S. Army soldiers in their trenches. The U.S.M.R.R. track played a significant role in the eventual U.S. Army victory at Petersburg.

 

The United States Military Railroad depot, with wharves, at City Point.

Library of Congress

 

Weldon Railroad

The “Weldon Railroad” was two separate railroads that connected Petersburg to Wilmington. The Petersburg Railroad opened in 1833 and connected Petersburg to Weldon, NC. The Wilmington & Weldon Railroad opened in 1840, connecting Wilmington to Weldon. At 161.5 miles, the Wilmington & Weldon was the longest railroad in the world at the time of its completion. The track formed part of the two trunk lines connecting Virginia to the rest of the Confederacy. During the Civil War, Wilmington was a busy seaport for Confederate arms smugglers. The Weldon Railroad moved these valuable weapons and supplies north to Virginia.

During the Siege

During the Petersburg Campaign, the Weldon Railroad was an important Confederate supply line into Petersburg. There were many major battles over control of the track. By August 1864 the U.S. Army seized control of the track into Petersburg. This hindered the railroad’s usefulness as a supply line but did not completely sever it. The railroad would remain in operation until the end of the Petersburg Campaign. Learn more about the battles around the Weldon Railroad.

 

After the War

Following the war, the many railroads of Petersburg had different fates.

The tracks of the former City Point railroad line returned to the ownership of the Southside railroad after the war. The connection to City Point fell out of use after 1870. This was due to the Southside Railroad merging with the Norfolk & Petersburg and the Virginia & Tennessee. Thanks to the merger, the track of the former Southside Railroad was directly connected to the large deepwater seaport at Norfolk. This bypassed the City Point connection.

The Richmond & Petersburg line stayed independently owned until 1898. It merged with 4 other railroad lines to form the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad in 1900. The line ran from Richmond down to Tampa Bay. The new line used parts of the original track. The bridge spanning the James River was replaced (the ruins of the original bridge are still present). Today, part of the original track is still used by freight trains run by CSX Transportation.

The Southside Railroad merged with the Norfolk & Petersburg and the Virginia & Tennessee to form the Atlantic, Mississippi, & Ohio Railroad in 1870. The AM&O was renamed Norfolk and Western Railway in 1881. As the N&W expanded, the tracks of the old Southside R.R. helped bring industrial goods, such as coal, to the docks at Norfolk. In 2004, the remaining original track ceased operation. In 2006, parts of the original track were converted into trails for a new state park (High Bridge State Park).

The U.S. Military Railroad tracks at Petersburg were abandoned after the Confederates fled Petersburg on April 3, 1865. The U.S.M.R.R. refurbished City Point railroad tracks saw brief use by the Southside Railroad after the war. The rest of the tracks became abandoned.

The two rail lines of the “Weldon Railroad” had similar fates after the Civil War. The Petersburg Railroad and the Wilmington & Weldon Railroad were part of the 5 railroads that merged to become the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad in 1900. The entire Petersburg track and part of the Wilmington & Weldon track formed the main line of the Atlantic Coast Line. The Petersburg Railroad tracks are still used today by passenger and freight trains. The tracks of the Wilmington & Weldon today form parts of various freight train routes.

 

The Confederate Army destroyed the Richmond/Petersburg Railroad bridge over the James River to slow the Federal Army advance.

Library of Congress