News Release

Special Programs Recognizing the 158th Anniversary of the Battle of the Crater

Date: July 1, 2022
Contact: Ann Blumenschine, 804-732-3531, ext. 203

PETERSBURG, VA – The month of July will see three programs at Petersburg National Battlefield that will focus on the famous Battle of the Crater. All programs are free are free of charge.

July 16
11:00 -11:30 am: United States Colored Troops in the Civil War – (Begins at tour stop 8 parking lot)
Intern Patrick Powe will discuss why United States Colored Troops were important in the Union Army’s effort to defeat the Confederacy and the role the Black troops played during the Siege of Petersburg including the Battle of the Crater.

6:00-7:00 pm: Tunneling Under the Enemy (Begins at tour stop 8 parking lot)
Park Ranger Tracy Chernault will lead a 1-hour guided walk which will focus on the Union Army’s construction of a 511-foot tunnel. The tunnel would extend from the Union lines east to Petersburg to under the Petersburg defense line. Pennsylvania soldiers used the mine to place four tons of explosives under South Carolina soldiers who were guarding the city.

July 30
11:00 am & 2:00 pm: Battle of the Crater Walking Tour (Begins at tour stop 8 parking lot)
Park Rangers will lead 45-minute walking tours focusing on efforts by Union forces to create a gap in the Confederate defense line by detonating four tons of black powder under Confederate Elliott’s Salient. The talk will explain the planning behind the battle, the people involved, the charge of the Union forces and the Confederate counterattack.

1:00-4:00 pm: Civil War Artillery Demonstration (occurs behind the Eastern Front Visitor Center)
Living historians will discuss and demonstrate how Civil War soldiers fired a 12-pounder Napoleon cannon.

If You Go                                                      
The Eastern Front Unit of Petersburg National Battlefield is the location where Union troops made their first major attacks on the City of Petersburg in mid-June, 1864. In addition to touring the park’s visitor center, there are ten miles of nature trails suitable for hiking, bicycling and horseback riding. The Eastern Front Unit of Petersburg National Battlefield is located at 5001 Siege Road in Petersburg.

Petersburg National Battlefield was created in order to commemorate the campaign and siege and defense of Petersburg, Virginia, in 1864 and 1865. Park staff is committed to preserving and protecting the historical, cultural, and natural resources within the park in a manner that will provide interpretation, education, and enjoyment for the visitors. For more information about events at Petersburg National Battlefield, please visit our website at www.nps.gov/pete, become a fan on our Facebook page or follow us on Twitter @PetersburgNPS.