Civil War Virginia - From Victory to Defeat - IgoUgo Virginia Journal

Civil War Virginia - From Victory to Defeat

Overview

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During the Civil War, more battles took place in Virginia then anywhere in the nation. Virginia was the headquarters of the Confederate Army, housing the White House of the Confederacy in its own state capitol of Richmond. Battles were fought all across the state from the beginning of the war in 1861 and every year thereafter until the surrender of the Confederate Army to General Grant of the Union forces at Appomattox in 1865.While you could spend weeks traveling across Virginia seeing the different sites, most people do not have that much time. This particular route combines some of the major battles in Virginia without traveling hundreds of miles. The starting point for this tour be...Read More

During the Civil War, more battles took place in Virginia then anywhere in the nation. Virginia was the headquarters of the Confederate Army, housing the White House of the Confederacy in its own state capitol of Richmond. Battles were fought all across the state from the beginning of the war in 1861 and every year thereafter until the surrender of the Confederate Army to General Grant of the Union forces at Appomattox in 1865.

While you could spend weeks traveling across Virginia seeing the different sites, most people do not have that much time. This particular route combines some of the major battles in Virginia without traveling hundreds of miles. The starting point for this tour begins in Richmond, the capital of Virginia, which was also the site of the Capital of the Confederacy. Located in the center of town is the Museum and White House of the Confederacy where Jefferson Davis, as president, maintained his headquarters during the Civil War until it was evacuated in 1865. The museum displays the major battles and campaigns of the Civil War in an easy to follow timeline allowing you to better understand the sequence of events that led to one of the costliest and bloodies wars in American history.

While still in Richmond you will find the Richmond National Battlefield Park with the main visitor’s center at the Tredegar Iron Works. The park consists of thirteen different sites spanning the four major battles that occurred here and is spread throughout the city and surrounding counties. Some of the major sites include the Chimborazo Medical Museum, Cold Harbor Battlefield, and Fort Harrison.

Thirty minutes south of Richmond is Petersburg National Battlefield which was the site of the longest siege in American warfare lasting ten months. The park is divided into two separate driving tours, Eastern and Western Fronts, with a combined thirteen different sites. The Union forces eventually won out and forced the Confederate Army to head west and to abandon Richmond.

The last stop on the tour takes you about 100 miles west of Petersburg to Appomattox. An hour and a half drive leads you to the last battle of the Civil War at Sailor’s Creek and then to the ultimate surrender three days later. Appomattox Courthouse National Park preserves many different sites to include the McLean House, which was used as site of the surrender on April 9th, 1865.

Quick Tips:

Appomattox Courthouse and Petersburg National Battlefields are both run by the National Park Service. Unlike the Richmond National Battlefield, they both charge an entrance fee. The National Park Service offers a park pass for a year that allows you to visit all National Parks that charge an admission for free. If you visit a lot of National Parks, this may be a good investment.

The Museum and White House of the Confederacy is located directly next to the VCU’s medical hospital. The only to place to park is in the hospital’s parking deck. Make sure that you take your ticket to the Museum with you to get it validated so you can avoid the parking fee.

Best Way To Get Around:

A vehicle is the only way to get around to the different sites. From Richmond to Petersburg and to Appomattox is approximately a two hour drive. Most of the sites are on driving tours where you can park and visit the different sites. There are some trails that require walking but they are not strenuous. Read Less

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The Museum and White House of the Confederacy

Attraction | "Museum and White House of the Confederacy"

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During the Civil War, the capitol of the Confederacy moved from its original location in Montgomery, Alabama to Richmond, Virginia when the state seceded from the Union. The house was built in 1818 and remained in private hands until shortly before the war when it was sold to the City of Richmond. The city then rented it out to the Confederate government to be used as the Executive Mansion when Jefferson Davis moved in August 1861. The White House of the Confederacy along with the Museum occupies an entire city block and is located two blocks from the Virginia State Capitol. The building was used as the White House until Richmond was evacuated in April of 1865 when Union forces converg...Read More

During the Civil War, the capitol of the Confederacy moved from its original location in Montgomery, Alabama to Richmond, Virginia when the state seceded from the Union. The house was built in 1818 and remained in private hands until shortly before the war when it was sold to the City of Richmond. The city then rented it out to the Confederate government to be used as the Executive Mansion when Jefferson Davis moved in August 1861.

The White House of the Confederacy along with the Museum occupies an entire city block and is located two blocks from the Virginia State Capitol. The building was used as the White House until Richmond was evacuated in April of 1865 when Union forces converged on the city. After the Civil War, the building operated as a military headquarters before becoming a Confederate museum in 1896.

A visit to the site begins at the museum where you can purchase a ticket for either the museum or the house or both. The museum houses an extensive collection of Confederate artifacts spanning three floors from state battle flags to Confederate weapons. All tours of the White House are guided and begin in the basement of the house.

On the ground floor of the White House is the main greeting room and contains many original items recovered from the Civil War. The most interesting aspect about this room was the large portrait of George Washington hanging on the wall. While most people considered Jefferson Davis and the Confederacy as traitors, they viewed themselves as patriots just as the founding fathers did during the Revolutionary War.

The tour takes you through the many different living quarters of the Davis family and Jefferson Davis’s office located on the second floor. Almost of the items in the White House are original and the ones that are not are at least from the same time period. Many items were taken by Union soldiers when the Confederacy abandoned Richmond. Some of the items were recovered and returned to the White House over the century.

After taking a tour through this impressive mansion and all of the history that it beholds, I was amazed to have found out that it was planned to have been demolished by the Richmond School Board in 1889. I could only imagine the loss of history had that happened. However, the Confederate Memorial Literary Society saved the White House from destruction and it open for tours in 1896, preserving the house for generations to come.
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Member Rating 4 out of 5 on December 14, 2025

The Museum and White House of the Confederacy
1201 East Clay Street
Richmond, Virginia 23219
(804) 649-1861

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Petersburg National Battlefield

Attraction

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During the Civil War, Petersburg played a vital role for the Confederacy. Petersburg had an extensive railroad system which consisted of five different rail lines and some key roads which helped supply Richmond, the Capital of the Confederacy, with much needed supplies and subsistence. General Grant, commander of the Union forces, realized that by cutting off the rail lines from Petersburg to Richmond, a mere twenty-five miles away, it would force the Confederate Army to abandon both cities. The Union and Confederate armies, in an attempt to gain control of Petersburg, began what became the longest siege in American warfare lasting 91/2 months. Petersburg National Battlefield, operate...Read More

During the Civil War, Petersburg played a vital role for the Confederacy. Petersburg had an extensive railroad system which consisted of five different rail lines and some key roads which helped supply Richmond, the Capital of the Confederacy, with much needed supplies and subsistence. General Grant, commander of the Union forces, realized that by cutting off the rail lines from Petersburg to Richmond, a mere twenty-five miles away, it would force the Confederate Army to abandon both cities. The Union and Confederate armies, in an attempt to gain control of Petersburg, began what became the longest siege in American warfare lasting 91/2 months.

Petersburg National Battlefield, operated by the National Park Service, consists of a number of different sites throughout the city and Grant’s Headquarters in nearby Hopewell. The park is split into two sections, the Eastern Front and the Western Front. The visitor center is located off of Virginia Route 36 in the Eastern Front. The visitor center offers maps of the area as well as numerous artifacts that are on display recovered from the battle. Located directly behind the visitor’s center is Confederate Battery 5 where Dictator, a huge mortar that was used to shell Confederate batteries, stands on display. After leaving the visitor center, the rest of the Eastern Front is accessed by a four mile driving tour. The drive highlights some more Confederate batteries, as well as three forts used by the Union army, ending with the Battle of the Crater.

When the battle turned into a stalemate, General Grant attempted to break through the Confederate lines by having a mine shaft dug under the Confederate troops who were encamped in the area. The plan was to blow a hole into the Confederate line and then swarm the area with Union troops. After the shaft had been dug in a "T" shape, it was filled with 8,000 pounds of gunpowder. Then on July 30, 1864, the fuse was lit creating a crater 170 feet long, 80 feet wide, and 30 feet deep. The explosion instantly killed between 250 and 350 Confederate soldiers. The crater, which is still visible today, is one of the most visited sites on the battlefield.

The Crater site ends the Eastern Front tour and leads you to Highway 301 where the Western Front tour encompasses five sites over sixteen miles. The Western Front tour consists of four more forts with the centerpiece being the Poplar Grove National Cemetery. This cemetery was established for Union soldiers who died during the Petersburg and Appomattox campaigns; where 6,178 are buried with 4,110 of those unknown.

About eight miles from the entrance to the Eastern Front Visitor Center in Hopewell, is Grant’s Headquarters and is also the site of one of the Union army’s largest field hospital operations. Further south of the Western Front is Five Forks Battlefield, where Union forces attacked, forcing General Lee to abandon Petersburg and Richmond, and eventually led to the surrender at Appomattox a week later.
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Member Rating 3 out of 5 on December 14, 2025

Petersburg National Battlefield
1539 Hickory Hill Road
Petersburg 23803
(804) 732-3531

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Appomattox Court House National Historic Park

Attraction | "Appomattox Court House National Park"

Quote:

Located almost directly in the middle of the state, Appomattox is a small town with a population slightly less than 2000. What this town may lack in size, it makes up for it when it secured its place in history on April 9, 1865. Appomattox Courthouse can sometimes be misleading. Many people think that it is one building, but it is actually a village that was separate from the town of Appomattox. The Battle of Appomattox Courthouse, while not the most fierce or bloodiest of the Civil War battles, it nonetheless became one of the most famous for what it accomplished. After the Battle of Petersburg, the Confederacy was now on the run and being pursued by the Union Army. The Confederacy ...Read More

Located almost directly in the middle of the state, Appomattox is a small town with a population slightly less than 2000. What this town may lack in size, it makes up for it when it secured its place in history on April 9, 1865. Appomattox Courthouse can sometimes be misleading. Many people think that it is one building, but it is actually a village that was separate from the town of Appomattox. The Battle of Appomattox Courthouse, while not the most fierce or bloodiest of the Civil War battles, it nonetheless became one of the most famous for what it accomplished.

After the Battle of Petersburg, the Confederacy was now on the run and being pursued by the Union Army. The Confederacy had just abandoned Richmond and the White House was now safely back in the Union’s grasp. Many wonder why the Confederacy fled to Appomattox. In Appomattox, a supply train awaited the Confederate troops and General Lee hoping to make it there would then head south to meet up with General Johnston to combine forces. However, that would never happen and history would be rewritten in this small town in rural Virginia.

The site of the Battle of Appomattox Courthouse is now a National Historic Site which receives more visitors than the city has residents. The Courthouse is now used as the Visitors Center for the park and is where you pay your entrance fee ($4 a person) and receive your map of the grounds. While at the Courthouse, be sure to browse the many different exhibits and artifacts recovered from the battle. There is also a 70 seat theater where two different 15 minute movies are shown called "The Documentary" and "Soldiers Diaries."

The grounds consist of many different buildings which make up the village of Appomattox Courthouse. Directly across from the courthouse is a market where villagers came to buy food and all their household goods. There are other buildings, such as a 19th century garage which still houses a carriage and one of the buildings has been converted into a gift shop.

There is one building that trumps all the other ones to include the Courthouse itself. The McLean House was the actual site of the surrender between General Lee and General Grant. The McLean’s were asked by General Lee’s aide if they would host the surrender between the two generals. When he agreed, that particular house became one of the most famous in the nation. The house is open to the public to walk through and admire the different rooms to include the room where the surrender took place. Upstairs, the evidence of how plain a life the McLeans lived is very much evident.

The next day of the surrender on April 10, General Lee gave his farewell address and on April 12, 27,805 Confederate troops laid down their arms. Whether the McLeans or citizens of Appomattox realized what place they would hold in history is unknown, but it is a national treasure to us.
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Member Rating 4 out of 5 on December 14, 2025

Appomattox Court House National Historic Park
Route 24 & Route 460
Appomattox, Virginia 24522
+1 804 352 8987

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Richmond National Battlefield Park

Attraction

Quote:

The Richmond National Battlefield Park, which is run by the National Park Service, is comprised of thirteen different sites scattered throughout the city and surrounding counties. There are four separate visitor’s centers along the eighty plus miles of roads that leads you around the park. The park commemorates the four major battles of the Civil War starting with the Seven Days Campaign in 1862 and ending with the Richmond-Petersburg front in 1865. A visit to the Richmond National Battlefield is an all-day affair; however, the tour can be condensed in less than a half day, to include the major sites that will lead to be a better understanding of the Civil War. Visitors are...Read More

The Richmond National Battlefield Park, which is run by the National Park Service, is comprised of thirteen different sites scattered throughout the city and surrounding counties. There are four separate visitor’s centers along the eighty plus miles of roads that leads you around the park. The park commemorates the four major battles of the Civil War starting with the Seven Days Campaign in 1862 and ending with the Richmond-Petersburg front in 1865.

A visit to the Richmond National Battlefield is an all-day affair; however, the tour can be condensed in less than a half day, to include the major sites that will lead to be a better understanding of the Civil War.

Visitors are encouraged to begin their tour at the main visitor’s center located at the Tredegar Iron Works. Before the war, the Tredegar Iron Works made Richmond the center of iron manufacture. During the Civil War, it supplied the Confederate Army with artillery, ammunition, as well as armor for the Southern warships. The iron works is located next to the James River and is where you can pick up a map to begin your tour of the battlefield. Also within walking distance, you can visit Brown Island, where women and children produced ammunition for the Confederacy and Belle Isle, which was a prisoner of war camp for captured Union soldiers.

Located on the eastern side of town, not far from Tredegar Iron Works, is Chimborazo Medical Museum. The site once housed the largest Confederate Hospital during the Civil War and now operates as a medical museum. It displays medical devices and artifacts used in the treatment of Confederate troops and dispel many medical myths that have been created since the war.

Drive north to Cold Harbor Battlefield which is the best known battlefield in the park. In 1864, this battle lasted two weeks and it eventually convinced General Grant to head south to capture Petersburg. A visit to the cemetery should not be missed, which contains over 2,000 burials, mostly from the Union side. While in the area, stop by the Watt House at Gaines Mill which became famous during the Seven Days Battle. The bloodiest day of the seven saw 15,000 men killed and the Watt House served as Union headquarters. There are numerous walking trails lined with monuments and historic markers showing the different battles.

Other key sites include Malvern Hill Battlefield, Fort Harrison, and Drewry’s Bluff, mostly located south of the main visitor center.
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Member Rating 3 out of 5 on December 14, 2025

Richmond National Battlefield Park
3215 East Broad St
Richmond, Virginia 23223
+1 804 226 1981

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Civil War Virginia - From Victory to Defeat