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Published: April 23rd 2022
Sailor's Creek Battlefield
Confederate position at the Battle of Sailor's Creek, April 6, 1865. Sayler's Creek Battlefield. National Register of Historic Places 85002436. P1050285It was now mid-afternoon and time to begin our trip home from Farmville. On the way back to US Highway 360 was the turnoff for Sailor's Creek Battlefield State Park. We stopped here to view this Civil War battlefield and learn of events that led to Appomattox.
Sailor's Creek (or Sayler's Creek) Battlefield is not one of the well-known Civil War sites. But, it is the site of the last major battle of the Civil War. After the Union capture of Petersburg and Richmond on April 3, 1865, Robert E. Lee evacuated his Confederate forces south towards North Carolina. When Union forces blocked his way down what is now US Highway 360, the Confederates sought to cut across to Farmville to seek supplies. On April 6, 1865, the Union Army caught up with the Confederate columns at the Hillsman Farm near Sailor's/Sayler's Creek. At the end of the battle, more than 7,700 Confederates had been killed or captured. The battle and dramatic reduction in forces and supplies available to him led directly to Lee's decision to surrender at Appomattox Court House on April 9. There has been little development here and the topography of the battlefield probably looks today much
as it did in 1865. The battlefield park is well marked with signs and historical markers. But, there is no museum or interpretive displays.
Continuing on to US 360 from Sailor's Creek, we headed for Richmond, but stopped halfway at the town of Amelia Court House. I'd seen references to Amelia in many of the historical signs we'd been reading. The town is off the main highway, the county seat of Amelia County. It's a small community, centered around the court house square. Civil War historical signage explained this was where Lee initially planned to rally his troops after retreating from the Richmond and Petersburg area. The Amelia County Court House itself is a much later structure, dated 1924, and there are modern additions to it. However, there are a number of old frame commercial buildings and storefronts around the square. The structures appear to be well maintained and have been adapted to the use of modern businesses.
From Amelia, we returned to US 360 to follow the highway to the suburbs of Richmond, where it becomes Hull Street Road. This time, we would try Susan's route, the route not taken the day before. Hull Street took us
Hillsman House
Hillsman House at Sailor's Creek Battlefield Historical State Park. The Hillsman farmhouse was used as a Union field hospital. Frame farmhouse built ca. 1750-1770.
Contributing resource, Sayler's Creek Battlefield. National Register of Historic Places 85002436. P1050298
to Virginia 155, an inner expressway north to Virginia 76. (There was a considerable amount of outbound rush hour traffic going the other way on 76.) Route 76 soon connected with Interstate 95 and we were on out way back to Northern Virginia.
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