Today I cross the James River heading south. This is a very important moment on this trip, because the James River marks the southernmost point I have ever been. At this point, I leave the places I have seen before for something new. The day had two very distinct halves. The first was a final exploration of Civil War sites near Richmond. The other was the long drive into Georgia. Seige of Petersburg As the Civil War wore on, Ulysses S Grant realized he was not going to take Richmond by force. The Confederate defenses were too good. He decided to take Petersburg instead. Petersburg was a crucial railroad junction for supplying Richmond. If it fell, Richmond would follow. The Confederates also knew this, and raced to build fortifications. Grant’s forces broke through the initial line,
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