The Battle of Hatcher's Run, also known as Dabney's Mill, Armstrong's Mill, Rowanty Creek, and Vaughn Road, fought February 5–7, 1865, was one in a series of Union

Union Army

The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...

 offensives during the Siege of Petersburg

Siege of Petersburg

The Richmond–Petersburg Campaign was a series of battles around Petersburg, Virginia, fought from June 9, 1864, to March 25, 1865, during the American Civil War...

, aimed at cutting off Confederate

Confederate States of America

The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...

 supply traffic on Boydton Plank Road and the Weldon Railroad west of Petersburg, Virginia

Petersburg, Virginia

Petersburg is an independent city in Virginia, United States located on the Appomattox River and south of the state capital city of Richmond. The city's population was 32,420 as of 2010, predominantly of African-American ethnicity...

.

Background

The Union plan was to send Brig. Gen.

Brigadier general (United States)

A brigadier general in the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, is a one-star general officer, with the pay grade of O-7. Brigadier general ranks above a colonel and below major general. Brigadier general is equivalent to the rank of rear admiral in the other uniformed...

 David McM. Gregg's cavalry out to the Boydton Plank Road to destroy as many Confederate supply wagons as they could find while the V Corps

V Corps (ACW)

The V Corps was a unit of the Union Army of the Potomac during the American Civil War.-1862:The corps was first organized briefly under Nathaniel P. Banks, but then permanently on May 18, 1862, designated as the "V Corps Provisional"...

 and II Corps

II Corps (ACW)

There were five corps in the Union Army designated as II Corps during the American Civil War.* Army of the Cumberland, II Corps commanded by Thomas L. Crittenden , later renumbered XX Corps...

 provided support and kept the Confederates occupied to the north and east.

Battle

On February 5, Gregg's cavalry division rode west to Dinwiddie Court House and the Boydton Plank Road via the Malone Road two miles (3 km) south of Ream's Station. The V Corps, under the command of Maj. Gen.

Major general (United States)

In the United States Army, United States Marine Corps, and United States Air Force, major general is a two-star general-officer rank, with the pay grade of O-8. Major general ranks above brigadier general and below lieutenant general...

 Gouverneur K. Warren

Gouverneur K. Warren

Gouverneur Kemble Warren was a civil engineer and prominent general in the Union Army during the American Civil War...

, rode southwest towards Dinwiddie Courthouse via Rowanty Post Office/Billup's Post Office (Old Stage Road) one mile (1.6 km) north of Ream's Station. The V Corps crossed Rowanty Creek at Monk's Neck Bridge and took up a blocking position on the Vaughan Road between Gravelly and Little Cattail Runs to protect Gregg's right flank and prevent interference with the operations. Two divisions of the II Corps under Maj. Gen. Andrew A. Humphreys

Andrew A. Humphreys

Andrew Atkinson Humphreys , was a career United States Army officer, civil engineer, and a Union General in the American Civil War. He served in senior positions in the Army of the Potomac, including division command, chief of staff, and corps command, and was Chief Engineer of the U.S...

 moved from the Halifax Road down the Vaughn Road to Hatcher's Run and shifted west to Armstrong's Mill north of the Run to cover Warren’s right flank. Late in the day, Confederate Maj. Gen. John B. Gordon attacked the II Corps from the north and attempted to turn Humphreys's right flank near the mill, but was repulsed. During the night, the II Corps was reinforced by both the V Corps and Gregg's cavalry, which had returned to the Vaughan Road after finding little supply wagon traffic on the Boydton Plank Road. This extended the Union line south of Hatcher's Run.

On February 6, the V Corps lines were attacked by elements of Confederate Brig. Gen. John Pegram

John Pegram (general)

John Pegram was a career soldier from Virginia who served as an officer in the United States Army and then as a brigadier general in the Confederate Army during the American Civil War. He became the first former U.S...

's Division. The Confederates were driven back, but a counterattack by Confederate Brig. Gen. Clement A. Evans

Clement A. Evans

Clement Anselm Evans was a Confederate infantry general in the American Civil War. He was also a noted politician, preacher, historian and prolific author....

 stopped the Union advance. Later in the day Pegram's and Maj. Gen. William Mahone

William Mahone

William Mahone was a civil engineer, teacher, soldier, railroad executive, and a member of the Virginia General Assembly and U.S. Congress. Small of stature, he was nicknamed "Little Billy"....

's divisions attacked the Union center near Dabney's Mill south of Hatcher's Run. The Union line collapsed under the attack, but reformed the north of the mill, parallel to Hatcher's Run. Pegram was killed in the action.

On February 7, Warren launched an offensive and drove back the Confederates, recapturing most of the Union lines around Dabney's Mill that had been lost the day before.

Aftermath

Although the Union advance was stopped, the Federals extended their siegeworks to the Vaughan Road crossing of Hatcher's Run. The Confederates kept the Boydton Plank Road open, but were forced to extend their thinning lines.