Military
On March 25, 1865, while the Battle of Fort Stedman unfolded east of Petersburg, another important fight took place at the Jones Farm. Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee, trying to break the Union line at Fort Stedman about six miles away, weakened his defenses west of the city to mass firepower for that attack. This created an opening for the Union Second and Sixth Corps to assault the elaborate Confederate picket line here along a four-mile front. In spirited fighting, the Federals captured the picket line, and in some places reversed the Confederate trenches instead of building a new one, leaving surviving earthworks that appear to face in two directions. From this line of works, extending for miles to either side, the Sixth Corps attacked on the morning of April 2, shortening the distance to the main Confederate line and greatly contributing to Union success that day. The Confederates suffered about 850 casualties here.
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Virginia · United States
