September 30, 1864---The Battle of Chaffin’s Farm and New Market Heights (Day Two); The Battle of Peebles Farm

SEPTEMBER 30, 1864:    

The Battle of Chaffin’s Farm and New Market Heights (Day Two):         

After losing control of the outer forts of Richmond’s defensive ring, Robert E. Lee counterattacks the Union positions with 12,000 Petersburg troops he has just brought to Richmond. The attack, though forceful, goes nowhere, as the Union troops have reinforced the captured forts, entrenched, and put up obstacles.

Of the 27,000 Union troops engaged, about 3,400 are casualties. The Confederacy loses 2,000 of 14,000 men. The ferocity of the battle may be guessed by considering this one statistic: Of the 16 Medals of Honor bestowed upon U.S.C.T. in the war, 14 are bestowed for this engagement.

After the battle, Lee has no choice but to dig in and leave his reinforcements in place. Petersburg is permanently weakened and the Rebs and Yanks face each other in their miserable trenches outside Richmond all through the winter.

The Battle of Peebles Farm:  As fighting rages along the line at Chaffin’s Farm and New Market Heights, a corresponding battle is going on at Peebles Farm. Ulysses S. Grant’s attacks the inner defensive ring near Peebles Farm with the intention is to pressure Lee’s lines into collapse, and indeed Lee must rush troops from Chaffin’s Farm (on the eastern side of his defensive ring) to Peebles Farm (on the western side of his defensive ring) and back again to meet the dual threats. The Confederate line at Peebles Farm (along the Squirrel Level Road) ultimately caves in, and the Federals occupy Fort Archer in the Confederate outer defensive ring.