The Battle of Sailor's Creek 
Sailor's, Saylor's, Sailer's or Sayler's Creek take your pick.
April 6, 1865
Driving Directions
Farmville, VA
Updated Thursday, July 29, 2010 8:20 PM
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Click on the map for Interactive, Aerial and Birds Eye Views.
Grant vs. Lee
Stacked Confederate arms.
Sailor's Creek Maps:
http://www.civilwartraveler.com/maps/nps/Richmond.pdf
Union
Lt Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, U. S. Army – In the field
Gen Meade, Army of the Potomac
Maj. Gen. Phil Sheridan – Field Commander
Maj. Gen. Wesley Merritt
Maj. Gen. Horatio Wright, Sixth Army Corps.
Maj. Gen. Edward Ord, Army of the James
Maj. Gen. Andrew Humphreys, Second Corps.
Maj. Gen. George Crook
Brig. Gen. George Custer
Brig. Gen. Thomas Devin
Brig. Gen. Truman Seymour
Brig. Gen. Frank Wheaton
Brevet Brig. Gen. Theodore read
Confederate
Gen. Robert E. Lee, C. S. Army of Virginia – Rice
Lt. Gen. Richard Ewell – Field Commander
Lt. Gen. Richard Anderson
Maj. Gen. John Gordon
Maj. Gen. George Pickett
Maj. Gen. Bushrod Johnson
Maj. Gen Fitz Lee
Maj. Gen. Rooney Lee
Maj. Gen. Joseph Kershaw
Maj Gen. Curtis Lee
Brig. Gen. James Dearing
Col. Stapelton Crutchfield
The Battle of Sailor's Creek
The Battle of Sailor's Creek also known as Saylor's, Sailer's or Sayler's Creek was the last major battle between the Army of Virginia and the Army of the Potomac. I am calling it Sailor's Creek because that's what the solders themselves called it afterwards.
There is a reasonable explanation for the confusion in the name. The creek is called Saylor’s Creek. At the top of the ridge over Saylor’s Creek the remains of the Confederate Navy made a gallant stand along side Ewell. So one theory is that the battle was named after them, not the creek.
The battle took place on April 6, 1865 just three days prior to Lee’s surrender at Appomattox. Lee lost half of his army at Sailor’s Creek and was largely forced into surrendering by the magnitude of the losses his army sustained there. The defeat there seemed to take the wind out of Lee’s sails, before the battle Lee was trying to join forces with the Confederate armies in the west, after the battle he just seemed to be looking for a place to surrender. Because the action took place such a short time before the surrender the battle is not well known.
The battle is generally divided up into three separate engagements fought simultaneously: Marshall’s Crossroads; Hillsman’s House; and Lockett’s Farm. There are two other sites that figure prominently in the outcome: High Bridge and Holt’s Corner and should not be ignored. Unfortunately I ignored High Bridge and do not have any pictures of that area, yet.
A recent picture can be seen at: High Bridge- http://lionsserve.org/album_pic.php?pic_id=371.
I have a page dedicated to the High Bridge.
I suppose its location so far away from the other actions of the day is why it is not normally included as a Sailor’s Creek Battle Site but you cannot understand the battle without considering the events at High Bridge. There is a new trail leading to high bridge, the map for it can be down loaded at: http://www.dcr.virginia.gov/state_parks/hig.shtml.
The bridge was defended with strong earthworks and a large force of Confederate infantry backed by dug in artillery. The bulk of the Confederate cavalry was sent by General Longstreet to backup this defensive force when he heard that a detachment of 800 Union cavalry was on its way to burn the bridge and cut off the Confederate retreat. High Bridge was the only place where the Confederates outnumbered the Union on that particular day.
Click here for an essay on the significance of High Bridge.
While the Union lost the High Bridge engagement, it tied up Longstreet’s attention all day and denied the rest of the Confederate force fighting at Sailor’s Creek cavalry support. It also occupied Lee’s attention at Rice to such a degree that he did not realize that half of his army and the train of wagons was missing.
The main road running through the battlefield is Saylor’s Road which runs roughly north and south. At the north end of the battlefield is Holt’s Corner where the west road runs to the Lockett’s Farm and Big Sailor Creek. Traveling South down Saylor’s Road you come first to the Hillsman’s House, next to Sailor’s Creek itself, then on to Ewell’s last line of defense and finally to Marshall’s Crossroads.
Holt's Corner
Holt's Corner General Store (Closed)
This monument at Holt's Corner was built as an Eagle Scout project.
Federal cavalry had been harassing the Confederate baggage trail all day on April 6 with a series of charges against the wagons. While these attacks had slowed the wagons down and caused a lot of damage they had all been beaten off and the Confederate Army continued on its way.
At Holt’s Corner the Union cavalry attacks resulted in the Confederate army dividing itself roughly in half with Longstreet’s Corps and the majority of the cavalry going on to Rice while the rest of the army and the wagons bogged down in the mud at Sailor's Creek.
It was also at Holt’s Corner that the back half of the wagon train turned toward Lockett’s Farm to try and find a way around the roads blocked by the Union cavalry ahead of them at Marshall's Crossroads. They couldn't wait at Holt’s Corner because the Union infantry and more cavalry was moving up the road behind them and they would be soon overrun if they stayed put.
This also put a serious strain on the troops trying guard the wagons with half of the wagons strung out between Holts Corner and Marshal’s Crossroads and the other half between Holts Corner and Lockett’s Farm several miles to the north. Most of the solders were across Sailor’s Creek when the main attack came leaving the split off wagons to their own devices.
Marshall's Crossroads
The Crossroads is still there although now the roads are paved and have good signage.
The Union cavalry attacked the Confederate wagons on the main road, leapfrogging along the line looking for weak spots. They succeeded in braking into the wagon train at various locations but each time the defenders rallied and drove them off until the Union cavalry at last fell upon the wagons at Marshall’s Crossroads. Here the wagons were protected by an undermanned artillery battalion with only twelve guns and the wagon drivers.
A gap of a mile had opened up between the wagons and the artillery battalion traveling with them when the artillery sped up to try and close a large gap that had formed between them the fast moving infantry ahead of them, but the wagons did not move from Marshall's Crossroads. The infantry proceeded on to Rice not realizing the drama unfolding behind them while the artillery became isolated on the road cut off from both the infantry on its way to Rice and the wagons stalled at Marshall’s Crossroads.
The Union cavalry first fell upon the artillery group which was only able to bring two of their guns into action. After a brief fight the Confederates were forced to surrender leaving the Union cavalry free to attack the now undefended wagons which they set on fire.
Hearing the fighting ahead of them at Marshall's Crossroads General Pickett lead his infantry across the creek and formed up along the tree line in the pictures above and bellow. They attacked up the clearing and drove the Union cavalry back all the way to Marshall’s Crossroads and another mile beyond, but they were to late to save either the wagons or the artillery.
Pickett’s troops charged over the top of this monument.
This final “Pickett’s Charge” inaugurated the formal battle known as Marshall’s Crossroads. As the battle develops Pickett discovers that he is strategically in a bad position decided to retreat west down the road now called Rt 620 toward Lockett’s Farm. The Confederate retreat collapses into an all out panic with most of the solders killed or captured. The few who escaped eventually popped out of the woods at High Bridge.
Hillsman's House
Hillsman's House was the center of the battle.
A few pictures of the 59th Virginia Infantry Regiment, Co.I who were there for the weekend.
Artillery ammunition wagon, the cannon was hooked onto the back of the wagon so they both could be pulled by a single team with the drive sitting on the box.
The view from Hillsman’s House toward Sailor’s Creek. The Union infantry advanced down this field and across the creek. The cannon in the picture is setup where the Union artillery was located that shelled Ewell’s Corps.
North from the Hillsman House.
The road from the Hillsman House down to Saylor's Creek.
Confederate General Ewell’s Corps was approaching the Hillsman’s House from Holt’s Corner when the battle of Marshall’s Crossroads broke out. While Pickett was fighting over the Crossroad Ewell’s troops were crossing Sailor’s Creek and the Union infantry was following behind. The Confederates left a rear guard at the Hillsman’s House which the Union quickly drove away. The Union forces stopped to regroup around the house which they confiscated for use as a hospital. An artillery park was setup bellow the house to shell the Confederate positions on the other side of the creek.
While the Union was sorting itself out Ewell’s Confederates were digging in on the top of the ridge above the creek. As the battle develops Ewell finds himself surrounded with infantry advancing across the creek to the north and Union cavalry on the other three sides. After a long an furious fight with heavy losses on all sides Ewell is left with no alternative but surrender.
The fence line marks the center of Ewell’s position and was manned by Confederate Naval personnel. The Union crossed the creek at the bottom of the hill, discovering a swamp in the process, and attacked up the open field. The Hillsman’s House is straight ahead in the picture on the other side of the trees. Pickett's charge took place off to the left out of the picture separated by a small wooded area from the infantry’s action. His charge to Marshall’s Crossroads and subsequent rout left the infantry to fend for themselves. The Confederate sailor's, now fighting as infantry put up such a fight that some people believe that the Confederates started calling it Sailor's Creek in their honor.
Lockett's Farm
At first, everything seems to be going well for the wagon's on the other road and some of the wagons managed to get across Big Sailor’s Creek on the double bridges near Lockett’s Farm, but as Union cavalry began their attack on the rear of the wagon train, one of the bridges collapsed. Gordon formed up his troops to hold off the Union while the wagons try to ford the creek. Mr. Lockett tells the Confederates of another bridge which allows a few more wagons to escape but the majority were over run by Union who break into them and find corn meal and smoked hams. The Union troopers, which hadn't had much time for eating, settled down for a feast while the battle raged ahead.
The Lockett House, which is undergoing repairs, still has bullet holes in the siding.
An old monument in the front yard of the Lockett House.
The repairs are done and it looks great.
The outbuilding behind the Lockett House showing the field where the union advanced.
The Union attack came over this field.
The road from the Lockett’s Farm to the double bridges.
Double Bridges
The new bridge.
The Creek.
The first of the old double bridge over Saylor's Creek.
The second of the old double bridges.
Double Bridges was about wagons.
Lee formed his defensive line on top of that far ridge in the picture. He waited for the survivors at the top of the road.
In Conclusion
A final comment on the battlefield itself, Sailor’s Creek is a Virginia State Park, not a National Battlefield. It is largely unchanged since the time of the battle. All the roads are still roads, they are paved now, but still there and there are no new ones. The tobacco fields still grow tobacco, the buildings are still there and very few new ones have been built since. Talking to the ranger, the battlefield has never been excavated, there is no telling what might be bogged down the swamp. Of all the battlefields I have visited, and there are a lot, it was Sailor’s Creek that effected me the most because it feel's so immediate. You can almost see the muddy Union troops moving up out of the trees.
This has been a “Cliff’s Notes” tour of the Sailor’s Creek Battlefield. If you want to know more about what happened there I can recommend two books:
Black Day of the Army
April 6, 1865
The Battles of Sailor’s Creek
By Greg Eanes
This is a very detailed and complex analysis of the battle. It is also difficult to read.
Lee’s Last Stand
Sailor’s Creek
Virginia, 1865
By Derek Smith
An easier read but does not have as much of the details and lacks the analysis. Also, Lee wasn't there, it was Ewell who made his last stand at Saylor's Creek. With a bunch of sailors.
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Next: Rice's Depot