By 1864 the
war had not gone well for the North. President Abraham
Lincoln's army had achieved few major victories over the Confederates. The president
needed a winner. General Ulysses S. Grant had been successful in the Western Theater. In March 1864, President Lincoln appointed Grant General in Chief of all United States Armies. The first time in US history that so much military power was
vested in one man. He was a hands-on commander, so
naturally he chose the field rather than Washington for his
headquarters. His primary objective; defeat General Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia. His strategy; apply pressure everywhere possible throughout the South and
eventually destroy the Confederate armies. To defeat Lee, Grant accompanied Major General George G. Meade's, army of the
Potomac into central Virginia. They would push south from the Rapidan River and bring Lee's army to battle. The Federal Army's overwhelming numbers and superior supply capability
should ensure victory. Such was not the case. In a little over
a month, three major battles were fought with appalling casualties. And Lee's army was still intact. After the third
union defeat at Cold Harbor, Grant decided to move his army south of the James River and attack Petersburg. Four days of fighting failed to capture the city and a siege began. On June 15th, 1864, Grant
arrived at City Point, Virginia. He established headquarters on the east lawn of the Eppes family home, Appomattox. Tents served as quarters during the summer and fall months. Here he had ready
communications with the field and observed military operations
first hand. Strategically located at the confluence of the James and Appomattox Rivers, the site provided easy water communication with Fort Monroe, Virginia and Washington DC. The deep water channel near
shore allowed supplies to be brought up the James River
directly to City Point. From here they were transported via
the City Point Railroad in wagon trains to the rear of the Union Army at Petersburg. Grant believed that if he could cut the rail lines leading to Petersburg Lee would be forced to evacuate both Petersburg and Richmond. Without sufficient supplies, Lee's fighting capacity would be severely restricted and Grant would force the war to an end. Within a few weeks, City Point became the largest supply base ever constructed in the field during the war, and for 10 months was one of the
busiest ports in the world. The wharves teamed with activity. Steamers and barges crowded the docks. Several thousand black workers, many of them former slaves, unloaded food, ammunition and other vital war supplies. According to chief Quartermaster Rufus Ingalls,
about 40 steamers, 75 sailing vessels and over 100 barges
could be seen in the rivers on an average day. Eight wharves covered more than 350,000 square feet and extended over 1/2 mile
along the James River. At least 1500 tons of supplies were
unloaded every day. There were warehouses capable of storing enough food to feed 100,000 men for 30 days and 65,000 animals for 20 days. Railroad spurs led to various wharves. the bakery and the general Depot Field Hospital. An engine house, machine shop, car repair shop and turntable
allowed the trains to run without interruption. As union lines extended to the south and west of Petersburg, so did the military railroad. Trestle span
swamps and streams. Supply stations were built behind each army corps. Sidings were added for unloading and distributing
supplies. The trains delivered an average of 1400 tons of food,
weapons, ammunition, and uniforms each day. By the end of the siege, nearly 22 miles of track had been laid, and more
than 280 buildings were constructed by the US Military Railroad Construction Corps. There were four military
hospitals and three civilian hospitals at City Point. The
largest and most famous was the Depot Field Hospital, where 1200 tents accommodated 10,000 patients. Each patient had his
own bed and wash basin and regularly received clean pillows and linens. In winter 90 log barracks replaced the tents. Medical supplies were received at the hospital wharf built on the Appomattox River, and seriously wounded troops embarked from here for northern hospitals. Two civilian relief organizations provided
supplemental aid to the Union soldiers. One of these, the US Sanitary Commission, in the words of a contemporary, distributed food, clothing and all needed comfort when the government supplies were insufficient or delayed. They also provided writing materials, tobacco, pipes and other luxury items. Sanitary Commission
agents helped with patients in the Depot Field Hospital. And sometimes assisted in burying the dead. The US Christian Commission also
distributed supplies and worked in the hospitals. However, this
organization was primarily devoted to fostering religion
and morality in the Union Army. One of the busiest
establishments at City Point was the US government bakery. With
a daily production of over 100,000 loaves of bread. Quartermaster repair shops employed over 1600 wheelwrights, carpenters, blacksmiths, saddlers teamsters, laborers and clerks. Suttlers, civilian merchants who had government contracts, provided a valuable service to each regiment. Here the soldiers bought luxury items
which were not provided by the army. Union troops, accused of crimes, were imprisoned at the Bull Ring; a place so bad that one Union officer, who had been a prisoner of the Confederates at
Richmond, said he would rather be confined in Libby Prison for six months than in the Bull Ring for one. Captured Confederate
soldiers were transported to prison camps in the North. City Point was safe compared to the battlefront. But just before
noon on August 9th, 1864, a tremendous explosion rocked the waterfront with a force so great, said one witness, as to make it seem as if the earth was tearing to pieces. Artillery shells, timbers, human remains were hurled a half mile in every direction. When it was over, nearly half of the 400 foot wharf was destroyed. 43 men were killed and 126 wounded. The Kendrick, a barge moored at the Ordnance Wharf and loaded with 80,000 pounds of black
powder, had blown up. Some believed the explosion was the result of sabotage. Others thought the improper handling of
ammunition was the cause. The truth was not known until
after the war. John Maxwell, a Confederate
Secret Service agent, described in a report how he had planted a
time bomb on a powder barge. As field headquarters of the US Army, City Point attracted a number of important leaders. The
most famous was President Abraham Lincoln. On the
evening of March 24th, 1865, the president and Mrs. Lincoln
and their son Tad arrived at City Point. Lincoln spent the
next 15 days touring the front, visiting the hospitals
and reviewing troops. On March 28th he held a Council of War with Grant, General William T. Sherman and Admiral David D. Porter. The end of the war was imminent. Lincoln told his subordinates that he wanted lenient terms
of surrender for all the Confederate armies. The nation must be allowed to heal its wounds and reunite. Petersburg and Richmond fell on
April 3rd, 1865. The significance of the City Point logistical operation cannot be overstated. An army, which can supply itself will not be easily defeated. The Federals
were able to supply their army and simultaneously cut off
supply lines to southern forces. Both sides knew the collapse of
the Confederacy was at hand. Nearly a year before Robert E. Lee told General Jubal A. Early, "We must destroy this army of Grants before he gets to the James River. If he gets there,
it will become a siege and then it will be a mere question of time." Lee's prophecy had come to pass. Music: Just Before the Battle Mother
