Siege Of Yorktown
Civil War Virginia


American Civil War
April 5-May 4, 1862

Peninsular Campaign Map

Marching from Fort Monroe, Union General George B. McClellan's army encountered Major General John B. Magruder's small Confederate army at Yorktown behind the Warwick River.  Magruder's theatrics convinced the Federals that his works were strongly held.

General McClellan suspended the march up the Peninsula toward Richmond, ordered the construction of siege fortifications, and brought his heavy siege guns to the front. In the meantime, General Joseph E. Johnston brought reinforcements for Magruder. 

On 16 April, Union forces probed a weakness in the Confederate line at Lee's Mill or Dam No. 1, resulting in about 309 casualties.  Failure to exploit the initial success of this attack, however, held up General McClellan for two additional weeks, while he tried to convince his navy to maneuver the Confederates' big guns at Yorktown and Gloucester Point and ascend the York River to West Point thus outflanking the Warwick Line.

General McClellan planned for a massive bombardment to begin at dawn on May 4, but the Confederate army slipped away in the night toward Williamsburg.

Result(s): Inconclusive

Location: York County and Newport News

Campaign: Peninsular Campaign (March-September 1862) next battle in campaign    previous battle in campaign

Date(s): April 5-May 4, 1862

Principal Commanders: Major General George McClellan [US]; Major General John B. Magruder and General Joseph E. Johnston [CS]

Forces Engaged: Armies

Estimated Casualties: 320 total


Extraordinary Circumstances
The Seven Days Battles

One of the most decisive military campaigns in Western history, the Seven Days were fought in the area southeast of the Confederate capitol of Richmond from June 25 to July 1, 1862




Civil War: Official Plan of The Siege of Yorktown Virginia, c.1862
Official Plan of The Siege of Yorktown Virginia, c.1862
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Framed

Yorktown, Virginia (vicinity). Group of contrabands at Allen's farm house near Williamsburg Road
Contrabands southern slaves
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American Civil War Book Titles
Kindle Available

The Richmond Campaign of 1862: The Peninsula and the Seven Days
The Richmond campaign of 1862 ranks as one of the most important military operations of the American Civil War. Key political, diplomatic, social, and military issues were at stake as CSA General Lee and USA General McClellan met.
Seven Days
To The Gates of Richmond
The Peninsula Campaign

For three months General McClellan battled his way toward Richmond, but then CSA General Lee took command of the Confederate forces. In seven days, Lee drove the cautious McClellan out, thereby changing the course of the war
Virginia Battlefield
The Official Virginia
Civil War Battlefield Guide

Virginia was host to nearly 1/3rd of all Civil War engagements. This guide covers them all like a mini-history of the war. This guide organizes battles chronologically. Each campaign has a detailed overview, followed by concise descriptions of the individual engagements
Counter Thrust
Counter-Thrust
From the Peninsula to the Antietam

A window into the Union's internal conflict at building a military leadership team. Lincoln's administration in disarray, with relations between the president and field commander McClellan strained to the breaking point. Shows how the fortunes of war shifted abruptly in the Union's favor, climaxing at Antietam.

Civil War Video Games
Robert E Lee video game
Robert E. Lee: Civil War General

The game comes with two types of battles to choose from, 45 historical battles and more than 100 alternative ones. The alternative ones are usually smaller versions of the historical ones. Of great interest is the way the game handles campaigns. Not only does it string together varying numbers of individual scenarios but puts the emphasis on how well or poorly your army performs during battle

Antietam: Battleground 5
PC Game focuses on individual areas of the battle, including the pre-battle South Mountain delaying action, or you can fight the whole Antietam scrap between McClellan and Lee on September 17th 1862




Take Command 2nd Manassas
2nd Manassas explores one of the American Civil War's most important battles. Travel back to 1862 and fight what the North remembers as the Second Battle of BullRun -- a battle which was pivotal to the Northern Virginia Campaign. Take on the essential elements of decision-making for this crucial battle - Take Command or be overcome by it. Accurate ballistics for weapons Play

Civil War Campaigns: Vicksburg
A chance to refight one of the American Civil War's most crucial battles. It's April of 1863, and General U.S. Grant has led his men to the banks of the Mississippi River. After disastrous Union campaigns at Chickasaw Bayou, Steele Bayou and Greenville, Grant elects to bypass the Confederate fortress city of Vicksburg

American Civil War Documentary DVD Titles

The Last Confederate
The Story of Robert Adams

Great historically correct movie of a noble confederate and his undying love of a Yankee girl.

Civil War Terror
Tales of hidden conspiracies of terror that specifically targeted the civilian populations. Engineers of chemical weapons, new-fangled explosives and biological warfare competed

The Civil War: To the Finish:
Sherman and the March to the Sea

After 3 years of battles, a Union general captured Atlanta and decided to change the course of the war for good. That general was William Tecumseh Sherman

The Last Days of the Civil War - Biography: Abraham Lincoln & Robert E. Lee, Civil War Journal: Jefferson Davis
In-depth profiles that series--illuminate the personalities at the heart of the conflict: Abraham Lincoln, Jefferson Davis, and Robert E. Lee

History Channel Presents
The Civil War

From Harper's Ferry, Fort Sumter, and First Bull Run to Shiloh, Antietam, and Gettysburg. The most legendary Civil War battles in brilliant detail. A selection of the soldiers and legendary leaders.

History Channel Presents
Sherman's March

In November 1864, Sherman and an army of 60,000 troops began their month-long march from Atlanta to Savannah. Burning crops, destroying bridges and railroads, and laying waste to virtually everything in his path

History's Mysteries - Human Bondage
The story of Africans forcibly enslaved and shipped to America is a well-known tale; yet, it is just one tragic episode in the saga of world slavery. For nearly 6,000 years of recorded history, conquerors have imprisoned their enemies and forced them to act as laborers

Civil War Journal, West Point Classmates - Civil War Enemies, Robert E. Lee
Beyond the pages of history and into the personal stories behind the Great Conflict


Sources:
U.S. National Park Service
U.S. Library of Congress.


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