Overview
The Battle of Trevilian Station took place from June 11 to 12, 1864, during Ulysses S. Grant’s Overland Campaign in Virginia. Grant launched the campaign on May 4, when the Army of the Potomac crossed the Rappahannock River and Rapidan River. Although George Meade commanded the Army of the Potomac, Grant accompanied the army and directed the overall campaign against Robert E. Lee and the Army of Northern Virginia.
In May, the armies fought a series of engagements, including the Battle of the Wilderness, Battle of Spotsylvania Court House, Battle of North Anna, Battle of Haw’s Shop, and Battle of Totopotomoy Creek. Despite heavy Union casualties, Grant continued moving south and east, forcing Lee to reposition his army to protect Richmond, Virginia.
Next, Grant moved against Cold Harbor. Philip Sheridan’s Union cavalry captured the important crossroads there on May 31 and defeated a Confederate counterattack the following day. By June 2, the main armies had entrenched along a seven-mile front. On June 3, Grant ordered a frontal assault that cost the Union nearly 7,000 casualties.
As Grant moved toward Petersburg, he sent Sheridan’s cavalry into Louisa County to destroy sections of the Virginia Central Railroad, an important Confederate supply line. Grant also hoped the operation would draw Confederate cavalry away from Meade, who was moving toward Petersburg.
On June 11, Sheridan’s cavalry encountered Confederate cavalry commanded by Wade Hampton at Trevilian Station. Union forces initially divided the Confederate force. On June 12, however, Confederate troopers dismounted and repulsed several Union attacks. Although Sheridan’s men destroyed about six miles of railroad track, Confederate forces forced them to withdraw. The Battle of Trevilian Station ended in a Confederate victory and became the largest all-cavalry engagement of the Civil War.
Essential Facts
- Date: June 11–12, 1864.
- Location: Louisa County, Virginia.
- Participants: The United States of America (USA) and the Confederate States of America (CSA).
- USA Commanders: Philip Sheridan.
- CSA Commanders: Wade Hampton, Fitzhugh Lee.
- Who Won: The Confederate States won the Battle of Trevilian Station.
- Campaign: Overland Campaign.
- Era: Civil War, May–August, 1864.
Statistics
United States of America
- Casualties: 1,512 (150 killed; 738 wounded; 624 captured or missing).
- Forces Engaged: Two divisions of Union cavalry, Army of the Potomac.
- Troop Strength: Roughly 9,286.
Confederate States of America
- Casualties: 813 killed, wounded, captured, or missing.
- Forces Engaged: Two divisions of Confederate cavalry, Army of Northern Virginia.
- Troop Strength: Roughly 6,762.
Significance
The Battle of Trevilian Station is important to American History because it was the largest all-cavalry engagement of the Civil War. General Ulysses S. Grant sent Philip Sheridan’s cavalry into Louisa County to destroy portions of the Virginia Central Railroad, an important Confederate supply line, while Union forces moved toward Petersburg. Sheridan’s men destroyed about six miles of track, but Confederate cavalry drove them back. The Confederate victory prevented Sheridan from completing his mission and led to another clash near St. Mary’s Church on June 24.
History
Grant in Charge
On March 10, 1864, President Abraham Lincoln appointed Ulysses S. Grant as General-in-Chief of the Armies of the United States. Grant brought with him, from his successes in the western theater of the war, a reputation for the doggedness Lincoln was seeking. Unlike other Union generals, Grant was tenacious.
The Overland Campaign — Grant Pursues Lee
Upon his arrival in Washington, Grant drafted a plan to get the various Union armies in the field to act in concert. He also devised his Overland Campaign to invade east-central Virginia. Unlike previous campaigns into that area, Grant’s offensive focused on defeating Robert E. Lee and the Army of Northern Virginia rather than capturing or occupying geographic locations. Grant instructed General George Meade, who commanded the Army of the Potomac, “Wherever Lee goes, there you will go also.” Grant realized that with the superior resources he had at his disposal, Lee would lose a war of attrition, as long as Union forces persistently engaged the Confederate army.
Overland Campaign
On May 4, 1864, Grant launched the Overland Campaign, when the Army of the Potomac crossed the Rappahannock and Rapidan Rivers. Although Meade nominally commanded the Army of the Potomac, Grant accompanied the army in the field so he could supervise overall campaign operations.
Throughout the month of May, the Army of the Potomac and the Army of Northern Virginia slugged it out in a series of battles including the Battle of the Wilderness (May 5–7), Battle of Spotsylvania Court House (May 8–21), Battle of North Anna (May 23–26), Battle of Haw’s Shop (May 27), and the Battle of Totopotomoy Creek (May 28–30). Although the Confederates inflicted high casualties on the Federals during those battles, Grant continued his strategy of moving south and east (to Lee’s right) and then re-engaging. Grant’s moves forced Lee to reposition his lines continually to defend Richmond.
Bloodbath at Cold Harbor
Grant’s next objective was Cold Harbor, where he intended to link up with Union troops from the Army of the James. Again, Lee expected Grant’s move, and he ordered his cavalry to hold Cold Harbor until his infantry arrived. On May 31, Major General Philip Sheridan’s Union cavalry seized the vital crossroads at Cold Harbor from the Confederates. The next day, Sheridan repulsed a counterattack by Confederate infantry trying to recover the position. By June 2, both armies had arrived at Cold Harbor and entrenched along a front that extended for seven miles.
On June 3, Grant ordered an ill-advised frontal assault on the Confederate lines and lost nearly 7,000 men, compared with 1,500 Confederate casualties. Grant later commented in his memoirs that this was the only attack he wished he had never ordered. For the next ten days, the two armies continued to confront each other until Grant abandoned his strategy of attacking Lee’s army.
On to Petersburg
On May 12, Grant evacuated Cold Harbor and moved Meade’s army across the James River to begin an assault on Petersburg, a crucial supply depot for Richmond and Lee’s army, located south of Richmond. Grant sent Sheridan’s cavalry forces into Louisa County, Virginia to destroy portions of the Virginia Central Railroad, an important Confederate supply line. Grant hoped that Lee would send his cavalry in pursuit of Sheridan, making it easier for Meade to move toward Petersburg.
June 11, 1864 — Clash at Trevilian Station
On June 11, Sheridan’s men engaged Confederate cavalry divisions commanded by Wade Hampton at Trevilian Station. Initially, the Federals divided the Confederate force, but the tide shifted the next day when the Confederate troopers dismounted and repulsed several Union assaults. Federal soldiers destroyed about six miles of railroad track before the Confederates forced them to withdraw and return east.
Aftermath
Casualties during the Battle of Trevilian Station totaled about 1,600 soldiers for the combined forces. Following the battle, Confederate and Federal cavalry units skirmished again near St. Mary’s Church in Charles City on June 24, the final engagement of Grant’s Overland Campaign.
Timeline
- 1864, March 10 — President Abraham Lincoln appointed Ulysses S. Grant as the General-in-Chief of the Armies of the United States.
- 1864, May 4 — Grant launched his Overland Campaign when the Army of the Potomac crossed the Rappahannock River and the Rapidan River.
- 1864, May 5–7 — The inconclusive Battle of the Wilderness took place.
- 1864, May 11 — Union forces won the Battle of Yellow Tavern.
- 1864, May 8–21 — The inconclusive Battle of Spotsylvania Court House took place.
- 1864, May 23–26 — The inconclusive Battle of North Anna took place.
- 1864, May 28 — The inconclusive Battle of Haw’s Shop took place.
- 1864, May 29–30 — The inconclusive Battle of Totopotomoy Creek took place.
- 1864, May 31–June 12 — Confederate forces won the Battle of Cold Harbor.
- 1864, June 11–12 — Confederate forces won the Battle of Trevilian Station.
- 1864, June 11 — Sheridan’s Union cavalry engaged Confederate cavalry commanded by Wade Hampton at Trevilian Station and initially divided the Confederate force.
- 1864, June 12 — Confederate cavalry dismounted, repulsed several Union assaults, and forced Sheridan’s cavalry to withdraw after Union soldiers destroyed about six miles of railroad track.
AP US History
Definition
Battle of Trevilian Station (1864) — The Battle of Trevilian Station was fought in Louisa County, Virginia, on June 11–12, 1864, during the Overland Campaign. Philip Sheridan’s Union cavalry initially divided Wade Hampton’s Confederate force. On the second day, Confederate troopers dismounted and repulsed several Union assaults. Union soldiers destroyed about six miles of the Virginia Central Railroad, but Confederate forces forced Sheridan to withdraw east. The Confederate victory was the largest all-cavalry engagement of the American Civil War.
Alignment
The Battle of Trevilian Station is part of the following AP US History sections:
