Peebles' Farm VA074
1864-09-30 to 1864-10-02 · VA · Richmond-Petersburg Campaign [June 1864-March 1865] · frozen result: Union · NPS summary (as listed)
In combination with Maj. Gen. Benjamin Butler's offensive north of the James River, Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant extended his left flank to cut Confederate lines of communication southwest of Petersburg. Two divisions of the IX corps under Maj. Gen. John G. Parke, two divisions of the V Corps under Maj. Gen. G.K. Warren, and Brig. Gen. David M. Gregg's cavalry division were assigned to the operation. On September 30, the Federals marched via Poplar Spring Church to reach Squirrel Level and Vaughan Roads. The initial Federal attack overran Fort Archer, flanking the Confederates out of their Squirrel Level Road line. Late afternoon, Confederate reinforcements arrived, slowing the Federal advance. On October 1, the Federals repulsed a Confederate counterattack directed by Lt. Gen. A.P. Hill. Reinforced by Maj. Gen. Gershom Mott's division, the Federals resumed their advance on the 2nd, captured Fort MacRae which was lightly defended, and extended their left flank to the vicinity of Peebles' and Pegram's Farms. With these limited successes, Meade suspended the offensive. A new line was entrenched from the Federal works on Weldon Railroad to Pegram's Farm.
Command responsibility (ledger v2)
US: George G. Meade
Grade A under rule 3a; echelon army. superior_directing
Other candidates: John G. Parke, G.K. Warren
Meade, Parke and Warren are all listed as Major General (a tie). Humphreys has Meade, under Grant's instructions, prepare and launch the movement, with Warren and Parke each commanding two divisions of his corps ('the advance of Meade'); the description has Meade suspend the offensive (rule 3(a)). Grant extended his left flank (description) and set the conditions (superior_directing: Grant). Parke and Warren are candidates.
Major Generalarnold-cwsac-commanders, battle VA074, belligerent US, fullname George G. Meade; column rank · snapshot
6c587c298717…Major Generalarnold-cwsac-commanders, battle VA074, belligerent US, fullname John G. Parke; column rank · snapshot
6c587c298717…Major Generalarnold-cwsac-commanders, battle VA074, belligerent US, fullname G.K. Warren; column rank · snapshot
6c587c298717…General Meade, under instructions from General Grant, made such semi-concealed changes of position of part of his troopshumphreys-petersburg-selections-v1 · snapshot
fbc0249868bc…should the enemy draw off such a force from the defences of Petersburg as, in General Meade’s opinion, would justify his moving against the South Side Railroad or Petersburg, he was to do so.humphreys-petersburg-selections-v1 · snapshot
fbc0249868bc…To meet the advance of Meade, General Hill threw out Heth’s and Wilcox’s divisions as far as the Jones house,humphreys-petersburg-selections-v1 · snapshot
fbc0249868bc…With these limited successes, Meade suspended the offensive.arnold-cwsac-battles, battle VA074; column description · snapshot
952b5d08402a…Confederate: A.P. Hill
Grade A under rule 3a; echelon corps_or_wing.
Other candidates: Wade Hampton
Hill (Lieutenant General) and Hampton (Major General) are listed. Humphreys says the force holding the Petersburg intrenchments, Hill's corps, Johnson's division, Hampton's two cavalry divisions and Dearing's brigade, was 'all under the command of General Hill', Beauregard having been sent south; the first combat was Griffin's capture of the Peebles works held by infantry and Dearing's dismounted cavalry (rule 3(a)). Hampton is a candidate. Lee's dispatch from Chaffin's Bluff only reports; no superior is recorded. The live rank is not adopted.
Lieutenant Generalarnold-cwsac-commanders, battle VA074, belligerent Confederate, fullname A.P. Hill; column rank · snapshot
6c587c298717…Major Generalarnold-cwsac-commanders, battle VA074, belligerent Confederate, fullname Wade Hampton; column rank · snapshot
6c587c298717…all under the command of 292 THE VIRGINIA CAMPAIGN OF ’64 AND ’65. General Hill, General Beauregard having been sent southhumphreys-petersburg-selections-v1 · snapshot
fbc0249868bc…To meet the advance of Meade, General Hill threw out Heth’s and Wilcox’s divisions as far as the Jones house,humphreys-petersburg-selections-v1 · snapshot
fbc0249868bc…Side strength (ledger v3)
US: grade A, 29,800 (28,310–31,290)
compiled_dependencederivation_unknownsingle_inputwhole_engagement_leakage
| Input | Class | Printed | Basis | Bound | Codes | Passage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| us-cws2 | A | 29,800 | reported_engaged | derivation_unknown |
Confederate: grade A, 12,000 (11,400–12,600)
compiled_dependencederivation_unknownsingle_inputwhole_engagement_leakage
| Input | Class | Printed | Basis | Bound | Codes | Passage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| cs-cws2 | A | 12,000 | reported_engaged | derivation_unknown | 12000arnold-cws2-forces, battle VA074, belligerent Confederate; column strength · snapshot 523147288617… |
Dossier claims
Draft dossier, revision petersburg-review-correction-2026-09-25. Claims are extraction records with their quoted passages, not historical adjudication. JSON
information
supportedunresolved Humphreys says Meade's semi-concealed changes of position were meant to suggest a concentration on the left and delayed the transfer of Confederate troops north of the James, and that Meade was to move only if the enemy drew off enough force.
Attributed intent and effect from an interested history.
These dispositions undoubtedly had the effect of delaying the transfer of Confederate troops to meet the attack of Ord and Birney.humphreys-petersburg-selections-v1, p.290 (OCR page markers; not checked against print) · snapshot
fbc0249868bc…should the enemy draw off such a force from the defences of Petersburg as, in General Meade’s opinion, would justify his moving against the South Side Railroad or Petersburg, he was to do so.humphreys-petersburg-selections-v1, p.290 (OCR page markers; not checked against print) · snapshot
fbc0249868bc…logistics
unknownunresolved
No battle-specific supply, ammunition or transport return was inspected. Retrospective descriptions are not readiness measures.
objectives
supportedunresolved Humphreys says the object was to secure the junction of the Squirrel Level and Poplar Spring Church roads at the Peebles farm, then advance toward the Boydton plank road and South Side Railroad if conditions justified.
Stated aims from an interested history.
The object then in view was to secure the junction of two roads coming from the southwest, the Squirrel Level, and the Poplar Spring Church roads.humphreys-petersburg-selections-v1, p.291 (OCR page markers; not checked against print) · snapshot
fbc0249868bc…toward the Boydton plank-road and South Side Railroad, if the condi¬ tions would justify it.humphreys-petersburg-selections-v1, p.291 (OCR page markers; not checked against print) · snapshot
fbc0249868bc…outcome
disputedpost_outcome The frozen and live results read Union victory. Humphreys says the Peebles captures gave the whole line of intrenchment, that Potter was driven back in some confusion, and that a new line was intrenched about a mile from the enemy's on October 2; Lee says Heth drove back the infantry who had broken through on the Squirrel Level road.
Retain the original result and engagement interval; later movements and campaign contribution are different measures. No new probabilities or individual causal credit. The ground gained and the repulse of September 30 are both retained.
These two captures gave us the whole of the line of intrencli- ment.humphreys-petersburg-selections-v1, p.291 (OCR page markers; not checked against print) · snapshot
fbc0249868bc…his division driven back in some confusion,humphreys-petersburg-selections-v1, p.292 (OCR page markers; not checked against print) · snapshot
fbc0249868bc…established a line of intrenchments about a mile from the enemy’s.humphreys-petersburg-selections-v1, p.292 (OCR page markers; not checked against print) · snapshot
fbc0249868bc…Yesterday evening General Heth attacked the enemy’s infantry,or42-1-lee-petersburg-selections-v1, p.852 (OCR page markers; not checked against print) · snapshot
a76186d88fd3…disputedpost_outcome The frozen casualty text reads 3,800 total and the live field 4,169 (US 2,869; CS 1,300). Humphreys gives the Adjutant General's table of 661 killed and wounded and 1,348 missing (2,009), Parke's 485 killed and wounded, and the Medical table's Confederate 800 wounded, which he doubts; Lee relays Hill's report of 400 prisoners taken after Heth's attack and reports about 500 taken by Hampton.
Original casualty returns were not inspected; preserve totals, categories, cutoffs and differences. No canonical reconciliation or casualty-based opening count; related actions must not be added without resolving population overlap.
661 killed and wounded, 1,348 missing ; total, 2,009.humphreys-petersburg-selections-v1, p.292 (OCR page markers; not checked against print) · snapshot
fbc0249868bc…General Parke lost 485 killed and wounded, and heavily in prisoners.humphreys-petersburg-selections-v1, p.292 (OCR page markers; not checked against print) · snapshot
fbc0249868bc…which puts it down at 800 wounded.humphreys-petersburg-selections-v1, p.293 (OCR page markers; not checked against print) · snapshot
fbc0249868bc…General Hill reports that they were severely punished and 400 prisoners captured.or42-1-lee-petersburg-selections-v1, p.852 (OCR page markers; not checked against print) · snapshot
a76186d88fd3…about 500 prisoners, including 4 colonels and 13 other officers.or42-1-lee-petersburg-selections-v1, p.852 (OCR page markers; not checked against print) · snapshot
a76186d88fd3…responsibility
supportedunresolved Humphreys says Hill threw out Heth's and Wilcox's divisions to meet the advance, that Parke established a new line with Willcox's troops after Potter was driven back, and that Hampton shared in the captures; Lee credits Heth and Hampton on September 30. The frozen commanders are Hill and Hampton (CS) and Meade, Parke and Warren (US); the live page lists Meade and 'Lieutenant General Ambrose Hill'.
Direction attributed as stated. No listed commander receives automatic sole credit.
To meet the advance of Meade, General Hill threw out Heth’s and Wilcox’s divisions as far as the Jones house,humphreys-petersburg-selections-v1, p.292 (OCR page markers; not checked against print) · snapshot
fbc0249868bc…But a new line was at once established by General Parke with Willcox’s troops,humphreys-petersburg-selections-v1, p.292 (OCR page markers; not checked against print) · snapshot
fbc0249868bc…Hampton, on the Confederate right, shared in the captures.humphreys-petersburg-selections-v1, p.292 (OCR page markers; not checked against print) · snapshot
fbc0249868bc…General Hampton, operating on Heth’s right, also drove the enemy,or42-1-lee-petersburg-selections-v1, p.852 (OCR page markers; not checked against print) · snapshot
a76186d88fd3…Major Generalarnold-cwsac-commanders, battle VA074, belligerent US, fullname George G. Meade; column rank · snapshot
6c587c298717…Major Generalarnold-cwsac-commanders, battle VA074, belligerent US, fullname John G. Parke; column rank · snapshot
6c587c298717…Major Generalarnold-cwsac-commanders, battle VA074, belligerent US, fullname G.K. Warren; column rank · snapshot
6c587c298717…Lieutenant Generalarnold-cwsac-commanders, battle VA074, belligerent Confederate, fullname A.P. Hill; column rank · snapshot
6c587c298717…Major Generalarnold-cwsac-commanders, battle VA074, belligerent Confederate, fullname Wade Hampton; column rank · snapshot
6c587c298717…strength
unknownunresolved
No inspected return establishes matched personnel at a common opening boundary. The frozen side-specific numerical strength bounds are blank (missing_numeric_strength). No figure in this pass is adopted as a simultaneous opening force.
supportedunresolved The frozen force field reads 'Corps' and the live field zero. Humphreys names Warren's two and Parke's two divisions and Gregg's cavalry against Hill's corps and Johnson's division with Hampton's two cavalry divisions and Dearing's brigade, without counts.
Formations only; no return inspected. None is adopted as a matched opening strength; live zeros are not measured absence.
General Warren, with Griffin’s and Ayres’s divisions, was directed against the junction of the roads ;humphreys-petersburg-selections-v1, p.291 (OCR page markers; not checked against print) · snapshot
fbc0249868bc…The force holding the Petersburg intrenchments was Hill’s corps and Johnson’s division,humphreys-petersburg-selections-v1, p.291 (OCR page markers; not checked against print) · snapshot
fbc0249868bc…terrain
supportedinherited Humphreys says Griffin's troops crossed six hundred yards of open ground to carry the Peebles intrenchments, and that Potter, passing through a wood, came within eight hundred yards of the enemy's main line.
The intrenchments and ground predate the attack. No map verification.
passing over six hundred yards of open ground,humphreys-petersburg-selections-v1, p.291 (OCR page markers; not checked against print) · snapshot
fbc0249868bc…Potter, passing through a wood, found himself within eight hundred yards of the enemy’s main line of intrenchments,humphreys-petersburg-selections-v1, p.292 (OCR page markers; not checked against print) · snapshot
fbc0249868bc…Open questions
- Parke's, Warren's, Griffin's, Potter's and Willcox's reports (Volume XLII Nos. 187, 121, 127, 207, 189), Meade's report, Hill's and Hampton's reports (Nos. 372, 374) and the compiled returns remain deferred.
- NPS/CWSAC (the live NPS page and the frozen Arnold rows) is one family. Humphreys' The Virginia Campaign of ’64 and ’65 (1883) is an interested history by the Army of the Potomac's chief of staff, later commander of its Second Corps, in the same author family as the registered From Gettysburg to the Rapidan; it relies on Meade's, Hancock's, Warren's, Burnside's, Parke's and Wilson's reports and quotes Lee's, Beauregard's and Gordon's despatches, so it is not independent of those families. Gillmore's, Meade's, Hancock's, Burnside's, Wilson's, Hampton's, Stannard's and Lee's papers, printed in Official Records Series I, Volumes XXXVI (Part 2), XL, XLII and XLVI (Part 1), are separate families of interested commanders' accounts; each volume is a shared container, not an additional witness. Lee's telegrams largely relay subordinates' reports. Report dates are not event times or proof of contemporary knowledge.
- No automatic commander attribution, causal campaign score, morale/readiness number or battle/campaign double counting.