Battle of Jerusalem Plank Road

Battle of Jerusalem Plank Road
Part of the American Civil War
DateJune 21, 1864 (1864-06-21) – June 23, 1864 (1864-06-23)
Location
Petersburg, Virginia
Result Inconclusive[1]
Belligerents
United States United States (Union) Confederate States of America CSA (Confederacy)
Commanders and leaders
David B. Birney
Horatio G. Wright		 A. P. Hill
William Mahone
Units involved
II Corps
VI Corps		 Third Corps
Strength
27,000[2] 8,000[2]
Casualties and losses
2,962[3] 572[3]

The Battle of Jerusalem Plank Road, also known as the First Battle of the Weldon Railroad, took place during the American Civil War fought June 21–23, 1864, near Petersburg, Virginia. It was the first of a series of battles during the Siege of Petersburg aimed at extending the Union siege lines to the west and cutting the rail lines supplying Petersburg. Two infantry corps of the Union Army of the Potomac attempted to sever the Weldon Railroad, but were attacked and driven off by the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia's Third Corps, principally the division of Brig. Gen. William Mahone. The inconclusive battle left the Weldon Railroad temporarily in Confederate hands, but the Union Army began to extend its fortifications to the west, starting to increase the pressure of the siege.

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference result was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference cwsac was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ a b Kennedy, 354. Trudeau, p. 78, lists the Union II Corps casualties as 650 killed and wounded, 1,742 captured; VI Corps casualties as 150. on the Confederate side, Trudeau, p. 80, lists Mahone's casualties as 421, Wilcox's 151.