Which battle was this ?

[tcurrier]

I have a newspaper clipping announcing my great great great uncle's death on
April 7, 1865. He was a substitute and was only 19 years old.
Anyone know which battle this actually was? Wasn't it the last battle
of the Civil War ?

 

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[jeff of pa]

April 7, 1865 ?


Battle of High Bridge ?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_High_Bridge


only a Guess Googling the Date Referred to in the article

 

[tcurrier]

When I google that date I come up with the battle of Farmville. He was killed near Petersburg, which is about 70 miles from Farmville. That is where my confusion is ...

 

[fyrffytr1]

Since the state of Wyoming didn't exist during the civil war your ancestor would have been from a Wyoming county. There is one in Pennsylvania and another in West Virginia and one in New York.
Maybe you can research the civil war records from these counties. Is the name D. Clayton?

 

[Mackaydon]

There was battle at Berksville Junction on 4 April 1865 during a retreat from Petersburg, Virginia in which a Company B of the 20th Georgia participated.
Don.....

 

[tcurrier]

The battle at Berksville Junction is a very good possibility, since that location is mentioned in the newspaper article.
The date is off by one day, though. (Apr 4th vs. Apr 5th). Not that important. Just wondered if I could narrow it down
somehow. (He was from Wyoming County, Pennsylvania)

 

[jeff of pa]

Clayton D. Grist


Son of Chester and Amanda (Bowman) Grist
Born: 1845 - Grist Flats, Mehoopany, Wyoming County, PA Died: April 7, 1865 Civil War, Battle of Petersburg, VA Buried: Poplar Grove National Cemetery, Petersburg, VA



Clayton D. Grist

 

[tcurrier]

Thanks, but I posted that on the internet a couple years ago

Clayton D. Grist


Son of Chester and Amanda (Bowman) Grist
Born: 1845 - Grist Flats, Mehoopany, Wyoming County, PA Died: April 7, 1865 Civil War, Battle of Petersburg, VA Buried: Poplar Grove National Cemetery, Petersburg, VA

View attachment 1200403

Clayton D. Grist

 

[tcurrier]

But the 'Battle of Petersburg' was supposedly fought in 1864, not 1865. Part
of the confusion here ;-)

http://www.civilwar.org/battlefields/petersburg.html?referrer=https://www.google.com/

 

[jeff of pa]

But the 'Battle of Petersburg' was supposedly fought in 1864, not 1865. Part
of the confusion here ;-)

The Battle of Petersburg Summary & Facts | Civilwar.org

Have you checked any other Sources ? 1864 Could be an Error ?
I would believe when it comes to Dates, & places Original News Articles would be more trustworthy then
Historians copying things down 100+ years later

 

[PArebel]

Hello,
I am not an expert on the Civil War by any means.
Gen Grant was given command of all Union forces in 1864 and stayed in the East to fight Gen Lee and the ANV. Grant's order to Gen Meade was for the AOP to get between the ANV and Richmond to make Lee fight in the open. That did not work. After three major battles[The Wilderness, Spotsysvania[my apologies on the spelling], and Cold Harbor Grant and Meade decided against any further head on attacks.
The Army of the Potomac withdrew from Cold Harbor in June 1864 and again tried to get between Richmond and the ANV to force Lee to come out and fight in the open. The AOP attack Petersburg but were unable to break through the Confederate defenses.
This resulted in the siege of Petersburg, VA which lasted until April 1865, when the Confederate lines were broken, Lee retreated and was forced to surrender at Appomattox Courthouse.
There were many separate battles around Petersburg and the Battle for the Weldon Railroad was one of them.
Hope this helps.

 

[geologyjohn]

From History of Pennsylvania Volunteers 1861-1865 by Samuel P. Bates:

Clayton D. Grist enlisted as a Private on 8/29/1864. Mustered as a Substitute on that date into Co. B., 81st Pa. Vols. Killed at Farmville on 4/7/1865.

Hope this helps, Geologyjohn

 

[tcurrier]

Thanks Jeff. A distant cousin of mine just posted this link on Facebook. He seems
think it's the Battle of High Bridge also !

The Battle of High Bridge Summary & Facts | Civilwar.org

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

Perhaps the info at the webpage below will help you. It tells the entire 1861-1865 history of the yankee infantry regiment (81st PA Volunteer Infantry Reg't) your ancestor was serving in when he was Killed-In-Action. No, it wasn't the last battle of the civil war, but the regiment's history webpage says it was the last combat action of that regiment.
81st Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers

 

[Diver_Down]

Clayton D. Grist


Son of Chester and Amanda (Bowman) Grist
Born: 1845 - Grist Flats, Mehoopany, Wyoming County, PA Died: April 7, 1865 Civil War, Battle of Petersburg, VA Buried: Poplar Grove National Cemetery, Petersburg, VA

View attachment 1200403

Clayton D. Grist

An old post - I know. But this brought back some memories as I lived in Mehoopany for awhile. Grist Flats is where an orchard (mostly apple) is today.

 

[tlh2865]

I know that I am way tardy to the party on this one, but as a resident of Farmville I thought I could shed some light on this one. Battle of High Bridge would have been winding down more on the seventh, the action shifted north to Cumberland Church after the Yanks managed to take the bridge. Big battletook place at the church (conservatively 12,000 men each dug in on both sides), before the Confederate army pulled out and made for Appomattox when Union reinforcements came up.