Battle of the Crater, 9 month seige of Petersburg, Virginia
One of the most intense moments in America’s history took place here. It was here during a 9-month long attack/siege of Petersburg, Virginia that Yankee troops secretly tunneled under the Confederate defensive position and set off 8,000lbs of explosives, instantly killing nearly 300 Confederates and leaving a huge crater still seen today. Incredibly, despite the surprise attack, initial losses, and being outnumbered, the remaining Confederates rallied to inflict over twice as many casualties on the Yankees; 3,800 Yankee vs 1,500 Confederate casualties. The Confederacy’s win at this battle further preserved and saved this city and others from invasion until a later time. The explosion and subsequent battle, now known as “Battle of the Crater” is depicted in the movie “Cold Mountain” and appears like a scene from the movie 1917 (link below). Many are surprised to discover that trench warfare largely originated during the War between the States and was just as brutal on American soil