In 1865, the Union victory at Five Forks doomed the Confederate capital
The Battle of Five Forks in 1865 shattered the Confederate defense of Petersburg, forcing General Robert E. Lee into a desperate retreat that would lead to the end of the American Civil War.
Major General Philip Sheridan led a decisive Union charge at the Battle of Five Forks on April 1, 1865. By capturing this vital crossroads, the Union army severed the final supply line to the city of Petersburg. This defeat inflicted over 2,900 casualties and left the Confederate capital of Richmond completely vulnerable.
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