Battle of Hatcher's Run

Battle of Hatcher's Run
Part of the American Civil War
Actions of the Fifth Corps, February 5–7, 1865
Date February 5–7, 1865 Location Dinwiddie County, Virginia Result Union victory
Belligerents
United States (Union)	CSA (Confederacy)
Commanders and leaders
Ulysses S. Grant George G. Meade Andrew A. Humphreys Gouverneur K. Warren	Robert E. Lee Ambrose P. Hill John Brown Gordon
Strength
43,317	~14,700
Casualties and losses
1,539 total (171 killed, 1181 wounded, 187 captured)[1]	~1,000 total

The Battle of Hatcher's Run (also known as the Battle of Dabney's Mill) took place from February 5 to 7, 1865, during the American Civil War. Fighting occurred at several locations in Dinwiddie County, Virginia, southwest of Petersburg. The battle was part of the Petersburg Campaign and constituted Union Commander-in-Chief Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant's 8th Offensive. On February 5, Grant and his Army of the Potomac commander Maj. Gen. George G. Meade sent Maj. Gen. David McMurtrie Gregg’s cavalry division to disrupt a Confederate supply line along Boydton Plank Road around Dinwiddie Court House. However, Gregg discovered that the Confederates had largely abandoned the supply route. Later that day, under Gen. Robert E. Lee’s guidance, Confederate forces from Maj. Gen. John B. Gordon’s Corps and Lt. Gen. A. P. Hill’s Corps attacked one of the Union infantry forces (Maj. Gen. Andrew A. Humphreys commanding) sent to support the cavalry raid. The Federals beat back three Confederate attacks near Armstrong’s Mill. Concerned about further attacks the following day, Grant and Meade consolidated their forces around Hatcher’s Run.  

On February 6, the Union launched attacks along Vaughan Road and at Dabney’s Mill. By late afternoon the Union had cleared Vaughan Road of Confederate forces. At Dabney’s Mill, Gordon’s Confederates held up Maj. Gen Gouverneur K. Warren's Union force. During this fighting Confederate Brig. Gen. John Pegram was killed. Late in the afternoon, Confederate reinforcements commanded by Brig. Gen. Joseph Finegan arrived and routed Warren’s Union soldiers.  

The following morning (February 7), Warren sent some of his force back to the battlefield where they slowly pushed back the Confederate advanced pickets to their position at Dabney’s Mill. Late in the day, he ordered his soldiers to charge the Rebel earthworks, which resulted in failure. When the Unionists withdrew overnight, this concluded the battle.

Although not an original aim, Grant’s offensive enabled the Union to extend their lines four miles further west. This was the last Union line extension around Petersburg before the war ended. The Battle of Hatcher’s Run was the only Civil War battle fought in Virginia during a February.