Five Forks Battlefield

Five Forks Battlefield is the area where, late in the American Civil War, General Grant's troops broke the extended lines of General Lee's Confederate forces, cutting the last rail line supporting Petersburg, causing the Confederates to abandon that city, and in turn undermining the defense of Richmond. Final surrender of the Confederate forces would occur at Appomatox Courthouse two weeks later.

Battle
In the battle on April 1, 1865, Union troops under Warren, Hancock and others broke through Pickett's lines.

Commemoration
The battle area was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1960.

The battlefield area nearly all the area of fighting, and it includes a home named "Burnt Quarter". It includes the location of a shad bake (a fish feast), where General Pickett, unaware of the battle going on, was entertained. It is reported that unusual cloud conditions prevented the sound of artillery from carrying as far as it usually would.