Editing Siege of Petersburg (section)

===Second Reams Station (August 25)===
{{Further|Second Battle of Ream's Station}}

Grant wanted the Weldon line closed permanently by destroying {{convert|14|mi|km}} of track from Warren's position near Globe Tavern as far south as Rowanty Creek (about {{convert|3|mi|km}} north of the town of [[Stony Creek, Virginia|Stony Creek]]). He assigned the operation to Hancock's II Corps, which was in the process of moving south from their operation at Deep Bottom. While Hancock's corps was exhausted from their efforts north of the James and their forced march south, Warren's troops were tasked with extending the fortifications at Globe Tavern. Grant augmented Hancock's corps with Gregg's cavalry division. Gregg's division departed on August 22. After driving off Confederate pickets, they and the II Corps infantry division commanded by Brigadier General [[Nelson A. Miles]]{{efn|Temporarily commanding Barlow's division.<ref>Welcher, p. 334</ref>}} destroyed the railroad tracks to within {{convert|2|mi|km}} of Reams Station. Early on August 23, Hancock's other division, commanded by Gibbon, occupied Reams Station, taking up positions in earthworks that had been constructed by the Union cavalry during the Wilson–Kautz Raid in June.<ref>Horn, p. 141; Trudeau, pp. 176–79, 182; Kennedy, p. 360; Salmon, pp. 426–27.</ref>

Lee considered that the Union troops at Reams Station represented not only a threat to his supply line, but also to the county seat of [[Dinwiddie County, Virginia|Dinwiddie County]]. If [[Dinwiddie, Virginia|Dinwiddie Court House]] were to fall, the Confederates would be forced to evacuate both Petersburg and Richmond because it represented a key point on the army's potential withdrawal route. He also saw an opportunity—that he could impose a strategic defeat upon the Union Army shortly before the presidential election in November. Lee ordered Hill to take the overall command of a combined cavalry and infantry force of 8,000–10,000 men.<ref>Trudeau, pp. 179, 181–86; Salmon, p. 428; Davis, p. x; Horn, p. 141.</ref>

Wilcox's division assaulted the Union position at about 2 p.m. on August 25. Despite launching two attacks, Wilcox was driven back by Miles's division, which was manning the northern part of the earthworks. To the south, Gibbon's division was blocking the advance of Hampton's cavalry, which had swept around the Union line. Confederate reinforcements from Heth's and Mahone's divisions arrived while the Confederate artillery bombarded the Union position. The final attack began around 5:30&nbsp;p.m. against Miles's position and it broke through the northwest corner of the Union fortifications. Hancock galloped from one threatened point to the next, attempting to rally his men. As he witnessed the men of his corps reluctant to retake their positions from the enemy, he remarked to a colonel, "I do not care to die, but I pray God I may never leave this field." By this time, Hampton's cavalry was making progress against Gibbon's infantry to the south, launching a surprise dismounted attack that caused many of Gibbon's men to flee or surrender. This allowed Hampton to flank Miles. Hancock ordered a counterattack, which provided time to allow for an orderly Union withdrawal to Petersburg after dark.<ref>Salmon, p. 428; Horn, pp. 141–50; Calkins, np.; Kennedy, pp. 360–62; Trudeau, pp. 183–88; Davis, pp. 105–09.</ref>

The Union suffered approximately 2,700 casualies and the Confederate approximately 800.<ref>Trudeau, p. 189. Kennedy, p. 362, cites 2,742 Union casualties, 814 Confederate. Salmon, p. 428, cites 2,700 Union casualties, about 2,000 of which were captured, and "about 800" Confederate. Eicher, p. 725, cites Union casualties of 2,372 (with "many" prisoners), Confederate 720. Horn, p. 151, cites "more than 2,700" Union, 720 Confederate. Davis, p. 109, cites 2,400 Union casualties, 2,150 of which were prisoners.</ref> Although the Confederates had won a clear victory, they had lost a vital piece of the Weldon Railroad. From this point on they were only able to transport supplies by rail on this line as far north as the Stony Creek Depot, {{convert|16|mi|km}} south of Petersburg. From there, supplies then had to be unloaded and tranported by wagon to Petersburg. The [[Southside Railroad (Virginia)|South Side Railroad]] was the only railroad left to directly supply Petersburg and Lee's army.<ref>Trudeau, p. 190; Calkins, np.; Kennedy, p. 362.</ref>