The Para-Historical Research Group

The rear of the Hillsman House, location of Union Artillery. 

Union Infantry staged here prior to storming across the creek.  The Hillsman House is in the distance in the center of the photo.  Cannons staged in the yard bombarded the rebel positions beyond for about 30-45 minutes prior to the Union Infantry assault. In the late morning of April 6th, near here, Confederate Coloniel Crutchfield took a shell through himself and his horse here during a council or war with Generals Ewell and Anderson.  He said, "tell my wife I died at the front." His body was probably buried in the woodline to the left in the photo below, along with many other confederate dead probably buried by Union troops.

click for full history of the battle

Below is little sailor's creek (Big Sailor's Creek merges with its little brother at Double Bridge, approximately 2 miles North of here where CSA John B. Gordon saw hell).  CSA Coloniel Crutchfield would have been watering his horse here to the left when fate struck.  Union Infantry crossed all along this line in attacking the Ewell's confederates which formed lines of battle about 100 yards to the left.  After a CSA rifle volley stunned the advancing Federals temporarily, the green administrative troops of Ewell (who had just come from desk jobs in Richmond) charged the Federals here and got trounced.  Thier dead and wounded piled up along the road, which runs along the back of this photo wher you can no longer see the creek.  On April 6th, 1865, note that this creek would have been much higher, possibly up to four feet deep.

Battle quick Summary:  April 6th, 1865

The black day of the confederate army, Sailor's (Saylor'S) creek, consisted of three battles going on simultaneously. The  Federal Cavalry of Sheridan caught up with CSA General Anderson at Marshall crossroads. The main Federal Infantry elements caught up with Ewells columns as Ewell was  attempting to get his columns across little Sailor's Creek.  In the third battle, Ewell turned one of his columns of wagons up the Jamestown road toward the Appomattox, with tough old General John B. Gordon being pursued by Union General Humphries. Anderson fought Sheridan hard at Marshalls crossroads but eventually was forced from the field. Those troops who werent killed or badly wounded escaped though the woods to Farmville. Ewell wasnt so lucky. Most of his troops were green administrators from Richmond, along with a contingent of sailors, incuding thier Admiral (its a fact). After a 30-45 minute Union artillery barrage all along the opposite bank of the creek (Ewell had no answer as he had no artillery pieces) Union infantry lined up along the creek (see photos), crossed the swollen 2-4 foot steam, and began the assault up the opposite bank of Sailor's creek.  The first confederate volley, fired at the Federals knees, was successful and Union infantry fell back temporarily to the creek. Then, the admin troops (without order) for some reason charged the creek. They were decimated upon reaching it, outnumbered and outgunned by veteran Union troops. The affair degenerated into a hand to hand struggle along these banks and up the opposite slope, with men fighting with knives, bayonets, swords, some even biting eachothers faces, ears, and throats in desperate struggles. Eventually the line collapsed, and as Ewell tried to regroup the men he realized his entire column was surrounded in blue. Sheridans Cavalry from Marshalls crossroads now reigned down on Ewell's men like bats from hell in the rear while the Union infantry continued thier assault in his front. In the end, most of the comand on these banks surrendered, including Confederate generals Richard S. Ewell, Barton, Simms, Kershaw, Custis Lee, Dubose, Hunton, and Corse.  Some 3,000 troops were surrendered here, the largest surrender on American soil in History.

General Gordon fared somewhat better. After running from the federals up the Jamestown road, one of the bridges collapsed at Double Bridges. The columns were forced to halt as troops and black confederate "teamsters" tried to improvise a crossing.  As mules and horses drowned in the mire and mud of the creek (caused by the heavy spring rains) Gordon's men had to turn and fight the Federals head on for about an hour at Lockett House (see photos). Gordon's troops got pushed from their position at the house and to the confluence of Big and Little Sailor's creek at Double bridge (see photos).  Gordon had to abandon many wagons before his battered columns managed to escape to High Bridge and then Farmville, but not before losing 1700 troops, mostly captured, and about 300 wagons to the Federals. 

This day was considered the death knell of the Confederate army. Lee would surrender at Appomattox days later.

B.Huddleston

click for full history of the battle

Union artillery at the Hillsman house blasted the confederates massed on the south bank of Sailor's creek which is in the distant woodline in the background of the cannon at left.

The Hillsman House was used as a hospital during the battle. Union artillery was placed to the left in the field, not far from the house.  The Hillsman's stayed in the basement, keeping linens warm for surgical use and baking bread. The elder Hillsmam, a confederate soldier, was not here for the battle, having been taken prisoner by the Union some time earlier in the year. The basement is now the National Park Service Gift Shop.  Many paranormal investigators and "sensitives" claim this house to be a hotbed of activity. 

 Ewell's Position. Ewell and his rag tag army of admin clerks, green Richmond troops, and even a contingent of CSA Naval troops with theri Admiral, staged here and made a stand. Sailor's creek runs left and right in the woodline to the extreme rear of the photo. Ewell's troops made a charge down the slopes to the bank at the woodline and got trounced. A second Union advance up this hill in front of you bashed the Rebel line here after fierce hand to hand combat. Ewell surrended with his entire command.

Holt's Crossroads, where  Gen. Humphries Union infantry smashed into the rear of  Ewells columns. Ewell sent CSA Gen. John B. Gordon with hundreds of wagons and men down the Jamestown Road  (to the right in the photo) toward Double Bridges about 2 miles north of here.  The rest of Ewell's columns were lined up along the road which bends to the right rear of the photo toward Little Sailor's creek. 

click for full history of the battle

Gen. Gordon's heavily outgunned confederates made a stand here in the afternoon, then retreated about a quarter mile down the hill to the left of this house to Double Bridges.

Bullet holes scar the facade of this old house, bearing silent testimony to the fighting which took place as the Lockett family hid in the basement.

click for full history of the battle

A cool site and a must-see for those interested in battlefield hauntings

Gen. Gordon's heavily outgunned confederates made a stand here in the afternoon, then retreated about a quarter mile down the hill to the left of this house to Double Bridges.

click here to leave us an email.

click for full history of the battle

Bullet holes scar the facade of this old house, bearing silent testimony to the fighting which took place as the Lockett family hid in the basement.