The night 3,700 untested black soldiers swept through Confederate batteries “like a tornado” at Petersburg

The United States Colored Troops at Petersburg

Petersburg National Battlefield in Virginia holds a powerful story about courage and proving doubters wrong. The battlefield features the U.S.C.T. Monument at Stop 3, which honors the Black soldiers who captured Battery 9 during a crucial Civil War battle.

You can also see a replica of the 6th U.S. Colored Troops regimental flag at the Eastern Front Visitor Center. These monuments commemorate June 15, 1864, when over 3,700 African American soldiers faced their first major combat test in Virginia.

Here’s how they proved their worth on the battlefield and changed military history forever.

Black Soldiers Marched While White Troops Made Fun of Them

Edward Hinks led 3,700 Black troops down Jordan Point Road toward Petersburg before dawn on June 15, 1864. These men were part of General “Baldy” Smith’s XVIII Corps but hadn’t yet fought in Virginia.

White soldiers openly laughed at them, betting they would run at the first shot. Many officers doubted former slaves could fight against Confederate veterans.

Duncan’s brigade alone brought about 2,200 fighters to the field, all ready to prove themselves in their first real battle.

Confederate Horsemen Blocked The Road With Cannon Fire

Three miles from Broadway crossing, the Black regiments hit an unexpected fight.

Confederate cavalry under Dennis Ferebee set up a roadblock at Baylor’s Farm with 850 riders and guns on high ground. The wet woods broke up the USCT formations as they tried to move forward.

Confusion spread when the Black troops faced enemy fire, and some Union regiments accidentally shot each other. The 22nd USCT lost many men but kept pushing, finally taking a Confederate cannon.

General Smith Crawled Through Brush To Scout Enemy Positions

General Smith, still sick from dysentery caught at Cold Harbor, spent two hours scouting the Dimmock Line on foot. He saw strong earthworks but noticed only 2,200 Confederates under Henry Wise held them.

After this careful look, Smith talked with his commanders for two more hours to plan the attack.

Learning from the bloodbath at Cold Harbor days earlier, he told the first attacking line to spread out to cut down losses from Confederate fire.

Untested Troops Got The Toughest Assignment

Smith pushed his attack to 7:00 p. m., waiting for Hancock’s Second Corps to arrive as backup.

He put the USCT division on the left flank, directly facing Battery 9, a strong Confederate position guarding the junction of two roads. This choice put the untested Black troops in a key spot.

Smith set his second line of troops for a heavy attack once the first line moved forward.

Union Artillery Pounded The Earthworks Before The Charge

Just after 6:20 p. m., Union artillery opened with a loud barrage that confused the Confederate defenders and silenced their guns.

For fifteen minutes, Smith’s cannons hammered the Confederate Dimmock Line, creating chaos among the Southern troops. The shelling lasted about twenty minutes total.

Around 7:15 p. m., the infantry of XVIII Corps moved across the field together, with the Black troops marching in perfect formation despite never doing so under fire before.

First-Time Fighters Captured Two Batteries In Minutes

The Black regiments moved forward and easily took Batteries 7 and 8 in their first push. The 1st USCT stormed Battery 6 with little fight, though Battery 7 proved harder at first.

Major John Cook led four companies of the 22nd USCT to the base of Battery 7, finding a spot where Confederate gunners couldn’t aim low enough to hit them.

Cook’s men slid north along the fort, found a weak spot, and rushed in to take Battery 7.

Troops Turned Weapons Into Climbing Tools

The 4th USCT under Lt. Col. George Rogers hurried to help at Battery 8 but found Union troops already in control. Rogers quickly turned to the tough Battery 9 instead.

The 1st USCT joined them on their left as they pushed through thick brush and barriers. Facing steep walls, the soldiers showed great problem-solving.

They stuck their bayonets into the dirt walls to make step-ladders, helping them climb the steep front slope to reach the top.

Southern Defenders Ran From The Charging Soldiers

The USCT charged Battery 9 with fierce drive, catching the Confederates by surprise.

Colonel Rogers and the 4th USCT came from the northeast, forcing the outnumbered Southerners to leave their position rather than face the oncoming Black soldiers.

In their quick retreat, the Confederates also ran from Battery 10 to the east.

Christian Fleetwood of the 4th USCT later wrote that they “swept like a tornado over the works,” taking guns and prisoners.

Nightfall Couldn’t Stop Their Advance

As darkness covered the battlefield, Colonel Samuel Duncan arrived with fresh troops from his 5th and 6th USCT regiments to keep moving forward.

The Confederates, shocked by the unexpected fierceness of the Black troops, gave up Battery 11 too. In just two hours of nearly non-stop fighting, these new USCT regiments had taken almost a mile of enemy trenches.

The winning troops cheered loudly, many shouting “Fort Pillow! ” referring to the recent killing of Black soldiers.

Petersburg Lay Open After The Evening Attack

The Confederate forces lost about 325 men, mostly taken prisoner, along with 16 valuable artillery pieces during the evening attack.

Smith’s attack successfully captured Batteries 3 through 12 of the Dimmock line, clearing a path to Petersburg.

The thin Confederate defense couldn’t hold, forcing General Beauregard to pull back his remaining troops and quickly dig a new defensive line behind Harrison Creek.

The road to Petersburg now stood wide open after the USCT’s success.

Skeptical Commanders Ate Their Words

The USCT suffered 378 casualties that day but proved beyond doubt they were capable combat soldiers.

General Smith, who had dismissed the black troops before the battle, completely changed his tune in his official report, declaring they had “no superiors as soldiers.”

Smith personally congratulated General Hinks, telling him “this is a stronger position than Missionary Ridge.”

The victory made such an impression that John Rawlins, Grant’s chief of staff, dropped his long-standing opposition to using black troops in major battles.

The men of the USCT had forever changed perceptions with their courage under fire.

Visiting Petersburg National Battlefield

Petersburg National Battlefield tells the story of 3,700 Black soldiers who proved themselves in combat on June 15, 1864. It’s completely free to visit at 5001 Siege Road.

The Eastern Front Visitor Center is open daily from 9am to 5pm where you can watch the 20-minute film “Endurance Without Relief” that plays every half hour.

You can join ranger programs when available or take the 33-mile self-guided driving tour that connects 13 important sites across three visitor centers.

This battlefield preserves where African American troops first fought in large-scale combat in Virginia.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

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