Paper Summary:

This paper explains that the Confederacy's loss of the battles of Fort Stedman and of Five Forks led to the capture of Petersburg and Richmond by the Union forces during the Civil War. Next, the author relates that, although Lee's offensive may have been well thought out, it was poorly executed resulting in the Confederate defeat at Fort Stedman, which was a devastating blow to the South. The paper details the Battle of Five Forks, which was fought between General Sheridan on the Union side and General Pickett on the Confederate side, ending in the "Waterloo of the Confederacy" as Lincoln's victory. The paper includes several colored maps of the battles.

From the Paper:

"General Warren, who was in charge of the Union's V Corps, took longer than expected in situating his troops. Because of the lull, around three o'clock, General Pickett decided to take up an invitation to a shad bake that was happening no more than a mile away from the lines and failed to inform any of the other senior officers of his departure. During the affair, Pickett and a couple other generals enjoyed their feast and more than likely enjoyed a few glasses of brandy. Around 3:30, Custer and the rest of the cavalry's attack on Pickett's front allowed Sheridan to pinpoint the Confederates strengths and weaknesses and remodel his strategy."

Sample of Sources Used:

• "Five Forks." Petersburg National Park Service. Retrieved from http://www.nps.gov/archive/pete/mahan/eduhistbtlff.html.
• "Fort Stedman." Petersburg National Park Service. Retrieved from http://www.nps.gov/pete/historyculture/fort-stedman-the-collapse.htm
• Bearss, Ed and Chris Calkins. Battle of Five Forks. Lynchburg, Virginia: H. E. Howard, Inc. 1985.
• Catton, Bruce. A Stillness at Appomattox. New York: Doubleday and Company, Inc., 1953.
• Chamberlain, Joshua Lawrence. The Passing of the Armies. Dayton, Ohio: Morningside Bookshop, 1974.

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