A siege meant that you were surrounded so you can’t run away from the battle. The Siege of Petersburg was important because it was the last big battle of the Civil war. They built a 511-foot tunnel. It was the longest tunnel ever built in a North America war.

Meanwhile 200 ships a day delivered supplies and directly too the Union forces.

Grant built a 2,200-foot bridge to cross-James River Grant tried to take control of two railroads. One was the Weldon railroad that connected Lee with Wilmington, North Carolina and the outside world, the other was the South Railroad, that ran to Lynchburg, Virginia. On August 18^th federal forces occupied a mile of the Weldon Railroad. Petersburg was now half encircled.

Lee rushed reinforcements to Petersburg from the army of North Virginia. They attacked from left and right on June 18.

Grant finally realized he couldn’t destroy Lee’s army without surrounding him. They dug trenches around the city. Lee did the same. The deadly siege of Petersburg began on June 20^th and dragged on for nine long months.

Union troops tried several times to break through the Confederate line. The most unusual attempt occurred when northern engineers dug a 511-foot tunnel under the Confederate lines and set off a bomb at the end.