Battle of Globe Tavern, 18–21 August 1864

Background. The Wilmington and Weldon Railroad, originally chartered as the Wilmington and Raleigh Railroad in 1834, connected Wilmington to Petersburg, Virginia, via Weldon, North Carolina. By 1864, this line was a vital Confederate supply route. Union Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant, who had assumed command of all Union Armies in March 1864, sought to sever this railroad to weaken Confederate defenses at Petersburg.

Command. Major General Gouverneur K. Warren commanded the Union force at Globe Tavern. General P.G.T. Beauregard led the Confederate troops that attacked Warren's position. Ulysses S. Grant, as Commanding General of the Union Army, oversaw the broader strategy to cut supply lines, including the recall of the II Corps from Deep Bottom to destroy the Petersburg Railroad further south.

Outcome. Warren's forces destroyed miles of track and withstood strong attacks from Confederate troops. The battle was the second attempt to sever the Weldon Railroad during the siege. Grant's broader strategy involved cutting supply lines, which contributed to the eventual weakening of Confederate forces trapped at Petersburg by March 1865.