War on the Bridge

Campaign History, Camp Paradise, the Life of a Soldier

The High Bridge Trail’s significance comes from a great majority of its military history. The trail and the railroad played a noteworthy part in the Civil War and were used as a backdrop for some of the final events. During the final days of the war, while Robert E. Lee was retreating, the Northern Virginia Army was taking a course through Petersburg while parts of the army headed around areas such as High Bridge. The men residing around High Bridge took shelter in a fort known as Camp Paradise. Built with slave labor and used by the army, the fort served as a midway point between high bridge and Appomattox. Conditions at the battle of High Bridge were rough and men fell ill to, “Lice, blistered feet, and gnawing hunger” (Reflections on High Bridge by William M. Vatavuk).

Lee’s Retreat and the Burning of the Bridge

General Lee and his troops were in desperate need of getting over from the Appomattox side of the trail to the city of Farmville in order to restock on food and other needed supplies. To halt Lee’s army from retreating into Farmville, the Confederate army set fire to the historic bridge. Sergeant Charles G. claimed that during his experience of the burning bridge, “Men forgot all rules and discipline in the enthusiasm of the moment” (History of the Fourteenth Regiment by Charles D. Page). The burning of the bridge was an extremely violent event as the fires burned upon the bridge, union soldiers used whatever tools they could find to try and put out the fire. The battle of High Bridge was a major point in the war as its occurrence led to the later events in Appomattox The battle was called by historians, “One of the most glorious victories ever achieved in our history” (The Battle at High Bridge by Edward T. Bouvé).

***Continue across High Bridge to visit Camp Paradise

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References

Text:

Edward T. Bouvé, Civil War Papers: Read Before The Commandery Of The State Of Massachusetts, Military Order Of The Loyal Legion Of The United States Volume II (Boston: MCM, 2012).

William M. Vatavuk, Reflections On High Bridge (N.P).

Charles D. Page, History of the Fourteenth Regiment, Connecticut Vol. Infantry (Connecticut: The Horton Printing Co., 1906)

John Day Smith, The History of the Nineteenth Regiment of Maine Volunteer Infantry 1862-1865 (Minnesota: The Great Western Printing Company, 1909)

Online Sources:

https://www.battlefields.org/visit/heritage-sites/high-bridge-trail-state-park

https://www.battlefields.org/learn/civil-war/battles/high-bridge

Images:

Caldwell, Harry. "Davis on Bridge," 2019

O'Sullivan, Timothy H., "High bridge of the South Side Railroad across the Appomattox," 1865. Library of Congress. https://www.loc.gov/item/2012649849/