High Bridge, VA

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While the Battle of Sailor's Creek was happening on April 6, 1865, the Battle of High Bridge was happening nearby on April 6 and 7, 1865. The April 6 action was a successful attempt to hold the bridge open to allow part of Lee's army to retreat westward from Richmond and Petersburg. The April 7 action was an unsuccessful attempt to destroy the bridge to keep pursuing Union troops from crossing it and the Appomattox River.

The picture above is the Appomattox River taken in June 2022 from the modern bridge which is a popular hiking and biking trail. The old bridge is long gone but there are sections of the original pilings remaining down below.

High Bridge

The Civil War Battle of High Bridge on April 6 and 7, 1865 near Farmville, Virginia, was part of Lee's retreat to Appomattox.

stonesentinels.com

 

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The only decent shot I got of the old bridge pilings. Even though only the base of some of them are wartime, according to the link below work on the old pilings began immediately after the war and the trains were crossing High Bridge again beginning in September 1865. Not sure "pilings" is the correct term. Trestles might be the correct term. I saw the word "pillars" used too.

The Burning of High Bridge

Railroads were the super highways of the 19th century and played a critical role during the final days of the Civil War in Virginia.

www.dcr.virginia.gov

 

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The other end of High Bridge 18 minutes after I started on it. I walked all the way across it. I never saw the way to get down to the bottom to see what's left of the original pilings. The whole visit was a quick one and was added to the day's itinerary the night before. I couldn't resist being so close and not going. It turned out to be the highlight of the morning for me.

 

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Some of the original earthwork fortifications protecting High Bridge are still there. I wasn't aware of that before my visit.

 

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