The capture of Richmond by Union forces on April 3, 1865, marked a decisive turning point in the American Civil War. Confederate forces evacuated the city, setting fire to military supplies which led to a devastating fire destroying much of the business district.

The fall of Richmond on April 3, 1865 marked a pivotal moment in the American Civil War, effectively sealing the fate of the Confederacy. As the capital of the Confederate States of America, Richmond stood as a symbol of Southern resistance and served as the heart of the rebellion for nearly four years.

Union forces under General Ulysses S. Grant had long sought to capture this strategic stronghold through a series of campaigns and sieges. The city's eventual capture came after Confederate General Robert E. Lee's desperate decision to abandon Richmond's defenses, leading to a chaotic evacuation that left much of the city in flames. The Union Army's triumphant entry into Richmond signaled the beginning of the end for the Confederate cause, with Lee's surrender at Appomattox Court House following just days later.

Confederate forces evacuated Richmond during the early morning hours of April 3, 1865, setting fire to warehouses, bridges, tobacco storage facilities and arsenals. The fires spread rapidly through the city's business district, destroying 20 city blocks and leaving hundreds of buildings in ruins.

• President Jefferson Davis fled Richmond by train at 11:00 PM on April 2
• General Robert E. Lee ordered the evacuation at night to protect retreating troops
• Confederate Secretary of War John C. Breckinridge supervised the burning of military supplies
• The Army of Northern Virginia withdrew toward Amelia Court House

Union Forces Entering Richmond	Number of Troops
U.S. Colored Troops	3,000
White Infantry Units	5,000
Cavalry Detachments	1,000

• Union soldiers worked to extinguish fires throughout the business district

• Federal authorities established martial law to restore order

• U.S. Colored Troops protected Confederate residents from potential retaliation

• Major General Weitzel established headquarters in Jefferson Davis's former mansion

• The U.S. flag rose above the Virginia State Capitol at 11:30 AM

• The capture severed major Confederate supply lines

• Richmond's industrial capacity fell under Union control

• Railroad connections to the South were permanently disrupted

• Confederate government operations ceased in their capital

• Lee's Army lost its primary base of operations

The Confederate Army's defensive positions around Richmond began to crumble in March 1865 due to relentless Union pressure. Multiple strategic events unfolded rapidly, leading to the eventual fall of the Confederate capital.

Petersburg's defenses collapsed on April 2, 1865, after Union forces breached Confederate lines at Five Forks. The Confederate Army suffered 4,250 casualties during the Petersburg breakthrough, leaving their defensive positions untenable. General Lee notified President Davis at St. Paul's Episcopal Church that Petersburg would fall, making Richmond's position indefensible.

• Departure from Richmond's Manchester Station
• Initial stop in Danville, Virginia
• Movement through North Carolina
• Travel through South Carolina
• Final capture in Irwinville, Georgia on May 10, 1865

Event	Time	Location
Davis Notification	10:40 AM	St. Paul's Church
Treasury Loaded	10:00 PM	Richmond Train Station
Train Departure	11:00 PM	Manchester Station
Arrival in Danville	April 3, 1865	Danville, Virginia
Final Capture	May 10, 1865	Irwinville, Georgia

The Union Army's triumphant entry into Richmond began at dawn on April 3, 1865, as troops advanced through the smoldering city streets. The operation combined naval forces on the James River with ground troops moving from multiple directions.

Admiral David Porter led a flotilla of Union gunboats up the James River toward Richmond on April 3, 1865. The naval forces encountered significant obstacles:

• Removed 100 torpedoes from the James River shipping channel
• Navigated past five rings of underwater obstructions
• Cleared multiple Confederate battery positions along the riverbank
• Established a secure supply line for Union ground forces

Naval Support Statistics	Numbers
Union gunboats	12 vessels
Torpedoes removed	100
Defense rings cleared	5
Supply ships	8 vessels

• 5th Massachusetts Cavalry dismounted at Capitol Square
• 28th USCT secured the Virginia State Capitol building
• 29th Connecticut Infantry (Colored) secured downtown streets
• 36th USCT established control of government buildings

First Entry Units	Time of Entry
XXV Corps	8:15 AM
5th Mass Cavalry	8:30 AM
28th USCT	8:45 AM
29th CT Infantry	9:00 AM

The evacuation of Richmond triggered a devastating fire that consumed significant portions of the Confederate capital on April 3, 1865. Confederate forces initiated controlled burns that quickly spiraled into an uncontrollable inferno.

Confederate officials ordered the burning of tobacco warehouses, ammunition depots, naval vessels on the James River to prevent their capture by Union forces. The fire destroyed:

Military Assets Destroyed	Quantity
Tobacco warehouses	7
Cotton warehouses	5
Artillery shells	30,000+
Naval vessels	3
Railroad bridges	2

The flames spread to the Tredegar Iron Works, Richmond's primary military manufacturing facility, though the building survived due to its iron construction. Confederate troops also detonated the powder magazines at Brown's Island, creating massive explosions that shattered windows throughout the city.

The fire devastated Richmond's business district, destroying 900 buildings across 20 city blocks. Notable impacts included:

• Displacement of 1,000 families from their homes
• Destruction of 40 commercial establishments
• Loss of 5 banks along Main Street
• Damage to multiple churches including St. Paul's Episcopal
• Destruction of Virginia State Library containing 50,000 volumes

The fire disrupted food distribution networks, leaving many civilians without access to basic supplies. The Union Army's arrival brought relief efforts, with soldiers distributing rations to 5,000 desperate residents within 24 hours of securing the city.

The Union forces established immediate control over Richmond following its capture on April 3, 1865. Major General Godfrey Weitzel implemented strict measures to restore order and provide humanitarian assistance to the city's residents.

The Union Army instituted martial law in Richmond under Major General Weitzel's command from the Confederate White House. Military police units patrolled the streets enforcing curfews while engineering corps cleared debris from the Great Richmond Fire. Union authorities:

• Established military checkpoints at major intersections

• Created a provost marshal system to maintain civil order

• Implemented food distribution centers for civilians

• Organized firefighting brigades to prevent further destruction

• Set up military courts to handle civil disputes

• Released 2,000 enslaved people from Lumpkin's Jail slave prison

• Established freedom camps to provide shelter for newly emancipated individuals

• Distributed food rations to 4,000 formerly enslaved people

• Created employment programs through the Freedmen's Bureau

• Set up temporary schools in church buildings for African American children

Liberation Statistics	Number
Freed from Slave Jails	2,000
Food Ration Recipients	4,000
Freedom Camps Created	12
USCT Troops in Richmond	3,000

President Abraham Lincoln visited Richmond on April 4, 1865, just one day after Union forces captured the Confederate capital. Lincoln arrived aboard the USS Malvern accompanied by his son Tad who celebrated his 12th birthday that day. Admiral David Porter escorted the President with a contingent of 10 sailors armed with carbines.

The presidential party landed at Rocketts Landing where they encountered jubilant crowds of newly freed African Americans. Lincoln walked 2 miles through Richmond's streets toward the Confederate White House while thousands of former slaves gathered to celebrate shouting "Glory hallelujah!" and "God bless you, Father Abraham!"

Details of Lincoln's Richmond Visit
Date of Visit	April 4, 1865
Duration in Richmond	3 hours
Size of Security Detail	10 armed sailors
Distance Walked	2 miles
Key Locations Visited	Rocketts Landing, Confederate White House, Virginia State Capitol

Lincoln toured the Confederate Executive Mansion where Jefferson Davis lived throughout the war. He sat briefly at Davis's desk in the presidential office while Admiral Porter gathered several books as souvenirs. The President also visited the Virginia State Capitol building where Union troops maintained headquarters.

The visit marked profound symbolism as the first sitting U.S. President to enter Richmond since James Monroe in 1819. Lincoln's presence in the defeated Confederate capital demonstrated the Union's triumph while his interaction with freed slaves highlighted the war's transformation into a struggle for emancipation. He returned to Washington DC that evening aboard the USS Malvern.

• Richmond fell to Union forces on April 3, 1865, marking a decisive turning point in the Civil War and effectively sealing the Confederacy's fate
• Confederate forces evacuated the city on April 2-3, setting fire to military supplies and warehouses, which led to a devastating fire that destroyed 20 city blocks
• U.S. Colored Troops played a significant role in occupying Richmond, with 3,000 troops helping to restore order and protect Confederate residents
• President Jefferson Davis and Confederate leadership fled the city by train on April 2, eventually leading to Davis's capture in Georgia on May 10, 1865
• President Abraham Lincoln made a historic visit to Richmond on April 4, 1865, just one day after its capture, symbolizing the Union's triumph and the war's transformation into a struggle for emancipation

The capture of Richmond on April 3 1865 marked a decisive moment in the American Civil War. The fall of the Confederate capital unleashed a chain of events that rapidly accelerated the war's end. While the physical destruction from the Great Richmond Fire was devastating the city's capture held even greater symbolic importance.

The Union Army's swift actions to restore order provide humanitarian aid and liberate thousands of enslaved people demonstrated their commitment to both victory and reconstruction. President Lincoln's visit to Richmond just one day after its capture powerfully symbolized the triumph of the Union cause and the promise of a new era in American history.