general grant's headquarters at city point

Guilty! This gem, right in our backyard, has long been overlooked, passed by myself, a wonderment as to what it was -- with a recent visit, that's all changed."City Point" was recognized early on by native people for the excellence of its location at the confluence of the of the Appomattox and James Rivers for the abundance of fish, wildlife and vegetation in the marshes and sitting on the promitory.Later, that same vantage point and richness drew the development of an expansive plantation: Appomattox Manor.The location also played a strategic role in Ulysses S. Grant's plans for the Union army against the Confederacy: a crucial logistics hub for supplies supporting the war effort on two fronts, up the James to Richmond, and from expanded rail to Petersburg. City Point and the associated wharfs and port, war-effort infrastructure, became the largest in the world at the time -- who knew?! Addtionally, a huge field hospital complex was contructed through which 70,000 patients passed with a very low mortality rate.Don't be guilty as I of overlooking the "gems" in your backyard. Rich history awaits!

Great water views from several locations on the property with lots of informative signs. We were there during late afternoon so we did not take the tour that is offered but hoping to go back in the Spring for a longer visit and take the tour. We only spent about 30 minutes walking around the pier and at another parking lot that provided additional water views. It was definitely worth the stop and we only saw a small portion of it.

This site is one that is not well attended. It was somewhat out of the way and the surrounding neighborhoods seemed to be run down. The house on the property was so pretty and also massive. We did not tour the house but the view is unbelievable. The only cabin still on the property is Grant's headquarters, which we found out had been moved from the original location. It was nice to see the view and see where Grant stayed during part of the war, but I don't think it was worth the drive.

General Grant's Headquarters at City Point is a section of the Petersburg National Battlefield and easily assessable for those who come from the Eastern Front portion of the battlefield. It is not as well known or visited, however the site was the critical lynchpin for the Union army's logistical effort during the siege of Petersburg. While the site itself is not that large, there remains a lot to see and worth a visit.To get to the site you drive through a historic neighborhood. There remains several old homes that played a role during the war. While they are now private residences, there are interpretive signs describing the importance of the house and area. This section of the city was also where Marry Todd Lincoln, the US President's wife, was hurt in a carriage accident which affected her behavior from that time forward. You can either walk through the neighborhood prior to visiting Grant's headquarters or afterwards.Once at Grant's headquarters at City Point you should start in the Appomattox Plantation where you can watch a fifteen minute film and walk through the house. The film provides a brief history of the siege and the Union's supply base at City Point. A volunteer walked us through the house once the video finished. There are exhibits on City point as well as rooms made up to how they were when the Epps family lived there. General Grant did not stay in the house, but instead stayed in a small cabin next door. The Union quartermaster made the main house his residence and headquarters.While the building that was used as Grant's headquarters was not open to the public, the buildings next to the main house were. You had the opportunity to walk through the ground floors of the kitchen and laundry. Otherwise the remaining grounds is an open field. When I visited was during the 150th anniversary of the Confederate sabotage operation against the wharf where they blew up a ship filled with ammunition. As such there were special events and tours going on throughout the day. The tours were also available during other times of the year as well.The wharf where the explosion occurred is a short walk down the street from Grant's headquarters. General Grant was at his headquarters, but it was far enough away where he was not in danger. There is nothing left of the wharf and is a city park today which is jointly administered by the city and the National Park Service. There are signs along the waterfront explaining the waterfront. There is a parking lot at the waterfront as well for those who do not want to walk the couple hundred feet or so.I would highly recommend visiting City Point and Grant's headquarters as part of your tour of the Petersburg National Battlefield. It adds to your knowledge of the siege and logistics operations for one of the busiest ports in the world at the that time during the war.