As General Robert E. Lee’s Army stalled General Grant’s Overland Campaign in Petersburg in 1864, Grant dispatched the Union cavalry to employ cunning tactics to block enemy supply lines. This driving tour follows the work of General James H. Wilson and General August V. Kautz’s cavalry divisions from Petersburg to points west.
A companion to the Lee’s Retreat Driving Tour, the Wilson-Kautz Raid is a self-guided tour through the many sites ravaged by the Union cavalry as they sought to deny Lee’s Army use of the South Side, Richmond and Danville Railroads. They destroyed track, buildings, supplies and rolling stock over several days, all the while defending advances from their rear by Confederate cavalry commander General W.H.F. “Rooney” Lee. Sites include Petersburg National Battlefield, Staunton River Battlefield State Park and Halifax Courthouse.
Plan your journey at the Heartland Regional Visitor Center where brochures and maps are available, as well as recommendations for dining and lodging. Along the trail, you will find 32 stops with detailed interpretation, allowing you to follow at your own pace. The trail is neither chronological or linear, so you can begin anywhere.
Petersburg National BattlefieldSite of the nearly 10-month siege for control of Petersburg rail lines, the park encompasses a large area with battlefield sites and visitor centers.
Staunton River Battlefield State ParkRelive the Civil War Battle of the Old Men and Young Boys at this historic site in Halifax County.
This full color brochure details the Wilson-Kautz Raid trail with map and historical notes.
DOWNLOAD A PDF of the Lee’s Retreat brochure
DOWNLOAD A MAP of the Wilson-Kautz Raid Route
The complete brochure from Virginia Civil War Trails