Predawn March 25, 1865 Confederate General Robert E. Lee launches his final grand assault on the Union lines in an effort to break free of Grants stranglehold which was tightening its grip around Petersburg. If successful, Lee's plan was to join forces with General Johnston in North Carolina, defeat Sherman, and then turn around and defeat Grant. There were really no other options for Lee at this point. His army was waning in strength and only had one remaining supply line coming in. Lee is quoted as saying, "There seemed to be but one thing we could do--fight. To stand still was death." Despite a successful start, the assault would ultimately be a failure for the South and would lead to the fall of Petersburg into Union hands. Stay tuned for more videos from the Petersburg National Battlefield! I hope you found this video interesting and thought provoking. Until next time, we are, alive in history! Thanks for watching.

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