Dinwiddie Court House

In June 1864, to deny Gen. Robert E. Lee the use of the South Side R.R. and the Richmond and Danville R.R., Gen, Ulysses S. Grant sent Gen. James H. Wilson and Gen. August V. Kautz south of Petersburg on a cavalry raid to destroy track and rolling stock. After burning stores at Ream’s Station on June 22, the Federals rode south for eight miles to make the Confederates think the Weldon R.R. (to N.C.) was the object of the raid. Wilson’s men turned west to Dinwiddie Court House to intersect the South Side R.R. Gen. W.H.F. “Rooney” Lee’s Confederate cavalry harassed Wilson’s rear guard from Ream’s Station for ten miles to this place. The Confederates reported taking at least ten prisoners. The Federals remained here until 4 p.m., destroying some county records and appropriating local livestock before turning north toward the South Side R.R.