South Side Station
The Retreat Begins
Begin the 26-stop auto driving tour of Gen. Robert E. Lee’s Retreat from Petersburg to Appomattox at this point. The tour covers over 100 miles and takes approximately four to five hours to complete. A map can be obtained at the nearby Visitors Center. Be sure to stop at the various pull-overs and tune your radio to AM 1610 unless otherwise noted at the sites. A three to five minute narrative will be playing which explains the importance of each location.
When Lee’s forces withdrew from Petersburg on the evening of April 2, 1865, they were instructed to destroy the South Side Railroad cars behind the station. The aftermath of that destruction is recorded in these period views.
(caption) A damaged locomotive and tender which fell into the Appomattox River off the burned bridge that ran to the South Side R.R. machine shops. After the war the locomotive was salvaged and put back into use.
(caption) A view from the west of the station, note the wheels of the burned cars to the left of the photograph.
Marker is at the intersection of Cockade Alley and River Street, on the right when traveling north on Cockade Alley.
Courtesy hmdb.org
