April 3, 1865Reputable sourceWell documented
The Fall of Richmond
On the timeline · around April 3, 1865 ·
What happened
After Grant broke through the Petersburg lines on April 2, 1865, the Confederate government fled and its army evacuated, setting fire to warehouses as it left. Union troops entered the Confederate capital of Richmond, Virginia, the next day.
Why it matters
The fall of Richmond signaled the collapse of the Confederacy; days later, Lee would surrender.