Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
Petersburg Campaign

Petersburg Campaign

9.0
A series of battles and a long siege near Petersburg, Virginia during 1864 and 1865 in the American Civil War
  • noun
  • /ˈpiːtərzbɜːrg kæmˈpeɪn/
translation icon : Campaña de Petersburgo
  • The Petersburg Campaign was a turning point in the Civil War.

Examples

  • The long siege of the Petersburg Campaign led to the eventual fall of Richmond.

  • Many historians study the tactics used during the Petersburg Campaign.

  • The Petersburg Campaign marked a turning point in the American Civil War.

  • Many historians study the Petersburg Campaign for its strategic significance.

  • The Petersburg Campaign marked a significant turning point in the American Civil War as Union forces advanced towards victory.

  • During the Petersburg Campaign, General Grant aimed to cut off the Confederate supply lines.

  • The conclusion of the Petersburg Campaign led to the eventual surrender of General Lee.

Synonyms

Petersburg
vsPetersburg Campaign
5 7.9

A long siege near Petersburg, Virginia late in the American Civil War that helped end it

has identical meaning but is the formal historical name used in texts

Surface Forms

Petersburg Campaign singular
Petersburg Campaigns plural

Morphology

Petersburg + campaign

The noun phrase is compositionally built from the place name 'Petersburg' and the noun 'campaign', so a learner who knows both constituents can infer it refers to a (military) campaign associated with Petersburg. While the precise historical details (dates, siege, that it was the final campaign) require background knowledge, the core locative + event meaning is directly derivable.

Etymology

The noun Petersburg Campaign comes from the city Petersburg and the word Campaign, which here meant a 'series of battles' around that place. The image is of a long 'siege' where Union troops surrounded Petersburg for months in 1864–65, so today Petersburg Campaign refers to that final fight that helped end the American Civil War.