Battle Of Petersburg, 25 April 1781--Flanking Movement

About midday on 25 April 1781, Maj. Gen. William Phillips discovered that the right flank of the American militia, on the edge of Blandford was vulnerable to attack from the south and rear. He ordered Lt. Col. John Simcoe's Queen's Rangers and a Light Infantry battalion to the south and west on a wide sweep around the flank to attack the Virginians from the rear. Simcoe took this nearby route (now Graham Road) between present-day Crater Road and Sycamore Street, thus moving his large force behind the American line undetected. When Simcoe reached the high ground overlooking Petersburg, the Americans were already retreating.