Following the 10-month siege of Petersburg and defeat at Five Forks, Southern General Robert E. Lee hoped to meet up with the Army of Tennessee and go on the offensive near the Roanoke River bordering Virginia and North Carolina. He planned to reform his forces, made up of two small infantry corps and a cavalry corps, at Amelia Courthouse where he anticipated supplies would be waiting. When Lee arrived, he was disappointed to find no provisions had made it there. The commander sent his supply wagons to forage in the surrounding areas, but local farmers had little food to spare. Having lost a day of marching, the Confederates set off that evening for Appomattox Station to meet their supply train. During the march, Philip Sheridan’s cavalry and two infantry corps cut off almost one fourth of the Confederate army at Sailor’s Creek (also spelled Sayler’s Creek). To add to Lee’s difficulties, Sheridan reached Appomattox station before the dwindling Rebel forces and captured the supplies.