Miles and Maj. Gen. Gershom Mott fought a minor and inconclusive action against the Army of Northern Virginia rear guard commanded by Maj. Gen. John B. Gordon near Amelia Springs.

[notes 3] In addition, Davies's men took over 300 Confederate prisoners in the Paineville action immediately preceding the counterattack which precipitated the running battle through and beyond Amelia Springs almost to Jetersville.

[3][notes 4] During the 292-day Richmond–Petersburg Campaign (Siege of Petersburg) Union General-in-Chief Ulysses S. Grant had to conduct a campaign of trench warfare and attrition in which the Union forces tried to wear down the less numerous Confederate Army of Northern Virginia, destroy or cut off sources of supply and supply lines to Petersburg and Richmond and extend the defensive lines which the outnumbered and declining Confederate force had to defend to the breaking point.

[6][7][8] After the Battle of Hatcher's Run on February 5–7, 1865 extended the armies' lines another 4 miles (6.4 km), Lee had few reserves after manning the lengthened Confederate defenses.

[9] Lee knew he must soon move part or all of his army from the Richmond and Petersburg lines, obtain food and supplies at Danville, Virginia or possibly Lynchburg, Virginia and join General Joseph E. Johnston's force opposing Major General William T. Sherman's army in North Carolina.

[20] Lee expected to find a supply train of rations that he had ordered brought to Amelia Court House to meet the army at that location.

[23] On April 4, 1865, the opposing forces skirmished at Beaver Pond Creek or Tabernacle Church[notes 5] and at Amelia Court House.

[21] By April 4, Sheridan's Union forces had taken advanced positions at Burkeville Junction and at Jetersville, which blocked Lee's access to the Richmond and Danville Railroad and to the direct route southwestward.

[21][26][27] On April 5, 1865, Sheridan ordered Crook to send cavalry patrols north of Jetersville to reconnoiter his left flank.

[35][37] The apparent purpose of these actions, after Lee discovered that the road and railroad to Burkeville was blocked by Sheridan's forces at Jetersville, was to cover for the continuing movement of the Confederate army west toward Farmville.

Miles and Maj. Gen. Gershom Mott of the corps commanded by Maj. Gen. Andrew A. Humphreys observed the movement on the night of April 5 and pursued the Confederates.

[5][notes 8] In addition, the Confederates suffered the loss of those soldiers and teamsters captured in the attack on the wagon train at Paineville.

[35][41] The Union forces soon discovered that Lee had started moving west and changed their direction of march to continue their pursuit.

[41] In the afternoon of April 6, 1865, approximately one-fifth[notes 10] the remaining soldiers of the Army of Northern Virginia (about 8,000 men, including Lt. Gen. Richard S. Ewell and eight other generals), about one-sixth of the number who had left Richmond and Petersburg, were cut off from the main body of Confederate troops at the Battle of Sailor's Creek (sometimes shown as "Battle of Sayler's Creek") and most were captured.

[5] The battlefield property is heavily wooded, difficult to interpret, privately owned and apparently in little danger of development.