, ▁showing ▁the ▁new ▁technology ' s ▁d angers . ▁By ▁the ▁Civil ▁War , ▁two ▁more ▁rail ro ads ▁had ▁been ▁built , ▁including ▁the ▁South ▁Side ▁Rail road ▁from ▁Petersburg . ▁It ▁became ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁Atlantic , ▁Mississippi ▁and ▁Ohio ▁Rail road ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 0 , ▁then ▁a ▁line ▁in ▁the ▁Nor folk ▁and ▁Western ▁Railway , ▁and ▁last ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁Nor folk ▁Southern ▁Railway . ▁The ▁Orange ▁and ▁Alexand ria ▁Rail road ▁stopped ▁in ▁Lyn ch burg . ▁ ▁American ▁Civil ▁War ▁ ▁During ▁the ▁American ▁Civil ▁War , ▁Lyn ch burg ▁served ▁as ▁a ▁Confeder ate ▁transport ation ▁hub ▁and ▁supply ▁dep ot . ▁It ▁had ▁ 3 0 ▁hosp it als , ▁often ▁placed ▁in ▁churches , ▁hot els , ▁and ▁private ▁homes . ▁ ▁In ▁June ▁ 1 8 6 4 , ▁Union ▁forces ▁of ▁General ▁David ▁Hunter ▁approached ▁within ▁ ▁as ▁they ▁drove ▁south ▁from ▁the ▁Sh en ando ah ▁Valley . ▁Confeder ate ▁troops ▁under ▁General ▁John ▁McC aus land ▁har ass ed ▁them . ▁Meanwhile , ▁the ▁city ' s ▁def enders ▁hast ily ▁ere cted ▁breast works ▁on ▁Am her st ▁He ights . ▁Def enders ▁were ▁led ▁by ▁General ▁John ▁C . ▁Bre ck in ridge , ▁who ▁was ▁an ▁invalid ▁from ▁w ounds ▁received ▁at ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Cold ▁Har bor . ▁Union ▁General ▁Philip ▁Sher idan ▁appeared ▁head ed ▁for ▁Lyn ch burg ▁on ▁June ▁ 1 0 , ▁as ▁he ▁crossed ▁the ▁Ch