The Battle of Petersburg was not, by itself, a turning point in the Civil War. Instead, Petersburg is important historically for two things: firstly, for ending one of the longest military sieges undertaken during the course of the war, and secondly, because the final capture of Petersburg (and therefore its role in the fall of neighboring and far more famous Richmond) was the impetus of Confederate General Robert E. Lee's surrender at the Battle of Appomattox Court House eight days later. The war came to end as a result of Lee's surrender at Appomattox, not simply the taking of Petersburg itself.