the battles at white oak road and dinwiddie court house, while initially successful for the confederates, even a tactical victory at dinwiddie, ultimately did not advance their lines or achieve their strategic objective of weakening and driving back the union forces or separating sheridan's force from support. the battles and their aftermath set the stage for the confederate defeats and the collapse of confederate lines at the battle of five forks on the following day, april 1, 1865, and the third battle of petersburg (also known as the breakthrough at petersburg) on april 2, 1865 and ultimately led to the surrender of lee's army of northern virginia after the battle of appomattox court house, virginia on april 9, 1865.