PETERSBURG, a town and port of the United States of North America, state of Virginia, on the right bank of the Appomattox, 10 miles above its confluence with the James river, and 22 S. of Richmond. It is handsomely built, principally of brick, and is a place of much commercial importance, being, in respect to size, the third town in the state. Among the public edifices are a court-house; a jail; eight churches, belonging to Presbyterians, Methodists, Episcopalians, Baptists, and Roman Catholics; and three banks. The manufacturing establishments are several cotton and one woollen factory, two rope-walks, an iron furnace, six forges, and several mills. A great amount of water-power for these works is furnished by the falls of the river just above the town. A canal has been made round the falls, by means of which small boats are enabled to ascend for about 100 miles higher. Vessels of 100 tons burden come up to the town, and those of a larger size discharge their cargoes at City Point, the point of confluence of the Appomattox and the James, whence there is a railway to Petersburg. The aggregate tonnage of the vessels registered at the port, June 30, 1852, was 484; of those enrolled and licensed, 2110. In that year there entered 16 vessels, tonnage 10,147; and there cleared 10, tonnage 5102. The principal exports are flour and tobacco, in large quantities. A great fire took place here in 1815, when nearly 400 houses were destroyed. Pop. (1850) 14,010. (1853) about 15,000.